The Delayed Ramen Part III - Kintaro!

Took some time off from blogging about food experiences but I had this craving for ramen the last while and thought about Kintaro.  So why not finish up part three of the downtown Vancouver ramen experience!

Kintaro is by far the busiest shop for ramen around Vancouver.  There is a constant line up and I always refuse to wait around for a spot inside and opt to go next door to Motomachi.  Not this time!  My partner and I were fully committed to this ramen session.

Felt like we waited for an eternity but it was probably around 45 minutes.  They took orders ahead of time so you would get your food in a short time frame once seated and get the heck out when you were done!

I had the BBQ Pork Ramen and went with the regular pork.  When we were waiting in the windows I saw people eating the fatty pork and it is fat!  Even the half and half was pretty fat to me.  The broth was a lot saltier and had more oil than what my palate was normally use to.  It reminded me of the street spots in Tokyo with fast food that had lots of salt and oil.  None the less it is definitely tasty!  I had a side of kimchi and the portion was huge!  I was expecting a lot less kimchi but that little bowl is packed with kimchi - very spicy!

My partner had the vegetarian option loaded with nori, corn and egg.  Broth is lighter but still a bit more oily than what we were use to next door.

All in all, my preference is still Motomachi.  I find it more comfortable, broth less oily and more 'earthy' which makes some sense since they claim they use a lot of local and organic ingredients.  I never have to wait in line and I don't feel rushed when inside.   Kintaro is still worth trying out for yourself to see what line up is all about! 

Happy Thanksgiving and maybe you can use that leftover turkey in a bowl of ramen??

The Ramen Review Part II - Motomachi Shokudo - Vancouver, BC

Hello Motomachi! Sometimes it seems like Motomachi is forgotten from it's big brother a few doors down - Kintaro. I'm a big fan of Motomachi and 99% of the time I have the Bamboo Charcoal Ramen! First off, I love the small interior that mainly consists of a square communal table with a center piece that provides privacy all around. I never feel squished or rushed when I am eating my ramen when compared to some of the other ramen spots. The atmosphere is perfect and authentic.

On this visit, no surprise I had the Charcoal Ramen. If you read the menu there are all sorts of health benefits with this charcoal broth. That is just an added bonus, this broth leaves a long lasting taste that is extremely flavourful. I find Motomachi is not as oily, vegetables are fresh and they claim organic, the meat is not as fatty. For me this is a perfect combination and fits my palate. For others who prefer an oily broth and chasu (pork) that is fattier then Motomatchi might not be the place.

My partner had the spring special that had loads of fresh vegetables in a shio broth that was tomato based. Her descriptor - earthy. If there is a taste that can be described as organic this was it.

So the quick summary for those of you deciding on your ramen fix. If you want a healthier alternative, no long line ups and nice atmosphere then this definitely a must stop for ramen in Vancouver! And those wanting something a bit different, stayed tuned for Ramen Review Part III!

The Ramen Review Part I - Hokkaido Ramen Santouka - Vancouver, BC

My last trip to Vancouver included stopping at 3 of my favourite downtown ramen shops! There is no where else in Canada where you can conveniently walk a few blocks in any direction and eat quality authentic ramen.  I LOVE IT!

Located on the west end on Robson Street, Hokkaido Ramen Santouka is considered one of the newer kids on the block.  In past I have had their shoyu and miso cha-su ramen but on this visit I had to have the signature ramen.  Tokusen Toroniku Ramen meaning choice pork ramen is their pride and joy!

The noodles and toppings are served separately.  I like this idea so you don't have to let your meat and toppings drown in broth.  The first few slurps took me back to the red light district in Shinjuku and eating ramen at this shop with a pink pig in front.  Does anyone know what I'm talking about??  All this to say it was extremely satifisying and I really enjoy the noodles they use here as it doesn't get chewy and overcooked.  The meat is incredible!  It's pork cheek meat and apparently only small portions of this are found on the pig.  They compare it to the same sensation as eating fatty tuna.  I agree 100%.  This pork melted in your mouth, unbelievably tender.  Surprisingly it wasn't as fatty as I thought it would be which was a bonus!

