S'more Signature Bubble Waffle from Crema Ice Cream & Desserts

After a deliciously savoury lunch enjoying all my favourite Taiwanese food, I saw a lady holding a bubble waffle and saying aloud, "I want one!" They're available from Crema Ice Cream & Desserts food truck. I love the bubble waffle addition to their menu. It provides a crispiness to the creamy ice cream.

We ordered the S'more Signature Bubble Waffle and chose Cookie Monster for our one scoop of ice cream. We happily ate the dessert near Avondale Park.

S'more Signature Bubble Waffle from Cream Ice Cream & Desserts food truck
Cookie Monster ice cream, vanilla waffle, chocolate sauce, graham crackers, and toasted marshmallows.

My favourite part of the dish is that portion of scorched marshmallows. The slight warmth from the char made it so good! It's like how freshly baked bread smells and tastes. Perfect dessert right here.

What is Bubble Waffle?

According to ChatGPT, "Bubble waffles, also known as egg waffles, are a popular street snack in Hong Kong and other parts of Asia. They are made from a batter that is cooked in a special bubble waffle maker, which creates a unique shape and texture with crispy edges and soft, chewy pockets."

Food Adventure at the PNE Winter Fair

My hubby and I went to the first night of the PNE Winter Fair to see the beautiful lights display and check out the food scene.

For details about the event, check out this post. If you need the PNE Winter Fair food menus and prices, this is where you need to be.

We left our home later than I would like, but it's a weekday, so it is what it is. We arrived at the Pacific Coliseum entrance a couple minutes before 6:00 PM.

Winter Lights inside the PNE Winter Fair powered by BC Hydro

We first walked around to see all the lights displayed and checked all the sections of the whole fair. Then, I took photos of the menu to write my post.

Beef Chili from Chili Hut

If you need something to keep you warm, Mr. Arancino sells onion soup, while Mom's Grilled Cheese offers tomato soup. However, the Chili Hut near the Duelling Pianos is the primary food vendor focusing on chili and soup.

We ordered the Beef Chili, which was served on sourdough bread. It was $14.00. It was decent chili but needed a bit more salt and pepper.

Beef Chili Bowl
House-made beef chili with kidney beans, black beans, chickpeas, and mixed vegetables. Served in a sourdough bread bowl with all the toppings.

After eating our Beef Chili, we admired the lights in the Winter Creatures display. Then, dessert!

Mehple from BeaverTail

I let hubby choose our dessert, and he went for the BeaverTail because, as he pointed out, we rarely see them.

The line wasn't too bad, but the wait was close to 10 minutes. It was freshly made and still perfectly warm, even on a cold evening.

We ordered the Mehple, which is all about the Canadian maple flavour on top of their signature fried dough.

Mehple from BeaverTails
Maple-flavoured spread & maple sugar crunch

We ate while walking back to the next food stall we wanted to try.

Chicken & Holiday Waffle from Hot & Crispy Chicken

Hot & Crispy Chicken is a permanent fixture in PNE Fair, and I am happy to see them during the Winter Fair offering the same stuff with the addition of two-holiday menu items.

We ordered the Chicken & Holiday Waffle. It tastes like a turkey dinner in chicken and waffle format. All the stuffing flavour is stuffed in the waffle,   while the perfectly juicy and crispy chicken serves as the vehicle for the warm gravy as it gets transported to my mouth.

Chicken & Holiday Waffle
2 pieces of chicken, sage & chicken stuffing waffle, cranberry glaze, and gravy

It's my favourite thing we tried this evening.

Cinnamon Sugar Chimney Cake Praguery

After the delicious meal, I had my eye on the Praguery. I am on a Chimney Cake hunt since enjoying one at Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Much to the surprise of the lady selling the Praguery, I ordered the Chimney Cake covered in just Cinnamon Sugar - no ice cream or spread inside. It's similar to what I tried at the Vancouver Christmas Market (VCM).

