810 Quayside Drive, New Westminster
Wild Rice was something that I stumbled upon one afternoon while walking along the Quay with my sister, After a bit of research, I found that Wild Rice has Asian fusion with many options including gluten free, vegetarian and vegan. For that reason, I decided to go with my friend Andrea who is vegan. Walking in we were greeted with phenomenal waitresses who quickly told us about the specials as we walked in. the atmosphere was very fun and intimate: spices sitting on a rack and woks hang on the walls. An open kitchen greeted us with the familiar smells of Asian cuisine. Sitting in the open patio facing the Fraser River, we had virgin Lotuses (Lychee nectar and ginger ale), Kung Po Chicken Poutine, Vegetable spring rolls and Vegan "Butter Chicken" as an entree. The appetizers were a great way to start off our meal - I have never tried polenta fries, so that was a new experience for me. But the familiarity of poutine in Kung Po chicken gravy was delicious. The classic vegetable spring roll was also a great choice, crunchy and filled with vegetables. The vegan "Butter Chicken" was the biggest thing that stood out for me on the menu. As vegan people can't consume any kind of meat products, butter and chicken seemed to be out of the question. Instead, we were served a curry with tofu and red beets over Jasmine rice. Despite it being a vegan option, the dish was incredibly fragrant and had just the right amount of spice. To finish, we ordered the Callebaut chocolate pudding which was topped with wine poached pears. Our waitress accidentally brought us a gluten free chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream, but we still got it - on the house - because of the mix up. Things taste pretty good when they're free, especially dessert! Asian fusion is a really tricky thing to do, but Wild Rice exceeded all my expectations. Definitely worth trying out!
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780 Richards Street, Vancouver Cafe Medina has been on my radar for a very, very long time, and the other day I finally made it with Elaine! The iconic pale blue sign stood in front of us as we patiently waited patiently for our turn past the glass doors. As I had been reading the menu for hours on end before we went, I quickly learned that Cafe Medina's stamp of identity came from their Mediterranean style cuisine and homemade Belgian waffles. Placed at the bar with the waffle heater in full view, we were greeted by very cheerful baristas and waitresses, who told us that the waffles were a must - an enlarged amuse-bouche, if you will - and was definitely the best way to start off our brunch service. The Liege-style waffles were incredible, with a nice sugary crunch on the outside and a warm and soft center. The treat was the dipping sauces that came with it: milk chocolate lavender for myself, and peach and bourbon butterscotch for Elaine. Shortly after came our brunch entrees, both of which were delicious, timely, and fresh with a Mediterranean twist. The portions were manageable and beautifully presented, and it kept me wanting more! The pictures below don't do it justice, but I recommend that you go and give it a try! Despite the fact that Cafe Medina is open from 9-3, the growing popularity of it creates long line ups and waits of upwards of two hours. My suggestion is to get there as early as possible, and if you can't get there earlier, then wait it out - it definitely is worth it! My family and I went to the Abbotsford location, the one that is situated in the fairly new High Street open air shopping center. At first I thought it was a unique place but as it turns out it is a bit of a chain of pizza places. Being a huge fan of pizza, I didn't say no to an opportunity to have it for dinner with my family.
The trendy wooden decor grabbed my attention first, and then the delicious smell of baking pizza dough, Italian spices and tomato sauce. We shared what they called "New World" Pizzas - Korean BBQ Pork and the Don Andreas (Creme Fraiche with avocado, chicken, corn, salsa and some Valentina hot sauce), along with some tomato bisque and salad. The Korean BBQ Pizza was my favourite, despite my initial apprehension at putting Asian delicacies on pizza dough. The huge surprise at the end of dinner was their bonus dessert as a thank you for waiting.. My parents decided to get a second dessert, so to end off an incredible meal, we had a Dolce & Banana dish as well as a Nutella and Banana pizza, which was kind of like a crepe but with the pizza dough. Sounds kind of strange, but it was actually quite delicious. It was a filling and delicious meal, and definitely something I will try out again with friends! 322-5300 No. 3 Road, Richmond Ever since my dad started cooking Singaporean food at home, we started to become more culturally aware of this new kind of Chinese food - so new that it needed it's own label for it. Singaporean mixes a fusion of Chinese and Malaysian food in it's cuisine, and in came a series of restaurants that we tried around the city. One of them was Tropika, in Lansdowne center. We tried a variety of ethnic dishes that my dad was a world expert on - different kinds of noodles like fried Hokkien Mee, curry, coconut rice, and satay skewers. There is a lot of vocabulary that even I am not familiar with, so I think I will leave it at the fact that this ethnic dinner was delicious. We also had a wonderful dessert that seems to be quite popular among these kinds of restaurants - friend banana with ice cream. Singaporean food has become one of my favorite cuisines, in part because of its expansive flavor palate as well as how unique everything is. If you are looking for something different from your usual Chinese take out, give Singaporean food a try! Clockwise from top left: coconut rice, beef curry, satay skewers, fried banana, Fried Hokkien Mee
