Lunar New Year Lunch from Happy Noodle House

Lunar New Year is such a great excuse to eat delicious food. Last year, we had food delivered from Grand Chinese Restaurant in Yaletown. The year before last we enjoyed dinner from Lin Chinese Cuisine.

If you checked out those two posts, I am quite consistent with our dishes. I ordered the same thing for lunch today from Happy Noodle House.

Lunch from Happy Noodle House

8-pieces Xiao Long Bao

I liked the Xiao Long Bao. It's close to the one from Lin Chinese Cuisine and to think this has been delivered. I am pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it.

Beef Rolls

Our favourite Beef Roll has been from Peaceful Restaurant and this comes second. The primary difference is the actual roll is thinner and flakier from Peaceful.

Pan-Fried Pork Buns

I still prefer the Pan-Fried Pork Buns from Lin Chinese Cuisine. This one doesn't have enough filling inside.

Tan-Tan Noodles (with Hand-Pulled Noodles)

It's so spicy! I liked it. The best Tan-Tan noodle dish I've had in Vancouver is from Szechuan Chili. It has a more peanut spicy flavour.

Happy Lunar New Year!

Dessert at D’oro Gelato e Caffè – Denman Street

After our delicious lunch at Kintaro Ramen, we walked the stretch of Denman Street looking for desserts and ended up at D’oro Gelato e Caffè – Denman Street.

Cake and Brownie from D’oro Gelato e Caffè – Denman Street

Ricotta Pistachio Cake slice from D’oro Gelato e Caffè – Denman Street

Gluten-Free Brownie from D’oro Gelato e Caffè – Denman Street

The brownie tastes like Ferrero chocolate. I love it!

Lunch at Kintaro Ramen

Happy Saturday! We had errands to run in Downtown Vancouver today and decided to have ramen for lunch. We went through the list of the best ramen in Vancouver and had lunch at Kintaro Ramen.

I enjoyed the Miso ramen more than I thought I would. This has become my favourite ramen shop for Miso Ramen. Next time, I'll try making it spicy.

Barbeque Pork Miso Ramen
Kintaro's best. Ramen noodles in soup are flavoured with soybean pastes from four different Japanese regions and twelve spices with beans.

Barbeque Pork Miso Ramen has bean sprout, bamboo shoot, green onion, and I chose half & half of fat and lean bbq pork.

Shio Ramen
Ramen in a simple and mild soup made from pork-bone stock and natural sea salt.

The BBQ Pork Shio Ramen has bean sprout, bamboo shoots, green onions, boiled egg, and half & half BBQ pork.

Gyoza

Can't wait to try more delicious ramen!

Lunch at Jinya Ramen Bar

Happy Sunday! We're back in Downtown Vancouver today for errands, and I was planning to grab lunch from one of the food trucks participating at Dine Out Vancouver food truck event in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery. Still, I found it too cold to be enjoying food outside. 

We ended up walking along Robson Street, and I spotted Jinya Ramen Bar. It's our first time here, but we have ordered for delivery in the past.

Hubby pointed out the Premium Tonkotsu Red and thinks I'll enjoy it. I love spicy food. According to the server, Level 9 and 10 are unavailable because they're out of stock of the habanero peppers. I wanted Level 7, but she said Level 4 is already spicy, so I settled for Level 6.

Premium Tonkotsu Red
Pork broth, pork chashu, kikurage, green onion, seasoned egg, nori dried seaweed, red hot chilli, oil and spicy bean sprouts, and thick noodles.

First, the broth was rich and flavourful, and for level 6, you can feel the burn on your throat, but only during the first sip. Anything after was much more enjoyable. I love the pork chashu, and I ordered more before finishing my ramen.

Meanwhile, hubby ordered the Karaage Chicken Ramen from the Chef's Special menu section.

Karaage Chicken Ramen
Chicken broth, crispy chicken dressed chilli sauce, green onion, spinach, seasoned egg, nori dried seaweed, and thin noodles.

For our appetizer, we ordered Spicy Creamy Shrimp Tempura and to end our meal, we enjoyed Mochi Ice Cream.

Spicy Creamy Shrimp Tempura
Crispy shrimp tempura tossed in Jinya's original spicy mayonnaise in the classic "Ebi-mayo" style.

Green Tea Mochi Ice Cream

I like the ambiance of Jinya Ramen Bar. I'll bring my mom here next time we're in Downtown Vancouver.

Lunch at Kokoro Tokyo Mazesoba

Happy Saturday! After more than a week, we left the house today. Before going grocery shopping at Real Canadian Superstore, I told my brother (who we met in Downtown Vancouver after running errands) that I wanted ramen. He remembered trying Kokoro Tokyo Mazesoba.

We were there five minutes before they opened and decided to just wait out in the frigid. It's a cold but beautiful sunny day.

Hubby debated whether to order the most famous Tokyo Mazesoba or the Chef's Special Zenbu Mazesoba. He ended up with the Zenbu Mazesoba, and after taking a bite, I seriously regret not ordering a Mazesoba.

