Cora's (Richmond)- Mountains Of Fresh Fruit

I was so excited when I heard that Cora was opening up a location in Richmond. I no longer have to drive to Port Coquitlam to try their breakfasts!

This Cora location is in the Ironwood strip mall located on Steveston close to No.5 road.

The wallpapers are decorated with pretty pictures and the whole interior looks very cheery. The atmosphere (and service) was so happy that it actually overwhelmed Trixie and B-boy because they were still groggy from waking up so early. Haha

I LOVE their menus. The pictures are so colourful and vibrant, it was impossible for me to choose because everything looked delicious!

Kumare (Re-visit)- Yummy Yummy In My Tummy

This is a revisit post on Kumare in Richmond which is my favourite Filipino restaurant. I reviewed Kumare a while ago and surprisingly it was one of the first posts I’ve ever written on my blog (check it out here).

I noticed a few new items on their menu but unfortunately we didn’t order any this time.

These desserts look a little carb heavy, don’t they? But I bet they are tasty. :P

We ordered a Large Garlic Rice ($4.00) to share and it was actually enough rice for the five of us. I highly recommend the java rice as well if you like flavourful rice.

Spaghetti Squash with Meatballs in Tomato Sauce Recipe

I have a recipe to share that is perfect for people who are on a low carb diet or just want to consume more vegetables for dinner without feeling like a rabbit. I made this “Spaghetti Squash with Meatballs in Tomato Sauce” a while ago with my friends and we all enjoyed it. Some enjoyed it more than others (like me haha), but none of us can deny that it was quite satisfying despite the lack of carbs.

Spaghetti Squash can be found in almost any supermarket and its flesh is known for resembling long spaghetti strands when cooked. One cup of this awesome vegetable amounts to only 40 calories and is rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids, omega-6 fatty acids, and beta carotene. These nutrients/minerals help prevent heart disease, cancer, atherosclerosis, and can also help lower blood pressure.

You first have to cut up the raw spaghetti squash in half. It’ll take some muscle power but if you go slow and steady, it should be fine! It doesn’t matter if you cut it lengthwise or not. Scoop out the seeds, and place the cut side down onto a plate that has a few centimetres of water. This is to keep the squash moist during cooking process.

Pierced the squash all over with a fork to allow steam to escape. Then put it in the microwave and cook it in 4 minute intervals. Any longer than four minutes and I’m scared my microwave will explode. :P Mine took about 7-8 minutes for each “half” of the squash but it really depends on the power of your microwave and size of your squash. 

Foundation- I Want Nachos With a Side of Hipster, Please.

Lil Sis have always been raving about the nachos at Foundations so one night we finally decided to go. Foundation looks super sketch from the outside and is a local favourite of the hipsters.

When we first arrived, I was actually a bit intimidated by all the hipsters. It sounds funny, but the crowd here was honestly very different from what I am used to!

They have a lot of interesting quotes on the wall. It’s fun to read if you get bored waiting for your food.

I absolutely loved their menu because everything sounded so healthy and organic! We didn’t order any of their entrees but I wouldn’t mind coming back again just to try it.

Meat and Bread- Meat. Meet Bread.

I feel like everyone in Vancouver knows about Meat and Bread. This simple concept of (literally) meat, and bread, exploded onto the Vancouver food scene not long ago and now they're enjoying long lineups every single day with hungry customers salivating over their delicious Porchetta. What an awesome marketing strategy.

This is my second time at Meat and Bread. My first time was two years ago when I worked in Gastown but I remember my experience to be disappointing.

Their setup is pretty interesting because they only have one large communal table and few tiny tables. The turnover is pretty fast though so it's not too hard to find a spot to sit.

They pretty much only serve four varieties of sandwiches. The famous Porchetta, the Daily Special, Meatball, and Grilled Cheese.

Product Review: Skillet Bacon Jam - Bacon-y Goodness

If you have been regularly reading my posts, you may have noticed that I have a slight obsession with bacon. Especially bacon and chocolate. :D That is why I’m excited to introduce not only my first product review, but this product of epic bacon-ness.

The people from Skillet were kind enough to send me a sample of their signature “Bacon Jam” all the way from Seattle. Chef Josh Henderson started this company in 2007 and it was originally a street food concept. Since then, they have grown dramatically and they have now expanded to the catering business (ex. weddings, corporate events, private parties) as well as the food products business.

The Bacon Jam consists of rendered bacon along with a bunch of spices and onions. It is simmered for about 6 hours and then pureed, blast chilled, and packaged. When I first opened the cap and took a whiff, I was completely caught off guard. I didn’t expect the bacon smell to be so powerful but it was!

Van Dusen: Truffles Fine Foods Cafe- Skip The Afternoon Tea And Just Get The Macarons

I went with Steph and Janice from KrispyBites and GoodEat to try out the new high tea at Truffles Cafe located inside the Van Dusen Botanical Garden Center. The set was $50 for 4 people so I brought along FW to join in on the high tea action.

FW and I were a bit early so we decided to take a walk around the Botanical Garden outside. The garden was really pretty but I don’t think we saw it at its peak because a lot of flowers were not in full bloom yet. Regardless, here are some pictures of the garden!

Flo Tea Room (Granville)- Standard Bubble Tea Place

After a long day at work, Misu and I headed to the Flo Tea Room on Granville for some late night eats. We chose it because they have a late night menu (9pm-closing) and it's cheaper.

They actually have some pretty unique items here such as "Warm Bacon Chocolate Brownie with Vanilla Ice-cream" and "Raspberry Cheesecake Parfait".

Misu ordered the Fish Ball and Fish Cake with Rice Noodles in Soup ($6.00) and it also comes with a drink. She was happy with her choice and said the quality was pretty good considering the price.

