Smooch Food: Love Letters to Every Bite

From April 1 to 30, participating restaurants will feature Filipino prix fixe menus that highlight the unique variety of Filipino food, ingredients, and chefs throughout Canada. A more detailed blog post and list of all  participating restaurants in Canada are available here . The Philippine Department of Tourism and Philippine Consulate General in Calgary announced  Canada's First-Ever Filipino Restaurant Month . The project is jointly executed by the Philippine Embassy in Ottawa and the Philippine Consulates General (PCG) in Toronto and Vancouver.  The event aims to bring Filipino cuisine to the mainstream Canadian market, inspire Canadians to explore Filipino food, and develop a better appreciation of our culture. The event also wants to promote Filipino restaurants in various provinces across Canada and encourage dining at local restaurants. ...

We attended the Anticipated Sunday Mass in nearby St. Augustine's Church and decided to grab dinner at RedBeef Noodle Kitchen before heading to No Frills for our weekly grocery. I ordered my usual Chicken Cutlet Rice while hubby tried the soft and surprisingly delicious Black Pepper Beef Brisket Stew Rice with Mushroom.  Black Pepper Beef Brisket Stew Rice with Mushroom Chicken Cutlet Rice I also ordered my favourite Salt & Pepper Popcorn Chicken. As a palate cleanser, I ordered the Taiwanese Pickle Cabbage. Lastly, I wanted Steamed Beef Shumai and taking a bite after dipping in soy sauce is reminiscent of my tween years in the Philippines. Salt & Pepper Popcorn Chicken Taiwanese Pickled Cabbage Steamed Beef Shumai RedBeef is my second favourite restaurant in Vancouver and I love how "empty" it is during early dinner.

The Canada Men's National Team had a game tonight against Costa Rica. Unfortunately, they lost. We ordered from Tim Hortons potato wedges so we can enjoy it while watching the game. Of course, I ordered any Dream Donut that we haven't tried. Easter Nest Dream Donut  from Tim Hortons The festive and delicious donut is decorated with colourful sprinkles and a nest of Hershey's Eggies. Hubby said it seems to be a simple donut with just sprinkles on top and the addition of Hershey's Eggies made it adorable, but nothing special. He's looking for a filling which seems to be consistent in other Dream Donuts. Tim Hortons Dream Donut delivery I also ordered a Strawberry Swirl, but it wasn't available and they sent us a Vanilla Cream Puff Filled Ring instead. ...

The Philippine Department of Tourism and Philippine Consulate General in Calgary announced Canada's First-Ever Filipino Restaurant Month . The project is jointly executed by the Philippine Embassy in Ottawa and the Philippine Consulates General (PCG) in Toronto and Vancouver. The event aims to bring Filipino cuisine to the mainstream Canadian market, inspire Canadians to explore Filipino food, and develop a better appreciation of our culture. The event also wants to promote Filipino restaurants in various provinces across Canada and encourage dining at local restaurants. Source: PCG Vancouver website I am so excited to support this event and see which restaurants will participate in Vancouver. Kain Tayo! When is Canada's Filipino Restaurant Month? April 1 to 30, 2022 What will happen during Canada's Filipino Restaurant Month? Participating res...

We're celebrating our sister's birthday today. We went to our parent's place, played Mario Kart, watched Turning Red, and watched the last 10 minutes of the Vancouver Whitecaps FC game. This is all after a delicious dinner delivered from Flying Beaver Bar & Grill. My mom even sent us a message this morning that we should add it to the list of delicious restaurants. Wild BC Salmon Burger Our famous salmon burger in a hoisin ginger glaze & topped with seaweed salad It's a delicious salmon burger. Wok-Style Calamari Topped with pureed jalapeños, garlic, & ginger. Served with a sweet ginger aioli. Fish Tacos Grilled cod tacos topped with coleslaw. Mango salsa + chipotle aioli Short Rib Poutine Fries, cheese curds, house-made gravy + shoestring onions + topped with pulled short rib Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake Oven baked, topped with vanilla ice cream, caramel coulis, & whip cream Overall, the food was delicious and it seems like they have a beautiful view in t...

