Restaurant Redemption: Brioche





Yep, stick with the Cioppino

Adam and I went to Brioche for brunch the other day; I learned from my mistake last time and ordered the Cioppino. Good choice.

$16 Cioppino for 1 ->  A hearty seafood stew- perfect for cold days. Loads of fish, mussels, clams, and one or two shrimp. Packed with veggies: spinach, eggplant, peppers, etc. Nice rich tomato broth- a bit too salty, but still enjoyable.  

Chicken Red Curry Recipe

Vancouver's Maenam was recently featured in Cooking Light Magazine's article Best Restaurants in Vancouver. I've been, had the Red Curry, and wasn't too impressed--apparently world class = tiny portions.  Red Curry isn't complicated and doesn't have to cost much--in fact, you can make the same meal for less then $5 a serving at home.


Thai Red Curry


Ingredients


1 individual package of Mae Ploy Red Curry (Sunrise $.79)
1 boneless chicken breast cut into strips 
1 can coconut milk (get it at Sunrise for $1) 
1/2 chopped onion
1 handful of sliced fingerling potatoes 
1/2 a head of chopped cauliflower (Sunrise $1 per lb)
1/2 sliced pepper (red, yellow or orange-whatever)
1 handful of frozen peas 
sugar and salt to taste
1 handful of coriander leaves ($1 a bunch--have you figured out--Sunrise is ace, yet?)

Preparation


Heat wok and spray with PAM. Brown chicken and set aside.
Spray PAM and fry curry paste until fragrant. Add 1 cup of coconut milk. Bring to boil.
Add chicken, onions, sliced potatoes and cauliflower to wok and stir in 1/2 a cup of coconut milk and 1/2 water. Simmer until vegetables are tender.  Just before serving, stir in frozen peas and peppers. Add sugar to taste (I like adding 2 tbs of sugar to balance out the spice). Salt if desired. Garnish with coriander. 


Serve over cooked rice.

Cake is to Yummy; as Wrecks are to Awesome

Did you know that on the top left corner--of this page--there is a "Next Blog" link? Click on it (not right now though, stupid)!  It's like flipping through the channels of blogspot: there's the shrivelled-up baby in a bucket channel, "My kid ain't retarded- I just make all his clothes" channel, SAHM's (don't ask, don't tell) channel, Christian Warrior Princesses, Creepy animal heads attached to dolls channel and other useless crafts, not enough Food channels and my favorite so far: the Cake Wrecks channel.

Mmmmm....mushrooms

"A Cake Wreck is any cake that is unintentionally sad, silly, creepy, inappropriate - you name it. A Wreck is not necessarily a poorly-made cake; it's simply one I find funny, for any of a number of reasons. Anyone who has ever smeared frosting on a baked good has made a Wreck at one time or another, so I'm not here to vilify decorators: Cake Wrecks is just about finding the funny in unexpected, sugar-filled places."

Too Cool

Hey, I know a Jewie, too!

Oh, here he is holding a dinosaur

Recipe Review: Black Bean Brownies

The other day, at work, Gill brought in tasty-fake Black Bean Brownies. Not Black Soy Beans (before you freak out) Frijoles Negros Beans. They were cocoa flavored, moist and delicious.

For recipe click here

Pesto! Pesto!

In my internet wanderings the other day I found some good-looking pesto recipes from Clean Eating Magazine:

Basil-Cilantro-Almond:

• 1/2 cup basil leaves
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves
• 2 tbsp roasted unsalted almonds
• 1 large clove garlic
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Nutritional Bonus: Almonds are rich in vitamin E (great for keeping skin looking younger), magnesium (which aids calcium absorption) and cholesterol-lowering monounsaturated fats.

Parsley-Walnut-Parmigiano:

• 1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 3 tbsp unsalted walnuts
• 1 large clove garlic,
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Nutritional Bonus: While the addition of parsley adds vitamins K (for healthy bone development), A and C (powerful antioxidants), the walnuts are an excellent source of omega-3 fats, which may help lower triglyceride levels.

