Sashimi Bento Box and more from Sushi Den

Thursday's dinner was a spontaneous stop at Sushi Den near International Village Mall.

Sashimi Bento from Sushi Den
Tempura (3 pieces), sashimi (tuna 2 pieces & salmon 3 pieces), wakame, miso, agedashi tofu (4 pieces), tuna roll (6 pieces)

My hubby went for the Sashimi Bento Box, which is a fantastic mix of miso soup, wakame, tempura, salmon and tuna sashimi, tuna roll, and agadashi tofu.

House Roll (12 pieces) from Sushi Den
In: Stuffed prawn, mayo, crab meat, carrot, lettuce, mango, and cucumber
Top: Tempura, crumb, masago, and house sauce

I, on the other hand, opted for a mix-and-match approach. I ordered the House Roll (prawns, mayo, crab meat, carrot, lettuce, mango, and cucumber, topped with tempura crumbs, masago, and house sauce) from the Special Rolls section, along with my usual tako yaki and chicken karaage.

Tako Yaki (5 pieces) from Sushi Den

The House Roll was a satisfying and generous portion of 12 pieces. The tako yaki was pretty standard, but the chicken karaage had a unique twist. It was drizzled in sauce, giving it a South Korean fried chicken vibe, which was a bit unexpected in a Japanese restaurant.

Chicken Karage (6 pieces) from Sushi Den

Overall, Sushi Den is a great spot for a relatively affordable meal if you're craving some fresh fish.

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)

☐ Chit Chat Burger Bar

☐ Dante Italian Sandwich

☒ Davie Dosa Company (closed)

☐ Devil's Elbow Ale and Smoke House

☐ Dingding Restaurant

☐ Disco Cheetah

☐ El Compadre (part of Club Kitchen)

🗹 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

Al Pastor Taco from El Compadre

Happy Thursday! I won the weekly team competition this week and got to pick the theme for the company-paid weekly team lunch for all our three offices. I chose Mexican because I really want to try Club Kitchen's new spot: El Compadre. I ordered their Al Pastor Taco, which is what I enjoyed during my trip to Mexico last June. I'm pleased to share that it satisfied my cravings.

Pastor Tacos
3 tacos (double tortilla) full of al pastor with green salsa on the side, pineapple, cilantro / onion, and lime

While the pork is not quite at par with the texture and cut I ate in CDMX, their corn tortilla is exactly the same. It was perfect. I topped my taco with cilantro and onion and squeezed lime over it, then dipped it in salsa before taking a bite. Heaven! Can't wait to give their other options a try.

Vegetarian Breakfast Wrap and Matcha Latte from Artigiano Telus Garden

Good morning! I have a one-on-one with my team today, and before the meeting, we grabbed breakfast at Artigiano in Telus Garden.

Vegetarian Breakfast Wrap from Artigiano in Telus Garden

I had the Vegetarian Breakfast Wrap, which was a delightful surprise. The starchy potatoes and soft eggs were a perfect combination. I also tried their matcha latte, which was sweetened just right with a subtle hint of tea bitterness.

Matcha Latte from Artigiano Telus Garden

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the wrap, as we usually go to Lovelarte for breakfast. I'm eager to try more of their menu options in the future.

Where Have You Bean! Vegetarian Burger from Chit Chat Burger Bar

Happy Wednesday! Our company had a mini golf team event today, and afterward, we grabbed dinner at Chit Chat Burger Bar. I went for the only vegetarian option on the menu: the Where Have You Bean! burger.

Where Have Your Bean! Vegetarian Burger from Chit Chat Burger Bar
4oz home-made bean patty, brioche bun, green leaf lettuce, cucumber, cheese, caramelized onions, ketchup, and garlic aioli

As you might expect from the name, it's a bean-centric burger. The patty has a mushy texture and, well, tastes like beans. But I rather enjoyed it since I'm a fan of beans.

Where Have Your Bean! Vegetarian Burger from Chit Chat Burger Bar

I'll definitely be back to try their other burgers with my hubby next time.

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

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