[FOODIE: pan asian] BO LAKSA KING

Better late than later. I have to admit, I'm so late in the game in trying this place out but I'm so glad I finally took the time to walk inside the only single entrance for the grocery store and past all the snacks I was finally led to the other section which is Bo Laksa King.


Bo Laksa King4910 Joyce St, Vancouver, BC V5R 4G6
Telephone: 604.339.0038
Hours: Sun-Thurs - 10.30am-6pm (lunch), 6pm-12am (dinner); Fri-Sat - 10.30-6pm (lunch), 6pm-2am (dinner)

SNAPSHOT:

Food: 10/10
Service: 10/10
Ambiance: N/A
Pricing: Very decent...go now!

Pros: Fresh, home-made cooking; Great service and cheap pricing especially when ordering their combo meals.
Cons: Cash Only; Hole-in-the-wall with two small tables inside a grocery store; Best to order on the go.

Overall Rating: 10/10

Notes: Cash only; Make sure to order combo meals to avail of the discount.




Situated along the Renfrew-Collingwood neighbourhood just one block NE off the Joyce Skytrain station. You'll find what is the most literal husband and wife hole-in-the-wall eatery with the best prices and best Pan Asian cooking in town.


They've definitely come a long way from their original lunch menus below and have gone into expanding to dinner service which starts at 6pm and last February started offering delivery with posted rates on their website.


Here are their humble signs and kitchen...starting with the left window....

The right window...

And the centre countertop...

Behind the counter is where they prepare your order. Home cooking at it's best. These are the Roti Canai ($5.99 for two large pieces) that were hand kneaded right on the spot to ensure freshness and flakiness.

Over here is the Asian Beef Wrap ($4.50)...

And here's how it looks neatly presented. The wrap itself was warmed, while the inside is eaten cold like fresh spring rolls which is full of vegetables with beef glazed with honey. It was on the sweet side, which I really liked and one which I felt perfectly complemented the spicy dishes that you can pair with.


By the way, if you order their soup and wrap combo then they give you a $2.00 discount. Or if you order any two wraps then you get a $1.50 discount. You can't get any better than these combo-value meal.

And here's how the Roti Canai order is presented. You have two big pieces and a side chicken curry dipping sauce.

 I appreciated the flakiness of the roti. You can't get any fresher than this. The next time I come back, I would request them to cut the roti into small pieces so they are ready for dunking.


Oh, and by the way you can also order the roti in a sweet version. They pour condensed milk on it before rolling it up.

The dipping sauce looked quite a lot, but those roti did a good amount of absorption which enabled me to almost gulp it all down. Be warned though that the sauce is on the salty side so wolf it down on the cautious side.

Of course, you can't really come over to Bo Laksa King for the first time without ordering the Laksa. It was tasty. Lots of spices. It was also spicy hot, but at a manageable level. You have your dry ingredients in one bowl and the curry sauce in another. You pour the curry sauce onto the dry ingredients and presto...you have two bowls ready for splitting.

If you're brave enough and you're burning tongue can still take it, feel free to gulp down the curry sauce.

With the overall experience of customer service, food quality and taste, and pricing. You can't get any better than this. Definitely foodietastic!

[EVENT: social] Yelp Vancouver's Living La Voya Local

I've been participating with Yelp Vancouver's foodie scene since it's first ever Vancouver event from June 2009. Seven events later specifically targeted to the active members of Yelp, they finally threw their first ever open party for Yelp Vancouver locals.

This was held on On March 10, 2010 and took place over at the Voya Restaurant and Lounge. Voya is the signature restaurant of the Loden Hotel.


Although it's an open party, you're still going to have to be on their guest list. Just try and get past one of their Community Managers. Go ahead. Try. They can only get friendlier. :P

I knew most of the active people in Yelp, but this was definitely even more fun to get to meet an even lager community of foodies.


They had music spinning courtesy of DJ Leanne.

Here's her pink calling card. Awww.

She took some time to teach any interested participant to mix a beat.

With the music in place, like any Yelp event, food and drinks were definitely overflowing. This was provided by both the restaurant hosting the venue as well as the local businesses.

As the night progressed, the bartenders were hard at work to keep the drinks flowing courtesy of Hennessy.

But don't fret if the bar was packed, the local merchants were also on hand to give a helping hand. The Urban Tea Merchant was there to provide Vodka shots infused with two of their tea concoctions.

One was Earl Grey and the other a tisane infusion of dried fruits.

But why stop there when Whistler Brewing Company is there to represent.

Tipsy much? I didn't think so.

But now it's time to fill our bellies with food and snacks. Raise your hand if you want some mini burgers!

Or how about some Mexican fusion presented a la Temaki-style.

Voya definitely had some great servers going around to make sure we were properly provided for.

In the other end of the lounge was a table of gourmet snacks provided by Saul Good Gift Co. They do have an on-going promo of providing a $10 discount off their corporate gift basket just for making them laugh. It's not that hard. Just call them up and repeat their website name - it's all good...tsk, tsk.

