Lunch at Pagliacci's

It's my mom's 60th birthday, and it's Father's Day weekend; that's why my siblings and I planned a long weekend (3 days, 2 nights) trip to Victoria, BC. It's our parents' first time travelling outside of Metro Vancouver since migrating to Canada, so this is an important trip for them. It's also my first time at Victoria, BC, so yay!

After a delicious breakfast at Q At The Empress, we went to The Butchart Gardens then the Hatley Castle. By the time we're back in Downtown Victoria, it's past 2:00 PM, and I am starving. We planned to have lunch at Pagliacci's, and that's where we went.

The patio at Pagliacci's on a beautiful sunny day.

Honestly, Victoria is such a delicious city (meaning a lot of amazing restaurants). I thought Barb's Fish and Chips yesterday was going to be the highlight of the trip, then I tried Pagliacci's pasta, and I just can't stop grinning from ear to ear.

Focaccia

Let's talk about the free bread they give out while waiting for your order. It's fluffy yet chewy - it's so delicious, and only after doing a Google search did I find out that it's Focaccia. The only reason I am familiar with the term is because a mobile restaurant game I played has focaccia on the menu. But this is the first time I am trying it, and I can't believe how good it is. The focaccia is such a great way to start the meal.

Focaccia from Pagliacci's

The Previews

Deciding which appetizer to get is so difficult when there's a lot of options. We thought of ordering Ocean's Eleven, but hubby said that according to Google Maps, the Crab Cakes are popular, plus I wanted to try Minnesota Fats (risotto), so instead of Ocean's Eleven, we got both crab cakes and crispy risotto balls.

Edgar Allan Poe's Crab Cakes and Minnesota Fats

Edgar Allan Poe's Crab Cakes

The Crab Cakes is amazing! To be fair, I don't remember having a memorable crab cake, and this is packed with A LOT of crabs - none of those extenders.

Edgar Allan Poe's Crab Cakes
Dungeness & rock crab, panko, and lemon aioli

Admire the shredded crabs

Minnesota Fats

Meanwhile, I prefer the Minnesota Fats as is (no marinara sauce). The outside was crispy, while the inside is creamy and cheesy. It's the perfect combination.

The marinara sauce was perfect for the focaccia.

Minnesota Fats
Crispy risotta rice, asiago & mozzarella cheese balls, marinara sauce 

Look at the cheesy goodness inside.

Minnesota Fats topped with marinara sauce.

The Pasta

Hubby relied on Google Maps to see what people are saying, and he got the lasagna while I know what I want - I am turning into a seafood in white sauce monster. 😂 At any restaurant that specializes in pasta, I order the one with seafood in a cream-based sauce.

Dempsey's Lasagna

It arrived at our table pippin' hot. The cheese was melted, and it's truly beefy.

Dempsey's Lasagna
AAA Angus beef, mushroom, ricotta & mozzarella cheeses, marinara

Layers upon layers of beef and cheese

Sophia

This is the best dish I have had in Victoria, BC, so far. The next time I come back to Victoria, I will come back here and order this again.

Sophia
Canadian Dungeness & rock crab, shrimp, white wine cream sauce, smoked salmon, fettuccine

The Sophia is LOADED with seafood. The white wine cream sauce is not too heavy like Olive Garden. It's much better than the one from Vancouver Fish Co. in Granville Island, and it doesn't even deserve to be compared to the seafood pasta dish from Bridges Restaurant.

As you know by now, on a normal day, I would order desserts. But by the time we're finished with our meal, we're food coma. I haven't been this food coma in a long time.

I am already looking forward to the next time I come back to Pagliacci's.

Breakfast at Q At The Empress

It's my mom's 60th birthday, and it's Father's Day weekend; that's why my siblings and I planned a long weekend (3 days, 2 nights) trip to Victoria, BC. It's our parents' first time travelling outside of Metro Vancouver since migrating to Canada, so this is an important trip for them. It's also my first time in Victoria, BC, so yay!