Cilantro-Pumpkin Seed-Manchego*:

• 1 cup cilantro leaves
• 2 tbsp roasted pumpkin seeds
•  1 large clove garlic
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp finely grated manchego cheese

Nutritional Bonus: Offering manganese (which helps with carb and fat metabolism), magnesium, phosphorus (for improved energy) and poly- and monounsaturated fats, pumpkin seeds’ most surprising claim to nutrition fame may be their impressive supply of protein (5 grams per oz, roasted).

* Spanish cheese (...is that confusing? A cheese from Spain)

Still on the Table: Peckinpah

Last night we went to Peckinpah (located at 2 Water Street): I had just got back to Gastown, we had a birthday thing to go to (and we were already running late) and I needed to eat.

Terra Cotta? Keep Walking. Sitar? Walk. Six Acres? Takes forever. Don't even mention Vera's. How about Peckinpah? Why not, there's only three tables occupied--let's be done with it.

A couple months ago, under my pseudonym, I gave a bad review of Peckinpah:

----
Peckinpah in a word is: Soul-less

I can't wait for this place to go out of business and become a proper bar.
Not only did it take F-O-R-E-V-E-R to get our drink orders in (20 minutes for a beer is silly), the pulled pork is tasteless and prison-style sides were not welcoming. And the worst of all were the ribs--they were skinny and tough.

People, how about you give me $23 for a full rack of ribs--I'll spend about $10 at T&T and 18 minutes with my pressure cooker to give you all proper--fall off the bone ribs with flavor and love.
----
Last night, the service was average (I figure I should mention service--since I did before) and I ordered:

Chicken and Dumplings- shredded roasted chicken with dumplings in a broth -> Tasted like the 7 levels of Salt Hell. The deeper I got into the soup the saltier it tasted

I had a taste of Adam's Pulled Pork Sandwich with Coleslaw -> DELICIOUS. I wish I had ordered it. The meat was tender, smokey and sweet.  But hold on?! I ordered the pulled pork last time and it was tasteless despite their BBQ sauces.

Also, I feel I should mention that I've been to Peckinpah several times now. Not a fan of beef brisket nor the Banana Parfait.

I've asked around and I've heard both good and bad reviews from friends and co-workers, so, I guess people are either loving or hating this place. I don't understand the inconsistency, what's the problem? Different chefs? Problems with the equipment? Maybe last night was a fluke?

All in all, Peckinpah is 1 for 1 with me, but $9.50 for a sandwich isn't worth a 50:50 gamble until the next time I am cold, hungry and late.

Restaurant Review: Medina

Tagine

Medina Cafe, located on 556 Beatty Street, is one of those places where, throughout the years, I've read great reviews and made attempts to go but was deterred by the long lines. There are always long lines: winter, spring, summer and fall and today was no different. Well, there was one difference--today I had to go to Medina because Andreina wanted to celebrate her birthday there.  We waited over a hour to get in and I kept myself warm with thoughts that this place must be good.  Once seated--and my first time through the door--I found the ambience quite nice and welcoming. Medina looks like and is a bustling little cafe. I was quite looking forward to brunch and I ordered:

$14 Tagine 2 poached eggs, spicy tomato stew, merguez sausage, sundried black olives, and cilantro. Grilled Foccaccia

->The eggs were fine but the tomato stew was not spicy but rather oddly floral tasting. Flavors overall not well balanced and unappetizing.  This dish is not worth $14. I had little bites of the Paella, Waffle and Cassoulet which were all better, but still, I wasn't impressed. 

If I can quote another Review of Medina:

Overall -- disappointing. I liked the place, but not enough to credit it with a "Like." Maybe another visit would help, but if I wanted to spend $50 on a memorable breakfast, why not treat four people to an all-organic one at ROUNDEL'S at Hastings & Nanaimo. Maybe the yuppie's rubbing elbows with me don't mind throwing away the money for the sake of vanity and a look-what-I-can-do (or pretend to do on eternal credit) -- but I say you can get a better experience is a number of other sites. Good luck and don't show up late. Grant G

You will not find me in the lines of Medina in the future.

