Hong Kong Style Milk Tea

I had a hankering for some Hong Kong-style milk tea the other day... Even though I later realized that I actually like milk coffee better. So I decided to go to T&T and find some Lipton 3-in-1 instant milk tea mix as I'd read it's the superior brand. however, there wasn't any (it may have been recalled...). So I ended up with this "Super" brand from Singapore.



I didn't follow the instructions and added more water than I should've, so it wasn't great. But my second attempt later on was much better, so don't use a full mug of water. However, it actually didn't quite satisfy the hankering I had though. I'm not quite sure what it was... Maybe I wanted something with the texture closer to a hot chocolate, but with the milk tea flavour.

[Recommended? Sure]
[Melamine free? I hope so!]

Mesa Grill (New York City)

102 5th Avenue, New York City [map]

[Original post date: September 2008]

My food quest started with a booking at Gordon Ramsay’s Maze restaurant two months ago, and later I decided to also do my own “Iron Chef tour.” First on the list was Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill.



Food: Pretty? Yes. Worth it? No. Starter bread and corn muffin were average. We skipped appetizers and went straight for the entrees. Both the boyfriend and I opted for the spice-rubbed New York strip. For $35 I expected a lot more. The steak was overcooked (I had asked for medium-rare, it arrived closer to medium-well) and I didn’t taste much, if any, spice. I could’ve cooked a better steak myself for a quarter of the price. For sides, we had the carrots, which were in a sweet and spicy sort of sauce, not too bad, and mashed potatoes, probably the best of the dishes ordered, but still nothing special.

Service: I’d booked the reservation through Open Table that morning, and when we arrived, we still had to wait 5-10 minutes for the table. The main waitress was quite friendly. Food came quickly. Surprised they don’t offer fresh ground pepper.

Ambiance: Rather nice, darkly-lit. Reminds me of Cactus Club, but I suppose a tad classier.
Overall: I would not return or recommend. It’s possible maybe their other dishes stand out a lot more, but for an American-styled restaurant, I was disappointed with the poorly cooked steak. Maybe if the steak were $20 instead, then I’d say that quality would’ve been expected. I later received an e-mail from a co-worker saying that’s what you get for a chef whose first restaurant was in Vegas, has a career based on TV shows, and hasn’t lifted a pan in years, lol.

[Recommended? No]

Emmett O'Lunney's Irish Pub (New York City)

210 W 50th St, New York City [Map]

[Original post date: September 2008]


On our first day in New York, for lunch we decided to just wander down E 51st Street (which was where our hotel was located) and pick a random place to eat. Unfortunately, the place we ended up at (I don’t even remember the name) was part of a hotel (which we didn’t know) and ridiculously overpriced for the food (a glass of orange juice was $7!). So for dinner, I did a quick search online instead to find a place that was a bit more down to earth.

Food: Value and quality of food was pretty good. My boyfriend had the pot roast which he thought was excellent, and I had the lamb shepherd’s pie which I would say was average. I think it could’ve used a little more gravy. Portion was fairly large. My goal was to eat at least 50% of it, I think I got maybe up to 60%.

Service: Waitress was quite friendly, service was quick.

Ambiance: Pub ambiance, so large space, it wasn’t too busy when we had arrived.

[Recommended? Yes]

Pho Hong Vietnamese Restaurant

5975 Kingsway, Burnaby [map]
604-454-9727

[Original post date: June 2008]

Food: Tasty. At least the noodles that I’ve had. I’m not a fan of the meat balls though. Good place for a quick lunch.

Service: Usually quick but not usually personable. The second you step in the front door, someone will ask you how many people and then point you to a table. Your order will be taken minutes later followed by your food quite quickly. Drinks at times may arrive much late though. Don’t expect the waitresses to check up on you, but don’t be afraid to flag one down if you need to. The bleached-blonde woman is always angry looking. I think every day is the worst day of her life.

Ambiance: I think there used to be a Greek restaurant there. Cleanliness? Ignorance is bliss.

[Recommended? Yes]

Japa Dogs

Japa Dog Stand [map]
[Original post date: March 2008]

Ahh, Vancouver, where east meets west so deliciously! On Saturday I was wandering around downtown and met up briefly with a co-worker at the Art Gallery to witness the annual pillow fight. I was pretty hungry by that time and my co-worker informed me of a hotdog vendor at Burrard and Smithe that sells “Japadogs.” What the heck is a Japadog? Well, it’s basically a hotdog with a Japanese twist. So I hurried myself over there and found the vendor, a kitty corner across the Scotiabank Theatre.



At the moment they have three different specialty dogs, but I think you can pretty much mix and match what you want. I tried out the Terimayo dog and was pleasantly surprised that the seaweed worked so well. I also have to recommend trying some of their wasabi mayo (it’s not that strong, so don’t worry about putting too much on), it definitely gives a nice kick to it. I found this place to be a nice change to the tasty smokie and totally worth a try. They even have a website!

[Recommended? Yes]

Fish On Rice

201-4361 Kingsway, Burnaby [map]
604-439-8882
[Original post date: February 2008]

Back during my college days, a group of us would often go out for all-you-can-eat sushi as it provided a lot of food for a set price. Plus the group was mostly guys with big appetites. It was fun times.