Cinnamon Sugar Chimney Cake from The Praguery

Focusing on just the chimney, Praguery cooked it better than what's in the VCM. At least I now have a source of delicious chimney cake in Vancouver that's available year-round. I just need to keep an eye out for their food truck.

We ate our cake while walking towards the Cocoa Hut.

Hot Chocolate from Cocoa Hut

It seemed silly to enjoy the PNE Winter Fair without a hot drink, so we ordered Hot Chocolate from Cocoa Hut.

It was decent hot chocolate, but not worth $4.00.

Hot Chocolate from Cocoa Hut
With a choice of whipping cream and topped with sprinkles

Before ordering our last meal, we checked out the Winter Live Shows and surprisingly enjoyed it.

The Magic of Santa Holiday Musical in Holiday Theatre

Christmas Poutine from UnRoutine Poutine

For our last meal at the PNE Winter Fair, we went to UnRoutine Poutine which is also a staple of the PNE Summer Fair, but this time they're offering a Christmastime Poutine.

Christmas Dinner Poutine from UnRoutine Poutine
Vegetarian gravy, diced turkey, sage & thyme stuffing, cranberry, and cheese curds.

It has everything you like about a turkey dinner, but fries replace mashed potatoes. All the flavour of stuffing and thyme is there. The turkey was decided and easy to eat, covered in a delicious gravy. The only letdown is the fries. They're not crispy. It couldn't maintain whatever crispiness was originally there because of all the sauce.

We ate our poutine inside the Dueling Piano hut, which I think is the best area for adults to enjoy their meal with live music in the background.

Duelling Pianos inside the PNE Winter Fair

We finished shortly after 9:00 PM, and the fair was nearly empty. So we were able to take more pictures without the crowd.

Ice Cream and Smoothie from Coco Van Ice Cream

Happy Labour Day! We started Monday with no concrete plans on what we should do. We ended up heading to Spanish Banks Beach, and it was gorgeous.

View from Sasamat Street

On our way to the beach, we saw Coco Van Ice Cream, and my husband was more than eager to have sweets.

Coco Van Ice Cream

He had the Classic Coconut while I went to The Pina Colada. Both were good, but I regret not getting the Coconut Ice Cream Rolls.

Classic Coconut Ice Cream Rolls

Enjoying ice cream rolls on the beach

Pina Colada from Coco Van Ice Cream

We hope to see the van again so we can try other flavours.

Food Day at the PNE Fair

Happy Sunday! We started the day with breakfast at Tim Hortons. I didn't make a blog post about it because we ordered our usual, and there's really nothing new about it.

Then, we went to Sunday Mass. Afterwards, we took Bus 14 all the way to PNE. Finally, we arrived 15 minutes before the gates opened, purchased our tickets and were on our way.

My goal today is to take pictures of all the food stands and trucks inside the PNE Fair and Playland. I did my best, but I don't know if I succeeded. So I'll make a separate post tomorrow (depending on how busy I am at work).

PNE Fair

Since we were already here, we decided to eat whatever we felt like enjoying.

Deep-fried Oreos from CinCity Donuts

TIP! Don't order from the first food vendors you see. 

We made the mistake of ordering fried Oreos from the very first vendor we saw selling them. Apparently, quite a handful of them was available from other vendors as we walked further inside. Don't get me wrong, it was delicious and sinful, but walk around before deciding which chocolate or candy you want to enjoy deep-fried.

Deep-fried Oreos

Buttered Corn from Roasted Revolution food truck

TIP! Don't order from food trucks (the ones with wheels) because you might encounter them outside of the PNE.

I failed at this. I blame the lady who was happily enjoying her corn. I was envious and had to get one too. The buttered corn is so sweet. It reminded me of the corn they used to sell at Katipunan Avenue in the Philippines near my high school.

Buttered Corn from Roasted Revolution

I highly recommend the Roasted Revolution food truck for delicious corn.

Corn Dog from the Corn Dog King

After walking around the whole fair, we decided on getting corn dogs. Daily Hive suggested Little Coco's Corn Dog, but for the life of me, we couldn't find it, so we got a couple corn dogs from the Corn Dog King.