Green Leafy Vegetable: #47 Water Spinach

Water Spinach/ 空心菜/ 蕹菜/ Swamp Spinach/ผักบุ้ง/  Pomoea Aquatica or Kangkóng/Ga Zun Ywet/ Water Morning Glory/Rau Muống/ Water Convolvulus 

Water Spinach has been and will always be a staple in my kitchen and kitchens across Asia.  You can eat the whole plant--from stalk to leaf. The stalk is hollow and the leaf is comparable to common spinach, but should not be eaten raw. Water Spinach is a good side dish and can be used as a garnish in noodles, but not rice (that would be weird).

There are many ways to prepare Water Spinach. Traditionally, the Chinese stir fry the stalks and leaves with garlic and/or chili. The Chinese are also known for stir frying Water Spinach with fermented bean curd.  Hakka Chinese cook Water Spinach with yellow bean paste and/or fried shallots.  

In Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia the leaves are stir fried with chili pepper, garlic, ginger and dried shrimp paste.  In Penang and Ipoh, Water Spinach is cooked with cuttlefish in a sweet and spicy sauce. In Thailand and Burma, Water Spinach is cooked with oyster sauce. In the Philippines, Water Spinach is cooked with onions, garlic, ginger, vinegar and soy sauce. Also, the Filipinos have been know to batter the stalks and deep fry them. In India, the leaves are chopped and mixed with shredded coconut. 

No matter how to prepare it, I love stir fried Water Spinach--with crisp stalks and savory leaves. The best places to get Water Spinach is T&T but Sunrise does sell Water Spinach from time to time.

 

Stir fried Water Spinach with Garlic and Chili

Ingredients

1 bundle of Water Spinach washed

3 cloves of garlic chopped

2 chilis chopped

Salt to taste

Preparation

Chop washed Water Spinach into 1 inch sections. Discard last inch of stalks.  On high- heat wok and add 1 tbs of oil or PAM spray.  Add garlic and chili and stir for 10 seconds. Add stalks only to wok. Stir for 2 minutes. Add the rest of the chopped Water Spinach, stir and cover 2 minutes. Stir and add 1/4 cup of water. Cover 2 minutes. Toss salt to taste and remove from heat once leaves turn dark green. Serve immediately.

Stir fried Water Spinach with Fermented Bean Curd

Water Spinach with fermented bean curd has a subtle savory-spicy flavor. With bean curd- there is no need to add salt or chili to the stir fry. Fermented bean curd is often eaten with Water Spinach and as a side to what you know as Congee. You can buy fermented bean curd at any Asian market in the area: T&T, Sunrise or Rice World.

Ingredients   

1 bundle of washed Water Spinach

1 cube of fermented bean curd

Preparation

Chop washed Water Spinach into 1 inch sections. Discard last inch of stalks.  On high- heat wok and add 1 tbs of oil or PAM spray. Add stalks only to wok. Stir for 2 minutes. Add the rest of the chopped Water Spinach, stir and cover 2 minutes. Stir and add cube of fermented bean curd and 1/4 cup of water. Break apart bean curd and toss mixture. Cover 2 minutes. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Green Leafy Vegetable #4: Arugula

Back to my List of Green Leafy Vegetable Recipes: last night I used #4 Arugula in my Walnut Pesto.  Arugula has a nice savory-pepper taste which is perfect with a handful of walnuts, garlic and parmesan. Put it all in a blender with some olive oil and ta da! Pesto. I read the other day, that some people roast their garlic first and then blend--but I won't be doing that.



