After a long hiatus, Meg and I have decided to get back to journaling about all of our favourite foods. Much has changed since we posted last. We have moved and found some great new places that you should check out. Since it has been so long, I figured I would do a quick and dirty update:
Beast and Brine
Located at the intersection of Crescent Road and 128 st in Surrey, these purveyors of all things meat and cheese are one part hipster, one part mad scientist, one part meat dealer, and 1000 parts awesome. Already the darling of local chefs and foodies, B&B is open most days from 8am-5pm, be early or risk having to battle lines of suburban moms/dads looking for fresh, and preservative free small batch goods. Everything here is fresh made in house by the fine beast and brine folks, including their meats and locally made cheeses. Be sure to try their Elk Smokies, Buffalo Jalapeno White Cheddar Smokies, and don't forget to grab a pound of their double smoked bacon. When you cook it, the smell will linger in the house for days! They also have some very cool marketing swag going so grab a tshirt or hat with the "chipigfish" on it. Don't worry, It'll make sense when you get there.
CABIN
Located in Crescent Beach on the site of the former Beecher St. Café, the CABIN is a new offering from the same folks who brought us the WAG. The menu is not extensive, but when you are preparing food of this quality, you don't need to have a million items on the menu. Most of their entrees are between $18-$25 and are decent portions. The décor is log cabinesque and although rustic feels very modern and comfortable. The staff are very friendly and have all sorts of recommendations if you ask. I was not disappointed in any of them. If you are thinking desert, try the Peanutbutter Pie. Same thing they serve at the WAG and just as delicious.
Empire Garden
Located at #100-20378-88th Ave in Langley (Walnut Grove), Empire Garden is a great place to go for Dim Sum. Meg and I found it by chance a couple months ago and have gone back a couple of times now. Their Dim Sum is fresh and delicious and ranges in price from $2.95 to $6.95 and even as speciality dishes at more. They do all the usual Chinese food as well, but the Dim Sum is the main draw here. They open at 10:30am on the weekends and Dim Sum stops at 2pm. It gets busy quickly and from what we have heard is as authentic as one can get around here.
BackYard Vineyard/Neck of The Woods Winery
On a whim, Megan and I stopped here. Mostly, Megan was in the mood for wine at noon on a Saturday and we had tried their offerings before at a number of local wine tastings. We stopped in at their location at 3033 232nd St in Langley and tried their Cab Sav, Nosey Neighbour Red, Rose, Porch (cause it can't be a port), Pinot Gris and one other white, that while good wasn't memorable.
We ended up taking home the Rose and the Cab Sav. They also do tours and cheese/nibble platters at $30 for two people that include a glass of wine each. The people were very nice and we will certainly be back to try more of their cellar.
Saturday, May 25, 2013
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Plaka II- South Surrey
Sundays are a notoriously difficult day for food. Usually there are late risings, limited offerings and little motivation to cook for ones self. Combined with the fact that there was nothing in the house to create into a culinary masterpiece without at least three years at the CIA, and it was a perfect recipe for Meg and I to venture out to find new chow in the area. We had heard good things about Plaka II located at 106-15775 Croydon Drive, Surrey and decided we would give it a try to get some variation from the usual Sunday sushi lunch. Arriving right around noon on a Sunday we found two of the 12 tables in the restaurant occupied and found our own seat in the small storefront space. Nicely decorated in a Mediterranean theme but not garish by any stretch, there is even local artists work on the wall. The staff seemed very nice and were very helpful. Homous and Pita- Meg and I are big fans of Homous so we decided to get the appy version of this dish. At $4.99 you get a small bowl (maybe 6 oz) of homous and two whole pitas. The pitas are served piping hot and with a very light brush of butter. The homous was delicious, with a consistency slightly more viscous than your average homous. You could taste that it was homemade with all the requisite ingredients but my guess would be that they add vegetable stock to the normally pasty homous to get a texture that is smoother and slightly like a thick soup. As a result it coats the pita better. We would definitely order this again. Spanakopita- Meg ordered the appy spanakopita as her lunch. The $6.99 serving is decent and you get one large-ish pastry. The filling of spinach and