Bistro Review: Kita No Donburi

Yesterday I decided to get some take out from Kita No Donburi, at the bottom of Seymour Street. I was on my way back to the office and was looking for either something quick/cheap and cheerful or quick/value for money.

I noticed that Kita No Donburi opened a couple of months ago, was meaning to try it out but the only thing stopping me were all the bad reviews. Bad reviews and maybe also the plastic food on display (I'm like Colin Ferrall in the movie In Bruges--he has an unhealthy fascination with midgets; I have an unhealthy fascination with plastic food). Decided to try it out myself and I have to say that it's true the service is bad but it's honest. Also, the food portions are fair, the quality is lacking a bit and the prices average.

I ordered the Chicken Katsu Curry around the same time someone else ordered the same. She got her to go order within 2 minutes but I was still waiting 5 minutes when the hostess came over to me and showed me something in a bowl (not a to go container) and asked me if that's what I had ordered. It wasn't what I ordered and for the record, even if I was I would have said "no". I am not about to eat an upside down curry. The hostess then came back and asked me to what I ordered and if I had my receipt. I showed her my receipt, to which she said, "Oh, Chicken KATSU Curry!" and proceeded to yell my order, again to the open concept kitchen. Another staff member then told me I would have to wait two more minutes. The total wait time was around 15 minutes (even with all the hiccups), so I'll give them that Kita No Donburi is quick but not efficient in service.

When I got back to my office--I opened the box and it was a nice portion of chicken, rice and pickled vegetables.  The curry was a bit bland for my liking and the chicken was a little lost in the breading but I wasn't put off by the food.  All in all, I don't hate the place. Next time I'll try the Agedashi Tofu Don and see what happens.

That Conversation We've both been Avoiding

Hi, this is awkward. I know I haven't written in a while and then I kept on putting it off. Finally, I was just embarrassed to even bring myself to Blogger.  Today I'm recovering from my work out yesterday and I'm home alone, so I'll put in the effort and see what happens.

Since December, I went on a Gym kick (40 minutes of cardio and strength training 3-4 times a week) and have been committed ever since. And anyone who works an honest living and goes to the gym regularly knows: work + work out + shower = one tired and cranky girl.

Most times I  don't even want to think about cooking--let alone blogging about it. Often I'm so tired I don't even bother to eat with utensils. Rice, veggies, whatever--just get in my mouth and replenish me!

I'm still trying to find my balance between eat to live and live to eat but one thing's for sure: if you want to eat as much fried chicken as I do--working out regularly is a must.

I don't know how much weight I've lost/gained because I don't own a scale (and sometimes wish I didn't own a mirror) but I can definitely tell that I look a hell of a lot healthier.  And more importantly--I feel a lot better.

You know, a way to make a tired and cranky girl feel appreciated? A natural face mask. There are loads of recipes available on the internet but I discovered some real gems.

Egg Face Mask

A basic mask great for re-hydrating your skin after laps in the pool. The Egg white draws out the oils in your skin and the yolk moisturizes. 

Ingredients

* 1 Egg

Preparation

Wash and dry face. Separate the Egg white and yolk. First, with the Egg white spread it across you face and neck with your fingers, cotton pad, brush or spatula. Avoid Eye and mouth areas. Lie down and relax until the wash has hardened.  Wash Egg white off your face and pat your face dry.

Second, spread the yolk the same way you applied the whites (you may want to scramble the yolk a bit).  Lie down and relax until the mask hardens.  Wash yolk off with a wash cloth and warm water. End with a slash of cold water and pat your skin dry with a towel. To seal in the moisture, add your face cream/moisturizer.  

Poached Pears and incidentally Pear Mulled Wine Recipe

Ingredients

1 bottle of Red Wine (or enough to cover Pears)

1 sliced Lemon

2 sticks of Cinnamon

Sugar to Taste 

Bag full of Pears (any kind peeled, stems left intact and at any level of tenderness)

Preparation

In a large Pot bring ingredients Wine to Sugar to a rolling boil.

Add Pears and let boil for 10 minutes and then turn heat down to a gentle boil. Pears are done when they are fork tender.  With a slotted spoon transfer Pears to a plate to cool. Serve at room temperature with a side of Vanilla ice cream (if you're feeling like a fatty). Reserve wine and drink with good company.

Smoked Sausage, Shredded Cabbage and White Beans in a Tomato Broth

Adam had his operation this morning and it looks like soup's up until he gets his strength back.  He's weak and vulnerable - so tonight I made him a comforting Smoked Sausage, Shredded Cabbage and White Bean soup.  This soup is easy on the stomach, filling, and the Smoked Sausage makes it so good--no one would suspect that this was my "I'm sorry you needed to have surgery and I understand that you need to build your strength, so I made you this Recovery Meal."