This place is busy and rightfully so.  There is usually a line up, especially on the weekends for the evening hours. My first stop this time for ramen was a great success!! I was hungry for more and couldn't wait to get to Motomachi for my next meal - my usual ramen stop in Vancouver.

Meat & Bread - Vancouver, BC

Mmmmmm... meat and bread!  You seriously can't go too wrong with this combination assuming you like meat and bread.  Don't expect a lot of vegetables here, although you can get a side salad with your sandwich.  It's a nice addition and looked delicious, but when you walk into the line up and you see them pull up out a steaming moist chunk of pork it's hard to think about anything else.


What appeared to be the owner was going up and down the line to let people know about the feature sandwich.  This helped speed up the ordering process even though they have a small menu to begin with.  They had a turkey, meatball, grilled cheese sandwich that day but I opted for the porchetta.  Like I said, it was so hard to resist that pork when you can see the moisture in the meat, the fat ooze out from the crispy skin and the smell!

I'm getting hungry looking at these pictures.  The sandwich is what I will say a solid portion.  Not overwhelming for me but definitely not skimpy.  I loved the crispy skin that they seperated and added into the sandwich.  It reminded me of the roasted bbq pork you would eat up in Chinatown.  Overall the porchetta is tasty but definitely on the salty side.  But who cares when the meat is so moist and fresh out of the oven.

I wish I had more time and more room to eat all the sandwiches.  This is a great spot in Gastown for a quick, casual, unpretentious bite that will hit every spot.  I look forward to my return and maybe next time I will add in that serving of fruit and vegetables!  Actually, I did have some lime in my Sip so that has to count for something.

Guu Otokomae - Vancouver, BC

 

Guu... is guuuuud!  It doesn't get old for me to say it!  Started out in Vancouver they have expanded into Toronto.  People in Toronto tell me that Guu started there - go figure!

I like to dine at the Guu at the two downtown locations.  The one on Thurlow is the one I usually like to visit when I am in Vancouver.  I love the lively atmosphere especially when sitting along the grill where the action is at.  You certainly feel like you are in Tokyo as they serve up a wide range of izakaya.

The Gastown location is a bit different with the kitchen not out in the open.  I was seated at the bar with my friend.  Normally this is where you would see the food being prepared.  In this case, we watched the alcohol being prepared!  So that meant a drink to start things off.

They have a wide assortment of drinks on the menu that are 'unique' to Guu.  I'm sure there is something suitable for everyone.  My drink was off their 'classic' section which consisted of red wine, cassis and mango juice all layered.  Definitely a sweeter drink but not a bad way to start dinner.

We weren't extremely hungry and didn't want to get the usual things off the Guu menu AND trying to keep it not too greasy.  The lucky three dishes included the duck breast, spicy agedashi tofu and salmon with 7 friends.  Salmon with 7 friends?  It caught my eye and I am not sure if I liked all 7 friends that joined the dish.

  

Duck was good, agedashi tofu was great, salmon and 7 friends? Not so much.  Took a risk and it didn't pay off.  It read better on the menu: garlic chips, onions, miso, diced sockeye salmon and so much more! How could I resist.  I forgot to mention it had a fresh egg yolk.  When I see egg yolk, my assumption is it is raw and gets mixed into something that is hot so it cooks.  I was wrong!  Egg yolk gets mixed in by the server and when you put all the goodness inside the seaweed, you soon discover it is a cold dish.  I'm not a fan of cold raw eggs and neither is my stomach.  I paid the price later!  

