Traditional IKEA breakfast for a loonie

Good Saturday morning! IKEA is helping out the Breakfast Club of Canada by offering their Traditional Breakfast for just a loonie. For every meal purchased, they're donating that dollar to the charity.

Naturally, as fans of a good deal, our whole family (minus our youngest sister who was at work) showed up at exactly 9:30 am and saw the line.

We didn't mind waiting for one bacon traditional breakfast, one sausage traditional breakfast, and their pancakes traditional breakfast. How much did I pay? Just three bucks! 🤯 And since we were there before 10:00 am, coffee was free, too!

Breakfast at IKEA

We enjoyed our meal and left promptly because the place was packed, but we managed to snag one of the long tables.

Too Good To Go: Surprise Bag from Lee's Donuts

Today, I took a mental health day and visited my parents to recharge. We spent the day in Steveston, relaxing in a park and indulging in a delicious treat. Before that, we stopped by Lee's Donuts, where I picked up a surprise bag from Too Good To Go for just $11.99.

Surprise Bag from Lee's Donuts

Suprise Bag from Lee's Donuts

Delicious Donuts from Lee's

The bag was filled with a dozen donuts that would normally cost $35.00. I was surprised to learn how expensive their donuts are! I remember when I used to get them from work years ago, and they were only $20.00. Those were the days.

CF Richmond Centre Dining Terraces (food court)

CF Richmond Centre is a shopping destination, but its food court, the Dining Terrace, is a culinary journey of its own. Located on the second level, this vibrant food hub is constantly evolving with new stalls and exciting menus, making each visit a unique experience. This list aims to capture the current landscape of the Dining Terrace, helping you navigate the diverse and delicious options available right now.

Please note that this list is based on the date of publication and the stalls can change without prior notice.

☑️ A&W

☑️ Basha

☑️ Bourbon St. Grill

☑️ Bubble Waffle Cafe

☑️ Curry Express

✔️ Dairy Queen / Orange Julius

⬜ Dinesty Dumpling

⬜ Don Tacos

⬜ Edo Japan

⬜ Fairbee Bubble Tea

✔️ Jugo Juice

✔️ KFC

❌ Koryo Korean BBQ (closed)

⬜ Kung Pao Wok

✔️ New York Fries

⬜ Opa! of Greece

⬜ Real Fruite Tea

✔️ Subway

✔️ Thai Express

⬜ Umi Japanese Eatery & Udon Bar

☑️ Vina Vietnamese (closed)

Almond Croissant and Bread Pudding from The Sweet Spot

Happy Saturday! Exploring the charming Steveston Village means stumbling upon quaint bakeries like The Sweet Spot, offering mouthwatering bread and treats.

Almond Croissant from The Sweet Spot

We couldn't resist indulging in their Almond Croissant and Bread Pudding. The croissant was perfect for munching on as we continued our exploration, while the bread pudding came home with us to be enjoyed later after a quick spin in the air fryer.

Bread Pudding from The Sweet Spot

Both were absolutely divine! I highly recommend this bakery as a hidden gem in Steveston.

Too Good To Go: Surprise Box from Freshslice Pizza in Steveston, Richmond BC

Happy beautiful Saturday, everyone! I took advantage of the long weekend and ventured to Steveston, Richmond BC. There, I decided to finally try the Surprise Bag from Freshslice Pizza, which I found listed on the Too Good To Go app.

I reserved my box and got in line. When it was my turn, I showed the cashier my app and she asked how many pizzas I'd ordered. I told her one, and she confirmed that I didn't want it reheated. She disappeared into the kitchen and returned with two boxes filled with eight slices of pizza.

Surprise Box from Fresh Slice Pizza

She handed me the boxes with the sweetest smile and told me that the second one was free! I was thrilled! My family and I enjoyed the pizza together.

Second Free Surprise Box from Fresh Slice Pizza

The Too Good To Go app is such a fun way to try new places that I might not have otherwise ordered from. I've found some really great deals using the app, and it's always an adventure to see what I'll get in my surprise bag.

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.

Costco Food Court Menu and Prices | Richmond, BC Location

We visited Costco in Bridgeport, Richmond, BC, to check the food court menu. I want to compare it with the Costco food court menu in Expo Boulevard, Vancouver, BC.

Menu as of June 27, 2025

You will find an updated Costco food court menu below.

