Rogers Arena Food | Seattle Kraken VS Vancouver Canucks Preseason Game

When it comes to sports and entertainment venues, Rogers Arena in Vancouver is a true standout. It's our first time watching the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena! We're so excited to be inside Rogers Arena for the first time. However, it's unfortunate that they lose the preseason game 4-3 in overtime.

Of course, the real reason we decided to watch today is I want to check the food offering inside Rogers Arena. Did you know that Rogers Arena is also home to some of the most delicious and diverse food options in the city?

First, there is a "Members Only" section inside Rogers Arena, meaning we can't walk the circumference of Level 100 to check all the menus.

From classic stadium fare to more sophisticated dishes, Rogers Arena offers something for everyone. If you're in the mood for a classic hot dog or burger, head over to the various concession stands located throughout the arena like the Streamers (Section 120 and 330) or Triple O's (Section 115, 307, and Club Section).

Deluxe Nachos from Guacho

Hubby suggested we order the Deluxe Nachos from Guacho, which were surprisingly delicious. Now, I hope BC Place adds this to its menu.

$13.00 Deluxe Nachos from Guacho inside Rogers Arena

Grilled Cheese and Bacon from Melt

This is where I can compare the food at BC Place and Rogers Arena. Rogers offers more affordable food, but the tickets are more expensive than BC Place.

The Grilled Cheese and Bacon are good. The bread is perfectly toasted and incredibly buttery.

$9.50 Grilled Cheese and Bacon from Melt
Compare it with the BC Place Signature Grilled Cheese

French Fries and Waffle Fries from Crisp

To end our food day in Rogers Arena, we ordered French Fries and Waffle Fries from Crisp. Although BC Place does not have waffle fries, the quality of their French Fries is better.

$8.00 Waffle Fries from Crisp

$7.00 French Fries from Crisp

- - -

In conclusion, if you're looking for delicious and diverse food options in Vancouver, look no further than Rogers Arena. With its range of classic stadium fare, upscale dining options, and ethnic food stands, there's something for every taste and budget. So the next time you're at the arena, be sure to explore all of the amazing food options available and enjoy a truly unforgettable experience.

Ice Cream from Marble Slab Creamery

After lunch at Ma Dang Goul, we walked along Denman to enjoy Car Free Day West End. Before reaching English Bay beach, we stopped by Marble Slab Creamery. 

Ice Cream - Something with Peanut Butter

Ice Cream - Something with Chocolate

The line was long, and I can't remember which combination we had. All I know is that Marble Slab Creamery is the closest ice cream shop to English Bay Beach along Denman Street, and it's the perfect way to end summer.

I love Vancouver!

Lunch at Ma Dang Goul | Car Free Day West End

After Sunday Mass, my husband and I walked almost six kilometres to Denman Street to join Car Free Day West End. I always love walking across Burrard Bridge, feeling the sun's warmth and the sea's breeze, and hearing sports cars exceed the speed limit.

After checking out different vendors that are part of Car Free Day, we decided to have lunch at Ma Dang Goul because I crave Korean BBQ.

Banchan

Bulgogi
Thinly sliced beef and vegetables in sweet soy sauce. Served with side dishes and rice.

The bulgogi satisfied my craving for Korean BBQ. Although, I still want to grill meat.

Beef Japchae
Stir-fried glass noodles with beef and vegetables.

The Beef Japchae is alright. The kimchi made it better. However, I haven't found a favourite japchae that's cut above from the rest.

Haemul Pajeon
Seafood pancake with green onions.

I enjoyed the seafood pancake. It has the most generous seafood I have seen compared to Korean restaurants in Vancouver.

8 pieces Ganmandu
Deep-fried pork dumplings

Mandu! I love Korean dumplings, but Ganmandu from Dai Jang Kum in Richmond, BC, is still the best.

