Life in the Lower Mainland (BC, Canada)

Finally made it down to Chewy Junior, the "puff" chain from Singapore. The store is small but nicely arranged so that there are three tables of four seats. Plus a very clean washroom (can I give bonus points for that?). Unlike a "normal" cream puff , Chewy Junior puffs have a rather chewy shell -- but not so chewy that you have trouble biting through. Size is roughtly regulation donut size, but without a hole in the middle. Slightly bigger than a tennis ball, smaller than a baseball. There is a topping on top which, to be honest, isn't A+ presentation quality, but OK and good enough to identify what you bought. About doughnut-quality toppings. $3.00 for chocolate-filling puffs, $3.50 for the non-chcolate filling ones. 10% off if you get a dozen. Puff + coffee deals available in-store. The shell doesn't change much over time, so it will probably survive unscathed for hours, unlike donuts that might be dryer or crunchy puffs that might get chewy t

At the time of writing this post, SushiVille has what seems like really polar reviews on Urbanspoon and Yelp: People either love it or hate it. Because of that, I was really curious to see what was going on. And having gone on a Monday night and watched them really busy at 7 PM and after, it is clear that there's something good about it despite low ratings. (So take social medial ratings with a grain of salt and read carefully!) It is a smallish place with fairly tight table spacing, but actual table space allotted to each person is quite good. There is even "outdoor" bar style seating, though their being on Commercial Drive means I really don't recommend it till later in the evening when the wildlife passing by will be infrequent and hopefully nothing unsavoury. We tried a bunch of sushi mostly, and it falls into two main categories: Boring and Interesting. It's easy to find the cheap and boring stuff. It's pretty much everything that isn't a &qu

Dropped in today and found the usual friendly staff here. Sometimes Starbucks locations seem to have new staff all the time, but there are familiar faces here and I've been going maybe once a month for over a year. Watch out for the 8 AM coffee line-up that often goes out the door. Come maybe 10 minutes earlier to escape that madness that can continue past 8:30 AM. If you are looking for a place to sit, don't let that line-up scare you off because most people are getting their coffees to go. Today I had a coupon to try their sandwiches ($4 for sandwich plus Grande coffee), which I wouldn't have normally done. On a whim, I asked for their "least ordered" sandwich, and they were honestly at a loss about what to suggests since apparently everything gets ordered. In the end, I was suggested the Sausage and Cheddar. Sausage and Cheddar savory breakfast sandwich. Southern-style sausage patty and egg topped with melted aged Cheddar cheese on a perfectly toasted

Where do Atkins / Paleo meat-eaters go for straight-meat without sugar carbs from tasty sauce? Well, there's Peckinpah. To be honest I'm still not a fan of Peckinpah's particular BBQ style , but pounds for price they are still good, and when my no-carb friend wanted meat-meat-meat and we were both still stinging from Wildebeest , Peckinpah just naturally seemed to suggest itself. OK, not really -- the front runners for me were Hog Shack (but Burnt Ends seemed to have fallen off the menu and they didn't respond to my e-mail about it), Memphis Blues (same problem as Hog Shack -- sweet BBQ sauces all over the meat), then Peckinpah in third place. The menu is different since the last time I was there. No more sausage in The Divorce, for example. And no looks-like-swamp-weed Southern Greens as a choice of sides anymore. The Divorce ($59.95, serves 3-6) One half serving of Pulled Pork, Pork Side Ribs (3), Beef Brisket, Chopped Beef, and Chicken Wings (3?), plus fo

