Smooch Food: Love Letters to Every Bite

 My mom and dad are celebrating their wedding anniversary next month. Unfortunately, our dad is flying to the Philippines in the first week of January and will return in May, so we decided to celebrate their anniversary early. My mom requested that we eat at her favourite Korean restaurant, Dai Jung Kum, on Bridgeport Road. We ordered our usual seafood pancakes, fried dumplings, japchae, and grilled meat (Combo A). The server suggested we get the Chef Special Combo for a better deal. She was right. It included the same BBQ meat combo of chicken, beef, beef short ribs, and pork, seafood pancake, japchae, pan-fried pork dumplings, and we got two try new items: spicy seafood tofu soup and smoked salmon salad. BBQ Combo A from Dai Jang Kum A combination platter of BBQ meats includes chicken, beef, beef short ribs, and pork. It comes with steamed rice, salad, and side dishes. ...

Happy Saturday! We went to Ikea today to buy a fitted sheet. Before walking around their maze, we grabbed our first meal of the day at the Ikea Restaurant. I chose the Haddock Fish & Chips because I don't remember trying it before. My youngest sister absolutely loves this combo. How can you go wrong with fried fish and potatoes? It's a classic and is a safe bet. Haddock & Chips  from Ikea Of course, my husband got the classic Ikea Meatballs, which does not disappoint. Everything is on point, and as we remember. Swedish Meatballs  from Ikea

Ah. I'm finally free. It's the last workday of 2023, and we have a long weekend! I'll be back at work on January 2, but still working from home. After work, we walked to the nearby Blenz Coffee to hang out and have dinner. My husband ordered the Wintermint Cream Cold Brew, part of their seasonal offering. Wintermint Cream Cold Brew  from Blenz Coffee Meanwhile, we ordered a Tuna Salad Sandwich and a Turkey & Bacon Sandwich for our dinner. They're both surprisingly delicious after warmed up. Turkey & Bacon Sandwich  from Blenz Coffee Right now, I feel exhausted and need a break, but I can only think about the household chores and errands that need to be done before 2024.

Happy Thursday! We usually have team lunch on Thursdays, but since we work from home, there is no team lunch. Instead, my hubby and I ordered from Domino’s Pizza for lunch. We got the new Stuffed Cheesy Bread with Pepperoni and tried the Pasta Primavera, 12” Bacon Garlic Fingers, and 12” Domino’s Pizza Cheesy Garlic Fingers for the first time. Free 12" Hand-Tossed with Beef Crumble, Sausage, Pizza Sauce, Cheese from Domino's Pizza Domino’s Pizza Stuffed Cheesy Bread with Pepperoni The Domino’s Pizza Stuffed Cheesy Bread with Pepperoni is a delightful twist on breadsticks. These oven-baked sensations boast a generous stuffing of mozzarella cheese and zesty pepperoni, creating a harmonious blend of flavours in each bite. Domino's Pizza Stuffed Cheesy Bread with Pepperoni Topped with an irres...

 Merry Christmas! My parents, my husband, and I attended the 11:00 AM Christmas Day Mass at our church. They gave us a ride home. After Mass, we had lunch at the only open restaurant in the area: Denny's Test Kitchen & Bar One. I had a wonderful time chatting and spending time with my parents. Since this is Denny's Test Kitchen, we ordered items with the TK icon. Zesty Chipotle Nachos The nachos was surprisingly delicious. It's not Boston Pizza-level good, but it is acceptable. The nacho meat and pepper jack queso was a tad bit sweet and I wish the chipotle flavour is stronger, but overall a decent nacho. Zesty Chipotle Nachos  from Denny's Test Kitchen Freshly cooked tortilla chips topped with Pepper Jack queso, cheddar cheese, house-made chipotle seasoned nacho meat, fresh pico de Gallo, and sour cream. Fettuccini Marinara Denny's att...

Our family has an annual tradition of eating dinner on the 24th and staying up until midnight to exchange and opening of gifts. In between, we would watch a movie or play games. Every year, my younger sister always chooses a theme country. We are doing a traditional Canadian Christmas dinner with Canadian ham this year. In the past years, we've had the following: 2022 - Ukrainian Food from Ukrainian Village 2021 - Korean Food from H-Mart 2020 - Chinese Food from Lin Chinese Cuisine and Tea House 2019 - French food cooked by my sister 2018 - Spanish Food 2017 - Japanese Food 2016 and 2015 - Domino's Pizza and my mom's Filipino-style spaghetti My youngest sister cooked the ham while my other sister prepared all the sides - mushroom soup, mashed potatoes, roasted carrots, and salad. I got the cake. Noche Buena  with the famil...