These are one of the best tasting chocolates I've had and reminded me of a few San Francisco chocolatier like Guittard Chocolate Company and Scharffen Berger. And since I'm now living in Canada, it's time to promote Zazubean. Being Canadian, it can only contain the finest naturally organic, fair-trade ingredients.

And what better way to pair your beer than with Skeet & Ike's Organics Popcorn variety as well as their stone ground corn chips in the form of Hippie Chips.

But do save some space for some crackers and chips courtesy of Gone Crackers and Terra Breads. All natural. All found right here in British Columbia.

Props to Wink Beauty Lounge for providing some fun dress-up for the gents (moustache) and ladies (lashes).

Thanks to some buzz and a moustache, we can now take over the turn-table and pose as credible DJs.

Okay, I guess it's best if we handed it back to DJ Leanne to do her stuff...

Lastly, if you forgot to bring your camera to help you remember the event, Photobooth Vancouver was there to provide an instant memory (I swear that wasn't me...that guy had a moustache).


So...if you're curious to know more about Yelp or you'd love to meet fellow Vancouver foodies in the next official or unofficial get-together. Head on over to Yelp Vancouver.

[FOODIE: ramen] Hokkaido Ramen Santouka

Ah, ramen in it's most basic form has two ingredients - noodles and broth. Complexity in ingredients, taste and presentation gives each their own unique twist.

The famous Japanese ramen place - Hokkaido Ramen Santouka - finally comes to Vancouver, BC. Situated along Robson street among other nearby ramen places and izakaya establishments, it fits right in to join the crawl. Well, that is if you're patient enough to brave the line during prime hours which gets pretty much crazy. With a lot of buzz being generated in the foodie scene, it's best to go off-hours if only to try what Santouka has to offer. We went on a Friday around 5.30pm and we were seated just fine. However, by 6pm the place was packed and the line started to build. When I passed by before around 7pm, you wouldn't believe how patient people can be to line up like that.

Hokkaido Ramen Santouka
1690 Robson St, Vancouver, BC V6G 1C7
Telephone: 604.681.8121
Website: http://www.santouka.co.jp


SNAPSHOT:

Food: 6/10
Service: 6/10
Ambiance: 8/10
Pricing: Moderate (when compared to other Ramen places in the area)

Pros: Nice, modern interior.
Cons: Cash Only; More expensive than comparable ramen places in the area; Smaller servings for the price; Rough operation typical of newly opened restaurants

Overall Rating: 6/10

Notes: Cash only; No reservations so best to come off hours for now

The restaurant size can be a tight squeeze once the tables are fully occupied. By the entrance you'll find a communal oblong table perfect for larger groups, families with children on strollers or requiring a high chair. Past that is a tighter area for smaller groups on one side. While on the opposite side is a bar-like seating arrangement on stools facing the open kitchen.

The menu is presented in synthetic leather cover. There is a good amount of description with photos. And if that isn't convincing enough, right outside their window are displays of all the dishes they serve complete with pricing, too.


Each table has their own condiments and utensils - pepper, hot chili powder, chopsticks, soup spoons, toothpicks and paper napkins. It's important to note that they don't provide any salty condiments like, err, table salt or soy sauce. Checking their website, you'd understand they care about the taste of their broth which one will just have to accept and respect.


I tried two ramen dishes. The first is their "Limited quantity. First Come. First Serve." Toroniku Ramen ($12.95). You have four choices of ramen - Shio (basic salt broth), Shoyu (soy sauce broth), Miso (fermented soy bean paste), and Kara Miso (spicy version). This is coupled with a side dish of their special toroniku meat (simmered pork cheek) which you have a choice on munching by itself or as a topping on the ramen.

Here is the Shio ramen which is the most basic among the four. Known for a clear, light broth. With Santouka's version, I did find a hint of a milky flavour.

The light yellow ramen noodles were chewy and not mushy. However it was clumped together and restrained in quantity.

The simmered pork cheeks were tender, delicious and on the salty side. I enjoyed munching it on it's own in between sips of the broth. If you find it too salty, then it would be best to dilute the taste by dunking a few pieces at a time right on the soup.


We also tried their combination dish ($13.40) which was their regular sized ramen and a small bowl of donburi. For the ramen, I got the Miso variety which unlike the limited quantity ramen had all the ingredients and toppings served directly in the soup. There were three slices of chashu (simmered pork shoulder) which were soft, but personally does not come close to the pork cheek. However, if you don't like a strong taste then this is the route to go.

I chose the Ikura donburi which were large Salmon roe (caviar) toppings on simple Japanese rice and slices of omelette. It's not much in terms of quantity and taste, but it does break the redundant taste of the ramen.

Oh, and the combination meal came with another side dish of pickled hard-boiled egg and pickled cabbage. Again, a nice touch for the palate.

