Gimme Coxinhas at Khatsahlano Street Party

Coxinhas is a famous Brazilian snack. It consists of a dough made from wheat flour, butter, and broth, which is then filled and typically shaped into a teardrop.

Gimme Coxinhas

The chicken coxinhas was made with a flavorful filling of shredded chicken. It was mixed with cream cheese, creating a creamy and savoury filling. The exterior is crusty and crispy.

Cheese Coxinhas from Gimme Coxinhas

Meanwhile, the cheese coxinhas is filled with gooey and melted cheese. It had a lovely cheese pull.

Cheese Coxinhas from Gimmer Coxinhas

Lastly, the dulce de leche churros have a crispy and slightly crunchy exterior with the luscious and sweet dulce de leche filling. It is a heavenly dessert with a perfect balance of textures and caramel flavours.

Dulce de Leche Churros from Gimme Coxinhas

It was such a delicious snack while waiting in line for ice cream.

Polish Platter from Nina's Pierogi | Khatsahlano Street Party

I'm not a Polish cuisine expert, so when I saw Nina's Pierogi selling a Polish Platter at Khatsahlano Street Party, I had to try it.

The Polish Platter includes a 2-piece cabbage roll, 1-piece Polish kielbasa (pork sausage), 4 pieces of cheddar cheese & potato pierogies, and a pickle. I also said yes to all toppings: bacon, onion, and sour cream.

When I took a bite of the cabbage roll, the first thing I got was the cabbage. Then, the soft and delicate pork inside was moist and succulent. It's perfect.

I'm trying Polish kielbasa for the first time. It tastes like pork sausage. I wonder if there will be an international sausage restaurant that only sells a sampling of different sausages.

Polish Platter from Nina's Pierogi
Cabbage roll, Polish kielbasa (pork sausage), cheddar cheese & potato pierogies, & pickle topped with bacon, onion, and sour cream.

Now, let's discuss the pierogi. I've had frozen pierogies before, and it's not as good as this. Nina's pierogi is soft and chewy, but the inside is creamy.

The pierogies are topped with bacon, onion, and sour cream. The crispy bacon provides a satisfying crunch, contrasting the softness of the dumplings. The sautéed onions add a slightly caramelized and tender texture and a pleasant mouthfeel. A dollop of sour cream brings a creamy and smooth consistency, creating a luscious coating over the pierogi.

Cappuccino Cookie and Pistachio Gelato from Tru Cafe

 It's a sweltering day, so after a delicious dinner at Tap & Barrel Bridges, hubby and I wondered where to get ice cream. Then, we spotted the gelato sign at Tru Cafe.

Pistachio Gelato from Tru Cafe

I hoped to get my usual hazelnut, but the cappuccino cookie gelato was also excellent. It was sweet and slightly bitter. 

Cappuccino Cookie Gelato from Tru Cafe

Meanwhile, hubby had his usual pistachio gelato. The one from Uno Gelato is better.

The Original Ice Cream Bar from Purdys | Canada Day

Every Canada Day weekend, my husband and I would get ice cream from Purdys.

We usually go for a scoop of ice cream served on a waffle cone covered with dark chocolates and almonds. However, the Purdys location inside Pacific Centre is about to start renovations on July 3, so they only have French Vanilla available, which I got.

The Original Ice Cream Bar from Purdys

My husband noticed a picture of the ice cream and asked if it was available. He got what is apparently known as The Original. It is vanilla ice cream dipped in dark chocolate and covered in roasted almonds.

A scoop of French Vanilla Ice Cream served on a waffle cone covered in dark chocolate and roasted almonds from Purdys

The ice cream bar is better than my scoop of French Vanilla ice cream.

Taiwanese Sausage and Red Bean Wheel Cake at Taiwanese Canadian Cultural Festival

After breakfast at Tim Hortons, we walked across Granville Bridge to join the celebration at Canada Place. On our way there, we spotted the Taiwanese Canadian Cultural Festival in the Vancouver Art Gallery plaza.

I am always ready for Taiwanese food, and instead of ordering from Sasaya, we chose food sold by the Taiwanese Canadian Cultural Society. We ordered a Taiwanese Sausage and Red Beans Wheel Cake.