feta was delicious and plentiful. Great flavour and very cheesy. The philo pastry was flavourful, very crispy and flaky, just how it should be. Meg commented that they could have used less butter in the brushing, but let's face it, when is LESS butter ever a good thing? Loaded Baked Potato Soup- I got the soup of the day which today was a Loaded Baked Potato. A cream based soup served in a good sized bowl. Small chunks of potato, cheese, bacon, chives, great flavour. Very creamy but not so rich that it was difficult to eat. At the end I was wishing for more, not because I was still hungry but because it was so good. At $5.50 it is definitely a repeat. Gyro- I also got the Gyro. Your traditional Gyro but done very well. The pita was the same as the appy, warm and with a slight garlic and salt dusting, lots of thinly sliced gyro meat that had great flavour. Good amount of Tomatoes, and if you are into them, onions hidden below all of that. The best part had to be the tzatziki sauce that is abundant in the gyro. True tzatziki aficionados will appreciate how the sauce pulls the entire wrap together with a creamy zing. In case you are wondering, I am drooling just thinking about it again. At $6.50 I was more than happy with the wrap, and my only regret was that there wasn't more of it. Menu- Overall, Plaka II doesn't have a huge menu. They have a good size appy section, the usual basic Greek specials, a number of Italian pasta specials, and a good number of individual pizzas that range from the mild to the wild in their toppings. It looks like all the dishes can be ordered take out, which I may have to remember for those nights when I work late and can just swing by on the way home after a phone call on the way. The balance between carnivore and herbivore offerings on the menu is decidedly favoured toward those of us who eat beast, but the vegetarians in your group won't go hungry. The wine list deserves special note. The breadth, depth and affordability of the wine list is outstanding. Usually, to order a bottle at a restaurant is tantamount to highway robbery, but at Plaka II you are looking at very little above wine store price. Allegedly, there is a deal of some sort between Plaka and the "Everything Wine" across the street in the plaza. That's thinking outside the box... Verdict- I would have included pictures expect two things happened. Meg and I were both so hungry that we didn't remember to take them until half way through the meal. This means all I have pictures of are half eaten plates. The second thing is that my phone won't email the pics. I will keep trying and edit if it/when it works. Plaka II was a pleasant surprise. Located in a slightly pretentious plaza, the food is delicious, affordable, and simple. No crazy presentations or ostentatious decor, just good food and nice people. I am sure that Plaka II will become a usual haunt of the Fat Kids.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Katana Japanese Steak and Seafood House- Langley, BC
So Megan and I decided to go out for dinner because I wasn't going to see her for a week or so. Wanting to try something new we headed out to Langley hankering for something non-chain-like. We have seen Katana over the years as we drove past, hit the bookstore or visited the Tim's across the road. Tonight was the night to try it.
Katana (http://www.katanateppan.com/) is located at 19957 Willowbrook Dr., Langley, BC and is a Japanese Steak and Seafood Hibachi restaurant. Although the lower mainland is plentiful with sushi/Japanese places, I have not seen nearly as many Hibachi places. To refresh your memory, hibachi is commonly found as a communal table of 8 seats around a large grill top. The chef is as much about the performance, knife work, and entertainment as they are about the preparation, which occurs in front of your eyes.
Meg and I wandered in without reservations (which I would recommend on any night and especially on a weekend night) and found 8 of the cook tops seating 64 people. I can imagine this places fills up quickly. The atmosphere is "modern Japanese" and the owner seems to have an affinity for model/toy motorcycles which adorn the shelves along side Katana swords as you walk in. They also have a huge amount of Polaroids pinned to the walls of people who have celebrated special occasions there. Some of them are very funny and worth a quick read.
The menu is pretty broad and you can pick from veggies, to chicken, steak, prawns, scallops, lobster, calamari and many combinations of the above, including the "ultimate dinner" which sounds enticing and comes with steak, prawns, lobster etc. I ordered the chicken and Meg got the scallop dinner. With any of the hibachi dinners you get onion soup, a small green salad, fried or steamed rice, veggies, and of course your protein.
