grayelf's Profile
Good Filipino Food in Vancouver?
By no means any kind of filipino food expert but I love the sisig (good crispy bits) and the crispy pata at Pinpin's. I've found some of their other dishes quite unpalatable (stuffed bangus, I'm looking at you) or just kinda meh. I like that they prep a fair bit a la minute and don't rely on the point-point steam tables. The thing to do is to get invited to someone's house, for sure :-).
The Chowhound of my youth. [moved from Not about Food board]
If I find myself reading a post like the ones described above and it's getting on my nerves, I stop reading! I presume that folks who don't seek out holes-in-the-wall and "cheaper" places such as I prefer will do the same if they amble into one of my posts accidentally :-). It still feels to me like there's something for everyone here, at least on the boards I frequent.
Arabian Nights + Pakistani Rec (SF)
I would be very grumpy if someone subbed out halloumi without telling me -- I need the squeak! Did they say what kind of cheese it was, or warn you in any way?
If you could go to only one Thai restaurant for dinner in San Francisco, where would you go?
Thanks for posting about Amphawa, which appears to have replaced Chiang Mai, though someone on Y*** said it is the same owners. No mentions of it as yet on CH but overall online reports seem quite positive. The menu looks interesting with pork shoulder and pork belly dishes. Perhaps some competition for Lers Ros on my next trip?
FOOD Ideas Needed for a Vancouver Trip over a Week
Except for the food :-). Really. Don't eat the food on the ferry.
coming to SF Saturday thru Wednesday.
One of my favourite things to do as a visitor to SF is to combine a trip to the Legion of Honour Museum and the Lands End walk with lunch at Shanghai House. Preorder the deep fried salt and pepper pork knuckle with seaweed. Then get some tea-smoked duck and an order of rice. For afters, walk a few blocks up to Shanghai Dumpling King and order the XLB and egg puffs, eating both dishes as quickly as you can. These places are all accessible by SF's excellent Muni system, which also includes the cable cars. If you are planning on multiple cable car trips, you might want to buy a weekly pass for $27 since each cable car ride is $6 one way only. That way you can grab the occasional bus to stretch your taxi dollars further :-).
oysters in vancouver
Recalling some confusion about the discounts at Oyster last year, the website is still kinda wrong: http://www.rawbar.ca/Location%20and%20Hours%20Page.html
In case the OP doesn't do the Twitter thing, I just called and talked to a human who carefully outlined the following:
3-4 pm Mon-Thu 50 cents a shuck
4-5pm Mon-Sat buck a shuck
5-7 pm Mon-Sat 1.25 a shuck
Also for the OP: this place is lovely inside, housed in a beautiful heritage building downtown but it is VERY small.
Sunny Spot on Main, Vancouver for... roujiamo and cold noodles!
Dunno if it's the same guy. Sunny Spot is still Sunny Spot, just will return to full cafe service on June 1. The rjm and noodles are extra dishes he added in some time ago.
ISO a lunch stop near or in Seattle but before Tacoma and a dinner stop on the way back
We did another eating trip to Portland mid May and thought I would tack a report on here since y'all were so helpful last time.
On the way to Portland, we stopped about 10:45 at Tacos Tecalitlan truck #2 at Burlingame (exit 131) for a couple of carnitas tacos each (to which they are now adding fried onions as well as raw, see pic where I've extracted them!) and a mandarina Jarritos for the SO (all $1.25 each). This little snack was enough to tide us over till we got to Tacoma where we took the 56th Street exit (Exit 130) and located Vuelve a la Vida easily (well, just one wrong turn!). The tostada de camarones ($3.50) was the weakest dish with the shrimps a bit tough and overmarinated and the sauce too tomato-ey sweet. The three tacos (fish, tripitas and carnitas, $5.75 for three -- $2.25 for most, $2.75 for fish individually) were good and quite large, especially the tripitas which was very crunchy and a fine example for the SO's first taste of it. We were lucky to be there on Thursday when they do chiles rellenos ($6.50 for one, $8.95 for two, pictured, huge!) which were excellent, soft inside with creamy cheese and a light crunch to the batter. Beans and rice were solid too. The SO had a bottled Victoria by Modelo ($3.50) and I drove after lunch :-). I'd go back for the chiles rellenos if it were Thursday.