In early 2015-April I flew down to Berkeley to visit an old friend of mine, and wandered about eating in San Francisco as well. This post lists the various journal entries related to the trip. Links will be filled in as I complete my posts. Links to reviews are in the journal entries. My trip took place between the second and third weeks of the month, which is apparently not the optimal time -- the first week is better, as  some San Francisco attractions are free in the first week . Day 1 - Wednesday, April 8 Morning Afternoon Evening Day 2 - Thursday-April-9 Morning Afternoon Evening Day 3 - Friday-April-10 Morning Afternoon Evening Day 4 - Saturday-April-11 Morning Afternoon Evening Day 5 - Sunday-April-12 Morning Afternoon Evening Day 6 - Monday-April-13 Morning Afternoon Evening Day 7 - Tuesday-April-14 Morning Afternoon Evening Day 8 - Wednesday-April-15 Morning

( Link to all 2015-April San Francisco / Berkeley trip blog posts ) We are really spoiled to have YVR. SFO in comparison was annoying for early morning travellers, with very few services open and basically nothing open until 5 AM at the earliest when the airport wakes up -- not even the washrooms were open! Only two restaurants started up a bit later in the morning, and maybe because they had the captive morning crowd, the one I went to (Andale) didn't really try that hard in courtesy or customer service . Even the Duty Free Shopping isn't open till 8:30 AM, so if your flight departs before then, you'll miss out. No Duty Free till 8:30 AM means I'll be airborne before I can buy that wine for my friend's contact in Vancouver. Drat. Coffee from Andale was also way too strong. Dark roast? Anyway, it was too bitter and sour and I dumped the last half of it. The flight back to Canada was as routine and uneventful as the flight to San Francisco one long week ago.

If you are at San Francisco Airport (SFO) in the early morning, there aren't that many breakfast options to choose from unless you run around before going through the security check in. And once you are through the security checkpoint, there's even less. Andalé Mexican Restaurant is one of those restaurants. I was at SFO For a before-8 AM international flight, and based on the menu pictures, I gave them a go for breakfast. Mistake. But beggars can't be choosers. Morning really is only "breakfast menu only", which is a rather small menu. The ad copy for their Huevos Rancheros  ( Two soft corn tortillas topped with two eggs over-easy, refried house Mayocoba beans, queso fresco, and serrano salsa ranchera. Served with potatoes and fresh fruit on the side. ) looks colourful and awesome and a nice full plate. What you get is a sad wannabe of that ad copy. It is also $10.75. Which, to be honest, is not uncommon for a similarly sad-looking breakfast in Berkele

( Link to all 2015-April San Francisco / Berkeley trip blog posts ) Oblivious to how indirect it was to actually walk to the Berkeley Marina  (no, I couldn't just follow the University Avenue traffic across the bridge), I blithely said I'd try to make it there by 5 PM. I only got as far as  McLaughlin Eastshore State Park  before I admitted I was lost. There was definitely no sign of any "junkyard park" in sight. Thank god for my cellphone because I could call my friend to rescue her hapless Vancouver visitor. I actually don't own a cellphone and haven't for years. My friends all know the reason I've always stuck to: When I did own one, all people ever called me for was to tell me they were going to be late. And that honestly really bugged me because typically they'd call when they were already 15 minutes late to apologize and ask me to wait another 15-30 minutes more. If I say no, suddenly I'm the jerk even though they are late. So if I don&

( Link to all 2015-April San Francisco / Berkeley trip blog posts ) Last day in San Francisco, and my last day of eating. I had already checked off Tartine and all that was left was Scoma's and that odd Mongolian place. Scoma's proved disappointing, though in part because expectations had been set so high. When I went to Urbanspoon in preparation for writing my review of Scoma's , I couldn't help noticing some reviews from apparently long-time diners : David (2014-Nov-22 "I like changes, but..."), Richardhyppa (2015-Mar-6 "Used to be our favorite"), and Steven Teachout (2015-Jan-19 "A part of San Francisco restaurant lore has vanished"). Which reminds me that sometimes we go to a restaurant and have a great time (or a lousy one), and we carry that experience with us as if restaurants will never change. But like people -- because they are run by people -- restaurants do change. So when you read reviews or get recommendations, be aware