Classic Corn Dog from Corn Dog King

A peek inside the Classic Corn Dog

We had a Classic Corn Dog, which was as expected, but the Cheesy Korean Rice Dog was the most delicious thing we had today. I highly recommend it! It was crunchy and cheesy, and the only downside was the hotdog was only halfway. By the time I reached it, I had to give it to my husband for sharing.

Cheesy Korean Rice Dog from Corn Dog King

A peek inside the Cheesy Korean Rice Dog

The Hawaiian Rice Bowl from Rice Bowls Paradise

After eating the corn dog, I wanted something not fried, and with either noodles or rice, so we ordered The Hawaiian Rice Bowl from Rice Bowls Paradise. We first chose Curry in a Hurry as a source of our rice meal, but their credit card machine is broken, and we don't have cash which is unfortunate.

The Hawaiian Rice Bowl from Rice Bowls Paradise

The Hawaiian Rice Bowl was served in a pineapple. The stewed chicken and rice are amazing, but I wish the serving was bigger.

Mac and Cheese Soft Serve from Soft Serve Summerland

I'm not sure what to expect from a Mac and Cheese Soft Serve, but what I had was disappointing. It tastes just like vanilla ice cream. My husband said there's an aftertaste like cantaloupe, but I can't even taste that. All I find is vanilla ice cream that's not white.

Mac and Cheese Soft Serve inside PNE Fair

If they want genuinely cheesy ice cream, they should buy queso or keso sorbetes from an Asian grocery store. Filipino ice cream street vendors have better cheese ice cream than what I had at PNE Fair.

After eating the ice cream, we took Bus 16 to go home. I even managed a few minutes of nap inside the bus.

Lunch from Ay! Mamacita at Thank Granville Its Food trucks

Happy Sunday! Do you know what makes me happy? Delicious food! And I am pleasantly surprised to enjoy what are the best tacos I've had from Ay! Mamacita food truck.

Lunch from Ay! Mamacita food truck

I'm not a fan of tacos in general just because they fall apart, and a burrito is usually my go-to because it's slightly less messy to eat. With that said, we ordered a rice bowl, three tacos, two Aguas Frescas, and a pudding from Ay! Mamacita, when we spotted them at Thank Granville Its Food trucks today.

Ay! Mamacita food truck

Aguas Frescas

They have two Aguas Frescas available and both summer inspired.

Aguas Frescas: Virgin Pina Colada and Watermelon Conga

Hubby and I agreed that the pina colada is the better of the two Aguas Frescas, so if you're going to choose one, go for that one. The Watermelon is refreshing too, but not as sweet as the Pina Colada.

Rice Bowls and Artisan Tacos

As mentioned earlier, I stay away from tacos because I find them messy to eat, so I chose the Beef Steak Asada Rice Bowl. I was surprised when Hubby said we should get three tacos. Apparently, he thought we were eating at home instead of in the park. I'm glad that he did because it's delicious!

Beef Steak Asada Rice Bowls
Saffron rice, beef steak Asada, roasted market vegetables, green pea cream, pickled red onion, pickled carrots, cilantro, and sprouts.

Mix and Match 3 Tacos
Chicken Alambre - bacon, roasted peppers, melted cheese, pickled onions, and salsa verde
Baja Garlic Prawns - cabbage, chipotle mayo, chunky tomato & corn salsa, scallions, and sprouts
Corn Truffle & Cheese - huitlacoche corn truffle, seared cheese, Arbol sauce, jade radish, pickled onions, and sprouts

First, only one of the three tacos fell apart. After taking my first bite of the Chicken Alambre, the tortilla broke, and most of the chicken fell into the container. Other than that, the Corn Truffle & Cheese and Baja Garlic Prawns tacos held well without falling apart.

All three tacos were excellent, but my favourite is the vegetarian Corn Truffle & Cheese. I can have more of that!