The show surrounding the cooking starts with the flashing knife and spatula routine. We realized that we got the "B" team chef when we saw the chef at the next table. He had much better moves and even got a couple spins in there. After the flashing blades you get the flare-up as a combination of oil and alcohol is ignited on the grill. WARNING: Sit back or you could lose an eye brow. The next step is the spinning eggs that get flipped with the spatula and cracked mid air with the edge of the spatula effectively "catching" it. This gets mixed with a huge pile of rice on the grill. Various liquids including the mustard sauce are added to create a unique and delicious fried rice dish. This is where things get interesting. As it is a communal dinner, the chef divides up the portions and serves them onto your plate. Had I remembered this I would have pre-tipped as the other folks at the table seemed to be regulars and got more eats by my eye. After the rice we move on to the veggies which are a blend of carrots, mushrooms, onions, zucchini and the ginger sauce. The onion is cooked in the usual onion volcano steamed and ignited. Difficult to explain and I didn't video it. Take my word for it, kinda cool the first time you see it, but I've seen this show before and I kept my eye on the shrimp that were nearing readiness on the other side of the grill. Everyone gets a shrimp "appetizer" which amounts to two or three medium shrimp.
After the veggies are divided and served, each person gets their ordered protein. Meg says the scallops were delicious but she is partial to anything scallop based and her judgement can't be trusted. They looked good from my seat, and she didn't offer any which means she savaged the whole serving without considering sharing. Cold. Real cold.
My chicken was very good. Tender, lots of flavour and a good portion. I think mid way through the meal we were both worried about being full at the end, but by the end we were both full. Its the rice starter, totally lays a good base layer of carbs to build on. I offered Meg some chicken but as she is still boycotting any proteins that previously had feet, it was a futile gesture.
Verdict- All told, the meal was very good. Flavours were great, portions were good. Prices were on the expensive side with mine being about $22 and Meg's being about $26 but when you consider that you are paying for the meal and a show it isn't that bad. This isn't a place I would go to frequently, and it seems Katana is a special events-kinda-place. The service is good and attentive. If you are looking for hibachi, I have no complaints and would suggest you give it a try.
Katana (http://www.katanateppan.com/) is located at 19957 Willowbrook Dr., Langley, BC and is a Japanese Steak and Seafood Hibachi restaurant. Although the lower mainland is plentiful with sushi/Japanese places, I have not seen nearly as many Hibachi places. To refresh your memory, hibachi is commonly found as a communal table of 8 seats around a large grill top. The chef is as much about the performance, knife work, and entertainment as they are about the preparation, which occurs in front of your eyes.
Meg and I wandered in without reservations (which I would recommend on any night and especially on a weekend night) and found 8 of the cook tops seating 64 people. I can imagine this places fills up quickly. The atmosphere is "modern Japanese" and the owner seems to have an affinity for model/toy motorcycles which adorn the shelves along side Katana swords as you walk in. They also have a huge amount of Polaroids pinned to the walls of people who have celebrated special occasions there. Some of them are very funny and worth a quick read.
The menu is pretty broad and you can pick from veggies, to chicken, steak, prawns, scallops, lobster, calamari and many combinations of the above, including the "ultimate dinner" which sounds enticing and comes with steak, prawns, lobster etc. I ordered the chicken and Meg got the scallop dinner. With any of the hibachi dinners you get onion soup, a small green salad, fried or steamed rice, veggies, and of course your protein.
The show surrounding the cooking starts with the flashing knife and spatula routine. We realized that we got the "B" team chef when we saw the chef at the next table. He had much better moves and even got a couple spins in there. After the flashing blades you get the flare-up as a combination of oil and alcohol is ignited on the grill. WARNING: Sit back or you could lose an eye brow. The next step is the spinning eggs that get flipped with the spatula and cracked mid air with the edge of the spatula effectively "catching" it. This gets mixed with a huge pile of rice on the grill. Various liquids including the mustard sauce are added to create a unique and delicious fried rice dish. This is where things get interesting. As it is a communal dinner, the chef divides up the portions and serves them onto your plate. Had I remembered this I would have pre-tipped as the other folks at the table seemed to be regulars and got more eats by my eye. After the rice we move on to the veggies which are a blend of carrots, mushrooms, onions, zucchini and the ginger sauce. The onion is cooked in the usual onion volcano steamed and ignited. Difficult to explain and I didn't video it. Take my word for it, kinda cool the first time you see it, but I've seen this show before and I kept my eye on the shrimp that were nearing readiness on the other side of the grill. Everyone gets a shrimp "appetizer" which amounts to two or three medium shrimp.
After the veggies are divided and served, each person gets their ordered protein. Meg says the scallops were delicious but she is partial to anything scallop based and her judgement can't be trusted. They looked good from my seat, and she didn't offer any which means she savaged the whole serving without considering sharing. Cold. Real cold.