Taiwanese Sausage

Taiwanese Sausage

The Taiwanese sausage is savoury with a slightly sweet taste which is why we love it. The ground pork inside is coarse and includes some fat making it moist and juicy.

Red Bean Wheel Cake

It was our first time trying a Red Bean Wheel Cake, and we were uncertain about what to expect. The exterior is golden-brown and is soft and fluffy with a slight crispiness. The inside is filled with mashed red beans. It has little sugar and is not overly sweet but has a smooth and creamy texture.

Red Bean Wheel Cake

Tim Hortons Dream Cookie with M&M'S® Minis

I am working at South Surrey this week, meaning a long commute. I feel exhausted when I exit the Broadway City Hall Station, so today, we stopped by Tim Hortons primarily to see if they have any Dream Cookies in stock.

Tim Hortons Dream Cookie with M&M'S® Minis

They have an abundance of the Rocky Road Dream Cookie, none of the Reese's® Mini Dream Cookie, and one last Dream Cookie with M&M'S® Minis we got. It's sweet! The cookie reminds me of butterscotch in sweetness and texture. It is topped with M&M'S Minis, which is also sweet, but it did provide a crunch we know and adore with M&M'S.

Sweet Chili Dip and Cajun Dip for Chicken McNuggets from McDonald's

Since trying the McDonald's® Ghost Pepper Sauce, I do my best to try new Chicken McNuggets dip. They recently released two sauces: the Sweet Chili and the Cajun.

10 Chicken McNuggets with Sweet Chili Sauce and Cajun Sauce from McDonald's

Sweet Chili Sauce from McDonald's

It's the spicier of the two dips. It hits you with the tangy kick of heat, then tones it down with sweetness. The McDonald's sauce has a smooth and slightly thick consistency.

Sweet Chili Sauce from McDonald's

Cajun Sauce from McDonald's®

Because I tried the Sweet Chili Sauce first, I didn't get any spiciness from the McDonald's Cajun Sauce. However, it's definitely more creamy in texture, and the flavour is more savoury and smoky.

Cajun Sauce from McDonald's

Both sauces are enjoyable. I prefer the Sweet Chili for the McNuggets and the Cajun Sauce for the fries.

Caramel Popcorn McFlurry from McDonald’s®

Have you had stale popcorn? You know the one I'm talking about! It's when the popcorn is softer and chewier instead of crispy. That's how the Caramel Popcorn in the McDonald’s^® McFlurry feels like.

Caramel Popcorn McFlurry from McDonald’s®

Caramel Popcorn McFlurry is the special dessert from McDonald’s^® this summer. While the popcorn flavour is there, the context is just really off.

Caramel Popcorn McFlurry from McDonald’s®

Caramel Popcorn McFlurry from McDonald’s®

Can we please have peanut McFlurry instead? Or maybe even peanut butter? Or even pretzels?

Rocky Road Dream Cookie from Tim Hortons

Tim Hortons recently announced a Dream Cookie lineup that includes the Rocky Road Dream Cookie. I am used to the dream donut and always keep an eye out for it, but the dream cookie is a pleasant change for the fast food chain.

Rocky Road Dream Cookie™
A rich chocolate cookie stuffed with pecans and marshmallows.

We went to our favourite Tims location, and only the Rocky Road Dream Donut was in stock. It has everything you expect and loves from rocky road flavour ice cream: marshmallows, chopped nuts, and chocolate chips. It's a pleasant surprise that the cookie is moist. I enjoyed it.

Hopefully, the other two dream cookie will be available tomorrow and is as good as this one.

Gelato from Maya's at White Rock, BC

After a wonderful dinner at Charlie Don't Surf, we walked to Maya's for gelato. They offer gelato, ice cream, and soft serve. Hubby wants the healthier gelato while I want soft serve.

Tiramisu Gelato from Maya's
A hint of mascarpone cheese, sweet marsala wine, and a hint of coffee.

Unfortunately, their soft serve machine isn't working. I opted for my usual gelato flavour: Hazelnut. My husband went for the Tiramisu.

Hazelnut Gelato from Maya's

It's nice to eat something cold while the sun is shining so brightly outside. No wonder there's half a dozen (maybe even more!) ice cream shop along the White Rock Boardwalk.