After enjoying the tacos, I took a bite from the Rice Bowl and was slightly disappointed because I expected it to be as flavourful. I realized my mistake. I should have mixed it a bit more. The green pea crema is fantastic, but it needs to cover as many ingredients as possible.

Matcha Tea Early Bird Pudding

Ay! Mamacita featured pudding from Early Bird Puddings, and I chose the Matcha Tea flavour and was mindblown at how delicious it is. My gosh! I wish more restaurants, food trucks, and even groceries would sell their puddings.

Matcha Tea Pudding from Early Bird Puddings

It's a happy lunch day!

Lunch from Mr. Shawarma at Robson Square

Happy Saturday! My husband and I walked across Granville Bridge on this beautiful sunny summer. He's meeting a high school friend in Downtown Vancouver, and while he's doing that, I met with my parents and sister, who are enjoying Robson Square. 

It was my first meal of the day, so I ordered from the closest food source, Mr. Shawarma food truck. I ordered the Steak Original Platter and asked for three additional falafel.

Steak Original Platter with three additional falafel
Steak served over seasoned rice with carrots and peas, garlic sauce, and tahini sauce. It includes hummus, house salad (cucumbers, chopped parsley, tomatoes, and shredded lettuce), plus a slice of pita.

For future me (and others), I recommend going for falafel all the way. It's so delicious!

Food Trucks at The Khatsahlano Street Party

Is it safe to say that the Khatsahlano Street Party is one of Vancouver's biggest free summer street parties? Imagine walking from Burrard Avenue to Macdonald Street along West 4th Avenue, and there are food vendors, food trucks, and booths selling all sorts of things from Tupperware to clothes to a gym membership. If that's not enough, every side street (seven of them) has a beer garden and a stage with live performances.

View from Burrard Avenue

We walked the stretch starting from Burrard Avenue and scouted the food options. Most of the vendors are restaurants in the area that set up booths on the street. Then, west of Vine is where all the food trucks are, and that's where we decided to hang out.

Shaved Ice from Kona Ice

It was a hot but cloudy day until a couple hours when the sun decided to show up, which meant shave ice. We thought of getting ice cream, but we don't see shaved ice that often, so we lined up at the Kona Ice food truck.

Shaved Ice from Kona Ice

Available sizes and flavours from Kona Ice

Flavour Dispenser: We chose Watermelon Wave and Pina Colada

Half Watermelon Wave and Half Pina Colada

You choose a cup, and they fill it with ice, then you can choose from the many available flavours. It's refreshing on a humid summer day.

Lunch from Dim Sum Express

Last week, I told my husband that I had not seen a Chinese food truck that sells dim sum. Then, we spotted Dim Sum Express. We decided to order their Chow Mein Combo and Dimsum Combo.

Chow Mein Combo includes Shrimp Dumpling, Pork Dumpling, Pan-Fried Dumpling, Spring Roll (2), and Chow Mein.

Dim Sum Combo includes Shrimp Dumpling, Pork Dumpling, Pan-Fried Dumpling, Sticky Rice Dumpling, Spring Roll (2), and BBQ Pork Buns.

If I reencounter Dim Sum express, I won't order the combo but will choose the Shrimp Dumpling and Pork Dumpling. They're both good. On a different note, I like their menu display (the whole said of their truck). It makes what they serve easier to see and read.

Dim Sum Express Food Truck Menu

List of Food Trucks at The Khatsahlano Street Party

Below is a list of food trucks at the event that I saw and I am only listing food vendors on wheels.