Mazesoba is ramen without soup like Chinese chow-mein or saucy Filipino pancit. 

Zenbu Mazesoba
Slow-Braised Pork Chashu, Spicy Minced Pork, Soft Boiled Egg, Seaweed, Bamboo Shoot, Seaweed Flakes, Chives, Green Onion, Minced Garlic, Grinded Saba Fish, Sesame, Raw Egg Yolk, and Multi-Grain Noodle Made in House

I ordered ramen because it's what I am craving, and I went for the name-sake ramen, even though the Tantan Ramen and Spicy Ramen look tempting.

Kokoro Ramen
Pork Bone Broth, Slow-Braised Pork Chashu, Soft Boiled Egg, Green Onion, Garlic, Black Fungus, and Thin Ramen Noodle

Chicken Karaage
Juicy fried chicken served with fresh greens.

I almost always order Chicken Karaage from all the Japanese restaurants. This just became my favourite Chicken Karaage, narrowly beating the one they serve at nearby Ramen Gojiro. This chicken is lightly battered and so insanely juicy.

Spicy Pork Gyoza
Handmade pork potstickers

The gyoza is a standard Japanese dumpling. This is another item I always order from Japanese restaurants, but it's pretty challenging to find mind-blowing gyoza.

Note for future me: Order the chicken karaage again, skip the gyoza, and try the takoyaki.

To end our meal, hubby ordered Fuji Cheese Cup Cake which they served with a shovel-looking spoon.

Fuji Cheese Cup Cake
Japanese cheesecake with Oreo crumb base

The dessert is okay. They have a couple other items which we can try next time. I will definitely be back. I actually think my mom would enjoy Mazesoba since she loves pancit. 

My First HelloFresh Box for 2022

I skipped the first two weeks of the year and didn't order HelloFresh.

I was planning to order a HelloFresh box last week, but we had to do our twice-a-year Costco run, which means my small fridge can't fit all the frozen items from Costco and a HelloFresh box.

My five HelloFresh meals.

I look forward to relatively healthy eating from my HelloFresh box this week.

Do you want to try HelloFresh?
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Carb Smart Chipotle Beef Chili with Poblano Peppers and Cheddar Cheese

We also ordered this dish last year, primarily because it's only 580 calories which I split into two, so each meal is only 290 calories! I added all the chipotle spice, and there's heat on the chilli - I love it!

Carb Smart Chipotle Beef Chilli with Poblano Peppers and Cheddar Cheese

HelloFresh Description: This nourishing low-carb chilli replaces beans with lots of wholesome veggies! We added extra deliciousness with spicy chipotle and melty cheddar cheese! Carb Smart is based on a per-serving calculation of the recipe's carbohydrate amount.

Thai-Style Sweet Chili Chicken with Cilantro Lime Rice

I am uncertain what makes this Thai style because when I think of Thai cuisine, I think of heat and peanut sauce. I enjoyed the zucchini, though.

Thai-Style Sweet Chili Chicken with Cilantro Lime Rice

HelloFresh Description: Chicken pieces are coated in a tangy sweet chilli sauce, then coupled with zucchini and burst tomatoes. The cilantro-lime rice infuses every bite with brightness.

Smoky Falafel Bowls with Tahini Drizzle

I only ordered one Falafel dish last year, and they completely forgot to pack the falafel. Fortunately, they remembered it this time. I love the tahini, and I wish there was more falafel.

Smoky Falafel Bowls with Tahini Drizzle

HelloFresh Description: Hearty falafels are perked up with a spicy, garlicky tahini drizzle in this delicious and nutritious rice bowl.

Mexican-Style Red Bean Stew with Cheesy Quesadillas

I like the heat from the stew, and the quesadillas are truly perfect for dipping.

Mexican-Style Red Bean Stew with Cheesy Quesadillas

HelloFresh Description: This Mexican-style stew is veggie- and flavour-packed! The cheesy quesadillas are easy to make, melt-in-your-mouth delicious and made even better by dipping into the stew - a perfect dinner for any night of the week.

Kale and Black Bean Quesadillas with Fresh Tomato Salsa and Crema

I ordered the same dish last year and absolutely loved it. However, somehow it felt lacking this year. Maybe I didn't add enough salt. Also, the tortilla they sent seems lower quality and much smaller, so the filling is spilling all over the pan.

Kale and Black Bean Quesadillas with Fresh Tomato Salsa and Crema

HelloFresh Description: Forget all meaty Tex-Mex quesadillas of the past! This veggie beauty is jam-packed with hearty kale and filling beans. The secret to this memorable Tex-Mex feast is the refreshing salsa with tomatoes, cilantro, and lime. Simple, yet so satisfying!

I am skipping HelloFresh next week because we're going to Real Canadian Superstore and plan to buy things in bulk, and our small fridge can only fit so much food.

