Lunch from Siegel's Bagels

Happy Saturday! It's a beautiful sunny day in Vancouver, and hubby and I planned to go to Hadden Park. Before heading there, we decided to grab lunch from Siegel's Bagels. This place is popular! There's a long line of people placing their orders in person and more people waiting for orders at the pick-up window.  

They also have an option to place your order using an awesome app. That's what we did. Hubby got the Reuben while I ordered Lox and Cream Cheese.

For the Reuben, we picked Double Toasted Everything Bagel

Reuben
A layer of smoked meat, sauerkraut and melted swiss with mustard.

Lox & Cream Cheese
Wild Sockeye salmon and cream cheese with red onion + capers.

I enjoyed both bagel sandwiches. The bagel is freshly made and the toppings are great. Though, I tried their Montreal Smoked Meat Sandwich at Granville Island a couple years ago and thought that was still the best. 

Although, a week ago I tried Atlantic Salmon Lox Bagel sandwich from Mon Pitou and that's just better. The tomatoes and cucumber added freshness that the Lox & Cream Cheese sandwich from Siegel's didn't have.

I can't wait to come back and try their other sandwiches. More importantly, get their Montreal Smoked Meat Sandwich so that hubby can try it.

We enjoyed our meal at Hadden Park, specifically at Elsje Point. We spent two hours there. Then, on our walk home, we stayed for another hour at the VSB Park.

View from our picnic spot at Elsje Point

View from our bench at VSB Park

I love Vancouver! I still feel like a tourist in the city now I call home.

Croissants from Beaucoup Bakery

Bon Dimanche! Happy Sunday!

It's a cloudy day in Vancouver today, but we decided to take a walk around the neighbourhood. I enjoyed the croissants from Mon Pitou yesterday, and I thought of getting more, but I changed my mind and got a couple from Beaucoup Bakery instead.

Thankfully, they're still open, and the line wasn't long.

Butter Croissants and Almond Croissants

I ordered a couple butter croissants, two almond croissants, and hot chocolates. We thought about enjoying it at a nearby park, but there are no available tables. Instead, we end up walking home to enjoy our croissants there.

Butter Croissant

The butter croissant is saltier and not as flaky compared to the one from Mon Pitou. Or it's possible that because I ate Atlantic Salmon Lox Bagel with capers yesterday that I didn't taste the salt from the croissants from Mon Pitou. I don't know; it just tasted like Beaucoup used salted butter in their croissants.

That said, the almond croissant is so much better. It's sweet, flakey, but the middle part is chewy and dense because that portion has most of the almond on top. I love it!

Almond Croissant

Tower of Almond Croissants

Beaucoup Bakery

Beaucoup Bakery box, paper bag, and coffee cups

Beaucoup Bakery Paper Bug and Hot Chocolate Cup

Walking home with a cup of hot chocolates

Support local business in your neighbourhood, and happy long weekend!

Breakfast from Mon Pitou

Joyeux Samedi! Happy Saturday!

We're meeting a former colleague near our old office. They're closing down the office to save on rent. My former teammates will now have to work from home permanently. This means giving away, selling, and donating old office furniture and equipment. I got a free office chair, and we picked it up today.

We're scheduled to meet at 10 in the morning, and for extra motivation (as if a free office chair is not sufficient motivation), hubby and I planned on having breakfast at Mon Pitou. Originally, I planned on grabbing breakfast from Paul's Omelettery Restaurant. However, hubby mentioned that we should try the newly opened Mon Pitou. They opened this year at the former location of Slickity Jim at 7th Avenue and Hemlock.

I can finally use this photo I took last February when Mon Pitou is only a week old.

We planned on ordering from their brunch menu. However, we're too early. They will only start serving their brunch at 10:00 AM. We were there at 9:00 AM. Instead, we had to quickly decide which items to get from the "Grab and Go" menu.