Breakfast at Tim Hortons

Happy Sunday! Before Mass, we decided to grab breakfast from Tim Hortons. So I am going down the menu of breakfast sandwiches we haven't tried, and this blog is really just a ruse to keep track of everything.

Next on our list is the Egg & Cheese Breakfast Sandwich with English Muffin and Sausage & Bacon Breakfast Sandwich with Homestyle Biscuit.

Egg & Cheese Breakfast Sandwich between English Muffin

The saddest sandwich from Tims is the Egg & Cheese Breakfast Sandwich. It's really just an egg and a cheese slice between English muffins. I don't think I'll ever order it again, even if it's only 268 calories.

Sausage & Bacon Breakfast Sandwich

The best breakfast sandwich is the Sausage & Bacon Breakfast Sandwich because it has both sausage and bacon between homestyle biscuits, which usually comes perfectly toasted.

Desserts from Breka Bakery & Cafe

After dinner from Boston Pizza, we decided to order desserts and this time, I searched for a cake place from DoorDash and found Breka Bakery & Cafe. So my siblings ordered a cake each while hubby and I picked four of the six available donut flavours.

Breka Bakery & Cafe box

Salted Pecan Maple Donut, Dulce de Leche Donut,
London Fog Donut and Chocolate Hazelnut Donut

Vancouver has a lot of donut stores, and I think Breka Bakery & Cafe became my favourite. That dough is soft, chewy, and moist. It's perfect. The flavours are also on point and not overly sweet. I absolutely love it!

Caramel Macchiato Praline Crunch, Tuxedo Truffle, and
New York Cheesecake

My three siblings are raving about their cakes, especially my brother, who has good things to say about the New York Cheesecake.

After eating desserts, we continued playing Smash Bros until we were too tired and decided to go home. It's a happy day with my siblings and we can't wait to visit them again next weekend!

Pumpkin Pie Blizzard Treat and OREO Hot Cocoa Blizzard Treat from Dairy Queen

After dinner at Nikkyu Japanese Restaurant, we grabbed ice cream from Dairy Queen. The line has reached outside the fast food because it's hot outside.

I chose the Pumpkin Pie Blizzard® Treat because Fall is about to start.

Pumpkin Pie Blizzard Treat is September's Blizzard of the Month

I surprisingly loved it. I love what feels like pie crust, and the pumpkin flavour is good too.

Meanwhile, hubby chose the OREO® Hot Cocoa Blizzard® Treat. There are crushed OREO® and cocoa fudge in this Blizzard Treat from Dairy Queen.

Oreo Hot Cocoa Blizzard Treat

This is the last weekend of summer because September 22 (Thursday) is the official first day of Fall.

Dinner at Nikkyu Japanese Restaurant | Car Free Day Main Street

After doing our Costco grocery run, we decided to walk going to Car Free Day on Main Street. It was such a fun day, with more people than Car Free Day in Commercial Drive last week.

Car Free Day Main Street

We walked from 10th Ave to 25th Avenue along Main Street to check out food options and the different vendors. I love the view of streets filled with people out for a good time with mountains in the background.

Since many restaurants were full, we ended up having an early dinner at Nikkyu Japanese Restaurant.

Beef Teriyaki

Hubby ordered beef teriyaki, which arrived first. It came with rice, a side salad, and miso soup.

Takoyaki

Special House Roll
Salmon, tuna, tamago, chopped scallop, imitation crab meat with avocado and tobiko on top

The Special House Roll is packed with things you want inside the roll. It requires two bites to enjoy the Special House Roll.

Katsu (Pork) Curry and Rice with potatoes, pumpkin, and tomato

I love Japanese curry, and this is the most unusual one I have had. The tomato was a surprise, and the pork was sweeter during the first couple of bites.

Overall, supporting local businesses during Car Free Day Main Street was good.

Lunch at Costco Food Court

Happy Sunday morning! We woke up later than usual and walked to Costco for a grocery run. For our first meal of the day, I opted for their hotdogs and french fries.