My chicken was very good. Tender, lots of flavour and a good portion. I think mid way through the meal we were both worried about being full at the end, but by the end we were both full. Its the rice starter, totally lays a good base layer of carbs to build on. I offered Meg some chicken but as she is still boycotting any proteins that previously had feet, it was a futile gesture.
Verdict- All told, the meal was very good. Flavours were great, portions were good. Prices were on the expensive side with mine being about $22 and Meg's being about $26 but when you consider that you are paying for the meal and a show it isn't that bad. This isn't a place I would go to frequently, and it seems Katana is a special events-kinda-place. The service is good and attentive. If you are looking for hibachi, I have no complaints and would suggest you give it a try.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Ocean Park Pizza- South Surrey
Ocean Park Pizza (OPP) has been around for years and has been a family favourite for about as long. About 7 years ago the original OPP building was demolished a new larger and very nice building. The menu has stayed the same, maybe grown slightly. Located at 12688- 16th ave, this restaurant shares a name with many other Pizza places around the lower mainland, but this is the original. Known for more than their pizza, they have great steaks, ribs, burgers and pasta.
The atmosphere depends on where in the restaurant you sit. During a Canucks game, there is a view of many different large screens, but there are a couple of dark corners where you can share a desert in privacy. The privacy is nice, now if I could only find someone who would actually share the desert.
Reese and Ashley joined us for dinner tonight. Dinner with them is always a good time and the conversation is easy as the food and drinks fly.
French Onion Soup- Ashley started with the French Onion Soup. The French Onion has always been a great dish at OPP. Served "mouth scaldingly hot" the cheese will peel the skin off the roof of your mouth, but you will risk it anyway because it smells so wonderful. Just don't touch the crock it comes in or you will burn your paws! Based on a beef and onion stock and topped off with bread and a healthy amount of provolone cheese at $6 it is well worth it and you may even consider a second order.
Chicken Penne- Ashley ordered the Chicken Penne to be the main part of her meal. A good sized portion, lots of chicken and a good creamy flavourful sauce, and two slices of thick garlic bread to soak up whatever is left a the end. At $15 it is on the higher side of reasonably priced, but when Megan is considering ordering it sans feet (chicken in this case) you know it is a Fat Kid favourite.
Verdict- OPP continues to be a family favourite. There are many more great dishes to try here and they frequently have special events such as Robbie Burns Day (Jan 25) and St. Patricks Day (March 17). On Robbie Burns Day, if you wear a kilt you get a free entree from the special Scottish Menu that night. The Haggis wasn't wonderful from all accounts but it is a good party. I highly recommend checking out OPP if you haven't done so. There seems to be a good amount of vegetarian options on the menu and it is a great atmosphere whether you want a pitcher with the Canucks game, or are looking for a relaxed night out with friends or the family.
We will definitely be back, I am thinking about the Lasagna already...
The atmosphere depends on where in the restaurant you sit. During a Canucks game, there is a view of many different large screens, but there are a couple of dark corners where you can share a desert in privacy. The privacy is nice, now if I could only find someone who would actually share the desert.
Reese and Ashley joined us for dinner tonight. Dinner with them is always a good time and the conversation is easy as the food and drinks fly.
French Onion Soup- Ashley started with the French Onion Soup. The French Onion has always been a great dish at OPP. Served "mouth scaldingly hot" the cheese will peel the skin off the roof of your mouth, but you will risk it anyway because it smells so wonderful. Just don't touch the crock it comes in or you will burn your paws! Based on a beef and onion stock and topped off with bread and a healthy amount of provolone cheese at $6 it is well worth it and you may even consider a second order.
Chicken Penne- Ashley ordered the Chicken Penne to be the main part of her meal. A good sized portion, lots of chicken and a good creamy flavourful sauce, and two slices of thick garlic bread to soak up whatever is left a the end. At $15 it is on the higher side of reasonably priced, but when Megan is considering ordering it sans feet (chicken in this case) you know it is a Fat Kid favourite.
Canuck Burger- Reese ordered the Canuck Burger. 7 oz patty that is hand formed and topped with red onion, bacon, mayo, lettuce, pickle and tomato it is a good, basic burger that comes with fries. At $11 it is a basic and decent meal worth considering. I am pretty sure that OPP flame broils their patties for a great flavour that tops any fried or griddled patty. Reese went healthy and ordered the side salad rather than fries. The ranch dip on the side doubled as burger dip. According to Reese, ranch dressing goes well with anything.
