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!

Read More

Coconut Kenny's- Hidden Gem in Bellingham

For all you Vancouverites who like to frequent Trader Joes... here's a hidden gem that you might not know existed in Bellingham. Not only is this local pizza joint located just a few blocks from the beloved natural & health focused grocery store, their deep-dish style pizzas will blow your mind.

A huge thank you to my friend C-Dubs for this awesome recommendation!!

The entire restaurant is Hawaiian themed. With their tiki torches, mounted surf boards, and indoor straw huts, it just feels like a place where you can relax, grab a quick bite, and head back to the beach.

You order and pay at the counter first so don't expect a hostess to seat you. Since it was our first time here, we weren't sure and just stood at the door like weirdos. :P On a completely different note, both Rae and I thought their playlist was off the hook (John Mayer, Jason Mraz, slow soulful tunes).

I think their pizza and sandwich prices are extremely reasonable. Pizzas range from $7-8 (S) to $16-20 (L) and their sandwiches are $4.79 (half) or $8.29 (full). Also make sure you look at their daily specials because they have some really good deals. We luckily came on a Sunday which meant $4 off any large pizza! Booyah!

We got a Large Pizza ($18.49) consisting of half Waikiki and half Kailua Kona. Rae is lactose intolerant so that's why half the pizza looks like there's no cheese.

The Waikiki is one of their most popular pizzas and consists of chicken, bacon, red onions, cilantro, and topped with a smokey chipotle sauce. Boy....two words. Hella delicious. I normally don't like eating any kind of pizza but this one takes the cake. It's served deep-dish style so the 'crust' is nice and thick. I put an apostrophe around crust because there actually isn't any crust. The toppings go all the way to the end which is friggin amazeballs in my opinion. Last but not least, they also crust up the cheese on the edges so it gets all burnt and crispy.

While the Waikiki was spicy, savoury, and salty, the Kailua Kona was creamy, muted, and fresh. It consists of  creamy garlic sauce, chicken, cilantro, artichoke hearts, and tomatoes.The flavour profile nicely hits the spot when you want something with a little less heat, but Rae and I thought this pizza was less flavourful and pronounced especially after eating the amazing Waikiki.

 A large pizza here can easily satisfy two to three appetites which makes this a steal. We paid $14.50 (not including taxes) for the whole pizza and still packed home three slices.

Oh just look at that cheesey goodness. I'm already planning my next trip here so I can taste their other offerings. While I'm at it... I should probably get a Nexus pass too. :P

Service Rating: 5/5
Food Rating: 4.5/5
Price: $-$$

Overall Rating: 5/5

Happy Eating!

 

Read More

Moncton Cafe - Japanese Western Style Diner in Storybrooke

Steveston, Richmond (aka Storybrooke for all you "Once Upon A Time" fans, is home to a little mom and pop diner called Moncton Cafe.

Meta Knight and I often walk around Steveston Village when it's nice out and one day we were looking for a place to eat an early dinner. Luckily, we saw an "Early Bird Special" for Mussel Hot Pot for $9.95.

 They added a few more menu items since my last visit.

 Love their little decor items. You can't help but feel like you're eating in a Japanese grandmother's home

 Meta Knight went with the Katsu and Hamburg Curry ($11.95) because he was famished and craving tons of protein. I warned him beforehand that Moncton Cafe doesn't serve oversized portions and that it's more quality over quantity.

Although this dish could be considered on the small side to some people, it surprisingly filled him up and he loved it. The katsu (panko crusted pork) was a tad dry but other than that, this dish was solid.

Although I loved my Mussels Hot pot ($10.95), the portion was so small I'd consider this as a snack. As shown in the picture, you only get about 10-12 mussels, albeit them being extremely plump and fresh.

 The broth was also super tasty! Wish I had some bread to soak all the goodness up though.

All in all, Moncton Cafe serves up authentic western influenced Japanese cuisine (confusing eh?) and is definitely all about providing the best quality food for their customers. The prices are on the higher side but at least you know you're supporting a local business and family which is nice. :)

Service Rating: 4/5

Food Rating: 3/5

Price: $$

Overall Rating: 3/5

Happy Eating!

Read More

Kamamarui Ramen & Don- Those Sushi Bombs

Look out! There's another ramen joint in the Burnaby area! Luckily for me, it's located extremely close to Metrotown so I can visit often after work if I want to.