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It's our second day in Victoria, BC. Hubby and I are staying at the historic Fairmont The Empress. I chose a room with a harbour view, and I love it. For breakfast today, we decided to enjoy a meal at Q At The Empress.

Q represents Queen - essentially, it's saying Queen at The Empress. We went down to the restaurant shortly after 7:30 in the morning, and there are a couple of occupied tables already. 

I honestly miss what I will call the "hotel life." Once upon a time in the year 2014, I would travel for work and would stay at hotels for a week at a time in some places a couple weeks even, and I miss having someone else clean the room and serve me breakfast.

Anyway, we ordered three items from the Favourites section of their Breakfast Menu.

Free Run Farm Fresh Eggs

Hubby ordered the Free Run Farm Fresh Eggs with a choice of bacon and whole wheat toast.

Free Run Farm Fresh Eggs
Bacon, crispy potatoes, roasted tomatoes, and Portofino toast

Classic Eggs Benedict

I thought of getting their PNW Benedict, but it doesn't have salmon, and I am a sucker for salmon benny.

Classic Eggs Benedict
Back bacon, poached eggs, hollandaise, and crispy potatoes

Runny egg yolks mixing with the hollandaise

Buttermilk Pancakes

The pancake was thin and so soft. I think this specific pancake converted me. In the forever duel between Pancakes VS Waffles - my younger sister and I are Team Waffles, while our only brother and youngest sister are Team Pancakes. The Pancakes from Q At The Empress changes my preference. It's making me Team Pancakes.

Buttermilk Pancakes
3 pieces buttermilk pancakes served with Canadian maple syrup, fresh berries, and butter

It's also my first time trying Blueberry Compote, and it's so good. How am I missing this all my life? I keep hearing compote from watching Food Network, but trying it with the pancakes here is such an amazing experience. I will dare to say I prefer it over syrup.

We also ordered drinks. Hubby had their Latte while I had Homemade Hot Chocolate.

Is breakfast worth it at Q At The Empress?

It's definitely pricey, and I have learned from my younger sister that Victoria, BC is a brunch city, so there are A LOT of places with great breakfast/brunch menus. It's worth a try at least once, but it's not something I would go back to over and over again - except maybe for those pancakes.

Trip to Victoria, BC: Lunch from Triple O

It's my mom's 60th birthday, and it's Father's Day weekend; that's why my siblings and I planned a long weekend (3 days, 2 nights) trip to Victoria, BC. It's our parents' first time travelling outside of Metro Vancouver since migrating to Canada, so this is an important trip for them. It's also my first time at Victoria, BC, so yay!

We boarded Spirit of Vancouver Island from Vancouver (Tsawwassen) at 1:00 PM. After exploring the ferry (since it's our first time), we grabbed lunch from the café area. I'm pleasantly surprised that their menu is mostly Triple O's and White Spot food items. I am a fan of both chains, and since they're BC brands I am happy to see them available on the ferry.

Hubby and I ordered a West Coast Salmon Burger from the White Spot menu and exchanged the French fries with Sweet Potato Fries and got the delicious Triple O Chipotle Mayo dip.

West Coast Salmon Burger
Wild Pacific Sockeye salmon fillet with pickled onions, tartar sauce, arugula, tomatoes & mayo

This burger made me realize that I love Wild Pacific Sockeye salmon. It's nice to have it documented so that given a choice, it's the one I will pick in the future.

Sweet Potato Fries
Cajun seasoned and oh so crispy. Our sweet potato fries go perfectly with our signature Chipotle mayo.

I love the signature Chipotle mayo the Sweet Potato Fries comes with a bit of heat. It's delicious.

Can't wait to see what food adventures we'll have in Victoria!

Matcha Cheesecake from Trees Cheesecake + Organic Coffee

Happy Sunday! It's been cloudy with random rain showers all day. However, we have to play Pokemon GO outside because it's Community Day. After an hour of standing near VSB Park, we decided to hang out at nearby Trees Cheesecake + Organic Coffee.

