Dinner at Masa Japanese Restaurant

After the food day at PNE Fair, we went home to rest. Then, we walked to the nearby Masa Japanese Restaurant for soup for dinner. I just need something to warm my heart and tummy.

Spicy Tonkotsu Ramen
Pork tonkatsu flavoured soup base with chashu and egg.

The Spicy Tonkatsu Ramen hits the spot. It's hot, delicious, and filling.

Nabeyaki U-don
U-don with chicken, egg, vegetable, and tempura on the side

I'm so happy with my husband. He tried a new dish for us to enjoy. He ordered udon, and we were pleasantly surprised at its deliciousness. I'm now more open to trying udon at other restaurants now that we have a better idea of what to expect.

Tekka Bomb Roll
Spicy tuna roll with seared tuna and special spicy sauce

It's not the best roll from Masa. It's average at best, but it's definitely spicy.

Soy Garlic Korean Boneless Chicken

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.

Dinner from Beast Unleashed at BC Place | Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs Nashville SC

I blame past me (December 2021 me), who decided it's such a fantastic idea to buy 12 of the 17 home tickets for games of the Vancouver Whitecaps FC for two people.

For the last couple of games, I feel jaded by the time. This is my first time being so emotionally invested in a losing team. Growing up in the Philippines, I watched professional and local basketball passionately. I go to games live and am shameless enough to take pictures with players whenever I see them at events. Somehow, all the teams and players I support are more or less winning teams. I went to a university with a great basketball program, and we won a championship when I was there.

When I started working, I stopped watching sports altogether until I arrived in Canada. My brother introduced (explained the rules) me to American football and soccer. We started watching the NFL, CFL (BC Lions), and of course, the Whitecaps FC.

I am not emotionally (or financially) invested in any NFL or CFL team, but the Whitecaps FC is the only team I support. We only watched them on TSN, and we would do a game live one at most twice a season, but this year I decided to go all-in by buying a flex pass of 12 home MLS games.

I still have nine home game tickets to watch the #VWFC 🙈 I regret everything. pic.twitter.com/SnwM9PxFHC

— Smooch Food Vancouver (@smoochfood) April 16, 2022

I regret that decision. I admire fans who have been season ticket holders for years with this team. I only started watching during Carl Robinson's last season until now, and I am throwing the towel already. We'll still watch and support the team, but we'll go back to watching on TSN and maybe 2-3 games in BC Place next year.

I still have two home games to watch this year, and I will find ways to make them enjoyable.

• Seattle Sounders - I am a fan of Freddy Montero, so I can't wait to see him back in BC Place.
• Austin FC - I like the colour of their jersey. LOL

Elvis Burger and Handheld Pie from Beast Unleashed

Anyway, the food this evening is as mediocre as the team's performance.

The Elvis Burger includes peanut butter, but the worst part is the extremely dry beef patty. The bacon was the saving grace of the dish.

Elvis Burger

Elvis Burger

The Handheld Pie is acceptable, but it's something you'll find in the frozen section of the grocery. It's not good enough to be ordered again.

Handheld Pie

Handheld Pie: Steak & Gravy Vegetarian Chili

Trying all the dishes from Beast Unleashed, only the Bao Burger is deliciously worth it.

Gelato at Perfecto Cafe and Gelato

Happy Saturday! Before heading to the Vancouver Whitecaps FC game, we dropped by Wildfire Thrift Store to donate some old clothes and things we no longer use.

Afterward, we enjoyed a scoop of gelato from Perfecto Cafe and Gelato.

I had hazelnut while hubby chose the pistachio, the same flavours we enjoyed from Uno Gelato.

Hazelnut Gelato on a waffle cone

Pistachio Gelato on a waffle cone

I love the hazelnut, especially the whole ones with the gelato. The flavour is like a punch in the face (a good thing in this case), and it's not overly sweet. I think I found a favourite gelato spot in Downtown Vancouver.

"Manila Comes to Town" Filipino Food Truck Festival 2022 at Canada Place, Vancouver

"Manila Comes to Town" Filipino Food Truck Festival

The Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver presents the "Manila Comes to Town" Filipino Food Truck Festival 2022. This is part of the continuing efforts to introduce and promote Filipino Cuisine in Vancouver.

When is "Manila Comes to Town"?

August 31 to September 2, 2022 (Wednesday to Friday) from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM.

Where is "Manila Comes to Town"?

Canada Place in Vancouver, BC

List of Participating Vendors

• Max's Restaurant
• Potato Corner
• Shameless Buns

Source: Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver website

Craveables from Tim Hortons

Happy Wednesday! Because there are new dream donuts from Tim Hortons, we also decided to order dinner. Perusing the lunch and dinner section of the menu, I realized that we hadn't tried the craveables sandwiches.

