The OG vs Turkey Day from Big Star Sandwich

Happy Saturday! We did something for the first time today. We went on Open Houses to see what homes (condos or townhouses) are within our price range and those way beyond. The whole exercise felt depressing and made me feel poor. As always, to make me feel better, we grabbed lunch. We decided to try Big Star Sandwich, which is a BC-born chain. The menu and choices are extensive, with over 30 sandwiches!

I chose the Turkey Day (sandwich #01) because it's the first sandwich on the list. With that many choices, going by chronological order seemed like a good idea. It was a delicious sandwich with slices of turkey deli meat and cranberry sauce. It's like Thanksgiving between bread.

#01 Turkey Day from Big Star Sandwich 
Turkey, house-made stuffing, cranberry sauce & cranberry mayo

Meanwhile, hubby went for The OG (sandwich #04) because of the name. He wanted to try sandwiches with the word "Big" but The OG seemed like the best place to start, and boy was he right. It was delicious and the better one of the two sandwiches we tried. The Hickory sticks provided crunch while the lettuce and tomato added freshness. Of course, we shouldn't forget about the tender roast beef and crispy bacon.

#04 The OG from Big Star Sandiwch
Roast beef, bacon, cheddar, hickory sticks, lettuce, tomato, mayo, and deli mustard
(my husband moved the other sandwich on its side for me to see the inside)

II wonder if I should do some ranking of the many sandwiches. Possibly, the next time we visit we choose #04 as the winner of the head-to-head and choose a different sandwich to compare it with and see which one would remain standing.

Homestyle Potato Salad from Big Star Sandwich

Tomato & Roasted Pepper Soup from Big Star Sandwich

Oh, and I almost forgot that we also ordered their homestyle potato salad and tomato & roasted pepper soup. They are both good too, but the sandwich is delicious. I can't wait to come back and try the others. In this head-to-head battle of sandwich #01 Turkey Day vs. sandwich #04 The OG, the latter won!

Mixed Shawarma Plate from Jerusalem Shawarma

Happy Thursday! It's our usual company-paid team lunch, and this week's theme is Middle Eastern cuisine. We decided to walk to Jerusalem Shawarma, which is nearby.

Mixed Shawarma Plate from Jerusalem Shawarma
A generous serving of perfectly cut beef and chicken served on a bed of rice alongside a fresh portion of salad drizzled with tahini sauce

Mixed Shawarma Plate from Jerusalem Shawarma

I tried their Mixed Shawarma Plate, which includes their chicken and beef shawarma on top of rice, salad, potatoes, and hummus. It's absolutely delicious! We love this place.

Here's a list of items I've tried from here so far:

• 1 - Meat Lovers Plate
• 5 - Mixed Shawarma Plate
• 10 - Vegetarian Plate

Maple Brown Butter Sausage Scrambled Egg Loaded Wrap from Tim Hortons

Happy Thursday! I really enjoy my job. I feel appreciated and productive, and my colleagues are kind people. As part of my mental health management, I sometimes treat myself to the occasional Tim Hortons breakfast on Thursdays. It's the only day of the week I have to be in the office an hour later than my usual 9:00 am.

Maple Brown Butter Sausage Scrambled Egg Loaded Wrap from Tim Hortons

Today, I decided to try their Sausage Scrambled Egg Loaded Wrap with Maple Brown Butter sauce. The first bite was sweet, but everything after that had an eggy flavor because of the scrambled egg. I still prefer the farmer's wrap.

Too Good To Go: Surprise Bag from Deville Coffee

Happy Wednesday! I had an unusual day. My focus was so sharp today that I decided to take a late lunch (4:00 pm) to ensure my flow wasn't disrupted until the 3:30 pm meetings. I happily enjoyed my lunch at around 4:00 pm and was also happily perusing the Too Good To Go app for sweet deals. Then, two deals came up: Caffè Artigiano in Telus Garden and Deville Coffee in The Post.

Surprise Bag from Deville Coffee

I wanted Caffè Artigiano, but it sold out within minutes, so I quickly reserved Deville Coffee while walking there to ensure I grabbed it on time before my lunch break ended. The surprise bag contained three huge (compared to Tim Hortons) donuts for $5.24 (including tax).

Too Good To Go Surprise Bag from Deville Coffee

We have sweets for three days without spending too much. I'm pleased.

Too Good To Go: Baked Goods from 7-Eleven

Happy Tuesday! I was taking my walk home and decided to open the Too Good To Go app to check for any nearby deals. 7-Eleven has a baked goods bag for $3.99 + tax = $4.19. I am really hoping to get a bag of sweet treats.