Atlantic Salmon Lox Bagel

I went for the Atlantic Salmon Lox Bagel. It was delicious. The bagel is hard and chewy, the cream cheese was well creamy, the Atlantic salmon is melt in your mouth, the capers on top provide a surprising bite of saltiness and the cucumber and tomatoes give the freshness that it needs. Overall, it's an amazing dish.

Atlantic Salmon Lox Bagel inside the bag

Hubby ordered the Chicken Salad, and I like the bread they use. It has some berries, which is sweet amongst the creamy salad—another good dish. I'm willing to order both again. BUT when we come back, I am looking forward to trying more dishes, especially from their brunch menu.

Chicken Salad

Lastly, I ordered a couple butter croissants. My favourite croissant is from Beaucoup Bakery and Cafe, located a couple blocks away at Fir (between 5th and 6th Ave). The croissants from Mon Pitou is flakier and lighter than the one from Beaucoup. However, it's not as buttery.

Croissant

A couple croissants inside the bag

We enjoyed our food at nearby Granville Loop Park under the shade of the tree. Mon Pitou is such a great addition to South Granville / Fairview food scene, and I can't wait to come back.

Lunner from Poké Bar in Davie Village

Hauʻoli Pōʻaono! Happy Saturday!

We decided to take a walk going to Downtown Vancouver today across the Burrard Bridge. On the other side of False Creek, hubby and I met my sister, who recently moved to West End, specifically near Davie Village.

After hanging out for an hour at English Bay Beach, our only brother arrived. We stayed for an hour more and were having a great time just sharing stories and travel plans. I am so grateful to God for giving me, such wonderful siblings! We're missing our youngest sister, but in time I'm sure she'll be able to join us when she's more responsible and independent.

When we've had enough vitamin sea, we grabbed lunner (late lunch / early dinner) from Poké Bar. Our brother loves poké ever since his trip to Hawaii a couple years ago. The closest poké place to my sister's apartment is Poké Bar.

Poké Bar Aloha Curry
Brown rice base, chicken karaage, almond milk, curry powder, green onion, and onion chips.

If you know me by now, I love curry, so when I saw Aloha Curry on the menu, I know I will get it. Hubby and brother Aburi Poké. They both thought of getting the Poké Bowl, but the thought of mixing their own seems too much work.

Aburi Poké
Our chosen protein (salmon, spicy salmon, ahi tuna, and shrimp), crab meat, spicy crunch garlic chips, cucumber salad, spring mix, onion chips, green onion, corn, and sauce (teriyaki, spicy mayo, and rayu - Japanese Chili Oil).

I enjoyed the food more than I thought I would. The Alola Curry is delicious. I enjoyed the green onion and onion chips on top. It provides the needed crunch to the bowl. The chicken was surprisingly juicy. Meanwhile, I took a couple bites of hubby's Aburi Poké, and I like it. This poké experience is so much better than the first one.

I honestly can't wait for my next Poké bowl! Here are a couple of my favourite pictures from today.

I love big trees and the shade they provide.

View from Burrard Bridge at around 6:00 PM.

Beautiful Vancouver!

New York Cheesecake Dream Donut from Tim Hortons

Happy Thursday! Hubby and I did our 30-minute walk around the neighbourhood, and right before going home, we bought Salted Caramel Iced Capp. It's the one drink I look forward to from Tim Hortons every summer.

Two of my favourite things from Tim Hortons: Potato Wedges and Salted Caramel Iced Capp

I also secretly love their potato wedges and got those as well. 

New York Cheesecake Dream Donut from Tim Hortons

Hubby loves sweets, and whenever we're at Tims, he usually asks for whatever new or limited-time donut they offer. Today, we got to try their New York Cheesecake Dream Donut. It's alright. I still prefer the Sea Salted Caramel Dream and Chocolate Hazelnut Éclair Dream from earlier this year.

What's your favourite Tim Hortons Dream Donut?

Lunch from John 3:16 Malaysian Delights

It's the first time we have Malaysian food in Canada. I moved here in 2015, and yes, this is the first time we have Malaysian cuisine.