Dine Out Vancouver Festival 2022 Map of Restaurants

Dine Out Vancouver Festival is celebrating its 20th year of Culinary Celebration. Because I enjoy visualizing restaurants in a map, I thought of adding all restaurants that's part of Dine Out Vancouver in a map. This way you can find the closest one to you.

You can also view the map here.

Lunch at Pho 37

After our Costco run, I told my parents that we wanted Filipino groceries and should head to the closest Superstore. However, my mom suggested that we go to Dollar Smart instead. Grocery shopping for Filipino goodies is such a relaxing and happy moment for me. Choosing a piece of my childhood home in my new home country is so satisfying.

Anyway, after Dollar Smart, we had lunch at Pho 37.

1. Spring Rolls

I love Vietnamese spring roll, and I think it's my favourite one outside of Lumpiang Shanghai (Filipino spring roll).

37. Tuan's Special Beef Noodle Soup
A unique flavourful beef noodle soup with a poached egg (Pho Tuan)

I think at this point, I can recommend the MUST-TRY item from Pho 37: Tuan's Special Beef Noodle Soup (It's the 37th item on the menu). It's so delicious. Item 11 (Special Beef Noodle Soup) was already impressive, and I can't believe 37 is even better.

12. Medium Rare Beef Noodle Soup (Pho Tai)

I chose number 12 just to continue down their pho list. Pho 37 is my parent's favourite pho place in Richmond, and my dad has been (apparently) slowly trying others like Pho Japolo and still regards Pho 37 as the best one. I think we now know where the foodie gene came from (Is there such a thing? Foodie gene LOL).

Breakfast at Denny's

Happy Saturday! After 14 days, we're seeing my parents again. Then, hubby and I need to do our twice-a-year Costco grocery run. Before heading to Costco, we had breakfast at Denny's.

Classic Benny
Poached eggs and stacked shaven ham on a toasted English muffin topped with Hollandaise sauce. Served with seasoned red-skinned potatoes.

The Classic Benny is as classic as you're going to get. However, the Prime Rib Benny was better. I can't wait to try the other benny on their menu.

Ultimate Omelette
Crumbled sausage, bacon, fire-roasted bell peppers & onions, sauteed mushrooms, tomatoes and Cheddar cheese, served with hash browns and multi-grain toast.

Hubby ordered the Ultimate Omelette, and it's another classic. The only thing I didn't enjoy was the hash brown.

I am glad that we're able to enjoy the food from Denny's after two years.

Lunch from Chef Hung Taiwanese Beef Noodle

Happy Sunday! It's the last day of the long weekend, and I am back at work tomorrow (still working from home).

We watched The Fiery Priest, which made me crave rice, so we ordered Chef Hung Taiwanese Beef Noodles, our usual favourite Taiwanese dishes.

Taiwanese-Style Deep Fried Chicken Cutlet on Rice

The chicken was juicy inside, and the batter was crunchy, but it was a bit salty for my liking.

Deep-Fried Chicken Nuggets

Same with chicken cutlet, it's good and juicy but a bit salty.

Green Tea Shaved Ice

The Green Tea Shaved Ice arrived in one piece and surprisingly still solid. I guess it did help that the temperature outside is close to 0 degrees Celsius.

Deep-Fried Taiwanese Sausage on Rice

Hubby chose the Taiwanese Sausage, and it's the best thing we ordered today. The sweetness from the Sausage works well with the white rice drizzled with a soy sauce-based sauce.

After trying Chef Hung, my favourite restaurant for Taiwanese dishes is still Redbeef Noodle Kitchen. Do you have a favourite Taiwanese restaurant in Vancouver? Comment below, and I can't wait to try them.

Lunch from Pizza Garden

Our first delivery of the year is from Pizza Garden. 🍕

Do you want a slice?

I ordered two Half and Half Pizza which means we could enjoy four different Neapolitan pizzas. I just picked the first four flavours on the list alphabetically in the option. Apparently, I chose four veggie pizzas and one meat pizza.

Top: Calabria (Tomato sauce, mozzarella, fior di latte, granada padno, capicolla, fennel sausage, hot soppressata)
Bottom: Bianco (Extra virgin olive oil, mozzarella, fior di latte, grana Padano, fresh basil, ricotta cheese, roasted garlic, grape tomatoes (no base sauce))

I enjoyed the Soppressata in the Calabria pizza. However, Bianco was kind of bland. I wish there were more fresh basil.

Top: Amante Spinaci (Tomato sauce, mozzarella, fior di latte, grana padano, spinach, kalamata olives, ricotta cheese, and pesto drizzle)
Bottom: Aglio Arrostito (Pesto sauce, mozzarella, fior di latte, grana padano, roasted garlic, and grape tomatoes)

My favourite is the Amante Spinaci. I realized I absolutely love olives in pizza. However, I am biased for pesto sauce, a winner in the Aglio Arrostito pizza.

As expected, we didn't finish the pizza and have leftovers for the coming days. 

Thank you, Lord, for all the blessings.