1. Hurricane Potato
2. Praguery Ice Cream and Chimney Cakes
3. Slavic Rolls
4. Smoking Hot Donair
5. Kyu Grill
6. Teriyaki Boys
7. Old Country Pierogi
8. Tornado Potato
9. Thai Box on Truck
10. Mr. Pretzels
11. Dim Sum Express
12. Juicy Green Express
13. Rain or Shine Ice Cream truck
14. Wak Wak Burger
15. Takenaka Japan
16. Mom's Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
17. Big Red's Poutine
18. Japadog
19. Kona Ice
20. Frying Pan
21. The Taco Tigre
22. Roasted Revolution
23. Salty's Lobster Shack
24. Shameless Buns
25. Rosie's Curry & Spice Kitchen
26. Dos Amigos
27. TACO'N Todo
28. Steamworks
29. Chickpea
30. Crack On Van
31. Rocky Point Ice Cream

Hugs Mini Donuts at Thank Granville It's Food trucks (TGIF)

Happy Saturday! After going to Costco for late breakfast and groceries, we dropped by the corner of West 10th and Fir Street to grab mini donuts from the only food truck in the area today.

Hugs, Mini Donuts food truck

Hugs Mini Donuts

We enjoyed a dozen mini donuts from Hugs and ate them while walking toward the Khatsahlano Street Party.

Lunch from Mahshiko at Thank Granville It's Food trucks (TGIF)

Happy Sunday! Coming from the high of the Whitecaps' win last night, we woke up a bit late and went straight to Mass. We didn't have time for breakfast. Right after Mass, we went to Thank Granville It's Food trucks (TGIF) on the corner of West 10th Avenue and Fir Street.

There are six food trucks today, and we've tried four of them already, so we decided to order from the remaining two that we haven't supported yet.

Mahshiko Korean Fusion Food Bar

Lunch from Mahshiko

After ordering from Takenaka, I ordered the Bulgogi Beef Bibimbap and Chicken and Fries from Mahshiko.

Bibimbap is a Korean rice dish usually served in a hot bowl. The first step is to add the gochujang sauce and poke the egg's yolk. Lastly, mix it all up until the sauce and yolk are mixed with vegetables, meat, and rice. I wish I had more gochujang sauce. 

Beef Bulgogi Bibimbap

The serving is good for sharing, so it definitely needs more to cover everything. Unfortunately, the yolk wasn't runny (it's overcooked by a minute), so whatever yolk is left is insufficient to cover the ingredients.

Chicken and Fries

The Chicken and Fries are so great. The chicken is fried perfectly; you can smell it from the box during our walk home. I highly recommend it. Plus, they give you Gochujang sauce to dip the fried chicken, so I'm happy.

Lunch from Takenaka Japan food truck at Thank Granville It's Food trucks (TGIF)

Happy Sunday! Coming from the high of the Whitecaps' win last night, we woke up a bit late and went straight to Mass. We didn't have time for breakfast. Right after Mass, we went to Thank Granville It's Food trucks (TGIF) on the corner of West 10th Avenue and Fir Street.

There are six food trucks today and we've tried four of them already, so we decided to order from the remaining two that we haven't supported yet.

Takenaka Japan food truck

I ordered from Takenaka and was so happy that they have curry. If you've been reading my blog (I doubt anyone does except my husband and mom), Japanese curry is my absolute favourite food especially the one they serve at nearby Suika. 

I can't believe that Takenaka came really close. The only thing missing is slices of tonkatsu and this would have been my new favourite curry. The only reason Suika is still number one is that the beef in their curry is shredded or sliced thinly, but the one from Takenaka is chunkier (like the one from Mr. Japanese Curry).

Stewed Beef Tendon Curry and Rice
Slow-cooked beef tendon curry, seasoned half-boiled egg, onion pickles, radish sprouts, and steamed rice.

Stewed Beef Tendon Curry and Rice from Takenaka Japan food truck

I like the container they used for the curry. The top level has the curry, while the bottom compartment has the rice and egg.

Chicken Karaage (3 pcs)
Flavour-packed spice mix marinated crispy chicken kara-age

Meanwhile, the chicken karaage tastes the same as Suika, so it goes perfectly with the curry sauce.

Green Tea Panna Cotta
Matcha green tea panna cotta with sweetened red bean

To end the meal, we enjoyed the Green Tea Panna Cotta. This one is definitely better than Suika.

Based on the items I've tried today, I can't wait to order from Takenaka again.

Takenaka Japan food truck menu

Takenaka Japan food truck menu