CHEWIE'S BISCUIT CO

Southern United States cuisine lacks in Vancouver and while there are more fried chicken and barbecue restaurants popping up, what about biscuits and gravy? Chewie's Biscuit Co is a fairly new eatery located on the West side in Kitsilano and specializes in biscuits! In addition, Chewie's offers all day breakfast until 5:00pm (Sunday to Thursday) and 7:00pm (Friday and Saturday).

We visited on a weekday morning right when the restaurant opened at 9:00am and shorty others followed. The menu covers everything from bennies and breakfast bowls to of course biscuits and dessert, such as bronut and french toast!

THE RISE EATERY

Ah, the middle of January to the beginning of February means it is time for Dine Out Vancouver once again. Also known as an opportunity for restaurants to gain business during the slower months of the year. Personally, I am not a fan of dine out because restaurants can get too crowded and the food along with service may not be a true representation due to the high volume. So when Wanda from The Rise Eatery invited me to try their Kick-the-Blue's 3 course prix fixe menu, it peaked my interest because they did not participate in Dine Out. Plus, the menu looked really good as well.

The Rise Eatery is a global fusion restaurant located in South Granville that focuses on shared plates. However, they specifically created an individual 3 course menu that was offered between January 15th to February 3rd at $30 per person. And since KTBs was an amazing hit, the restaurant decided to keep the concept of a 3 course menu that will be based on seasonal ingredients in addition to their shared plates! Prices are set to $42 per person and on Wednesdays, only $30 per person! Could you ask for a better hump day treat? 

THE ELLIS

Alongside many of the restaurants in the West End and within a walking distance from Kitsilano beach sits one of the newer gastropubs, The Ellis. What lead us to The Ellis was Vanfoodster's Burger Challenge and we figured why not go for a whole meal? This was a big deal for me because if it was not for the burger challenge, I most likely would not have given this restaurant a try since I am neither the type to head to a bar or gastropub for snacks or a meal.

When we walked in, I was impressed by the interior and atmosphere. The restaurant looked chic, bougie and literally what you would find if you Googled gastropub.

Arc Restaurant : Fairmont Waterfront

It is quite rare for me to find more than three dishes that I truly want to try at a non-Asian restaurant so when I took a peak at Arc's menu at Fairmont Waterfront, I was quite excited! Chowder, tartare, bone marrow and foie gras all sounded good to me.

The atmosphere was fairly loud as there was live music playing at the bar and it did not really give off a fine dining vibe as the music was neither relaxing nor soft. We did not mind however since we were not here to celebrate a special occasion.

Liu Yi Shou Hot Pot Restaurant

After a few unsuccessful Japanese restaurants at this particular location on Robson Street, I hope Liu Yi Shou Hot Pot is here to stay! Chongqing Liu Yi Shou is a popular chain in China and the establishment highly focuses on quality. The first Chongqing Liu Yu Shou chain to open in B.C is Thumbs Hot Pot restaurant in Richmond, which I have not visited yet and would not be opposed to now. The restaurant is also a la carte rather than all you can eat.

And of course previously renovated to suit a barbecue restaurant, it is well ventilated and there are plenty of spacious booth table seating arrangements.

To top it off, there is an amazing sauce bar for only $2.50!


And a large selection of garnishes.


Yes, and even WATERMELON!

Soup bases run from $9.95 - $13.95 and specialities from $21.95 - 35.95. For those who are new to hot pot or cooking, the restaurant provides a list of how long it takes to cook the ingredients too (a first for me to see in Vancouver).

Kirin Seafood Restaurant 玉麒麟海鮮酒家 : City Square location Dinner

Kirin Seafood Restaurant used to be known as the Chinese restaurant for fine dining, before restaurants like Peninsula at Oakridge Centre and Chef Tony in Richmond surfaced. Apart from being known as a fine dining establishment, the Kirin chain is known for their peking duck (or should I say used to be...) so when my sister and her friend had a craving, I suggested to come here. Let me get this straight however, I suggested Kirin not because their peking duck is amazing... but because everyone should try Kirin's just to say they have.