Roast Beef Craveables

Both sandwiches are surprisingly delicious, and I am surprised how much I would want to order them again. I don't think I've felt the same way with the other non-breakfast sandwich from Tims. It's such a revelation. I prefer the Roast Beef Craveables. If you're craving thinly sliced meat, this will satisfy your craving.

Roast Beef Craveables from Tim Hortons

Crispy Chicken Craveables

On the other hand, my husband preferred the Crispy Chicken Craveables. The sauce in this one is delicious and worked surprisingly well with the Telera Bread they used for both.

Crispy Chicken Craveables

Pumpkin Spiced Iced Capp from Tim Hortons

I also ordered my favourite Potato Wedges, and for drinks, we tried the new (or returning for the year) Pumpkin Spiced Iced Capp. The S'mores for the summer are way better. The Pumpkin Spiced Iced Capp is not something I'll order again.

Pumpkin Spiced Iced Capp

The only good thing about the Iced Capp is it was still cold when it arrived. It's perfect for such a humid and hot summer evening.

Creamy Maple Pecan Dream Donut from Tim Hortons

Happy Wednesday! I'm obsessed with Tim Hortons dream donuts, and I check their mobile app once a day to see if there's anything new.

I squealed in glee when I saw the two new Tim Hortons dream donuts, which I presume is for the fall season.

Pumpkin Spice Dream Donut

Pumpkin Spice is now the quintessential flavour of the fall season, so it makes sense that Tim Hortons has released a dream donut with this flavour.

Unfortunately, our order did not arrive with the Pumpkin Spice Dream Donut, and I will create a new post once I get to try it.

Creamy Maple Pecan Dream Donut

I love pecan (or any nuts for that matter), and combining it with maple flavour is a great idea. It's an alright donut. The flavours of Reese's Peanut Butter Cheesecake Dream Donut and Hershey's S'mores Dream Donut are so much better.

Creamy Maple Pecan Dream Donut from Tim Hortons

Creamy Maple Pecan Dream Donut from Tim Hortons Dipped in maple fondant, topped with praline pecans, and delicately drizzled with chocolate, each bite has a balance of crunchy texture along with a creamy interior filling.

A peek inside the filling of the Creamy Maple Pecan Dream Donut.

The Creamy Maple is sweet, which is expected of a donut, but that's about it. The pecan provided a crunch, but it just didn't work. My expectations may be unfairly high because I just enjoyed a delicious chocolate pecan pie last weekend.

---

List of Dream Donuts from Tim Hortons

I arranged it alphabetically instead of chronologically.

Apple Pie Dream Donut Birthday Cake Confetti Dream Donut Black Forest Filled Ring Dream Donut Chocolate Hazelnut Eclair Dream Creamy Maple Pecan Dream Donut Dulce de Leche Easter Nest Dream Donut

Hershey's S'mores Dream Donut New York Cheesecake Dream Donut Penguin Dream Donut Reese's Peanut Butter Cheesecake Dream Donut Sea Salted Caramel Dream Strawberry Shortcake Filled Ring Vanilla Cream Puff Filled Ring

Brunch at Aphrodite's Cafe and Pie Shop

Happy Sunday! After the 9:00 AM Mass, we decided to walk west along West 4th Avenue to visit Jericho Beach for the first time.

We hadn't had breakfast yet and walked past a handful of breakfast spots with long lines, coffee shops, and even bakeries which smelled like freshly baked bread. We skipped all of those and found ourselves at the corner of Dunbar at Aphrodite's Cafe and Pie Shop.

We perused the menu, and I ordered my usual glass of freshly squeezed orange juice and one of Aphrodite's Special Benny. Meanwhile, my husband had a Caffe Latte and Aphrodite's Breakfast.

Aphrodite's Special Benny # 3
All Bennys are served with lemony hollandaise sauce, rosemary home fries, and garden greens.
#3 - BC Smoked Salmon, Golden Ear's Neufchatel, Baby Spinach, Capers, and Dill

Aphrodite's Special Benny

I started with the garden greens and absolutely loved the dressing. It was light yet flavourful, and I like the touch of pumpkin seed as a garnish to provide crunch to the fresh vegetables. I like the capers but would love more dill. Be sure to eat the home fries with the salty capers for a flavour explosion in your mouth.

Aphrodite's Breakfast
Three pastured eggs, served any style (hubby picked sunny-side-up), with strip bacon (you can choose from the list), home fries, multigrain toast, and garden green salad. 

The bacon is cooked perfectly, and I surprisingly enjoyed it. I'm not a fan of bacon (in general), so I am pleasantly surprised that I liked this one.

16oz of freshly squeezed orange juice

From the Pie Shop

After our food coma brunch, we crossed the street to grab a couple pie slices, which we enjoyed at Jericho Beach.

