Smooch Food: Love Letters to Every Bite

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!

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 wi...

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.

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.

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

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

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 Vancouv...

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.

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 ...

Sarap! After Mass today, we took a walk. In my head, I wanted to go to Surrey for the Filipino Fiesta Extravaganza for Filipino food. When we reached Commercial Drive (after walking from Maple Street along West Broadway ), we did a quick Google search just to confirm if it was still in the same location. To my horror, hubby found out that it had been postponed. Since I still wanted Filipino food, we walked north from Broadway to Kulinarya Filipino Eatery to get my Filipino food fix. Since it was lunch time, we were able to order from the available rice combo meals. I went for vegan kare-kar e. It's a peanut sauce-based stew that's creamy, rich, and goes exceptionally well with rice. Since it's vegan, it came with bok choy, eggplant, and green beans. The usual version comes with beef, but I have always preferred the meatless version. I asked for bagoong (fermented fish or shrimp paste) for an additional umami bomb. It's perfect. I dare...

Happy Thursday! Today's team lunch theme is pizza, and we decided to try something new by walking to Ignite Pizzeria at their Yaletown location. I went for the 10-inch (personal size) Masala Magic. Masala Magic  from Ignite Pizzeria Tandoori sauce, mozzarella, spinach, red onion, garlic, and mixed mushroom The tandoori sauce had a subtle flavor that played so well with the earthy mushroom and sharp onion. I really enjoyed it, but I'm excited to work my way through their pizza menu to find my favorite. Masala Magic  from Ignite Pizzeria Tandoori sauce, mozzarella, spinach, red onion, garlic, and mixed forest mushrooms After we'd devoured our pizza, I couldn't resist getting their tiramisu, which was heavenly and the perfect ending to a busy day (I ate it at home after dinner with...

It's a scorching hot and sunny Tuesday. Instead of cooking at home, I asked my hubby if we could have dinner outside. He agreed, so I made him a little list of restaurants I tried as part of my company-paid team lunch that he has not yet tried. One of those places is Burger Crush. Cheeseburger  from Burger Crush Hand-pressed beef patty Hubby went for a single cheeseburger, which was absolutely mouthwatering. The juicy tender beef between the soft bun was covered in melty cheese. Then, you get those fresh tomatoes and lettuce. It's a classic delicious burger. Vegan Cheeseburger  from Burger Crush House-made vegan patty served with vegan cheeseon a vegan bun Meanwhile, I went for the Vegan Cheeseburger. It has the same fresh tomatoes and lettuce as the beef cheeseburger. However, the soft buns and melted ch...

Happy Tuesday! There's a scheduled power outage at our home, so hubby is with me in Downtown Vancouver. For breakfast, we grabbed our usual Tims, but the star is really stopping by and enjoying pastries from Bahar Bakery & Cafe. They have become my favorite source for treats. Pistachio Croissant  from Bahar Bakery & Cafe Hubby insisted that I take a picture and blog about them. I highly recommend their Pistachio Roll. It's the best. I have tried many of their baked goods, and I always go back to it. For today, we went for their croissants: pistachio and double chocolate. Double Chocolate Croissant  from Bahar Bakery & Cafe They're both good, but I'll always go back to the pistachio roll.

I've been craving ice cream in a waffle cone since yesterday. So, after having lunch at home and taking a little rest, we stepped out to grab some ice cream from the Purdys Chocolatier nearby. Dutch Chocolate Ice Cream  from Purdys Chocolatier I opted for a scoop of the Dutch Chocolate, while hubby went for cookies and cream. Oops, we forgot to take a photo(!) which means we can try again next time.  I absolutely love their waffle cone dipped in dark chocolate covered in nuts. Here's a list of ice cream flavors we've tried from Purdys: Dutch Chocolate Espresso Flake French Vanilla Maple Walnut

Happy Sunday! This morning, as part of our breakfast routine, we indulged in a Camp Day Donut. While I'd like to think I'm being kind and altruistic by supporting the fundraiser, the truth is, I'll try any new donut from Tim Hortons. Camp Day Donut  from Tim Hortons

Happy Thursday! For dinner, we stopped by Basil Pasta Bar. It's our first time eating in the restaurant since we always have their food delivered. Spaghetti & Meatballs  from Basil Pasta Bar Spicy rose sauce with 6 meatballs, mushrooms, tomatoes, red onions & spinach. Garnished with mozzarella cheese. Spaghetti & Meatballs  from Basil Pasta Bar Spicy rose sauce with 6 meatballs, mushrooms, tomatoes, red onions & spinach. Garnished with mozzarella cheese. I went for the Spaghetti & Meatballs  while hubby chose the Coconut Cream Ravioli . Coconut Cream Ravioli  from Basil Pasta Bar Coconut cream sauce with chicken, mushrooms, asparagus, red onions & peas. Garnished with coconut flakes & fresh ba...

Happy Thursday! Today's team lunch theme is Chinese food, and we decided to try out the nearby Dingding Restaurant. In an effort to make healthier choices, I opted for the lunch special: Crispy Tofu with Mixed Vegetables over rice . Crispy Tofu with Mix Vegetables over rice  from Dingding Restaurant

After having brunch at Tap & Barrel Bridges, we walked inside Granville Island Public Market for sweets. There were plenty of options to choose from, and we went for the classic: Lee's Donuts. We ordered three different flavours for $10.00. I'm a simple person. I liked and enjoyed my sugar donut and forgot to take a photo. 🤦‍♀️ We also tried the purple coconut ube donut and the green matcha cheesecake donut. Ube Coconut Donut  from Lee's Donuts The cake donut itself is great and moist, but both frostings have nothing to give flavour-wise. They're just sweet and colourful. No coconut or matcha flavour. Matcha Cheesecake Donut  from Lee's Donuts I'm sticking to my usual sugar donut moving forward!

Happy Sunday! Today, we continued our annual tradition of celebrating one of our many relationship milestones with a delicious brunch at Tap and Barrel Bridges. As usual, we started our meal with an order of nachos to share. Nachos  from Tap and Barrel Bridges Cumin-dusted tortilla chips, cheddar, feta, smoked mozzarella, pickled jalapeños, black olives, pico de gallo, green onion, cilantro, and sour cream My hubby indulged in the Double Bacon Benny, which was absolutely delicious. Even though I'm not usually a big fan of bacon, I have to admit that this dish was something I'd definitely order again. Double Bacon Benny  from Tap and Barrel Bridges Bacon, Bacon jam, poached aggs, Cajun spice, hollandaise, English muffin, garlic mayo, and micro greens with crispy potatoes On ...

It was a beautiful, hot summer day when we grabbed ice cream from Rain or Shine before walking home from Khatsahlano. My favorite, coffee toffee, was a delightful treat as always. Coffee Toffee  from Rain or Shine Ice Cream Meanwhile, hubby tried the vegan chocolate peanut crunch, which had a strong coconut flavor, likely due to the coconut milk used instead of milk. Vegan Chocolate Peanut Crunch  from Rain or Shine Ice Cream Although it was still good, my coffee ice cream in a waffle cone was absolutely amazing. Below is a list of Rain or Shine ice cream flavors we have tried so far. The Keepers Coffee Toffee Salted Caramel Vegan Chocolate Peanut Crunch Seasonal Flavours Hot Honey Crunch Key Lime Pie