Filipino Food from Lasa Street Food in Seattle Premium Outlets

After a long day in Seattle and before heading back to our beloved Canada, we window-shopped at Seattle Premium Outlets. I was hoping to get a backpack I can use daily for work since, starting next month, I'll return to working in an office for at least 3 days weekly.

LASA Street Food in Seattle Premium Outlets, Tulalip Washington

On the south edge of the outlet store, there's a stall called Lasa Street Food. I was pleasantly shocked to see a Filipino store in the middle of an outlet store in Tulalip, Washington.

Kwek-Kwek from LASA Street Food in Seattle Premium Outlets
Deep-fried  battered quail eggs

I ordered Kwek-Kwek (deep-fried battered quail eggs) and Squid Balls (deep-fried squid balls), which are popular street food items in the Philippines. They're both worth it!

Squid Balls from LASA Street Food in Seattle Premium Outlets
Deep-fried squid balls

If you're looking for something more substantial, they have a wide array of menu items for lunch and dinner. They also offer Filipino beers like Red Horse and San Miguel Pilsner.

Lasa Street Food menu

Below is the menu of LASA Street Food. Prices are subject to change without prior notice and are presented in USD excluding taxes and tip.

LASA Street Food menu

Sabaw (Soup)	Price
Lugaw Rice porridge topped with scallion and fried garlic. Choice of: boiled egg, fried tofu, chicken, or kawali	$10.00
Ulam Entree served with rice and atsara	Price
Chicken Adobo Traditionally braised chicken in soy and vinegar	$14.00
Spicy Pork Adobo Traditionally braised pork in soy, vinegar, and chilies	$14.00
Lasa Express Pork in Coconut Milk and Chilies	$14.00
Bistek Beef and onions sauteed in soy and calamansi sauce	$16.00
Pulutan Street Food	Price
Crispy Pata Crispy, juicy fried pork hock	$20.00
Lechon Kawali Signature tender, fried pork belly	$16.00
Sisig Sizzling pork with fried egg	$14.00
Fish Balls Deep fried fish ball	$5.00
Kwek-Kwek Deep fried battered quail eggs	$5.00
Lumpia Deep fried beef spring rolls	$8.00
Side of Rice	$2.00
Beer & Wine	Price
San Miguel Pilsner	$4.00
San Miguel Light	$4.00
Red Horse	$5.00
Fremont Lush IPA	$4.00
White Wine	$5.00
Red Wine	$5.00
Drinks	Price
Soda Coke & Sprite	$1.50
Juice Mango, Calamansi, Guava, or Pineapple	$2.00
Water	$1.00

Seattle Dog from Dog in the Park | Seattle Center

It's most likely that you've heard of New York Pizza and Chicago Dog, but I doubt if you're familiar with "Seattle Dog." If you're looking for that one place to try near the Space Needle for lunch, head over to the Dog in the Park food stand before or after the Space Needle.

What is a "Seattle Dog"? It starts with your usual hotdog sandwich of, well, a hotdog in a bun but topped with grilled veggies and cream cheese. Yes, CREAM CHEESE on a hotdog sandwich. It sounds outrageous.

Seattle Dog from Dog in the Park near the Space Needle
The grilled hot dog is served in a toasted bun topped with cream cheese and grilled veggies.

How did it taste like? The hot dog is perfectly cooked, which is always a good start. I surprisingly love the slight char and bitterness from the grilled vegetables. The cream cheese did add creaminess like cheese would, but the smoothness and slight tanginess were offputting for me. I prefer my cream cheese as a dip and on top of a toasted bagel.

My First Crumpet from The Crumpet Shop | Pike Place Market

We need to talk. Why have I never heard of crumpets before researching places to try in Pike Place Market?! What's wrong with me and my limited knowledge of food? Honestly, there's still so much to eat!

Let's start with what's a crumpet. It is a British tea-time treat with round, fluffy, and slightly dense bread-like cakes with a distinctive bubble texture. It is made from a batter of flour, yeast, and milk cooked on a griddle or stovetop in special circular moulds.

Egg, English cheese, & Ham Breakfast Egg Crumpets from The Crumpet Shop
Organic eggs served on a hot & toasty crumpet

My younger sister ordered the Egg, English cheese & Ham while I chose an Egg on Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese on top of a hot & toasty crumpet.