A Slice of Chocolate Pecan Pie
Large organic pecan halves are baked into a creamy sweet chocolate filling made from organic soft tofu and chocolate. Results in a velvet-like texture broken up by crunch pecans.

Key Lime Pie
A smooth, refreshing blend of organic coconut condensed milk, coconut cream, lime, lemon, and lime zest topped with an organic whipped coconut cream

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!

Maple Bacon Breakfast Sandwich from Tim Hortons

As part of our Sunday routine, we had breakfast at Tim Hortons before heading to Mass.

For today, we tried the new Maple Bacon Breakfast Sandwiches. It comes with English Muffin by default which hubby enjoyed while I changed mine to Homestyle Biscuit.

Maple Bacon Breakfast Sandwich from Tim Hortons

Maple Bacon Breakfast Sandwich from Tim Hortons

As expected, the bacon is sweeter and works better with the English Muffin. But, overall, I want it to stay because it's definitely a level up to Tims existing default bacon.

Breakfast at A&W

Happy Saturday! We're going to Richmond today to hang out with my siblings and parents. Before riding the train there, we had breakfast at A&W.

Orange Juice and Coffee

Pancakes with Syrup
Three light and fluffy pancakes topped with syrup

Classic Bacon and Eggs
Two freshly cracked eggs from hens fed a vegetarian diet served with three strips of naturally smoked bacon from pork raised without the use of antibiotics and two slices of warm toast.

The pancake was enjoyable, and I loved the orange juice.

Dinner from Basil Pasta Bar

I haven't used a delivery app in two months. However, I'm experiencing dysmenorrhea today, so as much as I want to go out for dinner, staying home seems the wisest thing to do.

We ordered from Basil Pasta Bar.

Dinner from Basil Pasta Bar

I customized my pasta while hubby chose Lemon Chicken Fettuccine.

Lemon Chicken Fettuccine
Alfredo cream sauce with lemon juice, chicken, zucchini, & capers. Garnished with parmesan cheese & fresh basil

My "Build Your Own Pasta"

For my "Build Your Own Pasta," I selected Spaghetti with Pesto Cream Sauce. For protein, I went for smoked salmon and shrimp. Then, I chose all green vegetables (which should help with the pain): broccoli, spinach, peas, asparagus, and artichoke. Finally, for garnish, I decided on parsley.

It was delicious, but there's extra sauce afterwards, which we kept so I can use it with the pasta at home.

It's a happy night despite the pain. I'm so blessed to have a wonderful, caring husband.

Brunch at Paul’s Omelettery

Happy Sunday! After Mass today, we went to Paul’s Omelettery for brunch since I am craving pancakes.

Lumberjack
2 Pancakes, maple syrup, three cheese omelette, pan fries, fruit cup, and Oktoberfest sausage

Corned Beef Hash
Sautéed potatoes, mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, bacon and corned beef topped with two free-run poached eggs, and shredded cheddar & Edam cheese

Pancake craving satisfied! I also love the ketchup and hot sauce combination. It’s spicy and tangy.

Guest Post: Lunch at Cactus Club Coal Harbour

This post is written by my husband.

I met up with a high school friend and batchmate today in Downtown Vancouver. He's now based in Winnipeg, Manitoba and is on his way to pick up his family at the YVR Airport and he's got a few hours to spare. Plus, he asked if I can sign a copy of my book that he had bought.

We agreed to meet up at the Waterfront Station to make it easier for him to travel. It's his first time in Vancouver, so we walked to Canada Place then to the seawall to the Jack Poole Plaza. We ended up at the Cactus Club for lunch.

There was a line for walk-ins but we can see there are available tables inside and outside. The host still asked for my name and number to add to their waitlist app, then the app sent me a text message. There was no need to wait though as she referred us to another person who walked us to our table. I don't know what's the need for asking the name and number. This process was unnecessary and adding more time before guests can be seated. It's why there's a line outside, even after as we were going out, despite the number of available and clean tables.

I ordered the Four Mushroom steak for lunch. It was good but I think I would prefer their other steak options.

Four Mushroom Steak
8oz certified angus beef® sirloin, shiitake, portobello, button and crimini mushroom demi-glace, buttered mashed potatoes, roasted asparagus

For dessert, I ordered the Five Layer Coconut Cake (which is "New" according to the menu). It wasn't served vertically as the one on the menu so my enjoyment of it was decreased. They also labeled it as "made to share" but it was just the regular slice (which isn't even enough for me). It was good but I think the other desserts were better.

Five Layer Coconut Cake
cream cheese frosting, passion fruit mango purée, hand whipped cream

After lunch, we walked a bit to the Gastown Steam Clock and Vancouver Art Gallery before he went back to the Waterfront Station to return to the airport.