Caramba! Restaurant (Whistler)- Pasta, Pasta, Pasta!

Caramba! is a restaurant located right in the heart of Whistler Village. It doesn't look incredibly pleasing from the outside and unless you've heard of it or read about it before, you probably might not give it a second glance.

They mainly serve pizza, pasta, and meat entrees.

I liked how their prices are reasonable, ranging from $10-$17.

I can't remember the name of this dish because it was the special that day, but essentially it was a tomato sauce penne topped with copious amounts of melted cheese. Meta Knight loved this dish so much because it was rich and filling for the belly.

Fettuccine with Mussels ($16.95) was made with white wine and tomato sauce. The pasta was cooked perfectly al dente and it was tossed in just the right amount of sauce. Simple, light, and delicious.

All in all, Caramba! is a great choice for Italian pasta and it also has a nice patio to boot.

Service Rating: 2.5/5
Food Rating: 3.5/5
Price: $$-$$$

Overall Rating: 3.5/5

Happy Eating!

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Peaked Pies - Mother of Pies

Recently there has been an abundance of speciality pie shops in Vancouver (ie. Aussie Pie Guy, The Pie Hole,  The Pie Shoppe) and now Whistler has followed suit.

I did a quick search on Urbanspoon for places to eat in Whistler and found an interestingly high rating for a new place called Peaked Pies. They are located right by Elements and Splitz Grill.

Peaked Pies was created by Kerri & Alex who wanted to bring the traditional Aussie Meat Pie to Whistler patrons all year long. They use only the freshest ingredients and bake their pies in-house daily.

They have a wide variety of pies including Vegetable Medley, Beef Curry, Thai Chicken Satay, Steak Bacon & Cheese...etc. You can also choose to "peak" your pie (approx $3 more) to get a scoop of mash potatoes, mash peas, and a scoop of gravy on top.

Their pies looked lovely on display and the "Chunky Pepper Steak" totally called my name.

And of course, I peaked my pie!! Hehe.  The Chunky Pepper Steak Pie ($9.75) was filled with diced AA Canadian steak, onions, brown gravy, and a crap load of pepper!! Seriously if you are a pepper lover like me, you will NOT be disappointed.

It was my first time trying mushy green peas and boy was it delicious. The hearty combination of gravy, peas, mash potato, and steak brought back nostalgic memories and feelings of home.

I highly recommend Peaked Pies for lunch or a quick snack next time you travel to Whistler because their meat pies will blow your mind! Also make sure to get yours 'peaked' or else you won't get the full experience!

Service Rating: 3/5
Food Rating: 5/5
Price: $-$$

Overall Rating: 4.5/5

Happy Eating!

 

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Elements (Whistler) - MEGA Stuffed French Toast

This post is long overdue because it was from my whistler trip a couple of months ago. However, I think it deserves to be posted because I know many people know of this place as a hidden brunch gem in Whistler.



Pudding and his girlfriend recommended this brunch spot because of their 'smoothie shots' and famous stuffed French toast.



It is in an inconspicuous area so you'll really have to look for this place if you want to come. It will be hard to just 'stumble' upon this restaurant because it is not directly in the heart of the village.

As my recent job has taught me, you can never start your morning without coffee.

Meta Knight ordered the Canadian Back Bacon Eggs Benedict ($12) which comes with two poached eggs, toasted English muffin, and Element's signature potato tartlet with chive sour cream.

I had to try that famous stuffed French toast so I ordered the Honey Ham & Brie version which was essentially a gigantically thick piece of French bread stuffed with honey ham and double cream brie, with real Canadian maple syrup. It also comes with a super cute 'smoothie shot' and a melon ball. The little touches like this are the things that get people coming back so good on them for doing this.



Look at those marvelous hunks of French bread. Yum.

The combination of brie and ham will always be a winner so there's no point telling you how great the filling is. I did wish there was more of it though because the bread to filling ratio felt a little off.

Cupcake chose the Classic ($13+2) with smoked duck sausage and the server asked him whether he wants a bagel and cream cheese with it. He didn't know that it didn't come with and the server neglected to tell him there would be an extra charge for the bagel AND the cream cheese. In the end he paid almost $5 more than he anticipated and this surprise didn't make him a happy customer in the end.

Dirty girl chose something similar to a 'Poached Pear French Toast' but I can't completely remember. She thought it was alright.

All in all, it's a pretty cool brunch place but I don't think it was as good as the hype surrounding it. The wait to get a table was 45 mins long, the service was alright, and the novelty of the stuffed French toast is gone once you've had it twice.

Service Rating: 2.5/5

Food Rating: 3.5/5

Price: $-$$$

Overall Rating: 2.5/5

Happy Eating!