Ingredients

* 4 sliced Mennonite Smoked Farmer's Sausage or your favorite Smoked Sausage

* 1 can of White beans- drained and rinsed

* 1-2 cups sliced Cabbage

* 1 can of Plum/Diced/Pressed Tomatoes or a container or your favorite Tomato soup

* 1-2 cups Chicken Broth 

* Favorite Spices to taste

* Fresh Parsley

Preparation

Add Sausage to Wok on medium-high heat (no oil necessary). Cook for until Sausages turn slightly golden. Add Beans. Add Tomatoes (if using whole tomatoes--make sure you crush the tomatoes in the pot). Let cook for a minute. Add Broth, Cabbage and desired Spices. You should taste as you cook. Cover with lid and simmer until cabbage is soft.  Garnish with fresh Parsley.

Feeling Crabby

There's nothing to boiling Crab--you just put a pot of water to boil and you slide in the Crab. The thing is not until last weekend--I've never boiled a Crab before. Stir-fry? Ok. Steam? Ok. Boil? Not so much, and after last weekend I think I'll stick with the first two methods.  What's the problem? Um, lets start with how about the Crabs kick the pot while they are boiling to death. It's a little weird--for a first time killers (moths don't count).  Second, boiling boils out the natural sweetness of the Crab meat. Third--you need a big-ass pot to boil more than two Dungeness Crabs at a time. Fourth, you need Seinfield's Man-Hands to break a nice 2 lbs crab in half.

I much rather prefer having my Fish Monger to chop my Crabs and cooking within the hour, thank you. Want to try out my Steamed Crab recipe? It brings out the sweetness of the Crab with sesame oil, ginger and scallions. Check it out:

Ginger and Scallion Crab Recipe

Mussels Night

Last weekend was cold, rainy and uninspiring. What a better reason to get together with your closest friends to gather around the table for Mussels and a drink or two (or eight). Costco has the best deal for Mussels--they are sold in 6 pound packs for $11 +/- and they are already de-bearded. All you need to do is give the Mussels a scrub, discard open shells and away we go:

Mussels in a Chipotle Tomato Broth  

Ingredients

* Handful of Chopped Bacon, Chorizo and Onions
* 1 Can of crushed Tomatoes
* 2 lbs of Mussels 

* Chipotle to taste

* Salt and Pepper to taste

* Pot with tight fitting lid

Preparation

In a large pot add Bacon and Chorizo on medium-high heat. When the Bacon and Chorizo has rendered some fat add Onions. When Onions soften add Tomatoes. Bring to a simmer.  Add a dash of Chipotle, Salt and Pepper. Taste and add more to broth as desired. Add Mussels. Close lid. After 3-5 minutes stir pot. Cook until the majority of shells have opened. Discard closed shells and serve immediately with crusty bread or fries.

Mussels with White Wine and Dill

Ingredients

* Handful of Chopped Bacon and Onions 

* 1 cup of White Wine (any will do--just make sure it's good enough to drink)

* 2 lbs of Mussels 

* Dill to taste

* Salt and Pepper to taste

* Pot with tight fitting lid

Preparation

In a large pot add Bacon on medium-high heat. When the Bacon has rendered some fat add Onions. When Onions soften add Mussels and Wine. Bring to a simmer.  Add a dash of Dill, Salt and Pepper. Close lid. After 3-5 minutes stir pot. Taste and add more spices to broth as desired. Cook until the majority of shells have opened. Discard closed shells and serve immediately with crusty bread or fries.

Mussels with Pernod and Bacon

Ingredients

* Handful of Chopped Bacon and Onions 

* 2 lbs of Mussels 

* 1 cup of Pernod (A Fennel like liquor)

* Salt and Pepper to taste

* Pot with tight fitting lid

Preparation

In a large pot add Bacon on medium-high heat. When the Bacon has rendered some fat add Onions. When Onions soften add Mussels and Pernod. Bring to a simmer.  Add a dash Salt and Pepper. Close lid. Taste and add more to broth as desired. After 3-5 minutes stir pot. Cook until the majority of shells have opened. Discard closed shells and serve immediately with crusty bread or fries.

Restaurant Review: Peaceful Restaurant

Adam and I occasionally go to the Peaceful Restaurant on Broadway - it's cheap and cheerful and it's the only place in Vancouver that we've found good Kung Bao Gee Ding and Beef Rolls.

Beef Rolls

The service is sometimes questionable though; the last time we were at the Broadway location Adam ordered white rice and got purple rice instead. And when he mentioned this to the waitress--she had no apologies and simply said: "You eat it--you'll like it." That being said, of course Adam refused to eat the purple rice and bitch please, if we wanted to be ignored for most of the meal but still told what to eat--I can eat with my Parents.

The other night, I decided to treat myself to the new Peaceful Restaurant location on Davie Street. The service was no different from my experiences in the Broadway location. And the food--eh, I see Peaceful on the same line as McDonalds: all the crowd pleasers are on the menu--some are hits and some are misses, it's cheap, it's fast and you could do most of the dishes better yourself but when you're hungry and it's there you drop in.

Beef Noodle Soup