Pesto over whole grain pasta with chicken breasts and asparagus 

Walnut Pesto  (Will make 8-10 Servings)

Ingredients

1 5 oz. package of Arugula
Handful of walnuts--1/2 a cup (if you're the compulsive type)
4 cloves of garlic
1 handful of parmesan--(still) 1/2 a cup
Olive oil
Salt

Preparation

All blenders are made differently. I have a Hamilton Beach Single Serve Blender and for this recipe 1) works best if I add olive oil in the blender first and and then slowly add more and 2) isn't strong enough to blend chunks of whole pieces of cheese-so I have to grate my cheese before I add it to my blender. If you're blender is cooler than mine--great! You'll need to figure out what works for you.

Heat wok, spray with pan and toast walnuts. Walnuts will start toasting when the wok starts smoking. Toss walnuts keep toasting 1 minute.  Add a bit of oil 1/2 cup (if you are compulsive and are still reading) in blender. Add walnuts, garlic, parmesan, salt to taste and Arugula to blender. Blend. If you find that your mixture isn't blending--slowly add more oil whilst blending to emulsify. Stop blending and scrap down mixture towards blades if necessary.

Store unused Pesto in fitted jar.

>> Try Arugula with Spicy Beef Noodle Soup

Orderit.ca

Didn't like yummyweb.com?

Try Orderit.ca- you order online and they deliver to you. Places that don't even deliver--like my favorite Chinese Restaurant in Vancouver: Shanghai Chinese Bistro on Alberni Street can be delivered to you.

They even can pick you up some Dairy Queen, if you feel so inclined.

Restaurant Review: Nicli Antica Pizzeria

Capricciosa Pizza

Adam and I had the chance to go to the brand new Nicli Antica Pizzeria, located on 62 E. Cordova Street, last night for dinner. All in all, I found the whole experience pretty underwhelming, uninspiring and expensive.

Being too tired to cook--Adam thought it would be nice to order a pick up and have a relaxing night in, but apparently Nicli Antica doesn't do pick up. They also don't have any prices online either.

We decided to go anyway--because we were curious about the space and interested in trying out a certified authentic Pizza.  Upon arrival, I found the ambience uninspiring--black and white, unsophisticated and cold.

The service was below average--we arrived with two couples already waiting. The Matre-D said 15 minutes. Ok. We stood at the bar for over 45 minutes. Adam and I had two drinks--while waiting and agreed that if we weren't seated by the end of the 2nd drink--we would go. We got called to a table with 1/3 of our drinks left. Dinner took over 45 minutes to arrive and at the end of the night-we had drinks on our bill that weren't ours.

My actual Dinner was good; I ordered the:

CAPRICCIOSA
pomodoro, artichokes, mushrooms, black olives, fior di latte, prosciutto cotto, parmigiano, basil -> nice crust with delicate and balanced flavors

All in all, I appreciate trying to showcase authentic foods and the practice of using fresh ingredients, but $20 for a 12 inch pizza is too much for what Nicli Antica really is.

I am curious to see how about  Nicli Antica will effect Incendio's--that's just down the street. I hope that the competition will drive either prices down or quality and service up. Here's hoping.

Slow Cooker Recipe: Corned Beef

 

I christened my Slow Cooker today with Corned Beef, Brussel Sprouts,  Cabbage, Carrots and Potatoes for dinner.  All you have to do is literally: put Beef in pot, add water to cover and cook on Low for 8 hours.  I usually cook my Corned Beef in my Pressure Cooker--which only takes an hour but sometimes (depending on what brand is available at Nesters) the texture of the Beef is still tough and sometimes too salty.

With the Slow Cooker, I literally could pull the meat apart with my tongs- beautiful.  Next time--I'm just going to put the Beef in the pot and maybe some Onions. I don't really taste the benefit of adding Beer or the Vegetables while cooking. The result is just saltier Vegetables.

Recipe Review: Red Beans and Rice

I'm beginning to like Sundays. I don't want to do shit anyways, so why not stay at home, listen to music  and cook, cook, cook? Sure, I could say, I'm cooking for the week if I wanted to impress you with my superb organizational skills. But the truth is: I just like cooking.  