Ready-to-eat bag from 7-Eleven for $4.19

However, when I got to the store, they only had the ready-to-eat bags ready, which were a dollar more expensive. I happily accepted it and received the following:

• 8-inch pizza sub sold for $8.95
• Rotisserie chicken chipotle wrap - $7.85
• Chicken Caesar wrap - $7.85

We ate the pizza sub with our dinner (too many calories!). I so love the Too Good To Go app.

Blueberry Cheesecake Timbits and Brown Sugar Iced Latte from Tim Hortons

After a fun shopping trip at Ikea, we decided to check out the newly opened Tim Hortons near Jacombs Road.

Brown Sugar Iced Latte from Tim Hortons

This time around, we indulged in their Blueberry Cheesecake Timbits, which are filled with a delicious blueberry jam. 

Blueberry Cheesecake Timbits from Tim Hortons

To my surprise, I also really enjoyed their Brown Sugar Iced Latte. It had the perfect balance of sweetness and wasn't overly sugary.

Steamed vs Pan-Fried Pork Buns from Peaceful Restaurant

Happy Sunday! Today is errands day, which means a stop at Canadian Superstore and Ikea. In between, we decided to stop by Peaceful Restaurant at their No. 5 Rd location in Richmond, BC for lunch. We ordered many of our usuals, so I want to focus this blog on the new items we tried: the pork buns. We ordered both cooking styles: steamed and pan-fried.

Steamed Soft Pork Buns from Peaceful Restaurant
Soft yeasty bun with a pork filling - 5 pieces

The pork buns are exactly the same, but as expected, the steamed one is super soft while the pan-fried version has a crispy bottom.

Pan-Fried Pork Buns from Peaceful Restaurant
Filled with pork and scallions, soft bun, crispy bottom - 5 pieces

I prefer the pan-fried pork buns simply because I love the contrasting texture of the buns.

Below is a list of everything we've tried from Peaceful so far:

Dim Sum 

• A01. Xiao Long Bao Steamed Buns
• A02. Steamed Soft Pork Buns
• A03. Pan-Fried Pork Buns
• A04. Peaceful Beef Rolls
• A06. Cumin Beef and Flatbread
• A12. Pan-Fried Chicken Dumplings
• A17. Deep Fry Sesame Ball

Soups

• C03. Minced Chickwn with Corn Soup

Seafood

• D03. Salted and Pepper Squid

Chicken

• E08. General Tso's Chicken

Beef

• G05. Beef and Broccoli

Vegetables

• H02. Seasonal Vegetables and Crispy Tofu

Sauce Noodles

• K02. Dan-Dan Noodles

Stir-Fried Noodles

• L01. Mu-Shu Stir-Fried Noodles
• L05. Shanghai Stir-Fried Noodles

Rice Dishes

• M01. Peaceful House Stir-Fried Rice
• M02. Yang-Zhou Stir-Fried Rice

Maple Brown Butter Scrambled Egg Loaded Croissant from Tim Hortons

Happy Sunday morning! As part of our routine, we grabbed breakfast at Tim Hortons. However, today is a little bit different, since I noticed in the app that they are promoting two new breakfast sandwiches: Scrambled Egg Loaded Croissant and a version with maple brown butter sauce. I ordered both sandwiches: double stacked, meaning it has both bacon and sausage.

Sausage & Bacon Double Stacked Scrambled Egg Loaded Croissant from Tim Hortons

The Scrambled Egg Loaded Croissant, even without maple brown butter, was delicious. I'm surprised at how much I enjoyed a slightly crispy croissant with a chewy interior. Meanwhile, the maple brown butter sauce provided a sweetness to the savoury dish.

Maple Brown Butter Sausage & Bacon Double Stacked Scrambled Egg Loaded Croissant from Tim Hortons

I loved both and will order them again if they are offered with a discount in our offers.

Maple Brown Butter Sausage & Bacon Double Stacked Scrambled Egg Loaded Croissant from Tim Hortons

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Ice Cream from Rain or Shine

Is this our last ice cream of summer this year? Who knows? We went to church today for a summer barbecue and enjoyed an array of dishes from perfectly cooked steak, salmon covered in dill, and juicy chicken. Afterwards, we stopped by Rain or Shine on West 4th Avenue for ice cream.

Chocolate Ice Cream from Rain or Shine

I absolutely loved my scoop of chocolate ice cream. Hubby chose the peanut butter, which tastes like peanut butter. They're both great!

Peanut Butter Ice Cream from Rain or Shine

Below is a list of flavors we have tried from Rain or Shine so far.