#344 - 800 Carnavron Street, New Westminster
With three locations and an ambient and unique atmosphere, Hub Restaurant elevates classic comfort and pub food. My friend Abby and I went to the New Westminster location, which overlooks the Fraser River. The dining area is very expansive with iconic graffiti walls, wooden decor and a massive bar in the middle of the room. The menu boasts comfort food like macaroni and cheese and grilled cheese sandwiches, burgers of all kinds and fany pastas with mussels and various steak cuts. There is a lot of fresh energy from the barely two year old restaurant, which has climbed onto the back of its other locations' success. Abby and I both had burgers - I had the Crack(ed peppercorn) burger which had an onion ring covered in cracked peppercorns, offering a crunch with a heat. Of course, dinner with a friend would not be complete without dessert - Hub offers desserts of various kinds, but it's signature dessert is the Pazookie. If you have ever been to Boston Pizza, you will instantly connect with the BP Panookie, a chocolate chip cookie baked in a cast-iron pan, topped with ice cream and chocolate and caramel drizzle. Similarly, Hub has the Pazookie in four flavours: Classic Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Chocolate, Triple Chocolate Brownie and White Chocolate Macadamia nut. Of course, we had to go for the one with the most chocolate, and our decision was well worth it. I would definitely recommend checking out Hub at it's convenient New West location, or at it's other locations at Yaletown and Denman for a fresh take on your favorite foods! 1641 Commercial Drive, Vancouver Located in the Il Mercato mall, this Italian restaurant goes back to basics and creates traditional Italian dishes with a Commercial Drive-Little Italy flavor. The first thing I noticed walking into the restaurant was the stone oven that was behind the bar, where freshly tossed and topped pizzas are baked. The smells of spices and cheese fills the air and I know that I made a wise choice. After finding Lombardo's on a friend's Instagram page, I decided to give it a try. The awning over top of the "patio" of the restaurant and the simple decor made me feel like I was sitting in a pizzeria in the streets of Italy. The food was incredible - definitely any Italian foodie's dream! Elaine and I tried their hand tossed pizza Ai Due Formaggi (with two types of cheese, salami, ham and mushrooms) and the Shells Toscana specialty pasta (Pasta with pesto sauce, sun dried tomatoes and grilled artichokes), and everything was amazing. I don't think I have ever had "real" Italian food aside from frozen pizza from a supermarket, and maybe going to a fancy Italian restaurant here or there. But being a student, the price was not too bad and the food was definitely worth it - so worth it that Elaine and I returned with her family! The second time we tried their two pizzas The Drive and La Giulia, their lasagna and tiramisu. If you love Italian food like I do, then check out Lombardo's - you won't regret it!
If you're on a time limit but you still want to try out their awesome pizza, check out Lombardo's 2 Go, which is located at the front entrance of the Il Mercato mall to take out the same incredible pizza that you can eat while dining in. 2611 West 4th Avenue, Vancouver If there is one word to describe your experience at Dark Table, it would be mysterious. Eating at Dark Table is an entirely new dining experience because of the mere fact that you are eating in complete darkness. Not just with the light off or in a black room, but complete darkness. No phones, no electronics, no lights of any kind. Just you, your food, and your senses. They say that when one sense is taken away, all your other senses are heightened. I found that to be 100% true. Not being able to see your food at all enhanced the tastes and the smells of the high end 2 or 3 course meal. When you enter, you pre-order your 2 or 3 course meal in the only lit area, the outside waiting area. After that, you are guided into the eating area by a blind or visually impaired waiter/waitress. This is what really impressed me and made me value my sight. The service is quick, friendly, and very efficient. Having gone to O.Noir in Montreal and experiencing something very similar, I knew that this was a place that I had to take my friend to try out for themselves. Tips:
- Reservations are highly recommended, just because of how popular the restaurant is! - A Groupon is also highly recommended - when I went with Elaine, the original bill came to $92. but with the Groupon we only had to pay $12! Finding something on Groupon or Living Social Deals is definitely worthwhile to purchase so as to enjoy the experience and not make a major dent in your wallet. - You have to option to do the full 3 courses (appetizer, entree and dessert) or 2 courses (appetizer & entree OR entree & dessert). The 3 course option is definitely worthwhile though!
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