Kamamarui is located in a very unassuming neighbourhood and I realize I've driven by a million times but never gave it a second look.

 The interior is super cute with a theme of kitties and dogs from the mini statue in the front, to dog tails as coat hangers all along the walls.

Meta Knight and I both ordered the Tonkotsu Ramen + Bomb ($10.50). The Tonkotsu ramen comes with two pieces of nicely charred cha siu, milky pork broth, and bean sprouts. I wish it came with a few more additional ingredients like egg, bamboo shoots, or corn but oh well, c'est la vie.

I like how the portion was controlled (so not very large) and that the broth was made without MSG.

The Tonkotsu ramen is originally $9 but for a buck fifty more, you get two 'sushi bombs'. They're made with teriyaki sauce, nori, glutinous rice, and its absolutely delicious. I didn't think they were so special at first, but I ended up eating a lot of it...whoops.

We also ordered a Soft Egg ($1.50) on the side thinking it was going to be the regular hard boiled eggs with a gelatinous yolk. Oh how wrong we were. It was actually a soft poached egg with a super unappetizing combination of sugar and teriyaki sauce. I definitely won't be getting this again.

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

Overall Rating: 3/5

Happy Eating!

Read More

Organic Matcha Hemp Protein Pancake Recipe

Recently I watched a Blogilates video on protein pancakes and decided it was my time to give it a try!

I used her recipe as a guideline but changed up some of the ingredients to give it a bit more flavour and pazazz.

 Organic Matcha Hemp Protein Pancake (Rich in Protein, Low Carb, Rich in Fiber)

Ingredients
1 scoop of Whey Protein (I used Vanilla North Coast Natural Hemp Protein Powder)
1/2 cup of unprocessed oats
1 whole egg
2 tbsp almond milk
1 tbsp fat free greek yogurt
dash of cinnamon
2 Tbsp of matcha powder (I used Organic Matcha)
1/2 tbsp of baking powder

Hemp Protein is good choice for vegans (not that I'm a vegan) because it not only is high in fiber but it also contains immune enhancing properties and kidney-protective effects.

1) Grind the oats in a Magic Bullet or normal blender until it's smooth like powder. You just made simple oat flour!

It looks like this when it's all grounded.

2) Add the protein powder, egg, cinnamon, almond milk, baking powder, and greek yogurt.

 3) Mix, mix, mix... and it'll look something like this!

Bring your pan to a medium high heat and spray a bit of oil on it. I was able to make four large protein pancakes with this batter.

Once the edges turn a little brown and you see a few bubbles pop on top, that's when you know it's good to flip.

Ta-da!

To top my pancakes with a bit of sweetness, I heated up a tablespoon of Coca Almond Spread from Trader Joes and a handful of fresh raspberries.

 Boy was this yummy. Not only do you get to eat pancakes for brunch, it's completely void of butter, white processed flour, and white sugar! It's a win win situation.

Happy Eating!

Read More

Milestones- Four Bellinis, Four Appetizers, Forty Dollars

Milestones is home to the famous Monday Girls Night Out consisting of four signature bellinis, four appys, for just forty bucks. 

I came with three of my girlfriends for some drinks and much needed girl talk.

 I like my girly drinks so I find Milestones' bellinis to be one of the best ones out there. With its "frozen blend of premium white rum, peach liqueur, sparkling white wine, and Boone's Sangria", it's the perfect frozen cocktail to enjoy without being overly boozy. Plus, their little plastic animals are just the cutest. :D


 The Milestone's California Spring Salad consists of goat cheese strawberries, red onions, spicy glazed pecans, and a honey mustard vinaigrette. Great salad for summertime.

Their Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip never fails me. I also really enjoy their homemade tortilla chips.

Their Mango Chili Shrimp, though smaller in size than all of the other appys, packs quite a punch in flavour. If you are into seafood (and like to eat crispy shrimp tails like me), then this would be a good dish to get!

 Last but not least is the Yam Frites served with chipotle aioli. Your good ol' simple sweet potato fries.

For an affordable girls night out, I'd highly recommend Milestone's for their special on Monday nights. The food won't fill you up but if you have a small appetite (or not looking to leave with a food coma), it's a good option. Or, I saw a few tables order an extra entree or dessert so you can go that route as well. :)

Service Rating: 3/5
Food Rating: 3.5/5
Price: $$

Overall Rating: 3.5/5

Happy Eating!

Read More