I honestly had higher expectations from Hokkaido Ramen Santouka. The nightly line up built the hype. The window displays whet my appetite. When it came time for me to try it out, I was yearning for a better experience than the other ramen places in the area. Why not? Santouka was commanding a higher price for smaller portions and lesser ingredients. If they were doing such, then I can only expect the same.

In the end, I can only compare Santouka from Kintaro with gigantic bowls, richer broth, and tons of ingredients included where I would have to pay to add with Santouka. Oh and unlike Santouka's pricing, they give more bang for your buck. Of course, Kintaro is aging like a true hole-in-the-wall that it is. Santouka is the new face of ramen restaurants with a price to boot. Pick your weapon.

[FOODIE: first impressions] Tri-Ty Cafe

I've been posting my foodie reviews over at Yelp since I moved to Vancouver back in 2008. I wanted to compare the places I was discovering to the other places I've been to in other cities. I'm not done contributing over at Yelp, but I think it's time to create a more personalised blog in a space I can call my own.


Interestingly, after having been addicted with bubble tea drinks since the 90's in the Philippines. My addiction carried over when I moved to Los Angeles which I then regarded as my little piece of Heaven for bubble teas and shaved ice (Lollicup, anyone?). Of course, I haven't been to Taiwan and I can only assume it's the mecca. Or shall I say, the mother of all pearls.


Within my first few days living in Vancouver, I had to crave for these drinks. Not knowing my way around at that time a good friend of mine suggested Tri-Ty Cafe. It was a bright, cute and busy place. Since we were heading to another friend's place for lunch, I brushed it aside then and just took one to go.


Almost two years later and considering myself more a local than a stranger, I'm back.


Tri-Ty Cafe.
130 - 810 Ackroyd Road, Richmond, BC V6X 3K2
Telephone: 604.231.8997
Hours: Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs & Sun - 11:30-23:30; Fri & Sat - 11:30-00:30


SNAPSHOT:


Food: (Drinks and Desserts: 8/10, Main: 6/10)
Service: 8/10
Ambiance: 8/10
Pricing: Moderate


Pros: Nice interior for a cafe; generous serving
Cons: Cash Only; More expensive than comparable Hong Kong-style cafe in exchange for a better ambiance


Overall Rating: 8/10


Notes: Cash only; Minimum charge of $3.95 per person.

Located in one of the many strip malls that you will find in Richmond, BC. This one is off No. 3 Road and within the Golden Village commercial district.

The name of the cafe comes from their mission - quality, quantity and tasty. Hence, Tri-Ty.

First order of business - Shaved Ice!

It's mid-March, but who wouldn't crave for Taiwanese shaved ice? For $6.50, you get to choose five toppings on a bowl of shaved ice. Their menu selection includes - pearl (boba, bubbles), sweet bean, grass jelly, red bean, Taro rice ball, Coconut jelly, condensed milk, pudding, lemon jelly, sticky rice ball, green bean, peanut, Taro, chocolate, Strawberry sauce, Blueberry sauce, and Passion fruit sauce. $0.50 more for extra ingredients above five.

My initial thoughts. (1) There's quite a lot to choose from and narrow down to five items. (2) How can condensed milk be included as part of the choices? In LA I was used to ordering shaved ice with condensed milk as part of the package regardless of chosen toppings. (3) It seemed quite pricey than the hole-in-wall bubble tea places that also serves shaved ice.

When the order arrived, as you can see the toppings are quite generous. The bowl is big and wide enough to accommodate a good amount of servings fit for two.

Every ingredient has the right amount of sweetness. The pearls were perfectly chewy. They do use canned ingredients like the taro and red bean. They were a little bit mushy, but there was no discerning after-taste when going this route. The condensed milk was generously topped the last and fell on all parts that the bowl encompassed.

The best part was the palm sugar which they generously topped on the shaved ice prior to putting the toppings. You could see the ice was tinted brown and it was a delight that brought me back to thinking about Malaysian cendol drinks.

Now back up a bit to the main entree. I ordered the "House Special Beef Noodle with Soup". You have three choices - original, tomato, or spicy. I chose the "original" as a starter. The broth had a good amount of sweetness to it which I enjoyed, but may turn other people off. If this is the case, I suggest ordering the spicy variety to re-direct your tastebuds.

The beef portions had a small amount of fat which I always welcome in these types of dishes as it gives more flavour in the soup stock. It could have been more tender, but honestly for a cafe I was surprised it was even this tender. The noodles were perfectly thick and chewy. And what would a soup dish be without bok choy (Chinese cabbage).

 You can see the generous amounts of beef and bok choy in the soup. The noodles were burried underneath.

Oh, and by the way this dish comes with a side dish of pickled veggies and pudding to cap it off into one well-rounded dish.

Initial impressions, I think they lived up to their name in honouring the three "tys" for the price, of course.

I wouldn't hesitate recommending this place for some desserts and drinks when in the area.

I wouldn't call it foodietastic, but it's definitely getting there.