Costco Hotdog and French Fries

There weren't many people at Costco today, so I waited less than five minutes for our food.

50% off Pizza for dinner at BC Place | Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs Seattle Sounders FC

We're in the final stretch of the season, and this is the penultimate home game of the Whitecaps FC. My checklist is almost complete, but I don't think I will be able to try everything BC Place has to offer.

The Whitecaps FC won against the Seattle Sounders FC to keep their playoff hopes alive. It's also Youth Appreciation Night, and from gates open until kickoff, pizza slices from Commercial Drive Pizza are 50% off.

Pizza Slices from Commercial Drive Pizza

I ordered the Ranchero Chicken Pizza and Ham & Pineapple Pizza. The latter is so dry and unbearable! No wonder it's 50% off. Thankfully, the former has more sauce and flavour to it.

Ham and Pineapple Pizza

Ranchero Chicken Pizza

I was worried that the Whitecaps would be dry and unbearable like the pizza, and I am glad they played like they cared.

Chana Masala Curry from Bombay South Asian Kitchen

Since I am working on a checklist, I ordered the only item I have not tried from Bombay South Asian Kitchen. It's a case of saving the best for last because the Chana Masala is the most flavourful of all the items sold here. The only downside is that the naan bread still feels like something from Costco with zero attempts at reheating.

Chana Masala Curry

October 1, 2022, will be the last home game of the Vancouver Whitecaps FC. I hope they continue to play with intensity and desire to win.

New! COFFEE CRISP® Caramel Macchiato Blizzard® Treat at Dairy Queen

Happy Saturday! The Whitecaps FC has a game tonight, but before that, we walked across Granville Bridge and enjoyed a large Coffee Crisp Blizzard and Soft Pretzels with cheese dip at Dairy Queen.

New! COFFEE CRISP® Caramel Macchiato Blizzard® Treat

Soft Pretzels with Cheese Dip

After the ice cream, we walked to Holy Rosary Cathedral for Anticipated Sunday Mass. I thank God that He answered my prayers from the Vancouver Whitecaps FC to win tonight.

Best Pudding in Vancouver from Early Bird Pudding

Pudding is not something we ate growing up, and I would only order it from Suika to end our meal. Recently, we tried Early Bird Pudding when it was sold by Ay! Mamacita food truck. Then, last Saturday, we saw their booth at Car Free Day in Commercial Drive and went crazy. We ordered one of the available flavours.

Yuzu Citrus
Yuzu has a distinct scent and taste. It has a hint of a sour and bitter taste. It's like a hybrid between a grapefruit and lemon. We highly recommend this flavour if you're looking for a more refreshing taste.

Matcha Tea
We're using high-grade ceremonial Matcha tea powder flown straight from Kyoto to make this pudding. So for Matcha lovers out there, this is for you!

Hojicha Tea
If you're looking for a full-flavoured roasted tea, Hojicha is the one for you. You'd be pleasantly surprised how well this flavour goes well with our pudding. The Hojicha that we're using was imported directly from Kyoto, Japan.

Classic Custard
A traditional Japanese custard pudding that's smooth, creamy and not overly sweet. It's made using locally produced free-range eggs.

Hubby asked if we'll order more pudding if we see them at future events. I said yes, as long as it's a new or different flavour than what we've tried.

Lunch from Subway

After eating our breakfast from Tim Hortons, I took a nap while NFL Redzone was running in the background. Finally, I fell asleep and felt a little better, but my cramps were still wrong.

For lunch, we decided to order from Subway. Hubby had a sandwich while I went for a wrap. We also called two cookies. 😁

Caramel Pecan made with Turtles cookie and White Chip Macadamia Nut Cookie

My Southwest Steak & Avocado Signature Grilled Rice Wrap from Subway was good. The steak, avocado, vegetables, and sauce were delicious. The only downer is the rice. This is why North Americans don't like rice because Subway (and similar establishments) doesn't cook it properly. It's hard and grainy.