Dessert was a sweet tofu pudding.  Simple, but nothing to die for.  I guess my lesson learned is to stick to the usual, greasy, grilled, hot izakaya items.  It was a nice change of pace at this location as it is more laid back with the large bar. So depending on what you are wanting from your Guu experience, locations matters.  I'm leaning towards the downtown spots as it seems to be a better fit for izakaya in a smaller space and more energetic environment.  Still a big fan of Guu! 

Globefish - Chinook Mall, Calgary, AB

I've been a fan of Globefish since their original location in Kensington.  It was a small space, jammed pack and a usual line up to get in.  Since that location they have opened up a location in Marda Loop and now the newest one in Chinook Mall.  The concept has evolved from being a sushi bar to both sushi and izakaya.

I sometimes feel as a restaurant expands into multiple locations and a more diverse menu to accommodate the masses the quality starts to suffer.  I use to be the one promoting Globefish but now after this experience it has left me with little to get excited about.  The speciality rolls that were once new, exciting, fresh and "to die for" are now lacking in quality and it shows!  Case in point, look at all the rolls below.  If you can't tell the rice was overcooked from way too much water.  The rolls, well, they were more oval or in some cases triangular - it did not make it taste any better.

We started out with some takoyaki and a rice paper roll that had tuna, tobiko, cucumber and some ginger sauce on the plate.  Takoyaki was good, can't go too wrong with it and the presentation was nice.  The rice paper roll literally did not come together as it was falling apart.  Not to mention, it did not taste good as the sauce had more sweetness than expected likely to replicate a peanut sauce that you would use for a Vietnamese rice paper roll?
  

And now the rolls that we had included some of their speciality rolls like Power of Love to the regular stuff like BC rolls.  

I find now that a lot of their rolls all tasted so similar.  Covered in sauce with either salmon, tuna, mango, tobiko, cucumber and repeated in a random combination.  If I had to pick one from that night, the BC roll tasted better on the palate just because it was simple!

Finished it all off with a slab of green tea ice cream and whipped cream?  As if it wasn't creamy enough on it's own.   I think if I just had takoyaki, bc roll and green tea ice cream I would of been somewhat satisfied if I was in a food court at a mall.  

  

CHAR|CUT, Calgary, AB

CHARCUT has been receiving a lot of publicity due to Chef De Sousa being on Top Chef Canada.  A lot of buzz in Calgary!  I want to give a good review as most reviews are quite positive for this place which would suggest it is top notch.  Well I was in for quite the experience.  Let's dive into this one and start with the food!

There were three of us and we shared the Pig Head Mortadella, Bone Marrow au Gratin and Kielbasa for starters.  I grew up with my mother using bone marrow in soups so I knew it would be flavourful.  There were escargot baked into the bone marrow and it did not disappoint.  As for the kielbasa and mortadella, both tasted fine but nothing that left me craving for more.

Main entrees consisted of the 6oz dry aged butcher steak and grilled fish.  Sides we shared were the duck fat fried poutine and grilled asparagus.  If there was one word to describe the steak, poutine and broccolini - salty!  I'm not sure if they were having an off night and someone was going happy on the salt or if it was normal.  All you could taste was salt and nothing else.  Which was too bad as the steak was tender, cooked perfectly but all you could taste was salt.  This was the same for the poutine and asparagus.  The grilled fish was definitely the better entree as it was not over salted.  It did not leave me wanting for more and it was likely due to the salty sides and steak.  My dining partners did not want to 'complain' about it, otherwise I would of turned back all the sides and their steak without any question.

We figured that we mine as well go through the rest of the menu and onto dessert.  The good news - dessert was the best part.  The two we went with was the creme brulee and preserved apricot in the jar.  Creme brulee was simple and served with two warm chocolate chip cookies that really added to the whole experience.  Again, simple but really good.   Preserved apricot in the jar was layered with cheesecake and graham crackers.  Definitely creative and not something you normally see.  The textures, sweet to tart flavours all served in a cute little jar made for a solid dessert.