Trees Cheesecake and Suika are like our weekend combo. It's like when we visit one we should go eat at the other just because they're my comfort places. All restaurants should aim to provide delicious food and a comforting ambiance. Aburi Salmon Pressed Sushi Seared Pressed Salmon Sushi topped with Unagi sauce, Mayo and Ikura on Premium sushi rice Chicken Dashi Karaage Juicy deep fried chicken thigh, crispy on the outside and filled with rich dashi shoyu flavour Signature Beef Curry with Tonkatsu Suika original stewed beef tendon curry Demiglaze Beef Katsu Don Panko-breaded, striploin beef cutlet on rice, topped with secret house demiglaze This is the first Suika visit that I didn't finish my curry. Hubby and I were discussing things that were stressing us out and even the curry is not enough to pull me out of sadness. Or it could be that we ordered too much. 

The Coconut Cheesecake from Trees is the second seasonal cheesecake that we almost ordered two slices because one is not enough. I absolutely enjoyed it. A slice of Coconut Dream Cheesecake A cup of Mocha and Rocket and a slice of Coconut Dream Cheesecake Trees is definitely our favourite coffee shop in Vancouver. For reference , below are some of the seasonal cheesecakes we have tried. Matcha Cheesecake  last June 6, 2021 Taro Cheesecake  last June 26, 2021 Mango Cheesecake  last July 18, 2021 Peanut Butter  Cheesecake last September 11, 2021 Pumpkin  Cheesecake last October 10, 2021 Banoffee Cheesecake last November 28, 2021 (no blog post) Ferrero Rocher Cheesecake  last December 26, 2021 Strawberry Cheesecake last February 15, 2022

I was craving siopao (Filipino steamed buns) and Chuckie (a Filipino brand of chocolate milk), but it's pretty challenging to find both in our neighbourhood, and I don't want to go out of my way just to find it. To satisfy my Filipino food craving, I ordered from Goldilocks. I went "add to cart" happy and just added everything I wanted to eat in the DoorDash cart; 30 minutes later, our goodies arrived. Goodies from Goldilocks We ordered Mamon Classic and Mocha, Red Bean Hopia, Ube Hopia, Pan de Sal, and Empanada for snacks.  For food the next couple of days, I ordered kare-kare , laing , menudo , and beef caldereta . I can't wait to enjoy them with rice.  I haven't had Filipino food in a while and today just became a happier day.

Does pizza count to celebrate Pi Day? Lunch delivery from Panago Veggie Korma Large original crust, pineapple green peppers, mozzarella and cheddar blend, baby spinach, spicy banana peppers, and coconut curry sauce Hmmm, my favourite coconut curry sauce in a pizza. Pesto Vegetarian Large original crust, sun-dried tomatoes, caramelized onions, parmesan, red peppers, baby spinach, mozzarella, and pesto sauce Garlic Cheezy Bread Chicken Bites Chocolate Chunk Pretzel Cookie Happy Pi Day!

I tried something different this week. Instead of ordering one of 4-6 different meals, I picked two of 3 different dishes. Specifically, I chose two soups and one chilli. One-Pot Chunky Chicken and Corn Chili We had this for Sunday dinner, Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday breakfast. Because of the way I ordered, I now have an extra can of corn. One-Pot Chunky Chicken and Corn Chili with Cheddar Cheese and Sour Cream One-Pot Italian Sausage Soup We ordered this last year, and I enjoyed it maybe more than I should have. I cooked this meal on Monday for dinner and reheated the rest for Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday lunch. One-Pot Italian Sausage Soup with Cream and Potatoes Carb Smart Cheeseburger Soup This is the only reason why I decided to order this week. I am curious about Cheeseburger Soup. I prepared this meal on Tuesday for dinner and we enjoyed it for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday lunch. It's too salty for my liking. I'll add more water when I reheated it and it improved ...

Happy Sunday! We met my mom in Downtown Vancouver today, so she can sign my Canada Passport application as my guarantor. We had lunch at the Pacific Center Food Court specifically from my favourite stall - Vina Vietnamese. I am obsess with their Beef Stew. I also tried the Beef Pho, but the Beef Stew is just on another level. Beef Stew Beef Pho Roll I actually ate the pho today because I have been craving soup since yesterday, but I will definitely order my favourite beef stew next time!