The Keepers

• Chocolate
• Coffee Toffee
• Peanut Butter
• Salted Caramel
• Vegan Chocolate Peanut Crunch

Seasonal Flavours

• Hot Honey Crunch
• Key Lime Pie

Jalapeno Cheesesteak from Meat & Bread

Happy Thursday! It's team lunch day again, and you know what that means - a theme: sandwiches and a visit to Meat & Bread.

Jalapeno Cheesesteak from Meat & Bread
Jalapeno cheesesteak, shredded brisket, provolone cheese, pickled jalapenos, and seared onions

Today, I decided to go with their featured sandwich: Jalapeño Cheesesteak. The shredded brisket was succulent and tender, covered by the creamy and perfectly melted Provolone cheese. Meanwhile, the tangy heat of pickled jalapeños cuts through any greasiness, allowing you to take another bite. Lastly, the sweetness of seared onions, all between crispy ciabatta (I think) bread, is a delicious masterpiece.

Below is a list of sandwiches from Meat & Bread that I have tried so far.

Featured (Seasonal) Sandwiches

• Gyoza Pulled Pork
• Jalapeno Cheesesteak 
• Pulled Pork Mac & Cheese
• Steak Frites

Classi Sandwiches

• Buffalo Chicken
• Meatball
• Porchetta

Angus Aloha Burger from Jollibee

I was born and raised in the Philippines and moved to Canada almost 10 years ago. I grew up with Jollibee, which is why it gives me so much joy when Filipino cuisine gets selected for company-paid team lunch and our primary option is Jollibee.

I have tried many things from their menu (see end of post!) but today I enjoyed their Palabok with two-piece spicy Chicken Joy.

Palabok Fiesta from Jollibee

Then, for dinner, hubby and I came back to Jollibee when we enjoyed their new Angus Aloha Burger. It's as delicious as it sounds.

Angus Aloha Burger from Jollibee

Of course, we ended our meal with Peach Mango Pie and Ube Pie. I knew that I would enjoy the Peach Mango Pie, but I surprised myself with how much I love the Ube Pie. It's not food coloring! It tastes like Ube Halaya.

Peach Mango Pie from Jollibee

Ube is gaining popularity globally, but half the time, they're just purple coloring labeled Ube, so trying something that actually tastes sweet and not just coloring makes me happy.

Ube Pie from Jollibee

Below is a list of Jollibee food items I have tried in Canada.

• Jolly Crispy Chicken (in the Philippines, we call this Chicken Joy)
• Deluxe Spicy Chicken Sandwich
• Aloha Yamburger
• Angus Aloha Burger
• Cheesy Yumburger
• Jolly Spaghetti
• Palabok Fiesta
• Jolly Crispy Fries
• Steamed Rice
• Gravy
• Peach Mango Pie
• Ube Pie
• Pineapple Quencher

Creamy Mushroom Florentine and Canadian Eh from Pizza Pizza

Happy Monday! It's a holiday because it's BC Day, which means no work. Woot! It's rare for us to order anything for delivery, but we indulged a little and got pizza from the Canadian chain Pizza Pizza.

Creamy Garlic and Cheese Tots from Pizza Pizza
Indulge in next-level snacking with their Creamy Garlic Mozzarella Loaded Tots! These crispy, golden tater tots are topped with a gooey layer of melted mozzarella and drizzled with their famous Creamy Garlic sauce. A perfect harmony of crispy, creamy, and cheesy, perfect for sharing (or keeping all to yourself)!

We ordered two 10-inch pizzas, a Canadian Eh! and Creamy Mushroom Florentine. Then, for sharing, we ordered their creamy garlic and cheese tots, which were a bit too oily for our liking. Both pizza flavours were alright.

Creamy Mushroom Florentine from Pizza Pizza
A match made in heaven; spinach, mushrooms, a six cheese blend on their signature creamy garlic base

Canadian Eh! from Pizza Pizza
True north delicious - as Canadian as a toque on a moose. Pepperoni, fresh mushrooms, Bacon crumble, and 100% Canadian dairy mozzarella cheese.

For next time, I should try their stuffed crust, and that butter chicken pizza looks promising too.

Below is a list of items we've ordered from Pizza Pizza:

Apps & Sides

• Creamy Garlic and Cheese Tots
• Jalapeno Poppers
• Potato Wedges (No longer in the menu)

Meat Favourites

• Meat Supreme
• Canadian Eh!

Veggie Favourites

• Creamy Mushroom Florentine

Cheesy Bread

• Half Moon Cheesy Bread (No longer in the menu)

Chicken

• Chicken Bites

Desserts

• Funnel Cake Stix with Caramel

My Husband's Checklist

As you've probably gathered from my previous posts, I enjoy the free company-paid team lunch every Thursday. As a result, I've been to quite a few food joints that my husband hasn't tried yet. This list is to help us keep track of all the places we need to visit together.