John 3:16 Malaysian Delights is a popular restaurant in Richmond, BC, and they just opened a branch in the Fairview neighbourhood of Vancouver last April 13, 2021. They open at 11 in the morning, and I called their number to place our order for pick-up. We started walking towards the restaurant and were just in time for our order to be ready.

Malaysian Feast from John 3:16 Malaysian Delights

Appetizer

We ordered three different dishes from the appetizer section of their menu.

Curry Chicken Puff

I have a background story with Curry Chicken Puff. Last 2014, hubby and I, with friends, went to Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, to speak at an event. In that event, they have what feels like unlimited Curry Puff for people to just grab and eat all throughout the event, and holy smokes, did I take advantage of that. It was so delicious! 

However, this Curry Chicken Puff from John 3:16 is so much better! The puff is flaky. I was holding it at the edge, and it broke off - that's how soft, fragile, and flaky it was. The inside was creamy curry.

Curry Chicken Puff from John 3:16 Malaysian Delights

Curry Chicken Puff

Roti Canai with Curry Sauce

This is my first time trying Roti Canai, and I am kicking myself for not trying it sooner! The Canai is flaky, and it absorbs the curry sauce so well. What a great start to any meal.

Roti Canai with Curry Sauce from John 3:16 Malaysian Delights

Look at how flaky and easy to pull apart that Roti is

Pull apart that Roti Chanai and dip it in that delicious curry sauce.

Satay Chicken

I don't have any experience with Satay Chicken to judge whether it's good or not, but the surprise is the peanut sauce dip it came with. I love the peanut sauce!

Satay Chicken

Main Course

We ordered three different dishes in the Main Course section of their menu.

Lor Bak

I did a Google search on Lor Bak before deciding to order it. Apparently, it's known in the Philippines as kikiam. It's a popular appetizer or street food in the Philippines, but it's the main dish in Malaysia. It's interesting to learn how Malaysia, Indonesia, and Philippine food are so closely related.

Lor Bak from John 3:16 Malaysian Delights

Lor Bak is essentially a Malaysian pork roll.

Beef Rendang

I love their beef rendang. To be fair, I think I enjoy a lot of beef stew (like from Vietnam), especially when the beef is so tender and easy on the mouth. The flavour is a given. This is a must-have.

Beef Rendang from John 3:16 Malaysian Delights

Kari Chicken

If I have to guess, this is curry chicken from Malaysia. It's good, but the beef rendang is so much better than Kari Chicken taste.

Kari Chicken from John 3:16 Malaysian Delights

Rice and Noodle

Nasi Goreng

I chose mild spice level, and it was delicious fried rice. I love the anchovies.

Nasi Goreng

Char Koay Teow

This is the only dish I didn't enjoy. I found it salty, but everything may be just so amazing thus far, and my expectations are way high.

Char Koay Teow

Drinks

Cendol

Cendol is that one unforgettable drink we had in Singapore nine years ago. When we saw it in the John 3:16 Malaysian Delights menu, we just have to try it. It's creamy, milky, and there's a hint of coconut and pandan too.

Cendol

Cendol after stirring and shaking it - so yummy!

What will I order again?

• Cendol
• Beef Rendang
• Roti Canai with curry sauce
• Curry Chicken Puff

Support small local restaurants like John 3:16 Malaysian Delights. Order online at their website or give them a call for pick-up. I am doing my best to avoid using delivery apps. It means ordering only at restaurants within a kilometre of our home.

Lunch from MASA Japanese Restaurant

Happy Saturday! ハッピーサタデー

It is a clear, sunny day in Vancouver. Hubby decided to take a jog around the Seawall while I run errands, and once I am done, we met up near Granville Island.

For lunch today, we have decided to order from MASA Japanese Restaurant. It's a small local business near South Granville (along West Broadway at Hemlock Street). It's on the second floor of the building, on top of the Circle K convenience store.

