Smooch Food: Love Letters to Every Bite

My husband and I are rarely in International Village. It's only our second time at the mall, specifically to watch a movie (The First Slam Dunk) at Cineplex Odeon. Before the film, we grabbed dinner from Little Bangkok Thai Kitchen 2 in the food court and got combos 1 and 5. Meal combo 1 has pad Thai (with your choice of protein, we went for shrimp), while meal combo 5 includes green or red curry (I chose chicken for protein). Each combo had a spring roll, salad, soup, and a pop. I had low expectations of the stall, so I am happy to share that we were fed delicious Thai food. Meal Combo 1  from Little Bangkok Thai Kitchen 2 Pad Thai, spring roll, salad, soup, and pop The shrimp pad Thai had the perfect balance of sweet and tangy flavour. Meanwhile, the soup is standard chicken stock, the spring roll has a crispy exterior, and the salad provides freshness. ...

 We have been eyeing the corner of West Broadway and Cambie for when a new specialty shop Pablo Cheese Tart will open. We saw it open last weekend, but was on our way home so today before heading to the movies downtown we stopped by to try their Japanese-style cheese tart. First, the crust is not as flaky as Portuguese tarts. It's more like a pie crust? Or maybe the crust of quiche. The filling is also creamier than expected. We tried four available mini cheese tart flavours: Chocolate Mini Matcha Mini Blueberry Mini Roasted Chocolate Almond Marshmallow Mini The chocolate and blueberry are excellent representative of each flavour. They're both safe bets. My favourite is the matcha because of the strong matcha (green tea) bitter flavour which is such a great contrast to the sweet crust. Assorted Mini Cheese Tart from Pablo The Roasted Chocolate Almond Marshmal...

Growing up, the only pretzel I knew was the one covered in chocolate: Jack & Jill Chocolate Pretzels Sticks. When I arrived in Canada, I tried freshly made pretzels, which was fantastic. Today, I ordered pretzels drizzled with caramel from Mr. Pretzels' food truck during the Celebration of Lights in English Bay. Caramel Pretzels  from Mr. Pretzels The pretzel is a slightly salty base that perfectly complements the sweet caramel. I enjoyed the delightful crispy crust while the inside remained soft and chewy. I wish I was not sharing it with my husband.

Happy sunny Saturday! We went to a 5 PM Anticipated Sunday Mass today. Afterwards, we walked to English Bay to watch the Celebration of Lights fireworks display by the Philippines representative. We were unprepared (no mat or lawn chairs), so we placed my jacket under a tree and enjoyed the Duck Pizza from Little Devils Pizza food truck. Duck Pizza  from Little Devils Pizza food truck Garlic/Olive Oil base, duck confit, basil, hoisin sauce, fior di latte, chili oil Hubby said it's delicious, but more duck is needed. 😅 It's truly something else, especially from a food truck. The pizza has a touch of sweetness because of the garlic and hoisin sauce. Meanwhile, the duck confit provides a savoury and meaty element which is perfect with the creamy and milky mozzarella cheese. Overall, an exquisite and unique pizza.

It's my 4th team lunch at my current work, and our co-founder chose a bagel. I ordered from Rosemary Rocksalt because they're in Uber Eats. I ordered Hastings-Sunrise with Rosemary Rocksalt Bagel and a side of potato wedges. Hastings-Sunrise with Rosemary Rocksalt Bagel The tender brisket between a toasted salty bagel, melted cheddar, and soft egg is the perfect sandwich hitting all textures. I enjoyed it. Potato Wedges from Rosemary Rocksalt The potato wedges arrived soggy after 20 minutes of delivery time. It's still impressive, though. You can see that it's real potatoes. Facing North I ate my lunch on the rooftop of the building with the gorgeous view of lush mountains and blue skies. Thank God for all the blessings.

Summer weekends are all about attending and enjoying different festivals and events. We find ourselves in Surrey today to support the 2023 Filipino Fiesta Extravaganza. While researching that event, I discovered the Surrey Fusion Festival happening nearby on the same weekend. It is the biggest multicultural event in BC (according to their website). I haven't seen anything like this! I saw food booths from six continents (sorry, Antarctica). It was pretty overwhelming. We decided to focus on African nations since our only experience with their cuisine was when we had dinner ONCE at Simba's Grill . But, before that, we dropped by the Indigenous Village. Bannock from Bannock Queen Bakery Yay! I'm always happy to support Indigenous businesses, and I love Bannock. This one is not deep-fried like West Coast Bannock , so it's not as airy, but it's still surprisingly soft and light. It's not as heavy and dense as what I am familiar ...

