100-2970 Glen Drive, Coquitlam
If you are a fan of both Mexican and Korean cuisine and have always had a difficult time choosing between the two, look no further than Coquitlam's Tacoreano, metro Vancouver's answer to fresh tacos with an Asian twist. I had passed by Tacoreano a number of times and finally had an opportunity to try it with some friends, and I was shocked at how delicious and innovative this fusion was. I was admittedly a little wary, seeing as I had never had Korean food before, but the mix of flavours was truly out of this world. Tacoreano serves up a wide variety of tacos, burritos and quesadillas with Asian flavours mixed in, making for a delicious experience that is hard to find in the Lower Mainland. The restaurant has a long communal table running through the center with three other 2-person tables and a cozy nook area, making the restaurant quite small. A lit up sign that boasts the name of the restaurant hangs over top of the long table, giving the restaurant a very cozy and Tumblr-worthy interior. Along the wall there is a selection of hot sauces to stay true to the Mexican side of the restaurant, next to the pitchers of cold water and hot tea to stay true to the Asian side. The tacos were incredible - I had one pork taco (pork marinated with red pepper paste, cabbage, salsa, pickled radish, miso crema) and the shrimp taco (sizzling shrimp, sliced avocado, garnish with sour cream and cilantro). We also shared the very typical Pinata nachos. All of the dishes sound really innovative, most notably the strawberry taco that has brie cheese, basil and honey among other things. If you're not feeling tacos but still want to check it out, Tacoreano also serves up rice bowls that feature various proteins, kimchee and salsa fresca - an odd, yet satisfying fusion. The service was quick and friendly, and also a strange hybrid of fast food joint and sit down restaurant. The server will come and take your order, and you go up to pay for your food at the end of your meal. I don't really know what to say to that. The important thing is that the food came out in a timely fashion and that it looked and tasted delicious! With the new Evergreen Extension, I will definitely be making a point to go into Coquitlam, and Tacoreano, more often, to try out as many dishes as possible.
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1741 Robson Street, Vancouver (West End)
During a recent outing with both of my sisters (a very first time for my youngest sister Therese!), we had a bit of a throwback when we went to the Japanese spaghetti restaurant Spaghetei on Robson Street. It serves up "authentic Japanese style spaghetti", something that I found out was indeed a thing during a trip to Japan a while ago. Eleanor had gone to Spaghetei before and had great things to say about it all, so having this feedback and the fact that I wanted to check out for the longest time, we went the other night. We got there earlier than normal dinner time, about 5:45ish and we were seated very quickly. The decor is very simple, and the front entrance was conveniently open to the street to let the small space air out. During the winter time, the wall is closed off and there is a single door to get into the restaurant. With each of the spaghetti dishes, you can get the regular size for the price that is listed on the menu, or alternatively, a small (- $1) or a large size (+ $1). We ended up sharing 2 large size spaghetti plates, and we also got two pieces of their garlic bread (which Eleanor describes as honey garlic, due to its sweetness. It is also green in colour). The dishes that we ordered, the Clam Soup Spaghetti and the Tomato Cream Spaghetti, came reallyy quick and tasted delicious. The portions that we shared was definitely enough, if not just enough. Depending on how hungry you are, you could probably finish an entire large. However, I was told by Eleanor that the regular is really small and definitely your best bet if you are planning to have your own dish. The servers at Spaghetei were really great about sharing dishes, so if you can't decide which one to try, go with a few friends and share a few large plates! Spaghetei was a delicious meal that didn't leave us too full - just enough to make it by. The only downside is that this restaurant, and many others on the West Side, are really far away from the Skytrain station. We walked from Granville, though in retrospect we should have walked from Burrard. There is the possibility to catch a bus down, which may end up being a lot quicker. However, there are a lot of great shops to check out along Robson, which makes the walk worthwhile! 115 West 2nd Avenue, Vancouver (Olympic Village/False Creek)
I have nothing but good things to say about Bao Down and now their new restaurant location. Bao Down Gastropub + Raw Bar rang in 2016 with a bang, bringing to Olympic Village a vibrant take on Thai food. The first Bao Down opened in Gastown as a petite stand that served up steamed bao (buns) with incredible combinations of fillings, adding a unique twist to the typical bao. Bringing the creativity to the next level, Bao Down Gastroppub + Raw Bar brought with it new takes to traditional Thai dishes. They also have raw oysters to shuck, if you're down for some shellfish! I went with my friend Christian to catch up, and I'm so glad that we got to try Bao Down in the midst of its grand opening. I had some Vancouver brewed 33 Acres beer to go with my VeVo Pad Thai, while Christian had the Fly Rice. The flavours were authentic and definitely had a Canadian spin to it. Really good food, friendly and knowledgeable waiters/waitresses, and an all around cool vibe. If you are familiar with the wall mural at the Gastown location, you will be blown away by the one in the Olympic Village location! Go check them out for lunch and dinner for a good time! I also heard through the grapevine that they have a Hawaiian-style weekend brunch available now too! 3431 West Broadway, Vancouver (Kitsilano)