The most convenient Kirin restaurant for us to try would have been the one on Alberni Street in Downtown Vancouver, but that is the worst location I have been to - service and food wise, on multiple visits! So this brings us to Kirin on West 12th, which is another location I do not prefer because of their lack of service unless you are here with your family and the food is just not that good. The best Kirin I have been to is the location in Richmond, from the atmosphere and service to the food quality.

Cafe Salade de Fruits

Tucked in the French Cultural Centre on West 7th is a casual French bistro serving good quality food with fine dining service, Cafe Salade de Fruits. For a few years now I have heard a lot of about the bistro such as the prices are reasonable, mussels are a must order and the place is small so make sure to make reservations. Fortunately arriving out of the blue on a weeknight reservations were not needed! I still recommend reservations however since there are not many seats.

Cafe Salade has a homey and inviting atmosphere from the friendly staff with authentic thick French accents to the dim lighting. When you walk in, you notice the high ceiling immediately along with the brick wall above the kitchen and the wooden tables along with chairs. After seating, our server took our order and when we asked if she could make sure not all the dishes are sent out at once, she responded, "why would anyone ever do that?". And I was like girl... every restaurant always does that to us! So I knew we were off to a great start for dinner already.

Sushi Loku

Sushi Loku has been on my list of restaurants to try for the longest time, like two years! It is one restaurant where I have very high expectations for because after spending hours looking through every photo I could find on Zomato, Yelp and Instagram, I determined that Sushi Loku is one restaurant that will consistently serve fresh sashimi. From the sashimi to the nigiri and even the carpaccio that Sushi Loku offers, I could not find one slice of oxidized Hamachi. And hamachi is one type of sashimi where the freshness cannot be questioned because the color does not lie.

So after sampling ten wine chickens to determine which restaurant offers the best for the Chinese Restaurant Awards of 2016, Sherman and I headed to Sushi Loku for dinner. The restaurant is not very big and there are around less than fifteen tables. The seating arrangements are not cramped however and there are a a couple of seats by the sushi bar. A thank you to Sherman for taking some of the photos for me too!

Pekoe Tea Lounge

Every time I pass by Pekoe Tea Lounge on the corner of West Broadway and Laurel street, the words "home made gourmet pies" scream to me. Literally. Every. Single. Time. So after literally half a year of contemplating whether I should make the visit, I finally decided to make a move and juggled a few things around my schedule.

When I walked in, it was fairly awkward because the cashier and manager were standing behind the counter but no one greeted me. The staff were not even talking to each other, just literally staring at me. So after greeting the staff myself, I ordered a cup of hot chocolate and a slice of pie. When I finished ordering, the barista mumbled "it will take a while because I have to…", have to what?! 

I disregarded what she said and stood by the counter for around ten minutes until I realized I should take a seat instead. I wish the barista or manager welcomed me to take a seat, but I did not think the staff delivers food to the table. It was more awkward too because no one was preparing my food during the time I was standing, so I felt like an idiot standing there.

Shota Sushi & Grill

Three Japanese restaurants in a week? I needed to satisfy my sushi cravings after a couple of mediocre experiences at two Japanese operated establishments, Hachibei and Ajisai. We actually had lunch here on the following day after trying Ajisai hehe. Sometimes I wonder why people insist that authentic restaurants must mean the food is good. There are plenty of below average Chinese run, Chinese cuisine restaurants that prove otherwise.

Speaking of Chinese restaurants, Shota Sushi & Grill is a Chinese run Japanese restaurant. Shota is located in Kerrisdale and appears to be popular with some celebrities, including plenty of Canuck hockey players. There are autographs above the sushi bar and plastered along one side of the dining room.

Shota Sushi looks fairly big from the outside, but the restaurant is smaller than it appears. There is a sushi bar along with tables in one section of the restaurant and the main dining room consists of lounge chairs. Patio seating is also available for when the weather permits.

Ajisai Sushi Bar 味彩

After a disappointing dinner at Hachibei, I wanted to try another authentic Japanese run establishment. The next restaurant on my list was Ajisai Sushi Bar in Kerrisdale, so we headed there a couple of days later for lunch.

The restaurant is very small, consisting of only seven tables and a sushi bar, but the seating arrangements are not too cramped. My thoughts may be biased however because the tables beside us were empty during our visit.