The menu is subject to change without prior notice and does not include taxes and tipping. It was updated on June 27, 2025. All prices are in Canadian dollars.

• Double Chocolate Chunk Cookie - $3.49
• Ice Cream Cone (Vanilla or Chocolate) - $2.89
• Ice Cream Sundae (Caramel, Chocolate, or Berry) - $3.49
• Montreal Smoked Meat Sandwich - $7.99 (new)
• Pizza Slice (Pepperoni or Cheese) - $2.59
• 18" Whole Pizza (Pepperoni or Cheese) - $12.99
• Hot Dog (1/4 Pound All Beef or Polish Sausage) and 20 oz. POP with refill - $1.50
• Chicken Strips and Fries - $7.99
• French Fries - $3.49
• Poutine - $6.99
• Gravy - $0.30
• Pop (20 oz with refill) - $0.89

Costco Food Court Menu (May 18, 2024)

You will find an updated Costco food court menu below.

The menu is subject to change without prior notice and does not include taxes and tipping. It was updated on May 18, 2024. All prices are in Canadian dollars.

• Double Chocolate Chunk Cookie - $3.49
• Ice Cream Cone (Vanilla or Chocolate) - $2.89
• Ice Cream Sundae (Caramel, Chocolate, or Berry) - $3.49
• Pizza Slice (Pepperoni or Cheese) - $2.59
• 18" Whole Pizza (Pepperoni or Cheese) - $12.99
• Hot Dog (1/4 Pound All Beef or Polish Sausage) and 20 oz. POP with refill - $1.50
• Chicken Strips and Fries - $6.99
• French Fries - $2.99
• Poutine - $5.99
• Gravy - $0.30
• Pop (20 oz with refill) - $0.89

Costco Food Court Menu (January 2023)

Short version: In Richmond, BC, Costco has Chicken Wings, which are unavailable at the Downtown Vancouver location.

Below is a link to other Costco Food Court Menu and Prices that I have visited. I am planning to make #CostcoTourism a thing.

• Richmond, BC Warehouse
• Vancouver, BC Warehouse
• Willingdon Burnaby, BC Warehouse
• Hawthorne Los Angeles, CA Warehouse
• South Austin, TX Warehouse

The menu below is subject to change without prior notice and does not include taxes and tipping. It was updated on January 14, 2023. All prices are in Canadian dollars.

Menu Item	Price
10 pieces Chicken Wings	$8.99
30 pieces Chicken Wings	$22.99
Pop 20 oz with refill	$0.89
Ice Cream Cone Vanilla or Chocolate	$2.89
Ice Cream Sundae Caramel, Chocolate, or Berry	$3.49
Pizza Slice Pepperoni or Cheese	$2.59
18" Whole Pizza Pepperoni or Cheese	$12.99
1/4 Pound Hotdog and 20 oz pop with refill All Beef or Polish Sausage	$1.50
Chicken Strips and Fries	$6.99
French Fries	$2.99
Poutine	$5.99
Gravy	$0.30

Yakiniku Party for four at Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ

Happy Saturday! For late lunch / early dinner, we went to Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ to celebrate mom's birthday. We ordered their Yakiniku Party for four (even though there's five of us). It was a lot of fun grilling and enjoying delicious food.

Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ

Some of the BBQ Items that's part of the Yakiniku Party

The Yakiniku Party includes prime kalbi short rib, filet mignon, umakara ribeye, bistro hanger steak, new york steak, yaki-shabu beef, chicken, umakara pork, kalbi chuck rib, and shrimps.

It also came with the following starts (see photos!) and napa kimchi (which I forgot to take a picture).

Gyu-Kaku Salad

Miso Soup

Chicken Garlic Noodles

Gyu-Sushi
With premium roast beef, Japanese shoyu BBQ sauce, and kuki-wasabi on the side

Edamame

Japanese Chicken Karaage 
Juicy Japanese fried chicken served with chili mayo sauce

Spicy Tuna Volcano
Spicy tuna on crispy fried rice, drizzled with Japanese shoyu BBQ sauce

S'mores
Classic campfire s'mores. Roasted marshmallows over the grill

Worth it!