On the way home from Portland, we held out till Bellingham as we had a huge brunch at Helser's. Tadeo’s was our choice for a late lunch at 3ish. Jamaica ($1.80) was tasty and giant (we shared one), sope de picadillo ($3.95) was the standout, tamal Sinaloaense de puerco ($3.25) was very good with lots of masa flavour, taquitos dorados de pollo ($5.95) were the best I've had in ages – crazy amount of food for $16, ate way too much but it was soooo good, especially the sope with perfectly spiced meat and really savoury frijoles refritos. I'd come back for everything, and to try out one (or three) of the all day breakfasts which looked really great in the photos (I've attached a shot which will likely be all but useless of the wall display detailing the breakie offerings). This is the finest Mexican food I have found yet along this corridor and the service was perfect to boot.
first three photos: tacos from Tecalitlan x2, interior of Vuelve a la Vida
next three: tostada de camaron, chiles rellenos, three tacos
final four: giant agua de jamaica at Tadeo's, breaky offerings on wall, taquitos, sope and tamal
Sunny Spot on Main, Vancouver for... roujiamo and cold noodles!
I saw that and was wondering if it moved or was a second space.
Sunny Spot on Main, Vancouver for... roujiamo and cold noodles!
Nah, still there with all the usual breaky items (after May 31 commitment to Richmond Night Market ends) but these items are in addition. Had another rjm yesterday and it was just as good, no green peppers, same as Saturday, but also no cilantro though I imagine you could add it. I like it much better than the RJM at Want Want but it is different. Larger and pork not lamb. My new go-to snack for the nabe.
Return Trip: Help me narrow down my dinners
Dunno if you were interested in doing a brunch but we had a lovely one at Ned Ludd a week and a half ago on visit. Excellent lamb rillette. Could be a way to give them a try...
ISO fresh fava beans
Just when I'd given up the quest till we get them in season here, there they are in a box near the checkout at Tim's Produce on Broadway. The new owners have a line on them from California so not local and perhaps not quite as "baby" as would be ideal but for $0.99 a pound, they are going in my risotto tomorrow.
Vancouver 3 Day visit - on a budget
Miko on Robson has great sushi. Ask the server (not the itamae) for recommendations. Order everything a la carte. Bring money.
I'm decidedly no longer a fan of Artigiano (too corporate, threw out the last beverage I bought at one) and am unfamiliar with Milano. There are a few places downtown that serve 49th Parallel which is pretty good, not sure if any are near your hotel though.
If you're at Siegel's early enough, try the rock salt and rosemary bagel.
Sunny Spot on Main, Vancouver for... roujiamo and cold noodles!
Looks like Mr Zhang doesn't have a specific way of preparing it, then. I got no cilantro on mine and no (thankfully) green pepper, and yet it was only a few hours later on the same day! The November pic also looks quite different in terms of the bun, which maybe they didn't grill. I don't know about fries though, love 'em but not with Chinese food ;-). Will have to try again as rjms are kind of an obsession for me. I love banh mi also but this type of sandwich fills a bit of a different niche I think. FWIW there are signs on the door and window now that offer both the bun and the noodles during their "closure" so be sure to ask for both if you go and I think they will oblige. Or wait till June 1!
Fable, new farm to table spot on Fourth Avenue in Vancouver
Still a few bumps which I guess is fair enough since they haven't even officially opened yet. First the not so good: The menu does not disclose when gastriques are used (and that is often according to the chef) which was a problem for one of my DCs as both the spot prawns and the duck she ordered had unexpectedly sweet sauces. Also the spot prawns were not super fresh and at $12 for three they should be. But to me the biggest faux pas was that the menu promised fiddleheads with the duck and instead subbed green beans (!) with no warning. The server mentioned that the listed arctic char dish would be sockeye as they had that in fresh but stated clearly that there were no other changes. Oops. The main reason my DC ordered the duck was for the ferns! None of the other appetizers really jumped out and since Curtis Luk is known for desserts, two of us decided to save room for those. The menu doesn't quite seem to know what it wants to be.