TASTE: 5/5 SERVICE: 5/5 PRICE: $ Even if you never get the chance to go check out The Eatery, go check out their website. Websites aside, The Eatery is a funky place for Japanese food. Owned by the same person who owns The General Public, the eclectic atmosphere is just as weird as the names of their rolls. I brought my friend Cielo down here on her first downtown adventure, and an adventure it certainly was. Cielo and I shared a Crazy Spice Roll, a Barbie Roll and a Tuna Crunch Roll along with a Chicken Yakisoba. The food was delicious and just as eccentric as the decorations hanging from the ceiling and the walls. It was all very good, and it came relatively fast as well. Just the same as The General Public, I recommend getting there a little earlier just to avoid the wait. However, the menus for The General Public and The Eatery are exactly the same, so at the end of the day it really doesn't matter which one you go to. If you are a relying on transit, then The General Public is an easier place to get to. If you are driving, then it's up to you! Both are incredibly strange but really delicious. 2773 Barnet Highway, Coquitlam
TASTE: 5/5 SERVICE: 1/5 PRICE: $$ One of the first Hong Kong style cafes that I have featured on the blog! This was actually not a bucket list place before, but after trying it out I wanted to feature it. Hong Kong style cafes are one of my favourite places to go to. Basically, these cafes feature a mix of Hong Kong style Chinese food as well as Western dishes. They are best known for their combos - entrees with multiple components that come with drinks. My family and I shared different combos where we had spaghetti bolognaise, lobster bisque with a pastry puff crust, Portuguese style rice, rib eye steak and pork chop with steamed vegetables... it was all very, very good! While the food was delicious and came out relatively quick, the service was by no means friendly. Busy or otherwise, it is always a good idea to treat your customers with respect. The food tasted great but the service left a bad taste in my mouth. If you have never been to a Hong Kong style cafe, I highly recommend going to try one, but maybe steer clear of M. 2521 Main Street, Vancouver (Mount Pleasant)
TASTE: 3/5 SERVICE: 3/5 PRICE: $$$ So I'll be really transparent for a second - the only reason why I wanted to come to Miura Waffle Milk Bar was because I wanted to try their alcoholic bubble tea option. Aside from the adult version of my favourite drink, Miura is well know for their waffles, both sweet and savoury. Having tried sweet Belgian waffles before, I decided to try something new and have one of their "waffle-wiches" as I liked to call them. With Asian inspired mixes such as Bulgogi or wasabi salmon or the Asian nod to chicken and waffles, the waffle-wiches were filling and delicious, filled with fresh veggies and meats and tons of flavour. The bubble tea options are comparable to that of Bubble World or Pearl Fever. The one thing that sets it apart is the bubble tea cocktails - milk tea with Kahlua, strawberry and amaretto, gin and passion fruit - just to name a few. Like other places, it costs $0.50 to add pearls, but it definitely is worth it to try alcoholic bubble tea. The alcohol content is not too overpowering, but it is just enough to make it taste a little more "adult like" than your ordinary bubble teas. Miura Waffle Milk Bar definitely has something that sets itself apart from its counterparts, but at the end of the day, the bubble teas and waffle sandwiches are a little pricey. I think it's more of a novelty thing, so while I did enjoy it, I probably will not return again. 3289 Main Street (Vancouver - Mount Pleasant)
TASTE: 5/5 SERVICE: 3/5 PRICE: $ As part of a girls night, my friend Rebbecca and I made the trek out to The General Public for a simple sushi dinner. Or was it? Being greeted with colorful wind ornaments against a solid black canopy and wooden tables on the outside was an interesting sight to see. Upon entry into the restaurant, we were greeted with white character heads hanging on the walls, animals made from toys hanging from the ceiling and antlers. Antlers, everywhere. We quickly found that this was no ordinary Japanese restaurant. It definitely was anything but authentic - it was unique and one of a kind. Despite it's lack of authenticity, the sushi was able to hold it's own twist of sushi which was just as delicious as rolls from other places. With funky named rolls such as Found Nemo, the Bob Marley, and the KFC roll (yes, Kentucky Fried Chicken), it was truly a memorable experience. The owner of The General Public described the restaurant as "a hunting lodge... with sushi". I guess that's where the antlers come in. With another equally unique location in the Kitsilano neighbourhood called The Eatery, "funky sushi" is definitely a one of a kind dining experience. |
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