Smooch Food: Love Letters to Every Bite

Today was the most relaxing Saturday I have had in a long time. I slept in, shared a quiet breakfast with hubby, tackled the vacuuming and then finally found myself in the kitchen. No pressure, no fancy equipment; just a spoon, a fork and a desire to recreate a childhood favourite. The perfect result of a manual mix: a tender crumb beneath a lacy, buttery Jarlsberg crust. For me, cheese cupcakes mean one thing: the pre-packaged Lemon Square Cheese Cakes tucked into my school bag for baon or enjoyed as the afternoon snack. They were sweet, salty and always hit the spot. But today, I wanted something that felt a little more "grown-up" to pair with my afternoon tea. The Great Topping Revelation I ran a little experiment with this batch: half with the cheese topping and half without. I actually tried the plain one first, and to my surprise, it was too ...

Your Guide to Rescuing Food with Too Good To Go Vancouver If you have been following Smooch Food for a while, you know that I am a huge fan of the Too Good To Go app. In a year where inflation has made every grocery trip feel like a splurge, this app has been a total game-changer for our household. Exploring the Metro Vancouver food rescue scene on the Too Good To Go map. New to the App? Let’s Save Together! I have been using Too Good To Go to rescue delicious food from going to waste, and I would love for you to join the movement. Download the app here (Full disclosure: Using my link helps me earn a small ($2) voucher toward my next food rescue at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting Smooch Food!) Not only do we get to try some of the best artisanal bakeries and local eateries in Metro Vancouver for a frac...

This past Wednesday was one of those days where my brain was just done. Between work and the usual mid-week shuffle, I really did not have the energy to think about cooking dinner. To save the night, I grabbed a Too Good To Go box from Uncle Fatih’s Pizza . I am so glad I did because it turned out to be a fantastic food rescue. It was exactly what I needed to relax and reset for the rest of the week. Too Good To Go rescue haul from Uncle Fatih's featuring five assorted slices with their signature sesame crust. I paid $7.34 including tax and got five massive slices. The variety was great too. We had a bacon and olive slice that was easily the favourite of the night, a veggie slice with lots of peppers, and a garlic chicken slice with that creamy white drizzle. Uncle Fatih’s is known for that sturdy sesame seed crust, which makes it perfect for reheating. We popped t...

Plans for my brother’s birthday changed fast today. We wanted to order from Peaceful Restaurant in Richmond, but they were closed. We called our trusty Little Ongpin instead. It turned out to be the perfect choice. A colourful bowl of Chopsuey  to add some crunch and freshness to the feast The Little Ongpin Food We ordered all our favourite Filipino dishes and the food was delicious: Lumpiang Shanghai: These are the best in Metro Vancouver. They are extra crispy and always a hit at family dinners.  The best Lumpiang Shanghai in Metro Vancouver—perfectly golden and extra crispy. Inihaw na Liempo: This was so good. You can really taste the calamansi and soy sauce from the marinade. It was savoury, tangy, and grilled just right. ...

I still remember the feeling of moving to Canada back in 2015. One of the very first stops we made after getting my SIN number was the Aberdeen Centre food court. I remember being so amused and honestly a little comforted by how diverse it was. It felt like a concentrated hub of East Asian flavours that was both exciting and familiar. More than ten years later, that same space has grown even richer. It is no longer just about the classic staples as we have seen incredible additions from Southeast Asia and even Africa. Spots like Luca , a unique Egyptian gem, have truly changed the scene. Since so much has shifted since my first visit, I decided to walk through and document every stall for 2026. This guide covers the menus, the prices, and the ever important question of who actually takes credit cards. Jump to a Stall: 8 Juice Aji Hana Bubble Waffle Champion Potato Noodle Champion Potato Noodle ESTEA J&G Fr...