Let's make a mess, use all the kitchen tools in the apartment and leave the cleaning till tomorrow?  Today I'm using Dried Red Kidney Beans with my Pressure Cooker to make Red Beans and Rice.  At first, I wanted to do Dirty Rice but when I found out Chicken Giblets are what makes the Rice Dirty ("Yum" in principle but "Yuck" in practice) so I decided to stick with Red Beans and Rice.

I usually use Canned Beans, but last week Lina told me Dried Beans--will absorb more of the flavor. So, I thought I would give it a go.  

Ingredients

1 Pound of dried Red Beans (quick soaked)*

1 Peeled Chorizo sausage   

1 Large diced yellow onion

1 Cup diced celery

1 Cup chopped pepper

4 Large minced garlic cloves

4 Bay leaves

4 tsp chopped parsley

2 tsp thyme

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp red pepper

1 tsp ground black pepper

Olive Oil

Preparation

* To learn how to Quick Soak click here. After some research on "authentic" recipes I didn't Quick Soak but soaked the Beans over-night.

Drain Beans, discarding the water and set aside in Pressure Cooker

In a mixing bowl, add onion, celery, green pepper, garlic, bay leaves and spices. Drizzle olive oil over mixture and sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Pour mixture over beans and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. Add enough water to cover beans. Close lid, bring to high pressure and cook for 40 minutes.

Remove bay leaves and serve over rice.

I found this recipe to be an ok side dish, but I'm looking for a Main. Next time, I am going to add some Ham Hock in addition to Chorizo.  Also, I am going to add some Roasted Peppers. This way, I figure I will get a more smokey and sweet flavor from my beans. Also, I don't see a big difference in using Dried Beans and Canned Beans. 

Chinese New Year Recipes: Lobster with Scallions and Jalapenos

I <3 Lobster- it has a subtle sweet flavor that is enhanced with Spice, Ginger and Scallions (the base of most Chinese Seafood dishes). There are many styles of Chinese Lobster: Sea Salt and Pepper, Ginger and Scallion, with Noodles and Egg whites in a Savory Brown Sauce, in a Tomato Based Chilli paste, etc. Try them all if you can and more importantly make it at home and save some $$.

I get my Lobster from T&T, when the price is right (anything around $8 a pound is a go), because I can personally inspect each candidate.  I always look for Lobsters that are angry, kicking and alive with all the legs intact (Would you eat a disabled chicken? Exactly).  At the Seafood counter, you can ask the Counter person to cut your Lobster into sections as desired. It's good to get your Lobster home promptly to maintain freshness and to cook your cut Lobster within a hour that it's been cut. Traditionally, the Lobster is fried but to lighten up the dish--steam first and then stir fry.

Ingredients

1 1 1/2- 2 lb Lobster
1/4 cup of Broth (Fish, Chicken, Beef, whatever)
tsp of Corn Starch
1 inch piece of Ginger
3-4 Scallions
2 Jalapeno or any other hot pepper

Preparation

Clean the Lobster of all guts and scrub the shells well
Prepare Steamer and once water comes to boil--steam Lobster until shells turn bright red. Meanwhile, chop Ginger into slices, Scallions into 1 inch pieces and chop Jalapenos. Mix broth with starch.
Heat wok, add 1 tbs of oil fry Ginger until fragrant. Add Jalapenos.
Add Lobster, stir in broth mixture and add Scallions. Toss until sauce begins to thicken. Add a dash of White Pepper if desired.

Serve immediately.