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Vancouver’s Top 5 Restaurants on The Water

[Kirby: Hi everyone! I want to share with you guys another guest post today. This post is written by a talented entrepreneur (and foodie!) by the name of Thomas Jones and he will be writing about the top 5 restaurants in Vancouver with the best view of our scenic coastline. These are great ideas for your next Valentines or Anniversary date with your muffin/sweetie/cupcake. After all, what's better than dining next to the water in the 'most beautiful place on Earth'!]

It is not a secret that water in many forms has a calming, stress-reducing, and relaxing effect on the human body and mind. For this reason health advocates inspire the drinking of water, consumers purchase replicas of waterfalls, millions of tourists flock to the beaches each year, and customers are drawn to restaurants that not just tempt their palate with their menu selections, but also provide a psychological spa, by offering dining in view of the water.

 In this day and age of hustle and bustle, taking the time to unwind and eat a meal in a relaxing water themed restaurant is more than just a meal. For many patrons enjoying their meal while enjoying the view of the water is a mini-vacation for the mind. Vancouver, with its remarkable landscape and shores, is a paradise for the weary and hungry resident and tourist alike.  Ranked by business magazines as one of the most liveable cities worldwide, Vancouver is home to a number of restaurants that offer customers an amazing meal alongside an amazing view of the water. Vancouver's water-themed restaurants are great places to escape the stress of everyday life while enjoying a meal alone or with company. 

photo courtesy of modernmixvancouver

The Raincity Grill

This is a restaurant in Vancouver that offers the greatest views of boats sailing into the city on the English Bay, along with a "farm to table" philosophy. It features a majority of organic ingredients used to create the masterpieces on its menu and a wine list that showcases local wines. One of the favorite dishes on the menu is their roasted sapo bravo pepper linguini, served with local arugula, watercress, and basil.

courtesy of vanfoodies

The Teahouse Restaurant

Formally known as the Sequoia Grill, The Teahouse Restaurant offers a stunning view of Ferguson Point, along with an atmosphere of fine dining. While out on the patio patrons can admire the view that this restaurant claims is "the longest sunset in the city," and enjoy a selection like Wild Mushroom Ravioli off of their diverse menu.

courtesy of guntermarx

Bridges Restaurant, Bistro & Bar

Patrons will find themselves not only enjoying a view of False Creek, (where fishing trawlers can still be seen coming in with buckets and baskets of fresh catch from the sea), but also the local seafood menu. Their menu includes items like their famous local mussels roasted in garlic herb butter and advertises daily beer specials.

courtesy of tripadvisor

Lift Bar and Grill

Located on Coal Harbour, Lift Bar and Grill features fire pits for group dining and was named Best Patio, Best New View, and Best Restaurant just one year after it opened. One of their specialties includes beef tenderloin with lobster gnocchi and pico de gallo.

courtesy of panoramio

The Observatory

Located on Grouse Mountain, this restaurant features a staggering view of the mountains, the ocean, and of the city of Vancouver. Patrons can satisfy their appetites with one of their fine menu selections such as Braised Beef Shortribs, squash gnocchi, and Brussel sprouts.

For those diners that want to actually "escape" out to the water, Vancouver's best kept secrets are the Harbour Cruises. Patrons can enjoy the view of land while eating their meals out on the water. The cruises offer floating restaurants and bars and the experiences usually last around 2 1/2 hours. Servers provide guests with information on the areas and the calm inlet water provides smooth sailing.

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About the guest blogger:  Thomas Jones is as much of a home renovator as he is a big eater.  Having spent most of his life in the DIY game, he now satiates his love of water with Falcon Pools.

Happy Eating! 

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Sachi Sushi (Whistler)- Hako Hako Hako Roll!

Time to continue my foodie adventure in Whistler! This time, we went to Sachi Sushi to fulfill our sushi cravings. Just a heads up, they are located on the second floor and their signage isn’t very prominent so it is easy to miss.

I decided to come here after reading much about it on Urbanspoon and some Whistler food guidebook.

I was craving fresh seafood so we decided to get a few items to share. What you see here is the Hako Roll ($11.50), House Roll ($9.50), Tsukimi Tobiko Nigri ($3.00/per piece), Amaebi Nigri ($3.50/per piece). What a sight eh? :D

Ever since my awesome experience with Amaebi (which is raw sweet shrimp) at Sushi Hachi, I’ve always been on the lookout for Amaebi at other restaurants. These were quite expensive per piece but they were very fresh, slimy, and delicious. They even topped off the Amaebi with tobiko and a tiny slice of lemon too.

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Quattro at Whistler- Squid Ink Risotto... Yum...

I took a trip to Whistler last week for a few days so I have a few restaurant experiences that I want to share with you guys!

First up is Quattro at Whistler and it is a fine dining establishment located in the village. They focus primarily on Italian cuisine. The reviews on Urbanspoon were alright so we decided to come and check out their $29 three course menu that was on promotion.

The entrance was grand and pretty. It made for a great first impression in my eyes. :P

This is the $29 three course menu that we ordered off of. As you can see, you can choose from a few options for your appy and main entree.

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