Matcha Cheesecake and Matcha Latte

Best Matcha Cheesecake in Vancouver

In general, I am not a fan of cheesecake. However, the Matcha Cheesecake from Trees is changing my opinion of cheesecakes. It's so creamy and not overly sweet. We paired it with Matcha Latte which was bitter. I love matcha so much.

Matcha Cheesecake from Trees Cheesecake + Organic Coffee

Matcha Latte from Trees Cheesecake + Organic Coffee

Matcha Cheesecake from Trees Cheesecake + Organic Coffee

It's so fun to hang out at Trees. We were seated outside and were just car watching while playing Pokemon GO. The sound of rain is such a relaxing background sound. Thank God for moments like this.

Lunch at RedBeef Noodle Kitchen

I have been eating Redbeef every month this year (given - it's only February). We went to Costco today and I asked my parents where they want to eat and my dad LOVES Redbeef Noodle Kitchen. I treat my parents to restaurants I love in Vancouver and Redbeef is the only one that my dad loves (others are so-so for him).

Of course, I am more than happy to treat them to delicious food and spend quality time.

Chicken Cutlet Rice

One thing you should know about me by now is I am consistent with the food I order from my favourite restaurants. As expected, I ordered my favourite Chicken Cutlet Rice and a side of salt & pepper popcorn chicken.

Spicy Beef Noodle Soup

My brother ordered the Spicy Beef Noodle Soup. The meat looks tender and the noodles has a nice bite and texture, but the soup doesn't penetrate the noodles as much.

Pan-fried Beef Wraps

The Pan-Fried Beef Wrap is my mom's favourite so I got two orders to make sure we'll be able to eat some. Last time she finished the whole thing! That's how much she loves it.

Salt and Pepper Popcorn Chicken

Be kind. Be calm. Be patient. Stay safe and when you can, support local businesses.

Christmas Lunch Date at Vancouver Fish Co.

Merry Christmas! We're going to pick-up our Yule Log cake from the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts at 1:00 PM. We left our home at 11:30 AM so we can grab lunch at Go Fish. Unfortunately, I think they're closed. I told hubby that we should have lunch at Vancouver Fish Co. We've been here before but never together. When he used to work nearby, his team would almost always have their team lunch here. I've been here maybe twice for work meetings as well.

Anyway, today it's just me and hubby celebrating life, love, and all the blessings today (a day before Christmas).

We started our meal with drinks and a bowl of soup.

A couple iced tea for drinks

West Coast Seafood Chowder

The first spoonful of the chowder was disappointing, but I like it more as I eat more. As I bite into the different flavours and textures of the different fresh seafood, bacon, and veggies, it warms up the soul. Is that too metaphorical? It was cold outside, so the seafood chowder is like a warm hug.

Seafood Linguini
Local seafood, prawns, mussels, sundried-tomato cream sauce, and parmesan

I am surprised at how much I enjoyed the Seafood Linguini. It's so much better than the Seafood Penne from Bridges Restaurant! I kinda wished I didn't have to share it with hubby, but it's Christmas, and even though the serving looked small, it's satisfying.

Halibut BLT

Halibut BLT
Local halibut, bacon, lettuce, tomato, mayo, sourdough, and fries

Each component of the sandwich is delicious, but together it didn't work for me. The bread was perfectly buttered, while the BLT portion is delicious (it's a delicious BLT sandwich). The halibut was grilled and delicious on its own, but somehow it doesn't work with everything else. On the other hand, the french fries were perfect.

What will I order again?

Definitely the Seafood Linguini and Chowder. I don't recommend the Halibut BLT and Fish 'n' Chips.

Lunch at Suika

Suika is my favourite restaurant in Vancouver and primarily because of the Signature Beef Curry with Tonkatsu. It's the best one I have tried in the city.