Good Review: Bad Review St. Regis Bar V. Pourhouse

Good Review: St Regis Bar


This week Sue treated me to lunch at the St. Regis Bar and Grill located at 608 Dunsmuir Street.  Adam and I used to go there--when it was Chesters. The decor hasn't changed much but the menu has improved. Despite the service ("Didn't you know all the Strawberries and Mexico were frozen?") I ordered:

California Chicken Sandwich 12
Blackened cajun chicken breast with avocado, jack cheese, lettuce and tomato served with rustic roll or flour tortilla
-> A lovely sandwich--all the flavors were nicely balanced and complementary. I could taste all the ingredients: the blackened chicken, the avocado and cheese. Will be ordering again.

with the Salmon Chowder -> Yes, I know--I'm a little snobby about my chowders but this one made the cut.  It's was light and flavorful with chunks of potatoes and fish.

and the New York Cheesecake
Served with chocolate sauce ->  Moist and not too sweet. Just right.

Wouldn't mind taking Adam there sometime--I'm sure he would like the stuffed Yorkshire Puddings.


Bad Review: Pourhouse 


After swimming late Tuesday night, Adam and I decided to get a bite to eat at Pourhouse located at 162 Water Street.  It was 10:30 at night, we were meeting at the Steam Clock and I was cold--so I suggested Pourhouse. Since it opened a couple of years ago, I've eaten at the Pourhouse sporadically- for brunch, goûter, dinner or drinks and I'm always feeling like I should feel like I just had a nice dining experience but I never do. This time was no different.


Crispy Cheese Sandwich 13 -> Melted cheese on toast--ok, but Irish Heather's cheese sandwich is much better (it's all in the caramelized onions, baby).

with House Roasted Tomato Soup -> Very Salty and a very tiny portion. This soup reminds me of my Dad. He has a Chinese catch-phrase that doesn't translate into English verbatim but basically means--"A bar of salt".  This soup is a bar of salt.

Sure, the service is ok and I don't mind the cocktails but the bottom line is that the food served at the Pourhouse is not worth the price charged.

Seems that others agree:

Green Leafy Vegetable #8: Broccoli

When you were a kid, do you remember all the fuss about Broccoli?

"I do not like broccoli and I haven’t liked it since I was a little kid and my mother made me eat it. And I’m President of the United States and I’m not going to eat any more broccoli." George H. W. Bush

I don't get it, because I have always loved Broccoli. What's not to like? Taste? Well, sorry to tell you--if you're going to cook the hell out of anything--it's going to look/taste/act like shit. The trick is to enhance the subtle flavor with crisp tenderness.

You can bake, poach, puree, stir-fry or eat raw Broccoli all year round--so it can always be a staple in your diet. This month Broccoli tips and recipes were featured in Bon Appetit Magazine.

My favorite Broccoli recipe of all time is very simple and you could substitute Broccoli with any other Green Leafy Vegetable. I like my Vegetables crisp tender, so I will only cook Broccoli for 5 minutes total.


Stir Fried Broccoli with Jalapenos and Garlic

Ingredients

2 heads of Broccoli
2 large cloves of Garlic
2 Jalapenos, other hot pepper or pepper flakes

Preparation

Wash and chop Broccoli (including stalks)
Heat wok and spray with PAM or 1 tsp of oil
Add chopped garlic and hot peppers
Add Broccoli and toss for 30 seconds
Add 1/8 cup of water or broth and cover 2 minutes
Add salt as desired and remove from heat or when Broccoli turns dark green.

>> Try Broccoli with Spicy Beef Noodle Soup

Green Leafy Vegetable #26: Kale

Kale isn't something I grew up with but I've started eating it last year, because all the health magazines told me to do it (I'm impressionable, what?).  The first real time I ate Kale is at Gustavo's apartment: he stir fried it with salt (?) and served it as a side to pasta. On my own, I've tried using chopped Kale in my Spicy Beef Noodle Soup but in this particular dish--I found the taste too bitter and the texture too rough.  However, I do like chopped Kale in tomato based soups--like Kale and White Bean Soup. 

Photo: Clean Eating Magazine

The other day, in Clean Eating Magazine, I found a recipe where Kale is paired with Lentils and served with Honey Mustard Salmon.  I tested out this recipe last night and it was a hit with Adam. I thought it was ok and I'll cook it again for Adam and the nutritional value (approx. 471 calories per serving and 2/3 of my daily requirement of fiber).