Happy Sunday morning! It's the day before Christmas, and before attending the 11:00 morning Sunday Mass, hubby and I decided to have brunch at Pallet Coffee Roasters. Hubby chose cortado and the Grand Italian Sandwich, while I decided on  avocado toast and the seasonal Bourbon Maple Hot Chocolate. Cortado  from Pallet Coffee Roasters The Bourbon Maple Hot Chocolate is an indulgent beverage. Hot chocolate's rich, velvety goodness is married to the warm, smoky undertones of bourbon and the natural sweetness of maple syrup. Bourbon Maple Hot Chocolate  from Pallet Coffee Roasters Chocolate, bourbon flavour, maple, and chocolate wafter I chose the avocado toast because I love the creamy, buttery texture of the smashed avocado. It serves as a luscious base, complemented by the tangy richness of goat...

After dinner at Shoku , we decided to walk east along West Broadway. During our walk, we were pointing out restaurants we had yet to try. Then, we spotted that the tea shop on the corner of West Broadway and Laurel Street has well-lit signs that they are open until 9:00 PM. This shop is usually closed. Tea Cups  from Ele Presso Café We entered Ele Presso Café and were overwhelmed by the 73 unique teas offered. My husband chose the Pina Colara under fruit tea, while I picked the Arabian camomile because I needed to sleep. Tea Time  at Ele Presso Café While waiting for the customer in front of me to finish her transaction, I spotted a chocolate cake, which was a winner. They are from Bisou Bakery. The owner and I chatted a bit and asked if we had been here before, and I told him it was our fir...

 Happy Saturday! After spending about an hour in Blenz at West Broadway and Granville to blog, we walked east, trying to decide where to have dinner. We decided to try the relatively new Japanese restaurant, Shoku, at 1177 West Broadway. This is the previous spot of Raga Restaurant. Interior of Shoku Shoku focuses on Japanese haute cuisine. It is definitely more elegant in ambiance and price than most Japanese restaurants in the area. We found deciding which item to order challenging, so we went for the Oshi Platter . It has 36 pieces of Oshi sushi. Oshi Platter from Shoku Tuna (Albacore tuna, garlic mayo, sliced serrano), Tai (Izumi tai, ume oshi sauce, lemon zest), Atlantic salmon (Atlantic salmon, oshi sauce, sliced serrano, grinded black pepper), Ebi (Ebi, Basil oshi sauce, black olive, arugula) Sa...

After Pablo , I didn't want to go home yet, so hubby and I decided to have drinks and cake slices at the relatively new Anecdote Cafe & Bakehouse along West Broadway between Hemlock and Birch. White Peppermint Mocha  from Cafe Anecdote For someone who doesn't drink coffee, I love sitting in a coffee shop or cafe. Cafe Anecdote is so relaxing, and the smell of their baked goods (Yes! They bake in-store! Crazy!) is so comforting. I got their Salted Caramel Latte, and it was perfect. Salted Caramel Latte  from Cafe Anecdote I also ordered a slice of their lemon cake, which goes well with my sweet drink. Lemon Cake slice  from Cafe Anecdote I'll be back. I'll blog here next time instead of Blenz. We sat by the bar with...

It's such a beautiful Friday, and after lunch at Mr. Japanese Curry , we decided to grab dessert from Pablo. When we visited them in September, the Original Mini Cheese Tart was sold out, so I am glad to get them today. It's not as creamy or savoury as Castella , but it has a perfect balance of flavour. There is a subtle sweetness which allows the creaminess of the cheese to shine. Original Mini Cheese Tart  from Pablo My hubby chose the Ube-flavoured mini cheese tart. The distinct flavour of ube with sweet, nutty undertones is complemented by the cheese. Ube Mini Cheese Tart  from Pablo The crust is perfect for both tarts - it's crumbly and provides a satisfying crunch.

Happy Friday! My employer was generous enough to give us a half-day today. Woohoo! Unfortunately, I felt tenderness in my gums and decided to visit the dentist for an emergency checkup. The good news is he didn't see anything unusual. I'll keep observing and hope it's just the nougat inside the chocolates yesterday. After my dental visit, we grabbed lunch at Mr. Japanese Curry. My husband picked the vegan curry because it's the only one we have yet to try. We decided on pumpkin croquette and vegan chicken toppings. Vegan Curry topped with Pumpkin Croquette and Vegan Chicken  from Mr. Japanese Curry The flavour is a lot closer to Indian curry, probably because some are also vegetarian. The vegan chicken was also surprisingly delicious. It gives the same satisfying crunch and juiciness. Meanwhile, I went for my usual beef curry topped with tonkatsu. I love it! It...