Egg, English cheese, & Ham Breakfast Egg Crumpets from The Crumpet Shop
Organic eggs served on a hot & toasty crumpet

It's soft, and the eggs are perfectly cooked. While the smoked salmon cream cheese provided a creamy and salty topping.

Egg on Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese Breakfast Egg Crumpets from The Crumpet Shop
Local smoked salmon blended in house with cream cheese.

I love it! My younger sister said she prefers English muffins since she eats them at work. The difference between the two is in texture and taste: crumpets have a spongy, porous texture with a mild flavour, while English muffins have a denser texture with a more pronounced bread-like taste.

Egg on Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese Breakfast Egg Crumpets from The Crumpet Shop
Local smoked salmon blended in house with cream cheese.

Do you have any suggestions on the best place for crumpets in Vancouver? I'm also heading to London, UK, on October and want to try crumpets there. Let me know of the best places to try it in London.

Maple Bacon Mini Doughnut from Daily Doughnut Company | Pike Place Market

My mom is celebrating her birthday on the same weekend as Father's Day, so we decided to take a road trip to Seattle, WA.

We arrived at Pike Place Market shortly before 10:00 AM, and I lined up for the Daily Doughnut Company. You can totally spend a day in Pike Place Market lining up for the many good places here.

I ordered a half dozen of the Plain Doughnut and another half dozen of Maple Bacon.

Plain Mini Doughnuts from Daily Doughnut Company inside Pike Place Market

My younger sister, the baker in the family, loved the doughnut. She accurately described it as a savoury deep-fried doughnut that's not sweet. I got the plain because I always worry about doughnuts being too sweet, but not in this case. I think adding the sweet topping is the way to go.

Maple Bacon Mini Doughnut from Daily Doughnut Company inside Pike Place Market

I enjoyed the crispy exterior of the plain mini goodness while I loved the balance of sweet and salty of the Maple Bacon mini doughnut.

This is the best way to start in Seattle.

Mochanut Mamon from KayeBakes.ca

The main reason we went to Proudly Philippines: Food and Travel Fair was to get mocha mamon from KayeBakes.ca. I love fluffy soft mamon and enjoy the mocha flavour in desserts. So combining two of my favourite things in one soft bread is worth the walk across Granville Bridge.

Mochanut Mamon from KayeBakes.CA paired with tea.
The picture was taken while waiting for the water to boil for the tea.

We enjoyed the Mochanut Mamon with tea for breakfast today before going to Vancouver International Airport to pick up my parents, who were coming home from the Philippines. It's sweet, perfect with bitter tea. The mamon is soft and fluffy, but the addition of nuts provides a crunchy texture. It's absolutely perfect! It's an amazingly blessed Sunday already! Thank God for the many blessings.

The best Mamon in Vancouver is from Kayebakes.ca

Cotton Candy Blizzard® Treat from Dairy Queen

After dinner, we grabbed a small Cotton Candy Blizzard® Treat from Dairy Queen along Robson Street.

Cotton Candy Blizzard® Treat from Dairy Queen

It's the iconic soft serve topped with candy sprinkles. I am not a fan of it. The colour looks nice, and I like that there are crunchy elements to this Blizzard, but not something I'd order again or recommend.

Below is a list of Blizzard Treats from Dairy Queen that we have tried.

Cake Batter Cookie Dough Blizzard Treat Caramel Fudge Cheesecake Blizzard Treat COFFEE CRISP® Caramel Macchiato Blizzard Treat Cotton Candy Blizzard Treat

OREO® Hot Cocoa Blizzard Treat Pumpkin Pie Blizzard Treat Reese's® Caramel Pretzel Blizzard® Treat Skor® Blizzard Treat

Original Pinoy Iskrambol from Pampanga's Cuisine | Proudly Philippines Food and Travel Fair

After sleeping in, grabbing late breakfast at Tim Hortons, and walking across Granville Bridge, we arrived at Robson Square to visit the Proudly Philippines 2023: Food and Travel Fair, organized by the Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver. We walked around to see food options. 

Pinoy Iskrambol from Pampanga's Cuisine, Vancouver BC

Of course, I supported Ate Kaye of KayeBakes.ca and ordered my favourite Mochanut Mamon. 🤤 Then, we noticed Iced Candy and Original Pinoy Iskramble sold at the Pampanga's Cuisine booth. After making puppy eyes at my husband, he reluctantly allowed me to order an Original Pinoy Iskrambol.