Dan Dan Ramen and Okonomiyaki from Yuu Japanese Tapas

After our trip to Mexico and before my sister's trip to the Philippines with her boyfriend, we decided to meet up and hang out at our parents' house. For dinner, we ordered from Yuu Japanese Tapas because it's our youngest sister's favorite spot in Richmond. She absolutely loves their Japanese curry.

Dan Dan Ramen from Yuu Japanese Tapas

With that said, this time I decided to try their Dan Dan Ramen. This saucy noodle dish is my absolute go-to if it's available in Chinese restaurants, and Yuu's Japanese version is glorious. I'll probably order this again from Yuu over my favorite dish of all time, the Japanese curry.

Okonomiyaki from Yuu Japanese Tapas

Hubby and I also shared an okonomiyaki, a dish that's uncommon in Japanese spots. So each time we see it, we get it. This soft sweet-savory pancake filled with seafood and veggies is something we adore. It was a great day spent with family.

Rice meals and more from Bubble Waffle Cafe in YVR

We're back in Vancouver! After a ridiculously long queue at immigration, we're finally out and famished. I'm craving rice, my Filipino-ness is coming out, and I need a rice dish ASAP. We headed up to the departure area and grabbed lunch at Bubble Waffle Cafe.

Feast from Bubble Waffle Cafe

I ordered my go-to favourites: curry sliced beef with rice and a side of their salty chicken nuggets. Meanwhile, hubby tried their boneless duck breast with rice too. Of course, we got one bubble waffle to share.

Curry Sliced Beef with Rice from Bubble Waffle Cafe in YVR

Boneless Duck Breast with Rice from Bubble Waffle Cafe

Salty Chicken Nuggets from Bubble Waffle Cafe

This hits the spot perfectly. A saucy dish on top of rice is so satisfying. I'm so happy to be back in my home city! We ordered way too much food and have leftovers for dinner since we have no food at home either. It's great!

Raspberry Danish and Blueberry Muffins from Illy Coffee in YVR

Since our flight is delayed, we grabbed a couple pastries from Illy Coffee.

I went for blueberry muffins while hubby chose the raspberry danish. It's not something we always get but he said that it's in honour of the Whitecaps FC manager (he's Danish). 😂

Blueberry Muffins from Illy Coffee

Raspberry Danish from Illy Coffee in YVR

Both pastries were warmed up which made them even better.

Minced Pork Dry Noodle and 3-Item Noodle Soup from Hanami Express

Happy Friday! I'm writing this in Vancouver International Airport (YVR) while waiting for our delayed flight to Mexico City.

For lunch, we stopped by Hanami for noodles. We chose the Minced Pork Dry Noodle which looked amazing but is absolutely bland which is unfortunate.

3-Item Noodle Soup from Hanami inside YVR

Minced Pork Dry Noodle from Hanami inside YVR

Thankfully, the 3-Item Noodle Soup has a wonderful beefy broth. The beef was so tender while the BBQ pork slices were good too. The wonton dumplings is the worst of the three items part acceptable too. 

If you need a warm dish for any tummy ache before catching your connecting flight, this is the spot.

Vancouver International Airport (YVR) Food Options After Security International Terminal Checklist

Happy Friday! We're flying out of Vancouver International Airport (YVR) today to visit vibrant and exciting Mexico City.

I'm sharing this blog post as a checklist of available food options after security in the International Terminal of YVR for my own reference.

The following food options are available:

☑️ A&W

☑️ Church's Texas Chicken

☑️ Hanami Express

⬜ illycaffe and Relay

⬜ Lift Bar and Grill

☑️ 🌟 Salmon n' Bannock On The Fly 🌟

☑️ Starbucks

☑️ Subway

⬜ Sweet Maple Lounge

The chains marked with a check are ones I've tried here or at other locations.

AAA Beef Volcano Ramen from Yuu Japanese Tapas

We're celebrating my youngest sister's birthday today, and she wanted the family to enjoy a meal at her favorite spot: Yuu Japanese Tapas.

AAA Beef Volcano Ramen from Yuu Japanese Tapas
AAA Beef Slices, enoki mushroom, bean sprouts and onion

My husband ordered the AAA Beef Volcano Ramen, which is as interactive and fun as it is delicious. It was served in a hot stone bowl, and a server poured broth inside the bowl and covered it, causing steam to cook the AAA Beef Volcano.

AAA Beef Volcano Ramen from Yuu Japanese Tapas

The tonkatsu broth was perfect, and the noodles were perfectly al dente.