It's the last team lunch for 2023, and the theme for the week is burgers! We took a short (uphill) walk to Devil's Elbow Smoke & Ale House  like last time. I loved the Devil's Burger but decided to go for The Famous Brisket Sandwich, which was awesome. The start of the sandwich is the generous heap of succulent brisket, slow-cooked to perfection, delivering a melt-in-your-mouth tenderness. Complementing this meaty delight is a symphony of textures and tastes - crispy onions add a satisfying crunch, while the coleslaw provides a refreshing and tangy contrast. The Famous Brisket Sandwich from Devil's Elbow Smoke & Ale House Piled high with brisket, coleslaw, crispy onion, creole mustard, spicy mayo, Texas whiskey BBQ, brioche bum The sandwich reaches new heights with the infusion of creole mustard, which adds a zesty kick and a hint of heat ...

 Happy Thursday morning! It's the last work day for the year in the office, so I decided to treat myself to breakfast at Kafka's downstairs. I got their avocado toast. Will it shock you that it's my first time trying the popular breakfast item? I get the appeal. Avocado is creamy and a healthier version of butter, and it has a nice texture contrast compared to the toasted slice of sourdough. Moreover, it was topped with fresh arugula, providing a fresh crunch and pickled onion to help cut through the fat. Avocado Toast  from Kafka's A cross-generational favourite. Smashed avocado, pickled onions, arugula, and chili oil on our feature bread. Overall, it's enjoyable with the French vanilla coffee I come to love since I started working here.

Happy Sunday! For late lunch, I went to McDonald's. I enjoyed a gastronomic journey like no other with the returning Maple BBQ & Bacon Quarter Pounder and seasonal showstopper, the Herb & Garlic Seasoned Fries . Maple BBQ & Bacon Quarter Pounder is back. The Maple BBQ & Bacon Quarter Pounder culinary masterpiece features a generous quarter pound of 100% Canadian beef, ensuring a hearty and satisfying bite. What makes this burger genuinely exceptional is the infusion of creamy maple BBQ sauce, adding a perfect balance of sweetness to the savoury beef. Maple BBQ & Bacon Quarter Pounder from McDonald's Canada A quarter pound of 100% Canadian beef topped with creamy maple BBQ sauce, hickory-smoked bacon strips, crispy onion, two slices of processed cheddar cheese and pickles served on a toasted sesame-topped bun. The hickory-smoked...

Happy Saturday! Hubby and I went to St. Patrick's Hall on 12th Avenue and Main Street for "Maligayang Pasko, Vancouver!" organized by the Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver. Of course, we're here for the food and enjoyed listening to Filipino Christmas carols performed on the stage. Many beautiful parols make me feel like I'm back home. Miki Bihon, Pork BBQ, Chicken Inasal from Hapag Restaurant For our first meal of the day, we chose Hapag Restaurant since the only other options were the ubiquitous Pampanga Cuisine and Plato Filipino . We ordered their Miki Bihon (Filipino noodle dish) with Filipino pork BBQ skewers. Since it was the last serving of miki bihon , they offered to add chicken inasal . I'm more than happy to take it. I also got their bibingka to-go and can't wait to enjoy it at home. Miki Bihon, Pork BBQ Skewer, and Chicken Inasal  from ...

I organize a reunion with my former colleagues every year at my first full-time job in Canada. I will always be grateful to that first company, and I even call it my Canadian miracle because if they had not hired me, I could have been back in the Philippines. I chose Leopold's Tavern this year because I love their food and vibe. Although it's a drive for most of them, I am glad they willingly wanted to meet up and catch up. I ordered the Garlic Parm Mozza Stick Poutine. It is the poutine of the week. Garlic Parm Mozza Stick Poutine  from Leopold's Tavern Fries, cheese curds, gravy layered with herbed parmesan, mozza sticks, and garlic parm sauce. This delectable creation begins with a base of crispy golden fries, generously topped with the classic trio of cheese curds and rich, savoury gravy. Elevating the dish to new heights, a layer of herb-infused Parmesan add...

Happy Thursday! It's team lunch day, and the chosen theme for the week is pizza. Only three of us are in the office, so it doesn't make sense to order a lot. Moreover, we had an ocular scheduled today, which meant viewing possible new office space close to the Vancouver Public Library. Because we are close to Robson Street, I suggested the Straight Brooklyn Pizza. It is the best pizza in the area, hands down. We entered the small and already entire store and somehow managed to grab a seat after ordering three 2 slices of pizza and a pop. I went for a slice of White Pie and Spice pizza. The White Pie combines stringy mozzarella, rich ricotta, and slightly savoury parmesan cheese on a thin crust. Moreover, the garlic provides a pungent and aromatic kick while the parsley cuts through the richness of the cheeses and garlic. White Pie Pizza  from Straight Brooklyn Pizza Cheese pie - mozzarel...