They offer an extensive Japanese food menu ranging from sushi, sashimi, teriyaki, Japanese curry, udon, and even ramen. I've tried different MASA dishes in the past (it's one of our go-to places for Japanese comfort food), and for today we have ordered mostly new things.

Our order from MASA Japanese Restaurant for today

If you know me by now, I almost always order the same dish from restaurants. Why take the chance of ordering a bad dish when I am sure that I'll enjoy the one I want? 😁 However, I am willing to try appetizers and desserts at random.

My usual order from MASA is the Assorted Katsu Curry. The varying texture from the tonkatsu, eby fry, and goroke make it the best curry available. The goroke is soft and sweet, while the tonkatsu is the complete opposite, while the Ebi fry is the perfect middle ground. I enjoy the dish more than I should.

Crispy Jumbo Dynamite Roll (Deep-fried jumbo prawn with a crunchy exterior and special spicy sauce)

I have been going through the "MASA Specials" section of the menu. I have tried the Knights of the Round Table and MASA Aburi Cheese Monster Roll. Today, I ordered the Crispy Jumbo Dynamite Roll. It's spicy compared to the first two we've tried! I love how the top was crunchy, the middle is creamy, and the bottom is soft rice. I can eat more of this!

Chicken Wings (Salt and pepper with sweet chilli sauce)

I am unsure what I expected when I ordered Chicken Wings from a Japanese restaurant, but this was just sad. It was dry and disappointing, to say the least. Please don't order it in the future.

Creamy Prawn (Prawn with cream cheese stuffed into deep-fried dumplings)

The Creamy Prawn is like a heart attack waiting to happen. It was so sinfully delicious. It's dumplings stuffed with prawns and cream cheese (YES, CREAM CHEESE), then it was deep-fried. My mind is still being blown by the dish.

Shio Ramen (Soy Sauce Flavoured Soup Base with Chashu and Egg)

The ramen was hubby's order, so it'll be unfair for me to describe it since I didn't try it.

Hubby looked at the receipt, and it seems like we're only their second take-out customer. I know many people are suffering from job and income loss because of the pandemic, but if you have the means, please support and order from your local restaurants (instead of the big chains that have a higher chance of survival).

Stay safe. Be kind. Be calm. Be patient.

Previous post on MASA Japanese Restaurant:

• May 31, 2020
• February 21, 2020
• January 18, 2020
• January 6, 2020
• October 18, 2019
• July 24, 2019
• June 22, 2019
• May 12, 2019
• April 13, 2019
• January 19, 2019

Lunch from Suika

Finally! I haven't had my favourite Japanese curry from Suika since December of last year. I can't believe I survived the first quarter of 2021 without having a taste of that delicious dish.

We went to Suika today to order our usual dishes to-go since dine-in services are closed.

Signature Beef Curry with Tonkatsu

I can't believe how much I missed this dish. It's as good as I remember. I also ordered extra curry sauce on the side.

Double Tonkatsu Set (2 pieces of fried pork loin cutlet served with ground roasted sesame tonkatsu sauce, white rice, cabbage salad, and miso soup)

The Double Tonkatsu has become hubby's standard order, and he enjoyed that the tonkatsu sauce came mixed already. Yum!

Crispy Chicken Karaage (Deep fried chicken thigh served with Japanese salt and pepper)

Our usual side is their chicken. We didn't order desserts today and decided to grab a cake from Meinhardt during our weekly grocery run.

If you can, please support your local restaurants and small businesses. Stay safe, be kind, and be calm.

Dinner from Save-on-Foods

Not ordering from restaurants has been challenging because I want food cooked by someone else. LOL. Thankfully most groceries offer hot meals that you can microwave. Below are some dishes we got from Save-on-Foods.

Red Dragon Roll from Bento Express

Red Dragon Roll

Chicken Alfredo Pasta

Macaroni and Cheese

I thought the Mac and Cheese were better than the Chicken Alfredo Pasta.