🗹 A la Mode Pie

🗹 Al Basha Express

☐ Bali Bites food truck

🗹 bb.q Chicken

🗹 Blaze Gourmet Burger

🗹 Boteco Brasil

☐ Brazilliant Café

☐ Browns Socialhouse

🗹 Burger Crush

☐ Casereccio Foods

☐ Cafe Medina

☒ Chakra Indian Restaurant (closed)

☐ Dante Italian Sandwich

☒ Davie Dosa Company (closed)

☐ Devil's Elbow Ale and Smoke House

☐ Dingding Restaurant

☐ Disco Cheetah

🗹 Five Guys Burger & Fries

🗹 Gimme Coxinhas

🗹 Grand Chinese Restaurant

☐ Hawker's Delight

☐ H-Kitchen inside H-Mart

☐ Ignite Pizzeria

🗹 JINYA Ramen Bar

🗹 Jerusalem Shawarma

🗹 John 3:16 Malaysian Delights

🗹 Jollibee

🗹 La Taqueria Pinche Taco Shop

☐ Luca Restaurant

🗹 Meat & Bread

🗹 Memphis Blues BBQ House

☐ Nablus Shawarma & Grill

☐ Nando's

☐ Nene Chicken

🗹 New Town Bakery & Restaurant

☐ Original Joe's

🗹 Patrón Tacos & Cantina

☐ PAUL Le Café

☐ Peaked Pies

🗹 Pelicana Chicken

☐ Pho Georgia Express

☐ Pholicious

☐ Pokerrito

🗹 Rosemary Rocksalt

☐ Steve's Poke Bar

🗹 Straight Brooklyn Pizza

☒ Sushi UOmo (closed)

☐ Talay Thai Restaurant

🗹 Thai Away Home

🗹 Thai Express

☐ The Banter Room

☐ The Cambie Pub

☐ The Greek

🗹 The Old Spaghetti Factory

🗹 Tokyo in April

☐ Viet Sub Vietnamese Cuisine

☐ WA-Bagel

🗹 White Spot

☐ Yopo Sweet Mandarin

Pad Thai and Green Curry from Thai Away Home

Thai Away Home is our go-to Thai food source for company-paid team lunch, but my husband hasn't tried their delicious food. For lunch today, we went to City Square Shopping Centre with my parents.

Combo for 2 from Thai Away Home
Crispy wontons, green salad, hot and sour broth (not in photo), pad Thai, and green curry with jasmine white rice

Hubby and I got the combo for two, which came with crispy wontons, green salad, and hot and sour broth. Hubby chose the pad Thai while I went for my favorite green curry. We also shared Thai Iced Tea.

Air Fryer Peanut Butter Swirl Muffin/Cake

This recipe uses peanut butter and yogurt to create a moist and flavorful cake with a fun swirl. I'm posting it here so I can go back to this recipe later on when I want to bake it again.

• Yields: 4 muffins
• Prep time: 10 minutes
• Cook time: 15-20 minutes (depending on the model of your air fyer) I baked mine at 15 minutes

Ingredients:

For the muffins:

• 1 cup almond flour
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup yogurt
• 1/4 cup zero-calorie sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil or butter
• Optional: 1 tablespoon almond milk (if batter is too thick)

For the peanut butter swirl:

• 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon zero-calorie syrup (or more to taste)

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Pan: I greased my ramekin (perfect for the air fryer). Preheat your air fryer to 320°F (160°C).
2. Mix the Wet Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, yogurt, melted coconut oil (or butter), zero-calorie sweetener, and vanilla extract until smooth. 
3. Combine the Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, combine the almond flour and baking powder.
4. Make the Batter: Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just combined.
5. Create the Swirl: (Optional if your peanut butter is not smooth) In a separate small bowl, microwave the peanut butter and zero-calorie syrup for about 10-15 seconds until it's a pourable consistency. Stir until smooth.
6. Assemble and Bake: Pour the cake batter into your prepared pan or muffin cups. Dollop spoonfuls of the peanut butter mixture on top. Use a knife or a toothpick to gently swirl the peanut butter into the batter.
7. Air Fry: Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
8. Cool: Let the cake or muffins cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Pistachio Qottab, Pistachio & Berries Roll, and so much more from Bahar Bakery & Cafe

When I first tried Bahar early this year, my first thought was, "I'd love to bring my parents here." My dad loves coconut-based sweets while my mom enjoys pistachios. That dream came true today.

Coffee Date at Bahar Bakery & Cafe

I'm on annual leave, and my parents decided to attend the first Friday mass at Holy Rosary Cathedral. After Mass and lunch, I was finally able to bring them to Bahar.