Ajisai has a large menu of donburi, sushi rolls, cones, pressed sushi, inari and a whole page dedicated to vegetarians. The closest cooked items would be donburi or tataki, and the restaurant does not offer teriyaki or tempura. Having a limited selection of cooked items is not necessarily a bad thing, but it does build higher expectations regarding sushi. Plus, "authenticity" always builds up higher expectations too right?

Hachibei

Hachibei is a small neighbourhood restaurant, Japanese owned and operated. A cozy establishment located on West 16th between Cambie and Oak Street. Normally I am not one to jump to every authentic Japanese restaurant because I have had my share of negative experiences, but lately I have been wanting to give them another go.

We arrived on a Friday evening and the restaurant was only half full by the time we left (I have heard that there are line ups and reservations are recommended). The interior is very simple and reminds me of a few tiny eateries in the really small villages of China. There are also around only ten tables and the restaurant is a fairly tight, but we did not find the seating arrangements cramped because we had a whole section to ourselves.

41 West Restaurant

West 41 is a small and quaint neighbourhood restaurant in Kerrisdale, serving West Coast cuisine with a bit of French influences. There are only around ten tables in the restaurant, but the seating arrangements are not too tight. The atmosphere is also fairly cozy, relaxing and non-rushed.

I purchased a Social Shopper voucher for 41 West and forgot about it until the last minute, as in a night before the expiry date. Fortunately though, I was lucky enough to score last minute reservations for the weekend by calling just the evening before. When I called to make the reservations however, the host was very rushed and impatient, despite that there was no background noise.

We arrived on a Friday evening and there was only one seated table, but the restaurant reached a half full occupancy throughout the duration of our stay. With regards to the service, there was only one server handling the front of the house. He was courteous and polite, but not quite attentive. Our appetizer plates sat at the table for longer than usual and my bread knife was never removed throughout all three courses, which I find odd.

Shining Garden 麥田餐廳 (5th/6th/7th/8th visits)

Sometimes I get embarrassed over posting about revisits and it is more embarrassing when I am practically the only one blogging about that restaurant! In this case, Shining Garden is the restaurant that I keep blogging about. But hey in my defence, I consider my blog as a diary and probably use it more than anyone else as a food guide. The restaurant is a family operated business and my go-to (obviously) Chinese restaurant, including higher end restaurants. The reason is because the food is always consistent and considering the picky person that I am, Shining Garden is one restaurant where I do not hesitant to try new dishes.

After quite a few visits, I finally told the owner that we really enjoy the food at Shining Garden. I further mentioned that we try a lot of Chinese restaurants and sometimes the first or second visits are good but when we go back, the third time is not as good! The owner's wife actually finished my sentence and I was thinking whoa, how did she know the third visit may not be good?

Nine Dishes 九道

All You Can Eat? Nine Dishes? What kind of restaurant or buffet is this? These are some of the thoughts that run through my mind whenever I pass by the restaurant. When we entered, we were pointed towards a seat and a sheet of paper along with a pen were plopped on the table. We assumed the obvious and wrote down our order before proceeding to the counter, where we handed the sheet in. After the first dish arrived, we waited a while and noticed other tables with drinks, so we assumed we were supposed to order drinks at the counter and brought them back to our table.

Nine Dishes is one restaurant where service is truly non-existent, but at least the gentleman did not look miserable. He was not friendly either, just indifferent. As for the interior, the restaurant is really cold! I wanted to keep my jacket on but because it is a runway piece, I did not want it touching the table so placed it on a chair while hesitating at the same time because the furniture is not the cleanest. The cold temperature made sense throughout dinner however because every table ordered a Szechuan hot pot.

Temaki Sushi

Temaki Sushi is a Chinese and Vietnamese operated Japanese cuisine restaurant, but I had high expectations walking in. You see, I was trying to find a follower on my Instagram and stumbled upon @temakisushii. His cute garnishes of carrot pagodas drew my attention and I could not believe the restaurant is located in Vancouver! I have not seen many chefs in Vancouver make cute garnishes including at higher end Japanese restaurants, so I decided that Temaki Sushi warranted a visit.

