City TVs Taste of the City - July 18th!

I went to City TVs Taste of the City last year with MB. It was a great event being that it was free, and that you got to sample so many new restaurants (that you'd otherwise never eat at!).

Unfortunately, I'll be in Osoyoos this weekend with I, R, and M, so Taste of the City will not be reviewed on Yum-O-Rama...unless someone wants to do a guest post for me? :)

Taste of the City is a free event taking place on Saturday, July 18th, 2009, from 12 noon to 8pm.

The following restaurants will be offering eats at $1 to $4 per item:
Aria Restaurant
BC Chefs Association
Big Dawgz
Capones Restaurant
Dona Cata Mexican Foods
Ebo Restaurant
Fortune House Seafood Restaurant
Goldilocks
Jamaican Pizza Jerk
Handi Indian Cuisine
Kingston Taphouse & Grille
Maurya Indian Cuisine
The Noodle Box
Saffron Indian Cuisine
Saltlik Restaurant
Toyotomi Japanese Restaurant
Zakkushi
Zero One Sushi

The list is impressive - from what I remember last year, Toyotomi had a huge line up and Goldilocks did as well. I'm sure all the new (to Taste of the City) Indian and Japanese restaurants will give them a run for their money though!

Food Bloggers Dinner: Alvin Garden (Burnaby, BC)

One cloudy evening, thirteen Vancouver food bloggers (and their spouses / significant others) decended on Alvin Garden in Burnaby for dinner (and joint food photo session :). It was an event organized by none other than Sherman of Shermans Food Adventures, at a location suggested by Kim of I'm Only Here For the Food! In attendance were the bloggers behind 604 Foodtography, Ho Yummy!, Doesn't TaZte Like Chicken!, TBDFBTI!, [eating club] Vancouver, and La Petite Vancouver.



Tucked away behind Metrotown (as us old folk remember it!) and the Bonsor recreation center in Burnaby is Alvin Garden. While some would disregard it driving by (as I have - I have a couple of friends who lived / live nearby and I've never even noticed it!), Alvin Garden would probably classify as a "fan toung" (a Chinese 'trattoria'?) for the locals as it filled up (and continued to fill up!) while we were there. There also seems to be a conflict in the name out front on the awning and the name on the napkins above. Perhaps similar to how Excelsior Chicken Noodle House has a completely different meaning from their Chinese name?

We ordered a number of dishes, ranging from soup to hot pot, encompassing egg, pork, duck, vegetables, fish and everything in between. However, part way through, we noticed that we hadn't ordered a lamb hot pot that we'd seen on every other table throughout the restaurant, or a tantalizing cauliflower and meat dish (and I LOVE cauliflower!).

I suppose we were a spectacle - a table of thirteen, madly snapping photos photos every time the server placed a dish on the lazy susan. I felt pretty normal for once - I was kind of in the shadow of a number of Canon and Nikon DSLRs, (and a tester Sony). Even with my red camera, I didn't stand out too much. :)





I honestly do not remember that much about the food - the beer-braised duck had nice flavour, although I detected more Shaoxing / cooking wine instead of beer. And somehow I managed to get all wing tip bones both times I tried to sample the dish. The soup was also a nice, sweet alternative to all the fiery chili that was going about the table.



I did come by this interesting spice in one of the dishes. [eating club] vancouver tells me that it is a Sichuan peppercorn. I can't explain the flavour - I thought I was chomping into a regular peppercorn, but it gives off this slightly soapy, floral, lavender-like mouthfeel as well. I think I'll use some with pork. Hmm.

There were a lot of interesting conversations going around the table - parking lot mayhem, certain restaurant review sites, and foodie talk alike. It was good to put some faces to online personas and to enjoy some food together, if only in our paparazzi-style obsession. :)



What I do not recommend ordering are the corn cake cones above. They were bland in flavour and had a texture reminiscent of playdoh. (Not that I would know...) The dough seemed to have been overworked and sugar / salt were absent from the recipe. As Sherman put it, "[I don't remember much,] but I remember *those* things!"

I do plan on going back to Alvin Garden - I'd reorder the pumpkin cakes, mapou tofu, and the steamed egg, and I'd try out the cauliflower dish and the lamb hot pot.