So that was the good.  Unfortunately for us the bad did not end here.  Later on that evening all three of us were sick to our stomachs.  This continued throughout the evening and into the early morning.  I felt horrible the next day.  I thought it would only be right to report this to CHARCUT incase others reported this as well and also anyone who has a weakened immune system could result in much worse.  The owner contacted me promptly and took the matter seriously.  Obviously it was a food borne illness from something the three of us shared.  I will say from my conversation with the owner they certainly have high standards as far as food safety and follow-up procedures.

Again, I want to say great things about CHARCUT, but my experience both during and after leaves me with little to praise about.  Is it just me or has someone else experienced similar food quality?

Jelly Modern Doughnuts - Calgary, AB

Well... a review on doughnuts!  On my visit in Calgary I had to visit this hot spot that has created some local buzz in the sweet tooth arena.  Greeted by a clean, modern, open space and of course the case that contains a well organized display of doughnuts.  I had to have them all!  For $24.95 you could have a dozen which would cover it all - let the games begin!

This was Sunday's spread, consisting of everything from maple bacon, marshmellow to the classic jelly.  With only so much real estate in the stomach, between 3 of us, we had to strategically do a tasting to get a good feel for Jelly Modern Doughnuts.  

Carrot Cake Doughnut

The first bite was into the classic jelly.  My first thought was fresh.  It certainly didn't disappoint, but it didn't sent me to another stratosphere.  I continued my journey through a few more different doughnuts including the espresso, lemon curd and carrot cake.  I made a conclusion that everything was good, fresh and unique in it's own way.

Is it worth $24.95 a dozen? Maybe. They claim to use local ingredients, organic and all that good stuff. It's a refreshing change to the cupcake scene I suppose and definitely has the fun factor. I really like the concept and the branding they have done.  My one negative is the coffee. I was really hoping for a nice americano to balance it all out, but it was mediocre. Lacking crema and served in a small paper cup. Nonetheless,  a good Sunday afternoon experience that did leave me scraping off some chocolate! 

Saskatoon Berry Barn

A rainy gloomy Sunday in the city called for the first trip out to the Saskatoon Berry Barn.  The Berry Barn as we know it has become a popular tourist spot and a regular visit for a lot of locals.  Located 10 minutes outside the city and situated along the river banks of the Saskatchewan River, it is easy to understand why it is a popular escape.

Upon walking into the barn you are greeted with a very well stocked gift shop full of local Saskatoon berry products and souvenirs.  If that wasn't enough, there is a greenhouse and berry patch that you can dive into after your meal inside the barn.  So let's focus in on the food!

I had the 'Berry Barn Burner' that included borscht, perogies, farmer sausage, vegetables and dessert.  The borscht was confusing as it wasn't what I expected.  It was tomato based with carrots, cabbage and a lot of dill.  Definitely too sweet for my liking, but I have had the borscht with beets in the past that was a lot better.

Next was the main course that came with farmer sausage, cottage cheese perogies, and vegetables.  Farmer sausage is one of my favourites and it didn't disappoint.  Lean and flavourful as expected.  The perogies on the other hand were cooked from frozen, resulting in more moisture inside than cottage cheese as it was disintegrating.  It came with a sauce that was too rich when combined with the perogies.  Vegetables of the day were asparagus - blanched and that was it.  All in all, wasn't the greatest meal, but I do know the greatest part of the Berry Barn is the pie!

Save the best for last.  The pie never disappoints as it is the best seller at the Berry Barn.  It comes in a Splenda version which is great for those who are diabetic or just don't want the sugar!  I had the Splenda version which has a crust on top.  The regular version does not, but both are equally good.  I have yet to have a Saskatoon berry pie better than what they do here.  It certainly will not disappoint and something that you can count on.

It's a unique part of Saskatoon and a must for tourists.  For the locals, it's a great escape from the city on a Sunday to enjoy the peaceful view and pie!!