The recipe requires a total of 45 minutes from start to finish but you can shave off 20 minutes of cooking time by using canned lentils and parchment paper.




Ingredients

1 cup canned lentils, picked over and rinsed
4 packed handfulls of chopped Kale
1 Medium salmon fillet
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
You will also need ground black pepper, sea salt and paprika to taste. Pam cooking spray and parchment paper if desired.

Preparation

Preheat oven to 450°F. Mix sauce. If using parchment paper--cover salmon with sauce, fold into paper and put in oven. Salmon will be done when paper turns brown. If not using parchment paper--place salmon fillet on a baking sheet lined with foil and coated with cooking spray. Season salmon with salt and pepper, to taste. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove fillets from oven and coat thoroughly with honey-mustard glaze. Return to oven and bake 10 to 15 minutes more or until cooked through.

In a large saucepan over high heat spray wok with PAM and add lentils and Kale. Cover and simmer with 1/8 cup of water or chicken broth  if necessary. Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.  Divide lentil mixture among 2 plates. Top each with a salmon fillet half and serve immediately.

For other Kale Recipes click here

 

Green Leafy Vegetable Recipe Countdown

Everyone and their Mother seems to be telling me that I need to boost my "Green Leafy Vegetable" intake for a myriad reasons, but I feel they are suggesting the same sort of recipes. I found a list  of almost 50 "Green Leafy Vegetables", granted not all of them will be available in Vancouver, and I'm going to find yummy recipes for the lot.

Dine Out: L'Abbattoir $38 Menu Review

Dine Out Review: L'Abattoir

Adam texted me Friday night and asked If I were interested in going to L'Abbatoir for Dine Out located at 217 Carrall Street. This restaurant is usually not affordable for people like me, so I accepted to see what $38 could get me. I ordered:

Confit of Albacore tuna
Lettuce, smoked pork fat, crispy bits   -> Good but it didn't need to twice cooked sponge eggs


Slow cooked loin of pork
Cassoulet, brussels sprouts, mushroom -> The sauce was a bit too salty, the meat tasteless but I very much enjoyed the brussels sprouts and mushrooms. Is it bad if I enjoyed the sides more than the actual main?


Dark chocolate and coffee layer cake
Cherry apricot compote, whipped vanilla crème fraiche -> I enjoyed the way the compote complemented the chocolate but my slice of cake really was a slice of a slice

Overall, the food was ok but the experience was very over-priced.  Dine Out plus a couple drinks each came to more than $100 for 2. Thanks Dine Out, now that eaten at L'Abbatoir I know I'm not really missing out on anything!

Chinese New Year Recipes: Chawanmushi

Chawanmushi is the Japanese name for a dish that is nameless in my family. You have to admit that "Chawanmushi" sounds a lot better than me calling it "that steamed egg thing that I like"--so, we'll stick with that.

Chawanmushi is traditionally served in a covered bowl and the idea is you get to find the treasures steamed inside the custard as you eat it.  The Japanese traditionally uses whole eggs, stock, soy sauce and sake.  My Mom also uses whole beaten eggs but instead: water, scallions and salt steamed for about 15 minutes or set. In my version, I borrow some ingredients from the Japanese.

Ingredients

Egg whites
Chicken broth
Shrimp shelled and de-veined
Scallops
Clams scrubbed
Sweet Peas
Scallions

Preparation

In a cook-safe bowl, 1 part broth to 2 parts egg whites. Add a handful of Shrimp, scallops, clams and peas to bowl. Add salt and white pepper if desired. Steam for 15 minutes or until eggs are set. Some people like to put plastic wrap or foil over the eggs as they steam but I feel it's unnecessary. Garnish with scallions.