Veggie Burger and Sweet Potato Fries- Meg ordered the Veggie Burger. Meg swears that this is the best veggie burger she has eaten. Sometimes I wonder if that is like saying "this is the best fake Rolex I have ever owned." Sure it looks nice, but compared to the original, ugh. Anyway, apparently it is the most like a real burger, no pieces of identifiable veggies inside and again with the flame broiled taste. It comes with lettuce, tomato and onion, and Meg upgrades to the sweet potato fries which comes with a light chipotle aioli. At $12 it is a good deal and Meg swears by it.
Lasagna with Meat Sauce- My favourite at OPP is the Lasagna. It comes in a piping hot metal dish that like it's French Onion brethren will scorch your mouth as you attempt to shovel it in your face. Lots of noodles, lots of sauce, lots of cheese. The flavour is awesome and this has become the lasagna that I measure all other against. It comes with two pieces of garlic bread to mop up the sauce, although there won't be much left by the time you are done. At $13 its not cheap for pasta, but it's worth every penny. The portion size is large and you will have trouble finishing it off.
Ceasars- A special note should be made about the Ceasars at OPP. I don't know what they put in the Ceasars here but they can become habit forming. You have been warned.
Verdict- OPP continues to be a family favourite. There are many more great dishes to try here and they frequently have special events such as Robbie Burns Day (Jan 25) and St. Patricks Day (March 17). On Robbie Burns Day, if you wear a kilt you get a free entree from the special Scottish Menu that night. The Haggis wasn't wonderful from all accounts but it is a good party. I highly recommend checking out OPP if you haven't done so. There seems to be a good amount of vegetarian options on the menu and it is a great atmosphere whether you want a pitcher with the Canucks game, or are looking for a relaxed night out with friends or the family.
We will definitely be back, I am thinking about the Lasagna already...
Stacked: The Return- South Surrey
In my first blog about Stacked Modern Diner I had been there for lunch but upon seeing their breakfast menu vowed to return and bring Megan. As a reminder, Stacked is located at 15388- 24th Ave in Surrey, BC. I won't waste your time with the usual intro to the establishment, let's get to the issue at hand, or mouth in this case.
Smoked Salmon and Eggs- Megan ordered the Smoked Salmon and eggs. Basically, a foccacia bread toasted with two scrambled eggs, home fries and topped off with a lightly smoked lox style salmon. Meg reports that the flavour was good and the eggs were cooked well. This also came with two slices of toast so the overall carb count was pretty high according to our intrepid test eater. At $10 the portion was reasonable and the quality good.
Spicy Sausage Hash- Home fries, peppers, onions, spicy sausage topped with scrambled eggs and a light and tasty hollandaise sauce. Came with sourdough toast and home made preserves. The eggs were well cooked, the potatoes tasty, and the sausage was a nice and flavourful slightly dry chorizo style sausage. It was a decent portion for the $11 price.
Coffee- Stacked serves Saltspring Island Coffee with a feature blend each day. The day we were there it was a dark roast that even with a sweetener and generous milk had me talking slightly faster than an auctioneer at a livestock auction.
The service on this day wasn't outstanding, but this isn't the type of place you go to eat quick and get out. Expect the slightly hippy-ish waitress to have a flashback or two and forget where she is, once she shakes off the haze of patchouli she'll remember that you are there and top off your coffee. Embrace the slower pace and friendly, laid back atmosphere and breakfast will be a good time.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
The Agave Grill- Langley
So today is Meg and I's 8th Wedding Anniversary. To celebrate we decided to head out for some dinner. I decided that I would find a new place that would be a surprise for Meg. Knowing that she loves some good Mexican food, and since she has been in mourning since the demise of Chicken Bob's, I searched out some Mexican strange.
http://www.urbanspoon.com/ had all good recommendations for the Agave Grill so I decided that we would give it a shot. Located at 19988-84th Ave in Langley, the atmosphere at Agave can best be described as Cactus Club or Moxies, light on the Douche. It was classy with some very comfy chairs and decent sized tables. They feature their tequila bar quite prominantly with blue light that is meant to evoke the nature of the blue agave plant. I think. You bought it right?