Today is probably the last time we're going to have lunch there for the year. We do our best to eat at Suika once a month, that's how much I love their food.

Takoyaki Risotto
Deep fried octpus ball filled with rissoto. Takoyaki sauce, mayonnaise, and bonito flake on top

Crispy Chciken Kara Age
Deep fried chicken thigh served with sea salt and pepper.

Signature Beef Curry with Tonkatsu
SUika original stewed beef tendon curry with pork loin cutlet

Double Tonkatsu Set
2 pieces fried pork loin cutlet using special fresh panko. Served with 2 kinds of dipping sauce

Creamy Chestnut Pudding
Custard pudding with rich chestnut cream (mont blanc)

I have tried many dishes from Suika, and I think I've only been disappointed in one specific dish; everything else was delicious. Please support your local favourite restaurant. Stay safe and be kind. Always.

Brunch at De Dutch Pannekoek House

We're picking up a package from Oak Street at 16th Avenue and decided to have brunch at nearby De Dutch Pannekoek House.

It's nice to eat at a restaurant after more than a month.

Boer's Breakfast: Two eggs, sausage, ham, DeBakin, a piece of toast, hash browns, and a small pannekoek.

Seafood Dutch Beneditcs (English muffin topped with smoked wild BC salmon and shrimp sautéed in lemon butter, two eggs, hollandaise sauce, and two servings of hash browns

Hot Chocolate and Coffee

I love my Seafood benedict! The shrimps is amazing.

Puffcream for desserts at Popina Canteen

One of the reasons why I created this blog is to remember what I ate from different restaurants. It's been helpful today. I remember we have tried Puffcream in the past, but I can't remember which one we've tried, so I open this blog on my phone and searched for Puffcream. Apparently, I have tried the Old Fashioned, so today we know we have to try something else.

Essentially, a Puffcream is a freshly baked cream puff served with soft-serve ice cream. The toppings are different depending on which one you pick. Today, picked "Hubby."

"Hubby" Puffcream - hard shell chocolate sauce, pretzels, and peanut butter

My hubby holding the Hubby Puffcream.

Yummy! I love the contrast between the crunchy and salty pretzels and soft-serve ice cream.

I also ordered shoestring fries, which were crispy and perfect with the Puffcream.

Yay for the weekend!

Lunch at Granville Island Public Market

Yesterday was my last day at work. Today, I dropped by the office to return my equipment. Afterwards, we grabbed lunch from Granville Island Public Market and ate it by the water. Everything is beautiful and amazing until a seagull attacked. Thankfully, I was able to protect my precious pizza.

Clear day and the beautiful view while enjoying Pizza from Pizza Pzazz.

The Greek Pizza slice from Pizza Pzazz
This photo was taken then a seagull hit my head. Thankfully I didn't drop it.

For our second lunch, I ordered from my favourite stall from the Granville Island Public Market - Gourmet Wok. I love the kung pao chicken, pork BBQ, and fried fish.

Fried Fish, Pork BBQ, and Kung Pao Chicken on top of fried rice from Gourmet Wok

Happy beautiful Saturday!

Lunch at Sushivan

My parents went inside our apartment for the first time ever. They usually drop off things, but they don't go inside. Today was different just because my brother needed to use the Healthy Wave Mat I have to relieve the wrist pain he's feeling.

Anyway, after an hour at home, we all went to have lunch at Sushivan. We ordered a lot and my mom is happy with how delicious everything was.

Spider Special Roll (Crab Meat, Cucumber, Avocado, Lettuce, Soft Shell Crab, and Tobiko)

I still think the Awesome Special Roll is the best of the four I have tried so far.

Creamy Udon for brother

Soy Garlic Chicken Karage (Deep-fried chicken coated in soy sauce)

Seafood Tempura (Assorted Tempura + Seafood)

Beef Teriyaki and Sashimi Bento Box for hubby

Chicken Teriyaki Bento Box

Korean-style Ramen with Chicken for me

Happy Wednesday!