Pistachio & Berries Roll from Bahar Bakery & Cafe

Pistachio & Cranberry Cookies from Bahar

We ordered everything I wanted them to try, and as I hoped, they enjoyed the treats and drinks. My dad loves sitting in coffee shops and people-watching, so we spent a few minutes doing that.

Tres Leches from Bahar Bakery & Cafe

Pistachio Qottab from Bahar Bakery & Cafe
An excellent replacement to the pistachio roll when it's sold out

It's a beautiful day. Thank God!

Below is a list of all sweets we have tried from Bahar so far.

• Double Chocolate Croissant
• Marble Cake
• Pistachio & Berries Roll
• Pistachio & Cranberry Cookie
• Pistachio Croissant
• Pistachio Qottab
• Tres Leches

Hot Stone Pho and Rice Noodle Beef Stew from Delicious Pho

The restaurant at 255 Robson Street has always been a pho spot, but it seems like they've changed names from Vietnamese Noodle House to Delicious Pho. Today, hubby and I met with my parents, and we had lunch at Delicious Pho because dad wanted it.

Hot Stone Pho from Delicious Pho

Hubby ordered the interesting and quite impressive Hot Stone Pho. I bet this will be perfect in winter so that your pho doesn't get too cold quickly. The array of meat and the chewy noodle is perfect. We shared and finished this one.

Beef Stew from Delicious Pho

I got the beef stew because I thought it would come with a bowl of rice. Instead, what I got is like a beef stew noodle soup. I'm not complaining because it's delicious, but I truly miss rice when it's covered by saucy beef stew.

It's always such a blessing to take the day off (I'm on annual leave today!) and spend time with my parents.

Montreal Smoked Meat Sandwich from Costco food court

Happy Thursday! After work, hubby and I went to do our usual Costco grocery run. Before that, we decided to indulge and try their Montreal Smoked Meat Sandwich.

Montreal Smoked Meat Sandwich from Costco food court

I love the Reuben sandwich, and when available, I try to get it. Costco's Montreal Smoked Meat Sandwich has similar tender meat between a bun and for $7.99, I think this is such a great deal!

Breakfast Platter from Nablus Shawarma & Grill

Happy Thursday! I love our company-paid team lunch, especially the chosen theme for each week. It's a great excuse to try new nearby restaurants and cuisine. This week, the competition winner chose Middle Eastern food, and our office in Vancouver ran with that decision and decided to try the relatively newly opened Nablus Shawarma & Grill.

The evening before, I sent Gemini a copy of their menu and asked which dish I should order (i.e., the best one from the region). Nablus is a Palestinian restaurant (according to their website), and I haven't been to one before.

Gemini said to order the Nablus Breakfast Platter (Foul, Hummus, Falafel) for a well-rounded and authentic Palestinian breakfast/brunch experience. I followed AI and ordered it.

Nablus Breakfast Platter from Nablus Shawarma & Grill
A hearty combination of foul (fava bean stew), hummus, 4 pieces of falafel, served with fresh pita bread, pickles, and olive oil

I absolutely love their falafel. It's crispy and extremely flavourful; I dare say it's the best one in Downtown Vancouver. My previous favourite was the one from Döner Kebab in Kitsilano.

The hummus and foul (fava bean stew) were generously covered with olive oil, which felt greasy, but I can never say no to a creamy hummus. The fava bean stew is new to me, and since I have zero idea what it should taste like, I can't say if it's any good. I'm not a fan of it, though.

I usually don't order drinks from restaurants but needed to try Laban Ayran, which is a yogurt-based drink. It was tart and, well, it tastes like yogurt. I'm unsure what else they added to it, but it's great as a palate cleanser.

Will I come back to Nablus? Yes, and I'll try their Saj next time!

Spinach and Egg sandwich from lovelarte

Happy Thursday! For breakfast today, I'm having a 1:1 with my colleague. Before that meeting, we grabbed breakfast from Lovelarte. I chose the Spinach and Egg sandwich inside an English Muffin.

Spinach and Egg sandwich from lovelarte

It's delicious warmed up with the English muffin being slightly toasted. It's the perfect healthy breakfast, albeit slightly more expensive than my usual Thursday Tims.

Too Good To Go: Doughlightful Bag from Tim Hortons

Happy Sunday! It's our first time using the Too Good To Go app, and we decided to buy from Tim Hortons at 10:18 AM to see what the Doughlightful Bag contained. It cost $4.99.