. Let's Jam looks like a hole-in-the-wall cafe with usual cafe fare like sandwiches and pastries and cakes, but it's run by friendly Mongolians (some of whom can speak Korean, apparently) and they are preparing a Mongolian menu. During my early 2015-April trip the menu wasn't official yet, but they have pictures behind the register and you just have to go up to the counter and ask for Mongolian food. I ordered an Ice Chai Tea Latte with soy milk (part of their regular menu) and a half order of dumplings. It was just $10. A half order of their deep fried dumplings (banshtai shol, I think) is three large, thin dumplings with a thin layer of beef inside. Kind of like flat empanadas. Tastes sort of like Chinese food, so it might not be as interesting to Asians. About 1/3 meat, 2/3 fried-to-golden-brown chewy dough. Comes with token salad like a slay with vinegar but no mayo. Use of bottled sauces optional. If I remember correctly, I was offered sriracha chili sauce and

During my 2015-April trip to San Francisco , Scoma's had been recommended to me twice: Once by a lady who worked at Swiss Louis on Pier 39, and a second time by the guide from Dylan's Tours. Surely it had to be good. It even has it's own road in Fisherman's Wharf, for chrissakes ( Al Scoma Way ). Surely it's a San Francisco fixture, a piece of its history. All this puts Scoma's in that dangerous territory of setting high expectations all to easy to disappoint. I got there when their doors were open but before their official start of business. The maître d' was a younger fellow, friendly, personable and professional. He even remembered my name on my way out, and little details such as my leaving for the airport that same night. Sadly I ended up with a pushy waiter who seemed insistent on upselling me their Shellfish Sauté Sec  even though I told him I was just here for a light meal as I had elsewhere to eat on my very last day in San Francisco. I am

( Link to all 2015-April San Francisco / Berkeley trip blog posts ) 5:59 AM -- one minute before the 6:00 AM alarm on my cellphone -- I woke up from a bad dream of things left undone. It's an anxiety dream I've had in various forms before. Years ago, it used to be suddenly remembering I had signed up for a course of some kind shortly before the end of the semester. Ludicrous, I know, but the feeling of panic was real. Shortly after I woke, I heard someone going around the Inn doors, singing loudly and pounding on doors. He circled around again, this time talking loudly (to himself?). I called the police then got busy getting changed and ready to head out. The police did come quite promptly (a half hour later?), found the person, and detained them at the gas station across the street. Speaking to another witness staying at the inn, I learned that Oakland wasn't so lucky to have that sort of police presence. Apparently, if you report a break-in, they tell you to record w

Contrary to a lot of sleepy-till-11:30 breakfast places, Tartine (French for "slice of bread"?) was already by 8 AM when I got there, though much of the line-up appeared to be take-out orders. (On Tuesdays to Fridays they are open as early as 7.30 AM if you want to try to early-bird it.) There were still lots of seats, though some at increasingly popular "communal tables". One of the first things that jumped out at me was signs that read, "Kindly bus your dishes behind the register". I hope this trend doesn't catch on. On the other hand, it could mean diner dollars saved from having to tip. The next thing: They serve wine and beer! Finally: Still no signs on the building. I guess everyone just knows where they are. Is this some sort of hipster move? My first time here during my 2015-April trip to San Francisco , and possibly my last time here ever since it was on my very last day of my trip. So I asked the person at the counter what made this

( Link to all 2015-April San Francisco / Berkeley trip blog posts ) After Walnut Creek and the playground in nearby Concord (?), my friend helpfully dropped me off on Shattuck Avenue. I invited her and the children to dine with me at Angeline's Louisiana Kitchen, but I think the kids were pooped and she had to take them home. We also finalized plans for duty free shopping: I offered to get her friend in Vancouver a bottle of Napa Red, "not too cheap, not too expensive". At first she had wanted to get them even more cheaply from Trader Joe's, but I only had carry-on and they were bound to be confiscated by airport security. Drat. My second last day and over half of it was gone. Dinner at Angeline's Louisiana Kitchen was yet another Urbanspoon top-rated place that turned out to be just okay. Next time I go on a trip, I think I will stop looking to social media for recommendations since that tends to set expectations higher than warranted. This is ironic bec