Pinoy Iskrambol from Pampanga's Cuisine

It is a pink shaved ice dessert with milk, sugar, and banana extract. I remember enjoying this growing up in the streets of Quezon City. I was skeptical if the flavour would be similar to what I remember, and I am happy to share that I feel like a kid again back in our first home in Novaliches. The sweetness and milk flavour are all spot-on. My husband said, "It's acceptable, but! it is missing the dust and pollution of Metro Manila." Hihi. ♥️

If you're craving Filipino Iskrambol in Vancouver, BC, head to Pampanga's Cuisine location at 6094 Fraser Street.

June's Blizzard Treat of the Month: Reese's® Caramel Pretzel Blizzard® Treat from Dairy Queen

This is the perfect Blizzard Treat for me. I love savoury flavours over sweets (my husband is the sweet-tooth) so the Reese's® Caramel Pretzel Blizzard® Treat from Dairy Queen is the perfect one for me.

Reese's Caramel Pretzel Blizzard Treat from Dairy Queen

It includes sweet and creamy world-famous DQ soft-serve with salty peanuts and crunchy pretzels and to push it over the edge is an indulgent peanut butter cup. I can't get over how much I love this. Can I have it again in large this time?

Below is a list of Blizzard Treat from Dairy Queen that we have tried.

• Cake Batter Cookie Dough Blizzard Treat
• Caramel Fudge Cheesecake Blizzard Treat
• COFFEE CRISP® Caramel Macchiato Blizzard Treat
• OREO® Hot Cocoa Blizzard Treat
• Pumpkin Pie Blizzard Treat
• Reese's® Caramel Pretzel Blizzard® Treat
• Skor® Blizzard Treat

Caramel Fudge Cheesecake Blizzard Treat from Dairy Queen

After a delicious burger from Dairy Queen, hubby picked the Caramel Fudge Cheesecake Blizzard Treat for dessert. It's sweet on sweet on sweet and he absolutely loves it.

Caramel Fudge Cheesecake Blizzard Treat from Dairy Queen
Vanilla soft serve, salted caramel truffles, cheesecake pieces, and caramel topping

Indulge in the ultimate cheesecake experience with the Caramel Fudge Cheesecake Blizzard® Treat from Dairy Queen. This innovative creation combines all your favorite classic flavors in one irresistible treat, ensuring you never have to choose between your dessert cravings again.

Prepare your taste buds for a delightful blend of salted caramel truffles, creamy cheesecake pieces, and rich caramel topping, all expertly mixed with Dairy Queen's famous vanilla soft serve. Each spoonful offers a symphony of textures and flavors, with the smoothness of the soft serve beautifully complemented by the chewy caramel truffles and velvety cheesecake bites. The combination of sweet and salty notes adds an extra layer of indulgence, satisfying your sweet summertime cravings to perfection.

Caramel Fudge Cheesecake Blizzard Treat from Dairy Queen

We enjoyed our Blizzard Treat on our walk home under the blaze of spring sunshine. It's a beautiful Sunday!

Refreshing and Fruity: Tim Hortons' New Sparkling Quenchers

It's a beautiful cloudy day in Vancouver and it's a perfect time to take long walks while enjoying the Blood Orange Ginger Sparkling Quencher and Blackberry Yuzu Sparkling Quencher from Tim Hortons.

Blood Orange Ginger Sparkling Quencher

I was expecting a sweet slightly tangy flavour from the Blood Orange Ginger Sparkling Quencher from Tim Hortons, instead all I got is the bold warm ginger after taste.

I didn't enjoy it, but if you like ginger this is a good option for you.

Blood Orange Ginger Sparkling Quencher from Tim Hortons

Blackberry Yuzu Sparkling Quencher

Why do I feel like they added Yuzu to the name of the drink to make it sound cool and exotic but there's absolutely no yuzu flavour to this drink. It's essentially a sweet blackberry iced drink.

Blackberry Yuzu Sparkling Quencher from Tim Hortons

I am not a fam of both drinks but if you twist my arm to make a choice I would go for the Blackberry Yuzu Sparkling Quencher. The ginger after taste on the first drink is just too much for me.

Have you tried one or both drinks? What do you think?