Southwest Steak & Avocado Signature Grilled Rice Wrap
Grilled Wrap with shredded Monterey cheddar, lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, red onions, banana peppers, chipotle southwest sauce, and brown, red, & wild rice blend.

Crispy Chicken Bacon & Peppercorn Ranch Sandwich
6" Toasted Multigrain with shredded Monterey cheddar, lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers, red onions, and peppercorn ranch sauce

Hubby's Crispy Chicken Bacon & Peppercorn Ranch from Subway was delicious too, but he complains that the chicken isn't crispy. 

Menu Items we tried from Subway

Below is a list of items we tried from Subway.

Signature Grilled Rice Wraps Chicken Caesar Large Wrap with Savoury Caesar sauce Southwest Steak & Avocado Chipotle Steak & Guac Grilled Wrap	Sandwiches Chicken and Bacon Ranch Sub Melt Crispy Chicken Bacon & Peppercorn Ranch
Melt Turkey Mighty Melt	Sides Caramel Pecan made with TURTLES®+ cookie Chocolate Lava cookie White Chip Macademia Nut

Spicy Habanero Sausage Bagel Breakfast Sandwich and Maple Bacon BELT for breakfast from Tim Hortons

Happy Sunday! My dysmenorrhoea is so bad today that I was squirming in pain at Church during Mass.

Before heading home, we tried two new items today: Spicy Habanero Sausage Bagel Breakfast Sandwich and Maple Bacon BELT from Tim Hortons.

Spicy Habanero Sausage Bagel Breakfast Sandwich from Tim Hortons

It's your typical breakfast sausage between a plain bagel and slobbered with spicy habañero sauce. The heat was great, but I'll stick with the classic sausage breakfast sandwich.

Spicy Habanero Sausage Bagel Breakfast Sandwich from Tim Hortons

Maple Bacon BELT from Tim Hortons

My hand smelled like maple. This is a winner! The maple bacon is delicious and works great with the egg, lettuce, and tomato. I'll gladly order this again.

Maple Bacon BELT from Tim Hortons 

Ice Cream from Elephant Garden Creamery

Car Free Day: Commercial Drive is definitely effective in making us support local businesses in the area. We rarely have any reason to go to Commercial Drive, so as much as we know of the many great food options, I don't always go out of my way for food.

It was a sunny hot day in Vancouver, so hubby insisted we grab an ice cream. So we searched for one in the area and found Elephant Garden Creamery.

Their flavours are so unique! I listed the ones available today below.

Matcha Cloud Tea + Yuzu

I had Matcha Cloud Tea + Yuzu while hubby chose the R&B Remix (Black Sesame + Red Bean). They're both so delicious. Mine is, of course, tarty because of the yuzu, but I couldn't taste any matcha flavour.

R&B Remix (Red Bean + Black Sesame)

Hubby's R&B is my favourite! It tasted like red beans and black sesame. I have a recent obsession with red bean desserts, so if you have any specific ones we should try, please let me know.

This is the first time I'm excited to return to an ice cream shop. I'm eyeing their Vietnamese Coffee flavour. 🍨

The Current Scoop

• Malted Milk Choco
• Cookies n' Cream Monster
• HK Milk Tea
• Vietnamese Coffee
• Mango Coconut Sticky Rice

Rotational

• Lychee Raspberry Ripple
• Cereal & Milk
• Matcha Cloud Tea + Yuzu ✔️
• R&B Remix (Black Sesame + Red Bean) ✔️
• Peach Basil Sorbetto

Lunch at Belgian Fries

I made a post on the best poutine in Vancouver to celebrate Canada Day this year. One of the restaurants included is Belgian Fries along Commerical Drive.

I ordered the Classic poutine to make a fair assessment of how it compares with others that I have tried. On the other hand, hubby ordered the Yam Poutine because it's like the classic but uses yam fries.