Good Review: Bad Review Well Tea V. Brioche

Good Review: Well Tea

Today for brunch, Adam and I went to Well Tea located at 551 Seymour Street. Well Tea is self-described as a Vancouver Taiwanese Restaurant--so I thought I would put it to the test and order some Beef Noodle soup. The soup was good--the broth was not heavy yet flavorful.   The beef was tender and complemented with winter melon, bok choy, carrots, pickled vegetables, scallions and cilantro. The price was right--about $8 and the portion was large.  Next time I will ask for some chillies to add to the broth. 

Something different about this place, I appreciated the the Service Call button feature--like on an airplane you press the button when you are ready to order, when you need something, when you want to pay or cancel. 

(Don't worry, I tipped my waiter)

Bad Review: Brioche

Yesterday I went to Brioche for lunch located at 401 West Cordova Street.  I have been going to Brioche off and on for several years. Sometimes it's a hit, like their Cioppino, but most times it's a miss.  

Adam usually orders the Spaghetti and Meatballs, so I ordered it as a safety, but what I got was more like salty red crap with ground meat and sliced up meatloaf leftovers. Did I mention it took over 20 minutes to arrive and cost me around $13?  I ended up eating half out of hunger desperation and giving the rest to the bums a.k.a Gary's office.

I'm going to stick with the Cioppino if there is a next time.

Chinese New Year Recipes: Seaweed Egg Drop Soup

Like broth?
Like seaweed?
Like rice noodles?
Like eggs?
Scallions?

Ok, so don't get all hoity-toity about Seaweed Egg Drop Soup.  This is my kind of comfort chicken noodle soup and I make it all the time. You can use any kind of meat based broth: pork bone, beef or chicken. I stick to chicken broth mostly because of convenience.  The best prices for dried seaweed are at Sunrise--you can find it in the Dry Goods section; main landing aisle opposite the Curry Section. Rice noodles can be found anywhere (even Nesters) but I stick with Sunrise or T&T, because they have the best prices. To lighten up the recipe, I use egg whites but using whole eggs gives a better texture.


Ingredients

3 cups chicken broth
2 bundles of rice noodles
5 sheets of seaweed
2 eggs or egg whites
3 scallions chopped (white parts only)
dash of white pepper

Preparation

Soak bundles of rice noodles in hot water. If wrapped in string- remove it, Retard
Bring broth to boil. Drain noodles and add to broth. Bring to boil.

Meanwhile tear sheets of seaweed with your hands like you would shred paper. Add to broth mixture. Bring to boil.  Mix eggs if using whole--if using whites add as desired--either way add to broth. Break up any large pieces of seaweed or egg. Add scallions. Remove from heat.

It's not necessary to add salt--if you used regular chicken broth. Season with white pepper as desired.

Chinese New Year Recipes: Ginger and Scallion Crab

The page of my recipe for Ginger and Scallion Crab is the most read, water-stained and used page of all of my recipe books. You can get fresh crabs at T&T--where you can ask the counter person to cut the Crab into sections for you.  If you feel a little intimidated by the language barrier--Chinese for "Cut" sounds like: "GUH". Might also help to make a chopping motion with your hands while you say it, too.

The traditional dish requires frying--I recommend lightening up the recipe by steaming instead of frying and also replacing oil with a couple of sprays of PAM.

Ingredients

1 Crab 1 1/2 - 2 lbs

2 inches of peeled ginger- sliced lengthwise

3 stalks scallions--chopped into 2 inch pieces  

PAM Canola Spray

For Sauce

1 tbs oyster sauce

2 dashes of white pepper
1/8 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp sugar
6 tbs water
3/4 tsp cornstarch

1/8 tsp fish sauce

Preparation

Clean Crab and pat dry. Boil water and prepare steamer. Steam until shells turn bright orange. Remove from heat. While Crabs are cooking mix sauce and set aside. Spray some PAM on heated wok and add ginger. Fry until ginger is aromatic. Add crab, stir in sauce and add scallions. Let cook until sauce thickens and scallions are cooked through. For an added kick, add some chopped chilies with the scallions.

Serve immediately.