Curry brisket on rice from Yuu Japanese Tapas

Crispy deep fried pano bread crumb pork cutlet served with seasoned mayo from Yuu Japanese Tapas

I went for my favorite dish ever—Japanese curry, specifically the curry brisket on rice topped with crispy deep-fried panko bread crumb pork cutlet served with seasoned mayo. Unfortunately, we didn't finish my order and focused on the ramen.

Fried Chicken Nuggets and Taiwanese Sausgae from Pearl Castle Cafe

Happy Saturday! We're celebrating my sister's birthday, but we arrived at the strip mall about half an hour early. To pass the time, we decided to grab a quick snack at Pearl Castle Cafe.

Fried Chicken Nuggets from Pearl Castle Cafe

We ordered our usual Taiwanese favorites - the crispy fried chicken nuggets and the sweet savory Taiwanese sausage.

Taiwanese Sausage from Pearl Castle Cafe

Just as we finished our food, I got a message from my siblings saying they were at the other restaurant.

Mother's Day Feast from Peaceful Restaurant

Our usual Mother's Day tradition is visiting Dai Jang Kum in Richmond, BC because it's my mom's favourite. This weekend, Mom wants the beef rolls from Peaceful Restaurant, and since it's her special day, she gets what she requested.

Feast from Peaceful Restaurant

We ordered a feast from Peaceful that includes the following:

• Beef & Broccoli
• Deep-Fried Sesame Ball
• Minced Chicken with Corn Soup
• Peaceful Beef Rolls
• Salt and Pepper Chicken Wing
• Salted and Pepper Squid
• Seasonal Vegetables and Crispy Tofu
• Yang-Zhou Stir-Fried Rice

Curry beef brisket on rice and pork cutlet from Yuu Japanese Tapas

My youngest sister absolutely fell in love with the Japanese curry from Yuu Japanese Tapas in Richmond, BC. She was insistent we have it delivered while I was spending the day visiting them. I was more than happy to oblige since I hadn't had Japanese curry in months, and Suika (my favorite spot for the dish) has been closed for more than six months! Yuu's version of the dish is great. They have a beef curry sauce base that comes with tender beef brisket, and I added pork cutlet as a topping.

Curry Beef brisket on Rice topped with Deep Fried Panko Bread Crumb Pork Cutlet from Yuu Japanese Tapas

Suika is still my favourite but it's great to know that I can get curry in Richmond too.

Pacific Wild Sockeye Salmond Fish and Chips from Pajo's at Rocky Point Park

Since my husband is attending a convention this weekend, I decided to have a date with my mom. We took the bus to Steveston. She requested that we enjoy seafood from Pajo's at their Rocky Point Park location.

Pacific Wild Sockeye Salmond Fish and Chips from Pajo's at Rocky Point Park
Fully flavoured, intense flavour profile with a meatier texture. Cooked in our signature tempura style batter, crisp, tender. Served with fresh cut fries and signature tartar sauce.

I ordered my usual salmon fish and chips. Enjoying it outside with my mom under the beautiful sunshine, facing the water, was a truly wonderful moment. Thank God for my parents.

Avocado Toast from Freebird Table and Bar

Last Thursday, I enjoyed avocado toast, so for Saturday brunch, I decided to get another one, this time from Freebird Table and Bar in Richmond, BC.

Avocado Toast and Fruit from Freebird Table and Bar
Sourdough toast, crushed avocado, greens, pickled onions, spiced chickpeas, poached eggs, lemon dill yogurt, and seasonal fruit cup

My husband is attending a convention at the Executive Hotel, and he kindly allowed me to stay in his room. While he was at his event, I savoured my avocado toast and orange juice from Freebird.

The Galaxy Combo from Pound Steak

Happy Saturday! For dinner today, we celebrated my sister's birthday at Pound Steak in Richmond, BC. I ordered their Japanese curry with chicken katsu, while my husband chose The Galaxy Combo, which included a variety of delicious items.

Curry Chicken Katsu comes with unlimited soup and rice

The Galaxy Combo comes with 1/2 lbs AAA flat iron steak, hamburg steak, prawn Katsu, Japanese style sausage, sunny side up egg, side vegetables and potato wedges, and two sauces: the Pound Steak sauce and demi-glace sauce