We went on a Wednesday night and there were only a couple other tables filled so service was great and the waitress (Ellen) was very nice. Complimentary chips and salsa are first on the menu so I won't profile them as their own dish as everyone gets them. The chips were the tri-colour ones, warmed and lightly salted but from the bag and not made on site. The salsa was a "roasted garlic" salsa that had a fairly bland flavour and required a decent amount on the chip to get any impact. No spice or heat to speak of.
Guacamole and Chips Appetizer- The presentation is interesting. Two prep-cup shaped pucks of Guac with a star shaped chip standing between them on a bed of lettuce and two lime quarters. Ok, you got my attention, bring on the tasting. To say I was dissapointed doesn't quite do it. The guac had the requisite avocado, chunked, with tomato, onion, cilantro and that was about it. There was no garlic flavour, the lime helped, but I usually toss in some red pepper flake in mine to give it a bit of heat. My overwhelming impression was all show, no go. It was just flat and tasted like something was missing. We didn't even finish it, and in the realm of fat kids, that is not a good sign. At $6, I wouldn't order this again. There were other items on the menu that looked decent.
Chicken/Vegetarian Burrito- Megan and I both went with the Burrito. I went Chicken while Meg asked about the possibility of Vegetarian. Both
were a decent size burrito that came with spanish rice, guacamole, and flaggings. The burritto had a light cream sauce on top that had a mild spice to it in addition to some green onions and tomatoes. The filling on the burrito was quite good as well. A good balance of beans and filling of choice.
The chicken in mine was plentiful and had been grilled prior to assembly. I was happy to see it wasn't the dreaded bag'o'chicken breast that some restaurants use. This tasted and looked like actual chicken breast that had been grilled and then used for the burrito. Nice touch, it made the difference in the taste.
Meg's burrito was filled with beans and fajita vegetables. Nice big chunks of al dente mushrooms, onion, peppers. This gave it a big flavour and a nice texture. At $14, the portion was decent but not impressive. I didn't go away hungry, but then again that may have been due to desert...
Deep Fried Ice-Cream- At $7 this desert comes with your choice of mixed berry, caramel, or chocolate topping in addition to the whipped cream. The Ice cream is rolled in corn flakes and flash fried. The ice cream is a good base, being a better grade of ice cream than first expected. The shell is crispy, but the star of the show is the sauce in addition to the ice cream. We polished off our smallish portion pretty quickly, but were happy with the order in general.
Verdict- Overall, the Agave is a nice place and prices range from mild to "on the expensive side" (at least in our budget). The main courses were good but not impressive. Megan described the cuisine as "Camexican," or a Canadian impression of Mexican food. Kind of like a tamed down Tex-Mex fare. The flavours were good, just very understated, now that I think about it, kind of like the atmosphere.
There were not lots of vegetarian options but the staff seemed very willing to accomodate. The wine list looked decent with a good balance of local and imported wines. Meg went with the house Red which was a Domaine De Chaberton at $9 for 8oz. They had other drink specials, with the focus on their tequilas and martinis.
A special note. If you are planning to use the Agave Grill as a location to break up with someone, don't. The cutlery at this place could double as a bayonnet or at least a trench knife. The forks wern't as bad as the knives, but trust me when I say, you could do some real damage with one of those knives. Utter the words, "its not you, it's me..." and you could easily end up with a knife in your throat, Criminal Minds style.
I don't know that the Agave Grill will become a regular in our list of "go-to" establishments, but it is a good place to try if you are looking for mild mexican, or "Camexican" if you ask Meg.
http://www.urbanspoon.com/ had all good recommendations for the Agave Grill so I decided that we would give it a shot. Located at 19988-84th Ave in Langley, the atmosphere at Agave can best be described as Cactus Club or Moxies, light on the Douche. It was classy with some very comfy chairs and decent sized tables. They feature their tequila bar quite prominantly with blue light that is meant to evoke the nature of the blue agave plant. I think. You bought it right?
We went on a Wednesday night and there were only a couple other tables filled so service was great and the waitress (Ellen) was very nice. Complimentary chips and salsa are first on the menu so I won't profile them as their own dish as everyone gets them. The chips were the tri-colour ones, warmed and lightly salted but from the bag and not made on site. The salsa was a "roasted garlic" salsa that had a fairly bland flavour and required a decent amount on the chip to get any impact. No spice or heat to speak of.