Her Cold Lemon Tea was standard and tasted good.

La Taqueria Taco Shop (West Hastings)- Who Knew Beef Tongue Could Be So Delicious?

After months and months of wanting to try La Taqueria, I finally found the opportunity to go after a long meeting I had at SFU Harbour Center. La Taqueria specializes in authentic Mexican tacos and after having tried them, I feel like these are the closest I’ve gotten to the real deal in Vancouver.

The exterior is pretty eye-catching and I love how the front is painted yellow and with flowers and skulls.

The menu is very simple. A meat taco is $2.50 and a veggie taco is $2.00. The guy behind the counter said most people eat four as a meal and they sell 4 for $9.50. Since my friend and I only wanted this as a snack, we shared four.

La Belle Patate- Fresh Squeaky Cheese

La Belle Patate is a small restaurant on Davie Street that specializes in poutine and smoked meat.

 I’ve heard great things about this place so I was excited to try it for the first time. 

You can do All-You-Can-Eat poutine for $19.50!!! Their poutines are a bit pricier than other places and there are tons of varieties to choose from.

We chose the Medium Deluxe Smoked Meat Poutine ($11.50) and as we expected, it came with tons of squeaky fresh cheese curds and mounds of gravy on top.

The Crab King- Excellent Addition to Steveston

Meta Knight and I took a stroll on Steveston one day and we initially wanted to go to Pajo’s for fish and chips. However, as we walked closer, we both noticed a new restaurant that is located on the water near Pajo’s so we decided to check it out.

This place is called, The Crab King. I was so excited about finding a new restaurant that I completely forgot about Pajo’s and Meta Knight caved in and said he would tried it out with me. :D

The Crab King opened only two months ago but they seem to be attracting quite a few people already. The ordering system is very much like Pajo’s where you order at the counter first and then they bring the food out to you.

They serve “boardwalk food” such as Poutine with Crab Meat, ½ Dungness Crab, Seafood Spring Rolls, Miso Soup...etc. If I’m not mistaken, this place is run by an Asian family so that is probably where the Asian influenced menu is from.

Moxie's (Richmond)- Beef Dip, Korean BBQ Pulled Pork, and White Chocolate Brownie!

I am usually not a big fan of chain restaurants because I find them expensive (for what it is) and lacklustre in taste. However, there are a few that I actually quite like such as Moxie's, Joeys, and The Keg.

I've been the Moxie's in Richmond a few times last year during the playoffs and I had a really great time. I remember the wings were super cheap during game days and cocktails/beer were only a few bucks. Anyways, on this recent visit to Moxies, I ordered the Salad and Sandwich Combo in which I chose the spring mix salad and a half beef dip.

Once I bit in to the beef dip, I instantly regretted not getting the full order of beef dip. The house roasted beef was definitely the star of the show. I didn't expect such good quality roast beef so I was very surprised and impressed with this dish. :)

The Flying Pig- I Must Try Their Entire Menu!

I went to The Flying Pig in Yaletown a while ago with FW, Rae, Lil Sis, and Yoshi but I didn't want to write a post on it until now because I wanted to really take time and do this restaurant justice.

We heard of long line ups at The Flying Pig but we surprisingly got a table (for 5 too!) pretty quickly. I believe they don’t take reservations. But don’t quote me on that.

We didn’t drink any wine during the dinner but I might want to next time because I could see red or white wine pairing really well with some of their entrees.

They started us off with some bread and EVOO/balsamic vinegar.

The special of the day was Roasted Rack of Pork with Bone Marrow Mash Potatoes and Asparagus ($25.00). With that description how could anyone NOT get this? Plus, I’ve never had rack of pork before so FW and I shared this entree along with three sides. This rack of pork was the most delicious, juiciest, flavourful hunk of pork I’ve ever had. I can’t even begin to describe to you how large this rack was...

Random Thought- Pure Coconut Water and Dark Chocolate Caramel Bar With Black Sea Salt!

Last time I was in the states, I did a post called “Random Thought- Spray Cheese and Canned Gumbo?!” and a lot of people seemed to like it because it showcased a few quirky and interesting products that are sold in the US but not necessarily in Canada.

courtesy of http://vinevie.com/category/review/

This time around, I found a bunch of neat items that are kind of interesting at Walmart and Trader Joe’s. For those of you who don’t know, Trader Joe’s is kind of like a Whole Foods type of supermarket where they specialize in selling organic and healthy products.

First off is Zico and it is essentially pure coconut water sold in a bottle. I read from somewhere that coconut water is really good for your health so I bought this bottle for about $3.75 at Trader Joe’s. The taste is really interesting and it is literally the juice you get if you crack open a young coconut. It’s super hydrating and refreshing so it is perfect for the upcoming summer season.

As you may know, I am an absolute lover of brie. And wild mushrooms. So when I saw this Brie with Wild (Porcini and Chanterelle) Mushrooms, I yelped in excitement and put this in my shopping cart right away. Unfortunately, the exotic mushroom taste was not as prominent as I would have liked so if you are looking for some really mushroom-y cheese, this one is not it. I didn’t actually mind too much though because it still tasted really good.

Eagles Buffet- Great Selection of Desserts!

I always enjoy going to the Eagles Buffet at Tulalip Casino whenever I am in the Seattle area. I know the buffet isn't spectacular and surely incomparable to the Vegas buffets, however, it's not a bad alternative.

Meta Knight has never been here before so I took advantage of the opportunity and came here with him a few weeks ago on our day trip to the US.

The interior is nice and the seating is quite comfortable as well.

I ordered a hot tea and I was surprised to find a nice selection of teas instead of just plain English Breakfast or Earl Grey.