After Sunday mass at Our Lady of Good Counsel, hubby and I took a bus back to Surrey Central Station to visit the 2023 Surrey Fiesta Extravaganza. We have yet to try three food booths, one of which is Zugba. A local (Surrey) Filipino restaurant. I saw chicken isaw (intestine) and a red Tender Juicy brand hot dog! I also got Filipino pork BBQ and banana cue. Banana Cue, Red Tender Juicy Hot Dog, Chicken Isaw, and Pork BBQ from Zugba I love the isaw! It tastes clean - no funkiness. The Filipino pork barbecue was tough, so I can't recommend the piece I got. Meanwhile, the banana cue was sweet and soft. My favourite and most nostalgic is the red Tender Juicy hotdog (grilled)! I feel like a 5-year-old kid back in the streets of the Philippines.

Happy, blessed Sunday morning to you! We start our day earlier than usual today since we plan to go to Surrey to attend Mass. Before taking transit to Surrey, I opened my Tim Hortons app to order breakfast. I was pleasantly surprised to see new items: Smoky Honey Bacon Breakfast Sandwich and Smoky Honey Bacon Farmers Wrap. I got both. Smoky Honey Bacon Farmers Wrap  from Tim Hortons Smoky Honey Bacon Breakfast Sandwich from Tim Hortons The base is similar to their usual breakfast sandwiches and farmers' wrap. What makes it new and different is the smoky honey bacon. It's perfectly sweet and savoury and a bit sticky. I enjoyed it. Definitely better than their usual bacon. I wrote and published this while inside the bus. Editing will happen when I get home later today.

My dad requested a mocha cake from my sister, and because they lived close to Sweet Obsession, and got a Mocha Torte. Mocha Torte  from Sweet I love mocha cake, and this one hits the spot. 🤤 I worry about where to get delicious mocha cake, and now I know. Mocha Torte  from Sweet Obsession Six thin layers of vanilla sponge and mocha buttercream coated in chocolate ganache It was soft and not overly sweet. My dad loves it too.

We celebrate our dad's birthday with a family dinner at Continental Seafood Restaurant in Cambie Road, Richmond, BC. We arrived at the restaurant at 5:00 PM for an early dinner. I love the service - they're so attentive to us since there are only two other occupied tables. We got the following items: Pork & Shrimp Dumpling Deep Fried Taro Samosa Pork Spring Roll Half & Crispy Chicken Shrimp Scallop Dumpling Deep Fried Squid with Salt & Pepper Shrimp Spring Roll Baked BBQ Pork Bun Soya Sauce Chow Mein Roasted Pork BBQ Pork Yangzhou Fried Rice Everything was delicious and unique. That's all you need to know. Kidding; skip the Half & Crispy Chicken. ...

For team lunch this week, a colleague from Cork chose Japanese cuisine (specifically sushi). Since we're having it delivered and it's 30°C outside, I am worried that raw fish delivered might not be a good idea; that's why I went for the Beef Teriyaki Box. It was a lot of food, and I finished it all! I have tried a better Japanese bento box, but judging it since it was delivered seems unfair. Everything was packed well (no spills), and it was edible. Beef Teriyaki Box  delivered from SUSHI UOmo Restaurant Appetizer tempura, beef teriyaki with rice, California roll, salad, and house appetizer My teriyaki box came with appetizer tempura (2 pieces prawns and 3 pieces vegetables), beef teriyaki with rice, California roll, salad, 2 pieces gyoza, and miso soup. I was happy and surprisingly didn't feel a food coma after. For my amusement, below is a list of our team ...

At the Chinatown Festival, we spotted Kanadell Japanese Bakery, selling all sorts of delicious pastries. We picked three. Melon Pan Japanese melon pan is a sweet and popular baked treat. It's a sweet, soft bread that reminds me of Filipino ensaimada without cheese topping. Melon Pan from Kanadell Japanese Bakery It is called a melon pan due to its characteristic melon-like shape and crisscross pattern on the surface. The flavour is rich, buttery, and slightly sweet bread. I love it! We got the original flavour, but there are so many other options. I need to find a closer Japanese bakery. Curry Pan My favourite food is Japanese curry; when I see a Japanese bakery selling anything with curry, I buy it. We had the curry pan for dinner. It's delicious beef curry with diced potatoes, carrots, and peas. It's a satisfying dinner. ...

After walking around the Chinatown Festival, we decided to stop by The Kouign Café to try White Rabbit Cookie. I have a confession: this is only my second time in Chinatown since coming to Vancouver in 2015. And I was researching places and food to try last night around Chinatown, and the only café on the list is The Kouign and their White Rabbit Cookie. White Rabbit Cookie ( Mochiko and wheat flour blend cookie, lightly studded with dark chocolate chips, and baked with White Rabbit Candy and Maldon sea salt) , The Speculoos Sky ( Cold brew iced Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk, Speculoos chantilly cream, and caramel drizzle) , and The Golden Fog ( Mango and passionfruit earl grey tea with condensed milk) My childhood memory of the White Rabbit is not good. I remember it giving me terrible headaches when I was a child. 🥹 I avoided it. I was hesitant to try the White Rabbit cookie because of it, but ...