Guacamole and Chips Appetizer- The presentation is interesting. Two prep-cup shaped pucks of Guac with a star shaped chip standing between them on a bed of lettuce and two lime quarters. Ok, you got my attention, bring on the tasting. To say I was dissapointed doesn't quite do it. The guac had the requisite avocado, chunked, with tomato, onion, cilantro and that was about it. There was no garlic flavour, the lime helped, but I usually toss in some red pepper flake in mine to give it a bit of heat. My overwhelming impression was all show, no go. It was just flat and tasted like something was missing. We didn't even finish it, and in the realm of fat kids, that is not a good sign. At $6, I wouldn't order this again. There were other items on the menu that looked decent.
Chicken/Vegetarian Burrito- Megan and I both went with the Burrito. I went Chicken while Meg asked about the possibility of Vegetarian. Both
were a decent size burrito that came with spanish rice, guacamole, and flaggings. The burritto had a light cream sauce on top that had a mild spice to it in addition to some green onions and tomatoes. The filling on the burrito was quite good as well. A good balance of beans and filling of choice.The chicken in mine was plentiful and had been grilled prior to assembly. I was happy to see it wasn't the dreaded bag'o'chicken breast that some restaurants use. This tasted and looked like actual chicken breast that had been grilled and then used for the burrito. Nice touch, it made the difference in the taste.
Meg's burrito was filled with beans and fajita vegetables. Nice big chunks of al dente mushrooms, onion, peppers. This gave it a big flavour and a nice texture. At $14, the portion was decent but not impressive. I didn't go away hungry, but then again that may have been due to desert...
Deep Fried Ice-Cream- At $7 this desert comes with your choice of mixed berry, caramel, or chocolate topping in addition to the whipped cream. The Ice cream is rolled in corn flakes and flash fried. The ice cream is a good base, being a better grade of ice cream than first expected. The shell is crispy, but the star of the show is the sauce in addition to the ice cream. We polished off our smallish portion pretty quickly, but were happy with the order in general.
Verdict- Overall, the Agave is a nice place and prices range from mild to "on the expensive side" (at least in our budget). The main courses were good but not impressive. Megan described the cuisine as "Camexican," or a Canadian impression of Mexican food. Kind of like a tamed down Tex-Mex fare. The flavours were good, just very understated, now that I think about it, kind of like the atmosphere.
There were not lots of vegetarian options but the staff seemed very willing to accomodate. The wine list looked decent with a good balance of local and imported wines. Meg went with the house Red which was a Domaine De Chaberton at $9 for 8oz. They had other drink specials, with the focus on their tequilas and martinis.
A special note. If you are planning to use the Agave Grill as a location to break up with someone, don't. The cutlery at this place could double as a bayonnet or at least a trench knife. The forks wern't as bad as the knives, but trust me when I say, you could do some real damage with one of those knives. Utter the words, "its not you, it's me..." and you could easily end up with a knife in your throat, Criminal Minds style.
I don't know that the Agave Grill will become a regular in our list of "go-to" establishments, but it is a good place to try if you are looking for mild mexican, or "Camexican" if you ask Meg.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Damiko Sushi- South Surrey
Hello my name is Kyle and I am a sushi addict. So is Megan. Sorry for outing you dear.
We have tried many sushi places, but few are repeated. That being said, for the past year we have frequented Damiko Sushi in South Surrey (2950 King George Blvd. Surrey) on a fairly regular basis. The restaurant is well laid out and found in the High Street development off King George Blvd just south of the South Surrey AutoMall. The staff are always friendly, but there is a very different level of quality based upon who is there on any given night. If the younger guy with the glasses is there you are in good hands. If the younger female who wears chuck Taylor's is there, no problems. Anyone else and chances are things could get dicey. We often do take out and a second check before leaving is always a prudent move.
All that being said, Damiko is our favourite sushi place. Currently our order looks like this:
Miso Soup- Always served hot with lots of miso and tofu. At $1.50 the price is reasonable for the size. A great starter.
Avocado Roll- Your basic roll with 8 pieces. The Avocado is always ripe and creamy. I don't know where they get it, but it is always awesome. The ginger and wasabi that comes with any rolls are good. It is the pink ginger and the wasabi is always more about the flavour than it is about the mind blowing pain. Their rolls are in general are very good and range from the mild to wild.
Gyoza- We always go with the meat (pork) Gyoza which seems to be boiled and then pan fried to give it a nice crispy texture. It is honestly one of my favourite gyozas around and the sauce that comes with it is excellent. Vinegar based but always has the nice nutty sesame flavour and a slight zing. At $6 for 6 gyoza it is a good sized serving.