We were at the front for a bit and despite some of the waitstaff staring at us, we were not helped until later. The first question a waiter asked was, "do you have reservations?". Upon hearing this, I squealed in my head and believed that Temaki Sushi could be one of the best Japanese restaurants and perhaps a busy one which requires reservations all the time. The restaurant has a few suitable seating arrangements for larger parties and the dining area is not too cramped.

After seating, the menus and tea were impatiently placed on the table but the service warmed up after we started ordering. There were around five waitstaff at the front and during busier times, everyone made their way around refilling drinks. The staff were also friendly.

Dallas Pizza & Souvlaki

Saying there is a lack of Greek cuisine restaurants on my blog is an understatement because by "lack of", there is currently only one. In addition, the only "one" happens to be Dallas Pizza & Souvlaki! Throughout my SFU years, I spent quite a fair time trying to find the best donair joints along with Greek restaurants serving up roast lamb. This was harder than it sounds and I soon discovered that the higher the price, the heavier the fall.

Formerly known as "Dallas 2 For 1 Pizza & Souvlaki", the family run business moved a couple of units down to a larger retail space. The interior is nicely renovated and looks less like a typical fast food joint. But more importantly, the interior is very clean too.

Gold Penny 品味食館

Every time when I mention something is dirty at a Chinese restaurant such as the floor, chairs or tableware, BF anyways says, "Penny's Restaurant is still one of the worst." Honestly, I do not even remember Penny's being "that" dirty, probably because I was hungry or did not pay attention to the atmosphere. So, my man has been wanting to visit Gold Penny for quite some time because it is the new restaurant that took over the former Penny. And according to his mother, the one who only visits higher end Chinese restaurants and has very high standards, the food is not bad here.

When I heard the news, I was very sceptical and thinking he was joking. I mean, why the heck was she even in this area? She lives really far from here! Anyways, so fine, whatever, after weeks of him talking about Gold Penny, I caved. After we walked in, I could not stop laughing in my head. The interior looks the same and nothing has changed, except the owners.

BF tried saying the chairs have changed… but really? Hello, I have a blog. And yes, I actually pulled out my blog post and showed him the photo of the same chairs. Then he started defending himself by saying at least there is live seafood… but turns out there was none! So the joke is on him because he always has to order live seafood at a Chinese restaurant.

Long's Noodle House 小龍記麵家

Long's Noodle House is a small family operated restaurant along Main Street, specializing in Shanghainese cuisine. Reservations are recommended regardless of the day of week and because the restaurant is always busy, being turned down should be no surprise. 

We arrived on a Friday evening with no reservations and were fortunate enough to not have to wait. There are a couple of large tables in the restaurant and for those in small groups, may have to share tables. Fortunately in our case though, we were offered a seat at the back of the restaurant which seats four people! This was perfect for us because we tend to order a lot of food.

The Fish Counter

Located on Main Street in Vancouver is a business that focuses on sustainable seafood, The Fish Counter. The shop has a fish market along with a kitchen that offers fresh and made to order food, and C'est la vie a Maggi and I came for the food. When we walked up to the front doors, we did not know which door to go through and chose the one that leads to the restaurant side. As we entered, there were open cupboards blocking the entrance and a cashier staring at us without saying a word, so I felt guilty because I thought we walked through the wrong door.

Fortunately, Maggi confirmed if we could enter and the cashier responded with a "yes" before walking to close the cupboards, so I did not feel bad. After looking around, we noticed the menu posted on the wall and proceeded to the cashier.

The atmosphere was a bit awkward and not inviting because the cashier was not friendly, but we did not mind since The Fish Counter can be considered a fast food joint. As for the interior, it looks fairly nice and the shop is well ventilated. The fish market side of the shop does not have an overwhelming smell too.

The menu is posted on the unfinished wooden walls and looks very playful. There are cute ocean creatures and an easy to read but playful font. As for the selection of food, The Fish Counter offers fish n' chips, sandwiches, tacos, soup and one kind of salad. We arrived during a slow period so the seating arrangements were not an issue, but the seats are quite limited. There is only one table and a bar, along with a couple of benches.