The bag contained:

• 1x Blueberry muffin - $2.19
• 1x Chocolate chip muffin - $2.19
• 1x Chocolate chip cookie - $1.69
• 1x Chocolate croissant - $2.49
• 1x Cheese croissant - $2.49
• 1x Honey cruller donut - $1.69
• 4x Honey Glazed Timbits - $0.39 x 4 = $1.56

Doughlightful Bag from Tim Hortons

The value is worth it, and I don't think these items are from yesterday because I saw the employee get them from the display case. I'm a happy camper and will order again near closing time to see if I'll get more.

Meat Lovers Plate from Jerusalem Shawarma

Thursday is the ultimate cheat day. For dinner today, hubby and I went to Jerusalem Shawarma and it was packed! We ordered and shared the meat lovers plate.

It's too much food for one person! It came with so many things it's honestly overwhelming. It has rice and garlic potatoes for carbohydrates, salad topped with pita crackers to make you feel healthy, creamy hummus for extra flavor, and protein in the form of beef donair, chicken shawarma, and beef shawarma. All flavorful and delicious.

Meat Lovers Plate from Jerusalem Shawarma
Chicken shawarma, beef shawarma, and beef donair laid on a bed of rice and garlic potatoes alongside salad and hummus

Below is a list of platters I have tried from here and will continue to update this list.

• Meat Lovers Plate
• Vegetarian Plate

Marble Cake from Bahar Bakery & Cafe

After Thursday's team lunch, it's become a habit for us to grab sweets from Bahar. Since our favorite Pistachio Rolls were already sold out, I opted for the marble cake and enjoyed it with iced French vanilla in the office.

Marble Cake from Bahar Bakery & Cafe

The marble cake had a hint of pistachio, probably because it was sitting next to other pistachio treats. It wasn't overly sweet and was perfectly moist. I enjoyed it.

Below is a list of treats I've tried from there that I've blogged about. I've tried more, but I always forget to take photos for blogging.

• Double Chocolate Croissant
• Marble Cake
• Pistachio Croissant

Traditional Brazilian Rice and Beans Plate from Brazilliant Café

Happy Thursday! For team lunch today, the theme is Brazilian cuisine. Luckily, Braziliant Café is nearby! We ordered online at around 10:00 AM for pickup at 1:00 PM, and when we arrived at the restaurant, it was packed! Don't get me wrong, it's a tiny spot, but we're still pleasantly surprised at how many people were there.

I ordered the Traditional Brazilian Rice and Beans Plate with top sirloin cap beef because Gemini recommended it when I asked which one to try. The beef was perfectly seasoned and worked so well with the rice, beans, and vinagrete (tomato, onion, and parsley). I also used all the toasted farofa (cassava flour) for crunch. It was perfect.

Traditional Brazilian Rice and Beans Plate (small)
Rice, beans, fries, farofa (cassave flour), vinagrete (tomato, onions, and parsleys), and beef (top sirloin cap)

We enjoyed our lunch in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery under the summer heat.

Below is a list of dishes I have tried from Braziliant:

• Brigadeiros (chocolate, coconut, coffee, and dulce de leche)
• Codfish Croquette (bolinho de bacalhau)
• Pão de queijo with ham and cheese
• Traditional Brazilian Rice and Beans Plate

Curry Beef and Beef Teriyaki from Teriyaki Express food truck

Happy Wednesday! We're at English Bay Beach to enjoy the fireworks display during the Celebration of Lights from Team Quebec. For dinner, I chose the Teriyaki Express food truck because we haven't tried it yet. I chose the beef curry while hubby wanted beef teriyaki, both on rice. 

The beef curry came with ground beef, which was surprising, but the curry sauce had that deep flavor that I expect from a beef-based sauce.

Curry Beef from Teriyaki Express food truck

Hubby's beef teriyaki was disappointing. The beef pieces were tough and there was barely any sauce. I should have convinced him to choose the tempura teriyaki.

Beef Teriyaki from Teriyaki Express food truck

There are plenty of food trucks at the Celebration of Lights, and choosing one is always challenge.

List of Food Trucks in Greater Vancouver Area | Checklist

Below is a list of food trucks in Vancouver, BC Canada. This is not a comprehensive list and if you want to add your food truck here, please send me a message in Instragram.