Agedashi Tofu- Six large slabs of tofu in the usual tempura batter. Bad tempura is greasy and kind of falls off of whatever has been battered. The tempura is always crisp and not greasy at Damiko. It comes with bonito flakes and a sweet ponsu sauce on top with green onions diced too! At $6 for the dish it is a great sized appetizer and one of our favourites.
Spicy Tuna Salad- Ok, take your usual Spicy Tuna Roll, and make it a salad. Specifically, this dish is a large green salad with big, sashimi grade chunks of tuna in a "I crave it weekly" spicy sauce that has a slight sweetness to it. In all honesty, this is the dish that keeps us coming back. If you ask nicely and check to make sure it is there, you can also get the usual house salad dressing is a ginger and apple (I think) flavour and is awesome. It is a large serving size and at $9 is a must order.
Spicy Delight- Take a large orange, hollow it out. Fill it to overflowing with sashimi grade tuna and salmon. Add the before mentioned mouth watering spicy sauce and you are in business. At $7 this is an awesome dish if you are looking for spicy tuna and salmon.
There are many more great dishes that we have tried periodically at Damiko, but the above listed ones are the ones we keep coming back for. The prices are decent for good sushi and it is usually moderately busy but not overly so. If they could only get their orders right they would have a perfect score.
Verdict- One of our must go restaurants for eat in or take out sushi. We go weekly and for the carnivore and the vegetarian in the family there are many options. Just make sure you check your order before you leave.
We have tried many sushi places, but few are repeated. That being said, for the past year we have frequented Damiko Sushi in South Surrey (2950 King George Blvd. Surrey) on a fairly regular basis. The restaurant is well laid out and found in the High Street development off King George Blvd just south of the South Surrey AutoMall. The staff are always friendly, but there is a very different level of quality based upon who is there on any given night. If the younger guy with the glasses is there you are in good hands. If the younger female who wears chuck Taylor's is there, no problems. Anyone else and chances are things could get dicey. We often do take out and a second check before leaving is always a prudent move.
All that being said, Damiko is our favourite sushi place. Currently our order looks like this:
Miso Soup- Always served hot with lots of miso and tofu. At $1.50 the price is reasonable for the size. A great starter.
Avocado Roll- Your basic roll with 8 pieces. The Avocado is always ripe and creamy. I don't know where they get it, but it is always awesome. The ginger and wasabi that comes with any rolls are good. It is the pink ginger and the wasabi is always more about the flavour than it is about the mind blowing pain. Their rolls are in general are very good and range from the mild to wild.
Gyoza- We always go with the meat (pork) Gyoza which seems to be boiled and then pan fried to give it a nice crispy texture. It is honestly one of my favourite gyozas around and the sauce that comes with it is excellent. Vinegar based but always has the nice nutty sesame flavour and a slight zing. At $6 for 6 gyoza it is a good sized serving.
Agedashi Tofu- Six large slabs of tofu in the usual tempura batter. Bad tempura is greasy and kind of falls off of whatever has been battered. The tempura is always crisp and not greasy at Damiko. It comes with bonito flakes and a sweet ponsu sauce on top with green onions diced too! At $6 for the dish it is a great sized appetizer and one of our favourites.
Spicy Tuna Salad- Ok, take your usual Spicy Tuna Roll, and make it a salad. Specifically, this dish is a large green salad with big, sashimi grade chunks of tuna in a "I crave it weekly" spicy sauce that has a slight sweetness to it. In all honesty, this is the dish that keeps us coming back. If you ask nicely and check to make sure it is there, you can also get the usual house salad dressing is a ginger and apple (I think) flavour and is awesome. It is a large serving size and at $9 is a must order.
Spicy Delight- Take a large orange, hollow it out. Fill it to overflowing with sashimi grade tuna and salmon. Add the before mentioned mouth watering spicy sauce and you are in business. At $7 this is an awesome dish if you are looking for spicy tuna and salmon.
There are many more great dishes that we have tried periodically at Damiko, but the above listed ones are the ones we keep coming back for. The prices are decent for good sushi and it is usually moderately busy but not overly so. If they could only get their orders right they would have a perfect score.
Verdict- One of our must go restaurants for eat in or take out sushi. We go weekly and for the carnivore and the vegetarian in the family there are many options. Just make sure you check your order before you leave.
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