The Whitecaps FC did not win, but did not lose against New York City FC today, but somehow a draw is still an unhappy result. To deal with the draw, we had dinner at Masa Japanese Restaurant. The menu looks different, but the food is still delicious. I highly recommend any of their Masa Special Sushi. They all have been great so far. Knights of The Round Table Masa Aburi Cheese Monster Roll Crispy Jumbo Dynamite Roll Volcano Roll (Salmon) Devil's Kiss (no longer in the menu?) Double Dragon (below!) Double Dragon Unagi roll with double unagi, tobiko, green onion on top Salmon Teriyaki Platter  Grilled slice salmon with vegetable and rice Assorted Katsu Curry Japanese curry with tonkatsu, ebi fry 2 pieces, croquette 1 pc, and rice I ordered my usual comfort food of Assorted Katsu Curry.

Happy Saturday! It's the first home game of the Vancouver Whitecaps FC this year and for the season. They host the reigning MLS Champs New York City FC. The result was a 0-0 draw. Shortrib Poutine Pulled shortribs, cheese curds, red wine gravy, and green onion Even in a season of high hopes and home openers, not every bite is a fairytale. While the Short Rib Poutine is usually my go-to, today’s red wine gravy had a bit too much salt for my liking. Likewise, the Garlic Fries—a new addition to the roster—were packed with flavor but struggled with a bit of extra oil at the bottom of the bowl. NEW ITEM: Garlic Fries Signature seasoning blend and fresh garlic It’s all part of the stadium experience: sometimes the play on the pitch is a draw, and sometimes the snacks are, too...

HelloFresh is celebrating Mario Day with "Win Back Game Night" meals. I included both Mario Day meals in our HelloFresh box this week.  Unfortunately, our box didn't arrive at its usual time (before 10:30 AM), and I contacted HelloFresh about it. According to the tracking number, it still hasn't been picked up by FedEx, but our box was thankfully inside our building when we arrived home at 4:00 PM. Sunday breakfast and Tuesday lunch: Thai-Style Turkey 'Pad Krapow' Thai-Style Turkey 'Pad Krapow' with Green Beans HelloFresh description : If you select this meal, you will receive Mario-themed crafting activities in your HelloFresh box, such as place cards and cup wrappers to put the final touches on your great family dinner. Start the evening right with this terrific Thai-inspired meal, which pairs perfectly with game night! After enjoying your meal, it’s time to play your family’s favourite Mario games, like Super Mario Maker™ 2, on your Nintendo Switch ...

It's a cold Wednesday evening and we walked to and from our neighbourhood church for Ash Wednesday Mass. After the mass, we went to Sushivan for dinner. I had my usual favourite Korean-style Ramen, but this time topped with seafood. Hubby ordered the Salmon Teriyaki & Sashimi Box. I absolutely love the salmon teriyaki and I can't wait to come back and order it for myself. Salmon Teriyaki & Sashimi Box Salmon teriyaki, appy sashimi, appy tempura, salad, 4 pcs California roll, and rice Korean Style Ramen with Seafood As we go down the list of Special Roll, we ordered the Rainbow Roll. Rainbow Roll California roll with assorted fish, tobiko Yay for supporting small businesses!

A List and Map of the Best Pie in Vancouver It's possible that not many people "celebrate" Pi Day (3.14 - March 14) as we do. For the past few years, we've been eating savoury and sweet pies during Pi Day. With that said, here is my attempt to compile a list of the "best pie in Vancouver" based on articles or lists on the first page of the Google Search result . These list is based on the following articles: 2018 Article from Vancouver Is Awesome: 5 places for perfect pie in Vancouver 2021 Article from VancouverMom.ca: Pi(e) Day: Five to-die-for pie shops in Vancouver 2021 Article from Dished Daily Hive: Best pie in Vancouver to try at least once Recommended by all three articles Aphrodite's Organic Cafe  & Pie Shop ...