List of Food Trucks in Vancouver
Food Truck	Enjoyment Date	Event
A
🔲 Acai Dude
☑️ Aloha Poke	July 24, 2024	Honda Celebration of Lights
🔲 Aperitivo Truck
☑️ Ay Mamacita!	August 14, 2022	Thank Granville Its Food trucks
B
☑️ B&B Concessions: Gourmet Burgers and Fries	July 1, 2023	Canada Together at Canada Place
🔲 B&B Concessions: Crepes
☑️ Bali Bites	July 11, 2024	Team Lunch
🔲 Baba's House
☑️ Bao Buns	April 28, 2023	Richmond Night Market
🔲 Bara Bara Trini Street Food
☑️ Bao Buns	August 5, 2023	Vancouver Night Market
☑️ Baja's Food	July 17, 2021	Thank Granville Its Food Trucks 2021
☑️ Beavertails	July 10, 2021	Thank Granville Its Food Trucks 2021
🔲 Betty's Greek Honey Ballz
🔲 Big Chip Truck
🔲 Big Red's Poutine
🔲 Bistro Van
☑️ Boca'O	June 11, 2022	Thank Granville Its Food Trucks 2022
🔲 Booster Juice
☑️ Boteco Brasil	October 1, 2023	BC Culture Days: Flavours of Fall
🔲 Bread and Cheese
☑️ Brownie Bakers	July 16, 2021	Thank Granville Its Food Trucks 2021
☑️ Burger Holic	June 11, 2023	RBC Run for the Kids 2023
C
☑️ Camion Cafe	September 16, 2023	Car Free Day: Main Street
🔲 Cannoli King
🔲 Cazba
🔲 Chickpea
🔲 Chou Chou Crepes
🔲 Come Arepa
☑️ Corn Dog King	August 28, 2022	PNE Fair
☑️ Crack On	July 31, 2021	Thank Granville Its Food Trucks 2021
☑️ Cravings Kettle Corn	July 1, 2022	Canada Day at Canada Place
☑️ Crema Ice Cream & Desserts	July 29, 2021	Thank Granville Its Food Trucks 2021
🔲 Cuba Street Food
🔲 Cultivate Food Truck
D
🔲 Disco Cheetah Korean Grill
☑️ Dim Sum Express	July 9, 2022	The Khatsahlano Street Party
☑️ Dos Amigos Tex-Mex	July 2, 2021	Thank Granville Its Food Trucks 2021
🔲 Double Decker Diner
E
🔲 Egg Blanket
🔲 English Bay Mini Donuts
F
☑️ Food Daddy Persian Cuisine	August 21, 2021	Thank Granville Its Food Trucks 2021
🔲 Fijian Fusion
🔲 Footlong Freakk Fries
☑️ The Frying Pan	September 24, 2023	Car Free Day Denman Street (at their restaurant)
🔲 Fusion Icy
G
🔲 G's Donair
H
🔲 Henry’s Hip Eats
🔲 Holi Masala
☑️ Holy Smokes	July 14, 2023	corner of West Broadway and Granville Street
☑️ Hugs Mini Donuts	July 9, 2022	Thank Granville Its Food Trucks 2022
🔲 Hunky Bills Perogies
🔲 Hurricane Potato
I
☑️ Indish	June 12, 2022	RBC Run for the Kids 2022
🔲 Innocent Ice Cream
🔲 International Perogies
🔲 Its All About Grill
J
☑️ Jamaican Mi Juicy	August 19, 2023	PNE Fair
☑️ Japadog	December 24, 2021	at Lansdowne Parking Lot
☑️ The Jerk Shack	July 2, 2022	Thank Granville Its Food Trucks 2022
🔲 JJ's Hot Cobs
🔲 JJ's Trucketeria
🔲 Juicy Green Express Inc.
🔲 Just in Time
K
☑️ Kampong - Taste of Malaysia	July 5, 2025	The Khatsahlano Street Party
☑️ Kona Ice	July 9, 2022	The Khatsahlano Street Party
☑️ KYU Grill	July 2, 2021	Thank Granville Its Food Trucks 2021
L
☑️ La Callejera Mexican Street Food	June 25, 2022	Thank Granville Its Food Trucks 2022
🔲 La Selia Catering
☑️ La Taqueria	June 1, 2021	near Vancouver Art Gallery
🔲 Lee's Donuts
🔲 Lemon Heaven
🔲 Lilac Pastry
☑️ Little Devils Wood Fire Pizza	July 30, 2023	Honda Celebration of Lights
🔲 Little Ooties Mini Donuts
🔲 Los Tacos Hermanos
🔲 Lucente's Osteria
☑️ Lucha Libre Truck	May 5, 2024	BMO Vancouver Marathon
M
🔲 The Mad Greek
☑️ Mama's Fish and Chips	July 31, 2021	Thank Granville Its Food Trucks 2021
☑️ Mahshiko	July 3, 2022	Thank Granville Its Food Trucks 2022