There aren't many New Orleans restaurants to choose from in Vancouver, so it was doubly fortunate that during my trip to Berkeley in 2015-April I got to visit one, and it was rated highly on Urbanspoon and Yelp. In the still sunny-bright evening, the curtains were drawn, leaving the restaurant dim and cool on the inside. For a place that was pretty busy, table spacing was good -- they aren't sardine-ing you in here. There were two-person tables left, but to help them with the almost constant stream of people coming in the door, I opted for the bar, which proved to have a wide table comfortable for having dinner. Normally they weren't quite so busy in the early evening, but it was Monday, and on Mondays and Tuesdays they have half off all red wines. According to the bartender, their top three items were Buttermilk Fried Chicken, Fried Catfish, and Jambalaya. I'd only had catfish twice ( the second time at Ouisi Bistro in Vancouver and it was undercooked ), so th

( Link to all 2015-April San Francisco / Berkeley trip blog posts ) Got back to the Inn, and duh, realized I didn't get anything for lunch for the hike. So we left a half hour earlier than anticipated to go to the El Cerrito Trader Joe's (this time with my own cloth bag!) and picked up a pack of  Laughing Cow Swiss Garlic & Herb Cheese  (a bit weak on the garlic-ness for my taste; $2.99) and  Force Primeval Bagel Bars  (sure didn't feel like there were the percentage of nuts and fruit advertised on the bag, but nevertheless heavy and filling bread for just $3.29). My friend got oranges, apples, and two bags of Roasted Plantain Chips, which are apparently a hit with kiddies. First time I met her kids (day 1 for the Off The Grid food cart festival)  they were kind of all over me since I was the novelty. They were really grabby -- and sometimes nibbling! Thank fully by now they'd mellowed out more, and I got to observe them and other kids as they interacted with 

( Link to all 2015-April San Francisco / Berkeley trip blog posts ) Counting down to the last days of my trip now. Just two days left since I fly out so early on Wednesday morning that I really don't have time for anything in San Francisco that morning except the airport. It was time to get focussed and I started a checklist. Got up early today and headed to CrepeVine at Cedar and Shattuck, recommended by my Berkeley friend as having interesting eats. She did well with Cafe Leila's spicy chai recommendation, and CrepeVine was also another winner in terms of curious cuisine. But first, there was an odd incident at the Golden Bear Inn. A suspicious African American person was at the room next to mine. He stood to one side, knocked on the door, and called out, "Barbara"? He didn't even move along or explain himself when he saw me, and that made me linger in the area, keeping him in sight but making my way toward the office to look for the manager. In his hand

CrepeVine was another "curious cuisine" recommendation by my local friend while I was in Berkeley in 2015-April . It's a fairly large place but pretty much dead quiet in the morning. According to the server, they are typically not busy till the 11:30 AM+ lunch rush, except Fri-Sun mornings. Gluten free option. Tons of crepe and sandwich options, but it looked like the same core ingredients organized in different combinations. They also have salads and pasta. So many choices, so little time, and so little space in my stomach for food. Alas. Nobody lives forever so I went with a dessert crepe for breakfast, plus chai. Chai ($3.25) Sort of weak but ok. Santorini Sweet Crepe ($7.95) walnuts, pistachios, brown sugar, coconut, cinnamon, and mascarpone; served with whipped cream and vanilla ice cream Nothing weird about the crepe despite having asked for the gluten free option. Honestly I didn't think they used mascarpone here (isn't it supposed to be cr