Alvin Garden

4850 Imperial Street [map]

Burnaby BC

Phone: (604) 437-0828


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Event: Car Free Vancouver Day - The Drive! (Vancouver BC)

As promised on twitter, I went to car free day - at the original location - The Drive. Before Car Free Vancouver Day came to be, it started out as Car Free Drive Day, in a community defiance of Vancouvers' plans to make Commercial Drive a widened (no parking) through fare for cars on all days of the week.

As the flavour and energy of The Drive thrived (and still does!) on cafe patios, sidewalks, bike routes and pedestrian areas, one could see how such plans would ultimately destroy the life of Commercial Drive. And so Car Free Drive Day was born.

I attended Car Free Drive Days in 2007 and 2008 and I`ve seen it grown every year. This year it was *packed*.



Now the idea behind Car Free Vancouver Day has evolved - it is to promote alternative modes of transportation to cars by way of walking, public transportation, or bikes - hence the large bike valet area at 1st Avenue & Commercial Drive.



Last year at Car Free day, we vowed to try Stix, a satay / Vietnamese restaurant near Venables. They'd just opened but I believe that we had a birthday dinner or something to go to, so we passed. This year, we tried two pork skewers. M kind of swallowed his skewer whole, so I was left to take a photo of myself eating - using my reflection in a window...the skewers were hot, flavourful and "better than night market", as the vendor claimed. :)



After years of drooling over the rotating sardines at CFVD, we *finally* tried some. An order cost $6, whereas the chicken halves cost $10. The chicken wasn't nearly done when were to the end of the lineup, so we opted for the sardines. Here's a short video on the mesmorizing rotisserie of chicken:





After all that anticipation, I realized that I am not a sardine person. Granted, the grilled fish were really yummy. They had a nice hit of seasoning and the grill added lots of flavour. The light Portuguese bun offset the richness of the fish really well! M and I both agreed that while the fish was delicious, it wouldn't be something that we'd eat or order. But, when in Rome!

There were a number of bands and musicians along the way. It felt everyone came out to the Drive to enjoy the sun and take in the festivities - including some mimes (I'm thinking they're part of the "In the House" series of intimate plays and concerts that takes place in August.



There were drummers and percussionists galore. The African drum circle group kept the vibes going...



...and, believe it not, they complimented the Mariachi band that was close by. Musical synergy at its best. :)

We did eat more, of course - we had an appetizer at Tio Pepe's (blog about it later) and we also tried out Pagoda Vietnamese Cuisine.



M had the meat spring rolls while I had the beef wrapped in heart leaves. The spring rolls were a little soggy, but the beef in heart leaves were yummy. Slightly salty, with a touch of vinegar to even it out.

At this point, we were suffering a little bit of food coma and decided to head home. But not before snapping a couple photos of people and their pets!

The top pick for "like owner / like dog" goes to this lady:



And picks for cutest pups go to the laughing retriever, "Millie", who begged me to keep petting her by pawing me every time I stopped, and the cute poodle who snuggled in her owners' arms...



Another great event on The Drive, and another festive Car Free Vancouver Day!

Glance: Hats Off Day 2009 (The Heights, Burnaby, BC)

I've been hibernating! Actually, I've been out a lot and not getting enough sleep. Excuse me if I fall asleep through this entry.

The weather held out this Saturday and an estimated 40000 people took in Hats Off Day along the Heights business area for some food, bands, kids activities, and much more. Historically, Hats Off Day was a way for the merchants of The Heights community along Hastings (Burnaby)to celebrate their independance from the rest of the lower mainland and also to give patronage to their customers. For more information about the Heights, visit the Burnaby Heights page.



I attended Hats Off Day last year, but this year was a far better event, with higher turnout, warmer weather, and more eateries!

It's always interesting to see what happens in a year - last years' Mexican restaurant is this years Thai / Chinese restaurant. Last years' clothing store is this years Indian take out. Since The Heights neighbourhood is not too far from our own, M and I were glad to find some new places to dine.



Sfinaki Greek Taverna had the whole grill going as usual, with the owner (and his makeshift loudspeaker) telling you how delicious his chicken souvlaki was!

We (i.e. M!) were also pleased to discover Heavenly Bites, a small Indian restaurant which is family owned and operated, with delicious beef samosas (M had three to himself!) and rotis. We also tried the vegetable pakoras, but since they weren't as big sellers as the beef samosas, they were room temperature. :( I do think we'll be getting take out sometime soon - they offer a large selection of "Tiffin Box" combos, which seem to include an entree, rice, and a side dish, all for $9.95!