My other DC had flat iron steak which he said was fine but not awesome. It came with potato fondant that was way oversalted (I tried it and it was too salty even for me, and I love salt).
Now for the good stuff: My gnocchi was excellent if a tad small for $16, lovely pea shoots peas and beautifully tender little pillows of pasta that had slightly caramelized exteriors. The desserts were also very good -- we had a bread pudding, a lemon pot de creme and the daily special which had two types of macaron, cookies and mini Pavlovas. I'm not a big dessert person but I'd go back for them.
To make up for the sauce/veg issues, they comped the duck and the bread pudding which was a nice thing to do. The room is much more inviting than when it was refuel though the layout is identical. We interacted with four staff members (Trevor Bird, Curtis, our server and the other male owner). Apart from a few stumbles mispronouncing granita and macaron, not knowing what was in some of the dishes, what coffee they were serving -- Caffe del Arte for the americanos -- very nice and enthusiastic. The meal took a long time, more than 2 hours. To everyone's credit, our comments were welcomed and received in the spirit they were given.
Overall, I'd go back as none of the problems affected me directly, but I'll wait a while as I usually do when a place first opens. I'm thinking they may have priced themselves a bit high for the neighbourhood and could run into some of the same problems refuel did but I hope not.
Sunny Spot on Main, Vancouver for... roujiamo and cold noodles!
I finally remembered the banner I'd spotted a number of months ago on the Sunny Spot cafe storefront. Mr Zhang's Xian burger and terracotta noodles called my name at 2 pm on a Saturday afternoon. The cafe is techically closed till the end of May as they are manning a booth at the new (casino) Richmond night market and with a small staff, decided to focus on that venture. However, if you stop by during business hours (roughly 9-4, YMMV), they will sell you a roujiamo and a plate of cold noodles for $10.80. The rjm is $4 so I guess the noodles are 6.80! Mr Zhang is a very nice guy and knows his way around a homemade bun and pork. Both dishes are generous, with the rjm being larger by at least a third than any of the versions I've tried in Richmond. The meat is cumin-free which for me is a plus, but definitely flavourful and tender. Check out the source material in the shot below. The addition of chopped tomatoes and onions at first view made me nervous, but the proof was in the eating. The bun is lovely and fresh, improved further by being grilled to a pizza-like crunch. This is a damn fine sandwich. The noodles have a good chew to them and taste wheaty but not whole wheaty. There are chunks of gluten in there that I mistook for hard tofu. Cilantro and ground chiles add some zip and heat. If I were to quibble it would be to ask for a wee bit more vinegar for contrast. This is a sizeable portion of which I took home nearly half. I will be back, possibly tomorrow!
Japanese food in San Francisco
Adding to the plea for okonomiyaki reccos in SF Bay Area -- we have no good ones left in Vancouver, have resorted to making my own. Moddan yaki even better!
union square
BTW if you are looking at their website, sfcanteen.com, don't be put off by the menu setup. It does actually change weekly. The info on the opening page is useful in terms of prix fixe (Tues and Sat) vs a la carte (Wed, Thur, Fri).
I've been particularly impressed with their handling of red meats over the years we've been going. I was once a bit disappointed with a halibut dish. Salads can be a tad overdressed. Veggie mains are always good and sometimes awesome. I think the vanilla souffle is a thing of beauty but I haven't been as thrilled with other desserts.
Brunch which is only available Sundays is also very good here. I've especially enjoyed his sweet offerings which is saying a lot as I am a savoury brekky sort of elf, usually :-).
Vancouver, Whistler, Salt Spring, Sechelt?