🔲 Marhaba Lebanese Food
🔲 Master Chef's Kabob House
☑️ Max's Restaurant food truck	December 11, 2021	"Maligayang Pasko, Vancouver!"
🔲 Meet2Eat
🔲 Melt City Grilled Cheese
🔲 The Mini Donut Factory
☑️ Miss Siam	August 27, 2020	corner of West Broadway and Birch Street
☑️ MJ's Caribbean Cuisine	June 11, 2022	Riley Park Summer Farmers Market
🔲 Mo Bacon Truck
☑️ Mom's Grilled Cheese Truck	June 12, 2021	Thank Granville Its Food Trucks 2021
☑️ Mr. Arancino	July 3, 2021	Thank Granville Its Food Trucks 2021
🔲 Mr. Donair
🔲 Mr. Frosty Ice Cream
☑️ Mr. Pretzels	July 29, 2023	Celebration of Lights
☑️ Mr. Shawarma	August 6, 2022	Robson Square
🔲 Mr. Taco
☑️ Mr. Tube Steak	June 3, 2023	corner of West Georgia and Granville Street
☑️ Munchu Picchu	June 5, 2022	Thank Granville Its Food Trucks 2022
N
🔲 Namaste Food Lovers
🔲 NaMi Vietnamese
🔲 Noona's Cucina
O
🔲 Odd Burger
🔲 Old Country Pierogy
☑️ Overland Sandwich	June 4, 2022	Thank Granville Its Food Trucks 2022
P
☑️ Praguery Ice Cream and Chimney Cakes	December 14, 2022	PNE Winter Fair
☑️ Planted	May 7, 2023	BMO Vancouver Marathon Street Festival
☑️ Potato Corner	December 16, 2023	"Maligayang Pasko, Vancouver!"
🔲 Pretty Good Sandwiches
R
☑️ Rain or Shine Ice Cream Truck	July 8, 2023	Khatsahlano Street Party
🔲 Ragazzi Pizza Co
☑️ REEL Mac and Cheese	June 26, 2021	Thank Granville Its Food Trucks 2021
☑️ Rice Bowls Paradise	August 28, 2022	PNE Fair
🔲 Rocky Point Ice Cream
🔲 Rolled West Coast
☑️ Roasted Revolution	August 28, 2022	PNE Fair
☑️ Rosie's BBQ and Smokehouse	July 17, 2021	Thank Granville Its Food Trucks 2021
🔲 Rosie's Curry & Spice Kitchen
🔲 Rotato Potato
S
☑️ SAJetarian	June 25, 2021	Thank Granville Its Food Trucks 2021
🔲 Saltspring Noodle Bar
☑️ Salty's Lobster Shack	July 9, 2021	Thank Granville Its Food Trucks 2021
☑️ Say Hello Sweets	July 3, 2021	Thank Granville Its Food Trucks 2021
☑️ Shameless Buns	July 16, 2021	Thank Granville Its Food Trucks 2021
☑️ Shawarma Time	September 16, 2023	Car Free Day: Main Street
🔲 Sirius Craving
🔲 Slavic Rolls
🔲 Smoking Hot Donair
🔲 Steamworks Food Truck
🔲 Steve-O's Deep-Fried Sweets & Treats
🔲 Steve-O's Fried Chicken
🔲 Streetdogs
☑️ Super Thai	June 11, 2021	Thank Granville Its Food Trucks 2021
🔲 Sweet Avenue Bakery
T
☑️ Taco'N Todo	September 23, 2023	Culture Days at Pacific Arts Market
☑️ Taco Nori Sushi Tacos	September 2, 2022	Richmond Night Market
☑️ Taco Tigre	May 10, 2024	The Shipyards Night Market
🔲 Tacosaurus Vancouver
☑️ Takenaka	July 3, 2022	Thank Granville Its Food Trucks 2022
☑️ TAPS and TACOS	September 4, 2023	Car Free Day: Denman Street
🔲 Teapressu
🔲 Teriyaki Boys
☑️ Teriyaki Express	July 23, 2025	Honda Celebration of Lights
🔲 ThaiBox on Truck
🔲 Tin Lizzy Concessions: Best Grilled Cheese & Poutine
☑️ Tin Lizzy Concessions: Fishn' Chips & Chicken Tenders	July 1, 2022	Canada Day at Canada Place
🔲 Tin Lizzy Concessions: Mini Donuts
🔲 Tochi
☑️ Tokyo Katsu Sand	June 19, 2022	Thank Granville Its Food Trucks 2022
☑️ Tornado Potato	July 17, 2021	Thank Granville Its Food Trucks 2021
🔲 Truckin’ BBQ
🔲 Twisted Potato
U
🔲 Urban Wood Fired Pizza
V
🔲 Via Tevere Il Saltimbocca
W
🔲 Wak Wak Burger
🔲 Wings Outdoor Grill
Y
🔲 Yardie Grill Jamaican Cuisine
☑️ Yo-Bones BBQ	July 10, 2021	Thank Granville Its Food Trucks 2021