Classic Poutine
A fusion of perfect fries, crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, topped with cheese curds and yummy veggie gravy.

The gravy is not too salty, and most poutine we've had does not have delicious gravy. This is pretty delicious. It's definitely number 2 on the best poutine that I have tried. I wish the fries were perfectly fried and the gravy, while not overly salty needs more flavour. I'm uncertain what's missing.

Yam Poutine
A hot and steamy dish of Yam fries with squeaky cheese curds and veggie gravy.

Overall, delicious poutine and worth a visit to satisfy any poutine craving you may have.

Brazilian Pastels from Whatafood | Car Free Day Commercial Drive

Happy Saturday! After doing household chores most of the morning, we walked almost 6 kilometres from our apartment near South Granville to Commercial Drive to participate and join the fun at Car Free Day Vancouver: Commercial Drive.

We walked the nine blocks from North Grandview Highway to 1st Avenue and checked out which food trucks, restaurants, and food stalls were available.

Before reaching 1st Avenue, we spotted Whatafood Brazilian Street Food. We're uncertain what to expect but decided to order both available flavours: Cheese and Beef & Cheese.

Cheese and Beef Brazilian Pastels

Whatafood

Cheese Brazilian Pastel

Beef & Cheese Brazilian Pastel

I would recommend the cheese. The beef was alright, but the crispy exterior of the Brazilian Pastel with the creamy, cheesy inside is perfect for the Cheese flavour.

Dinner at International Sandwich Factory | Checklist

We picked up a package from UPS along West Broadway, and before heading home, we had dinner at International Sandwich Factory across the street.

First, I love the interior design filled with maps of the contents. There are airplanes painted on the wall and other trinkets on the shelves behind the counter. It's such a happy place.

Interior of International Sandwich Factory

Counter of International Sandwich Factory

Map of North and South American Continents

View from inside the store

Next, I am overwhelmed by the options. Thankfully, hubby suggested that we start from the top of the menu and go down from there. This means every time we come here for a meal, it's like being transported to a different place.

Lastly, the sandwiches we got were delicious! I prefer the Cochinita Pibil Sandwich over the Torta because there's unexpected heat coming from the Cochinita.

Torta
Pork, criolla salad, cilantro, avocado, mayo, and habnero sauce

According to Masterclass.com, "A torta is a Mexican sandwich served on a soft roll and filled with meat sauce, and various toppings such as crema, avocado, salsa, and iceberg lettuce."

Cochinita Pibil
Mayan achiote, shredded pork, black beans, red onions, mayo, lettuce, and tomatillo green sauce

Doing my research, Cochinita Pibil originated from Mexico and "is a traditional Yucatec Mayan slow-roasted pork dish from the Yucatan Peninsula."

I can't wait to come back and try more of their sandwiches! So, for future me, here is a checklist of their different sandwiches.

☑️ Cochinita Pibil 🇲🇽
☑️ Torta 🇲🇽
🔲 Lumberjack (My best guess is from 🇨🇦 because it includes Smokie Montreal)
🔲 Broadway (My best guess is from 🇺🇸)
🔲 Otto & Fritz (My best guess is from 🇩🇪 because of German chemists Otto Hahn and Fritz Strassmann
🔲 Cubano mi Elmano 🇨🇺
🔲 El Che (My best guess is from 🇦🇷 because of Argentine Marxist revolutionary Che Guevara)
🔲 New Yorker 🇺🇸
🔲 Gringo (My best guess is from 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 because it includes English Ham, and it's the term used among Latin Americans to describe a foreigner (usually an English-speaking Anglo American)
🔲 Croissant 🇫🇷
🔲 Italian Gigolo 🇮🇹
🔲 La Ostia (My best guess is from 🇮🇹 because of the ingredients, and Ostia is a Comune in Italy.)
🔲 Veggie Sandwich 🗺️