When you have a big sign in your booth declaring that you're the best bannock on the West Coast, you increase people's expectations. My only bannock experience is with Salmon n' Bannock , and their bannock is baked. Since West Coast Bannock fry theirs, it's lighter and oily. Most things are better fried, and this one is too. It's airy and fluffy. OG Bannock from West Coast Bannock Fresh fried Bannock with butter. It reminds me of Schiarc' or Pizzette Fritte (Fried Bread) from Italian Day on The Drive and even Beavertails .

I don't have much experience with Hong Kong-style pork barbecue except for trying some from HK BBQ Master in Richmond. Today, we went to Chinatown Festival and saw Ember Hong Kong BBQ. We ordered their Signature Hong Kong Barbecue Pork, the last one. They're sold out since we went there on the festival's second day. Signature Hong Kong Barbecue Pork  from Ember Hong Kong BBQ It was served without rice which is a bummer since sweet and savoury barbecue needs rice to help tone it down. It has a caramelized outer layer, while the meat is juicy and tender. However, it's not as soft as HK BBQ Master. Overall, a delicious bite of pork, but the Filipina in me needs rice.

After Sunday Mass, we took a bus going to Chinatown today. In the last 8 years (since moving to Canada), this is my second time in this area. Our first bite of food at the Chinatown Festival is Green Tea Dorayaki. It's too sweet. I wished the green tea provided bitterness, but it's also sweet. Maybe I'm not a fan of Dorayaki in general. Green Tea Dorayaki  grabbed at Chinatown Festival. What is dorayaki ? It is a traditional Japanese dessert consisting of two small pancake-like discs that sandwich a a sweet filling.

Good morning! For breakfast this beautifully blessed Sunday, we went to Tim Hortons and ordered our usual (Sausage & Bacon Farmers Wrap). When we arrived at the store to pick up our mobile order, I noticed the Camper Day Donut, which is essentially Chocolate Glazed topped with sprinkles. Camper Day Donut  from Tim Hortons Since it's still early, the donuts are still relatively fresh, so it's different from the usual stale. It's also chocolatey sweet, with the sprinkles providing crunch.

After eating our smokies from ever-present Holy Smokes , we hang out at Blenz Coffee. I chose the Mochachillo, while my husband went for the Matchachillo. We also ordered a Lemon Poppyseed Muffin, which we also had from Waves Coffee . Matchachillo from Blenz Coffe The Mochachillo is bittersweet. It's pretty in your face, while the Matchachillo also has a strong matcha flavour, according to hubby. Mochachillo  from Blenz Coffee The Lemon Poppyseed Muffin is sweeter than the one they have at Waves, where there's zucchini. Lemon Poppyseed Muffin from Blenz Coffe We'll stay at this Blenz location until closing time. Maybe. We'll see.

Happy Friday! I survived my second week at my new job. It's a hot Friday, so we decided to go outside for dinner and hang out at a nearby coffee shop. Before heading to Blenz, we thought of dropping by VSB Park for TGIF (Thank Granville It's Food Trucks), but the event ends at 3:00 PM. We still managed to buy from a food truck: Holy Smokes. If you pass by the corner of Granville and West Broadway, you're most likely familiar with it. Holy Smokes! Food Stand For dinner, we ordered one Beef Polish Smokies and an All Beef Smokies with all the extra paid topping of mayonnaise, cheese, and caramelized onions. All Beef Smokies  from Holy Smokes Let's first discuss how much I love the perfectly toasted buns. The exterior is slightly crispy, while the interior is still soft. Directly on the bun are cara...

It's my second team lunch, and one of my colleagues in Melbourne, Australia, picked Nando's which happened to be available in all three global offices! I think I need to explain things further. I started a new job two weeks ago, and my new work has three offices: HQ in Melbourne and an office here (Vancouver) and Cork, Ireland. We were pleasantly surprised to learn that Nando's is available in all three cities. PERi-PERi Chicken Bowl and Naughty Natas  from Nandos's I ordered the Peri-Peri Chicken Bowl (Hot), and boy, was it spicy! Thank God I didn't pick the Extra Hot. It's the perfect bowl of spicy, juicy chicken, savoury rice, soft roasted red peppers, bitter arugula, sweet corn, and creamy hummus. It has all the flavours and balancing textures. PERi-PERi Chicken Bowl from Nandos's Portuguese...

Happy, blessed Sunday! My husband and I attended the 9:00 AM Sunday mass. Afterwards, we walked to the Boston Pizza closest to our home, which had a big sign "Brunch now available at 10:00 AM." We're their first customers for the day. It's a small brunch menu and uses ingredients they already have. Sorry, there are no pancakes or waffles here. You will find breakfast pizza and omelettes. Hubby picked the first two items on their brunch menu: Breakfast Pizza and Southwest Breakfast Bowl. Breakfast Pizza from Boston Pizza Boston Pizza's dough was surprisingly light. The breakfast pizza is like eggs benedict, but instead of the usual English muffin, it's on top of pizza dough, and instead of poached egg, you get it scrambled. The Hollandaise sauce is used instead of the usual tomato-based pizza sauce. Breakfast Pizza (Individual 8")  from Boston Pizza Signature pizza ...