Thanks for the interim update, looking forward to more! Reports on decent to good food in Gibson's especially welcome.
First time in San Fran
"served by waiters that came with the building" -- so true! I still remember our vintage waiter at Tadich's warning us off the sand dabs ("not fresh") and nodding in approval as we chose the petrale sole instead. FWIW we've also tried Sam's on a visit to SF and gave Tadich the edge for nicer ambiance and better sourdough (Sam's was burnt). The fish was good at both places, sticking to the simplest preps. We had reservations at Sam's (dinner only) but lucked out at Tadich, waiting only ten minutes at prime time on a Thursday. This is apparently easier as a table for two. And sitting at the bar can speed things up, I've read.
We tried Sotto Mare for a late-ish weekday lunch in April and there was plenty of room. The petrale was perfectly cooked and a very generous portion for $19 (much bigger than at Sam's or Tadich). The sand dabs were a tad overdone.
Source for dried puy lentils in Vancouver?
Thanks kinnick -- I was wondering about the cooking time (and woulda googled despite my apparent laziness!) since they were about the size of red lentils which cook so fast. I do fancy the firmness so thanks for that note too. Do they stay black?
Source for dried puy lentils in Vancouver?
I inquired about puy lentils at my favourite local tienda and they said they get them sometimes but recommended beluga as a substitute. These are smaller and black so don't seem all that similar. Anyone tried them?
I have finalized my Napa / San Fran Itinenary
Or take a cab or transit rather than walking, as suggested. I often do that at home as well when I am going through the worst bits of town to get to good eats. Agree most folks in those areas are not bent on evil, but collateral damage is more probable under the circs. A little caution, especially when you are on holidays and unfamiliar with the nabe, can make for an event-free trip.
union square
Get yourself a reservation at the bar at Canteen, easy walk from Union Square, great NorCal grub in a relaxed atmosphere. I consider it a wasted trip to SF that doesn't see me dining there.
Itinerary for our honeymoon in SF/Napa. Thoughts?
I have relatives who stay at the Parker twice a year and love it. Really handy for all the food goodness in the Mission, not to mention the Bart station.
ISO fresh fava beans
Thanks all! Looks like I'll have to cool my jets a bit as the earliest we can expect them up here in the Great White North would be June. I must have got them at one of the farmers' markets last year as (alas) I haven't yet made it out to the UBC Farm markets. I just signed up for the newsletter and will rectify that this year. Will just have to make do with the local asparagus in the meantime -- had some raw, sliced thin, lemon vinaigrette, shaved pecorino and chive blossoms for dinner, yum :-).
ISO fresh fava beans
Having indulged in these lovelies several times last week in Portland (one dish was so simple, just shelled and roasted in their skins at 425 degrees with salt and olive oil, best bar snack evah!) and in SF in April, it occurs to me I should tackle them myself. They are a bit fussy to shell and skin but yum! I made them once last year but can't for the life of me remember where I bought the whole beans. I haven't seen them in my usual haunts which makes me think I must have cast a wider net last season. Anyone seen them lately, ideally on the west side but will travel for favas?
I have finalized my Napa / San Fran Itinenary
Someone upthread suggested taking a cab to the Tenderloin (Lers Ros, Burmese Kitchen). That is what we do when we are visiting and have a reservation at LR in the evening. It's only a few dollars from Union Square and avoids the issue entirely. I've never felt uncomfortable walking in the area or near Civic Centre in the daytime with my SO, but it can be unpleasant. I was a bit freaked out walking by myself from Canteen to Blue Bottle Mint Plaza one Sunday morning, and I still recall feeling on edge walking to the Vietnamese place below Mission that was quite famous (Julia Child liked it) the first time we went to SF. At any rate, Lers Ros' appetizers are worth getting there somehow!
Best Takeout Burmese Tea Leaf Salad in the Richmond?
To be fair, they were in good shape (all 1.5 of them!) so Mandalay should not be faulted. I wonder what would have been in a tea leaf salad before tomatoes appeared overseas?