As usual, Tom Yum Thai did not disappoint - they were our favourite eatery last year and for something so simple (pad thai and spring rolls) they were well anticipated. Their storefront had a constant lineup and they had a bit of a time keeping up to demand.



We enjoyed so much food gluttony in the first twenty minutes of our experience at Hats Off Day that we did not have room for the following:



Grilled sardines ("freshly imported from Portugal!" one of the men tending the grill told me.) ...I guess I'll have to order some grilled sardines on the Drive this weekend, on Car Free Day (Sunday, June 14th).



...as well as grilled juicy chicken from the Legion... :( My only comfort is telling myself that since there were such large batches of chicken, maybe, just maybe the chicken wasn't marinated long enough or it was overcooked. But the smells and the huge lineups said otherwise.



We also missed out on trying satays from a new (?) Thai restaurant near / at where there used to be a Mexican / Latin American restaurant. Damn. Damn you, eyes-bigger-than-stomache-syndrome, why do you plague me so?!

Aside from the food, Hats Off Day offered more, like the Elvises of past, present, and future (there was even an Asian Elvis, however he was performing at the time of this photo so he's not in this shot)....





...hot wet firemen (a la dunk tank style!)...



and murals throughout the area. This one graces the wall of Red Apple Farm Market.

What I like about outdoor events + Vancouver? People *love* their dogs. And dogs are all the more than welcome by me...you know, with the exception (as with children) that their parents are aware of their surroundings and others' personal space!



We saw a *huge* gentle and friendly Italian mastiff (love the grey coat!), a dog that looked like Sandy from Annie the musical (after a bath. :), and a cute German Shepard pup who is just growing used to his bigger body. Love love love those dogs...they have such character!

And of course, we saw a little bit of the "like owner, like dog" syndrome. heehee! I'll bet that the couple on the left are both extremely graceful runners, while the owner and pooch on the right would probably enjoy a good meal and music (saw them near the musical Italian duo who appear at EVERY Italian wedding and event. :)



It was a great Hats Off Day...where as last years event almost made me want to give up on The Heights, this years event made me want to return!

For more photos, please visit my Flickr photoset.

Wine Event: Salud Chile at O'Doul's on Robson (Vancouver, BC)

Had a great time this weekend - short, but definately sweet.

Met up with some friends for some food and wine at the Playhouse Wine Festival event, Salud Chile which was held at O'doul's Restaurant on Robson. Since we attended last year, our expectations were pretty high.

While there wasn't as much food as last year, there was definately more people at the event. We spoke to someone else at the event, and she thought that Playhouse had over booked / oversold. While the website listed the event as sold out, perhaps it was just economic cuts that led to the "overbooking".

Ah well. I had a great time. I did think it was a little crowded, but I did try some great wines and chowed down on yummy food - the ceviche was my favourite! Although the tamales / huanitos (?) were surprisingly delicious as well. Previously I had labelled tamales as small, hot, bland bundles of paste, but I think O'doul's has made a tamale lover out of me!

I'll let the photos speak for themselves:



The reds dominated over the whites this year. Undurraga had a rich Pinot Noir that both Ms loved, and Carmen had a nice Syrah that I'd like to share with my dad - if I can get my hands on some!







The food was great as usual. The tamales (station manned by Executive Chef Chris Whittaker), ceviche, and skewers of tofu and steak were prepared live - I noticed that the chefs running the stations had all worked the year before; a good indication that the restaurant is doing things right!

The ceviche was a mixture of shrimp, scallops, red onions, lime juice, cucumbers, olive oil, and bell peppers, served atop a baguette crostini - so simple, but so good! I think I had about three or four.






Other hors d'oevres were on trays that made their way through the restaurant, including kushi (I think) oysters, canapes topped with guacamole and tomato, and a quail egg, tuna tataki, and artichoke topped crostini. I didn't even make it to the grilled veggie, cheese and cracker trays - and barely touched the smoked and candied salmon platter.

Food was great - the event was just overbooked though! We might make it to try another event next year.

O'doul's Restaurant & Bar

1300 Robson Street @ Jervis [map]

Vancouver, BC

Phone: 604-661-1400