Over the last few years though I’ve grown more weary of going to AYCE restaurants. Vancouver is filled with these places, and even though we are all aware that the quality of the food is usually on the lower end, we still go for a getogether once in a while. Last night, nine of us decided to return to Fish On Rice in Burnaby. I was fairly reluctant, as its quality and service has greatly diminished since its opening, but it’s close-by and could accomodate that many of us.

It was quite the dinner to remember… Four of us got there first so we put in an order. It took probably 15 minutes though to find a server to pass the order to thoug as no one had come to check on us after we were seated. As the rest of our party arrived, it probably took about 30 minutes to start getting our food. Our drinks were also slow to arrive, you'd usually expect drinks to be the first thing you receive. In the past they’d give us pitchers of pop, but for some reason this time they didn’t.

However, the worst part was soon to come. A round of miso soups arrived and the first bowl the server placed on the table, he spilled some onto one of the girls’ knees. Apparently it was quite hot, but she didn’t make a fuss about it. But right after that, a round of pop came and as the server placed the tray down by the seats, he spilled one of the glasses all over the seat and got one of the guys’ pants wet. Our friend left to get cleaned up, but returned soon after to show us that his shoe was filled with pop... by pouring it unknowingly into another friend's shoe. :P The that was cleaning the mess up also almost knocked over another tray of food that another server was holding as she was trying to pass by him.

It seems to be a running thing within Vancouver regarding Asian restaurants… None of the servers are properly trained in good customer service. They don’t greet you that warmly, they don’t often check on you… They just get you your food. I guess maybe that’s how we are just like, haha, but it probably shouldn’t be an excuse for shoddy service.

When our bill came, we noticed that they left the 10% gratuity charge on, and no discount or any form of compensation was given to us our even our two friends who were mostly affected. We had to get them to remove the gratuity, but didn’t demand that our friends’ meals be paid for or anything. We’re pretty passive that way. Anyway, I don’t think we’ll be going back there again anymore.

[Recommended? HELLS NO]

Tropika (Red Bean Around Vancouver #1)

1830 - 4151 Hazelbridge Way, Richmond [map]
604-233-7002
[Original post date: February 2008]

My boyfriend and one of my friends have this obsession with finding the best red bean dessert in Vancouver. Specifically red bean topped with shaved ice, milk (hopefully condensed), and maybe a scoop of ice cream. If you ask me though, it’s pretty tough to find something really authentic and actually good here.

Years ago we used to frequent Gold Train Express [map] for a quick bite and there we would often get the red bean drink and orange milk shake (which was excellent). However, the place has gone downhill. We’ve been to a number of places since then, but my boyfriend and friend have yet to actually blog about any of this, lol.

Tonight we went to Tropika in Richmond for a late snack. I went there a few months ago with my family and would definitely recommend the coconut drink they have. But our goal was red bean.

First up was the simplified cendol [wiki] which comprised of red bean, green pandan noodles, condensed milk and shaved ice. I thought it was quite tasty, though not as good as the first time I had it at this restaurant. The beans were soft enough, the noodles were good, and it was definitely sweet. My biggest complaint about this was that there weren’t enough beans or noodles. I would however like to add that home-made cendol is always much better.

The second red bean treat was the red bean with coconut milk, shaved ice and ice cream. I didn’t have too much of a taste since it was my boyfriend’s order. The bites that I did have though were very coconutty, again the red bean was also of a good softness. But could’ve used more beans. I believe my boyfriend rated this to be one of the better red bean drinks he’s had.

[Recommended? Yes]

Shiro Sushi

3096 Cambie Street [map]
604-874-0027
[Original post date: November 2007]

Shiro Sushi has become my new favourite sushi restaurant, thanks to one of my friends. It’s a pretty small place, but I have been impressed with the food so far. Wild salmon sashimi, California rolls with real crab… The portions may be smaller than a lot of other restaurants, but I think it’s still worth it. Better than gorging yourself on the all-you-can-eat stuff.

The staff is also Japanese, so you’re welcomed by a barrage of irashaimasens. The second time I was there, the staff seemed to be joking around with each other as well. One employee was constantly moving about the place, doing odd jobs here and there, I’m sure. But as a couple was leaving and they were all saying goodbye to them, the employee pretended to be with the couple and waved goodbye to the rest of the staff. That definitely gave a light mood to the place. Also, after your meal, you’re given a small package of Pocky which is a nice little touch.

Be prepared to probably spend $30 for a filling meal (not including alcohol). I believe my meal that second visit was about $20-25, which comprised of the wild salmon sashimi appetizer (5 pieces), 2 pieces of saba, 1 piece of fatty tuna I think, grilled octopus in garlic, appetizer prawn tempura, and one scoop of green tea ice cream. I don’t eat as much compared to the average person, so expect to spend a bit more.

[Recommended? Yes.]

For Your Information

Welcome to what I like to call 30-Second Food Reviews. I'm not a very good writer, so my goal is to keep my posts short and sweet (except for my original posts, they'll remain long and winded). I will be working on migrating and modifying old food posts from the other blog over here in the next little while.