( Link to all 2015-April San Francisco / Berkeley trip blog posts ) The two  How Do We Fix Our Broken World  presentations were today. One at 2 PM, which I missed because of Dylan's Famous Tour ; one one at 7 PM, which I was going to miss having traded it to take my "host family" -- my Berkeley friend, her husband, and their two kids -- to dinner on the one night everyone could conveniently make it. Some part of me really regretted it since I was unlikely to ever see what it was all about. Highlights of the exhibits were said to include "The gathering of the Forces of Light -- UFOs"! But maybe it'll eventually make its way to Canada, so I feel I made the right choice. But boy, was Crustacean the wrong restaurant. Still, it was done and I could at least report back that I tried the recommendations given to me. And honestly, if I am given a recommendation, I do try to give them a go. Otherwise, I just wouldn't bother asking for recommendations. Speaki

Crustacean was one of the restaurants recommended to me for my 2015-April trip to San Francisco by friends who used to live in San Francisco. I'm always up for interesting eats, so the mystique of their having a "Secret Kitchen" where family recipes are prepared away from the prying eyes of "outsider" staff intrigued me. That, plus people raving about their garlic noodles. And Crustacean sounded like such an old family restaurant that I didn't think it merely a marketing gimmick. Certainly the one staff person I chanced to run into on my way up the stairs confirmed the Secret Kitchen protocol did in fact exist. First impressions of the place were good. The maître d' gave polished, professional service and was patient with noob questions. The restaurant is elevated over the street, giving you views of the city. The dining area is also tiered, so even if you are not sitting at a window, there's still the possibility of good views. The dim room of

( Link to all 2015-April San Francisco / Berkeley trip blog posts ) Our driver from Dylan's Tours mentioned the "Torta Cubana" from "That's It"  at 23rd and Mission. I was curious to try it as the place had apparently been on television -- I'm always up for eats that might be interesting -- but time was the enemy now. Today was booked. Tomorrow was hiking with my Berkeley friend and her fellow homeschooling mom friends. And I still had Tartine, Scoma's and Mongolian food at "Let's Jazz" to fit in, plus a couple of places on Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley. Yes, Tartine -- I had initially given up when I first walked by on a late afternoon, but the driver's assurance that if one goes early, it wouldn't be so packed gave me hope. It had been recommended over and over that I felt I had to go. Another tip from the driver was that the California Street Cable Car usually didn't have a lineup, and it went up the steepest of San Fra

Sure, it's a $4.95 menu, but you get tapas portions. For example, you get about 10 small wings (plus token "salad" of a short stick of limp carrot and a short stick of limp celery) for that price; or about five prawns on baguettes and smothered with token salad. So actually it is only slightly-cheaper eats because it will take probably two to four orders to add up to an entrée/main (depending on what you order). This is basically a drinking establishment where food is a snacking afterthought. Of the items we tried (salt and pepper wings; and garlic prawns), taste was okay. We went in at around 9:40 PM and the kitchen was so slow I thought they forgot our order. Music videos were played louder than almost any pub or club I've ever been to. Don't sit across the tables from the person you are trying to talk to since you will only smear food on your clothes as you repeatedly lean across to faintly hear what they are yelling at you. I think it is absolutely

It's been years since I was at Wildebeest. Finally came back when a "meatatarian" friend of mine resurfaced suddenly and wanted to go to a meat place. She a more posh sort of girl, so I didn't want to suggest something low-brow like Hog Shack. So how about Wildebeest? Huge mistake. But I almost guarantee it will not be the reasons you are thinking of. Anyway, let's first look at what our party of three ate tonight that cost a whopping $43.33 per person BEFORE tax and tip. Fried freshwater smelt ($9) blistered shisito peppers, toasted pine nut and lemon aioli Bitter peppers are not hot. Felt like a waste of time, honestly, since they were palatable only when their flavour was masked by a huge gob of aioli. I guess there might be a small demographic that actually likes straight-bitter food? The small pile of smelt is actually smaller than you think because of the empty space between the smelt. You could probably collapse the amount into less than a deck of