Lunch from Le Coq Frit

Hubby and I are in "lockdown" 🤣. I attended a dinner with more than 20 people in Burnaby, and the restaurant didn't check vaccination cards. So we will stay home for 14 days and see if we develop any COVID-19 symptoms. If we don't (I hope we don't), we will head to my parents for Christmas Eve dinner.

With that said, this weekend, instead of going out, we ordered in. I was browsing DoorDash, figuring out where and what to order. We don't have any specific cravings, but I found Le Coq Frit. It's a relatively new restaurant along West Broadway. We pass it by a few times when walking to and from church.

I ordered a lot of things which are to be expected.

Lunch from Le Coq Frit

Our delivery arrived in beautiful bags.

Our delivery arrived in reusable bags, which we kept.

Chicken & Croffles
Croissant waffles with Boneless Thigh Real Crispy Chicken, Jalapeno, and Spicy Mayo.

It's my first time trying croffles, and it's so awesome. It's essentially croissants shaped like waffles. It's flakey and buttery. The Real Crispy Chicken is delicious as well. I wish I had ordered more.

9 pieces Original Black Chicken Wings
Coated with Sweet, Savoury, and sticky Soy-Based Sauce

The "Original Black Chicken" tastes like Korean fried chicken. It's sweet and savoury. We loved it and will gladly order it again.

9 pieces Original Red Chicken Wings
Nashville Hot Chicken

The "Original Red Chicken" is spicy. Hubby said it's too hot and we will not order again. The only thing we didn't try from their menu is the Sweet & Spicy Chicken. I can't wait to visit the store soon.

Classic Signature Chicken Burger
Made with French Artisan Brioche Buns, Chicken Breast, Greens, Pickles, and House Sauce

Is it wrong that I will order the chicken burger as well? I can't wait to try it with another chicken flavour to see if it'll make it better or worse.

French Fries
Deep-fried until golden brown, then sprinkled with seasonings

This is not your typical french fries with just salt. It's actually good.

Yam Fries
A golden crispy, delicious side for burgers.

It's your standard yam fries.

Onion Rings

The onion rings are the only thing I can't recommend. Unfortunately, I didn't like it. Thankfully, everything else was delicious. Can't wait to order from Le Coq Frit again.

Week 12 of HelloFresh

This week is the last week we're ordering from HelloFresh for the year.

Cantonese-Style Noodles with Beyond Meat
This tasty veggie knock-off has it all! Tender peppers, chewy chow mein noodles and green beans, all tossed in a glossy salty soy and hoisin sauce!

One-Pot Mexican-Style Quinoa and Black Beans with Lime Crema
This Mexican-style one-pot wonder is jam-packed with veggies and flavour, making this the perfect dinner for any night of the week.

Creamy Paprika Chicken with Sweet Peppers on Buttery Mash
This comforting dish builds slow-cooked flavour, that will have you dreaming of Oma's chicken paprikash, in a fraction of the time. Juicy chicken thighs and sweet bell peppers are a classic pairing for the rich tomatoey sauce.

Beef and Roasted Red Pepper Ragout with Spaghetti
The twist on the classic spaghetti bolognese is a winner! The ragout is packed with tender ground beef and tons of flavour. Topped with a fresh sprinkling of Parmesan, this dish will have everyone in your home going back for more.

This is my last HelloFresh post for the year. In 2021, I ordered fifty two (52) HelloFresh meals in a span of 12 weeks.

Bacon and Mushroom Linguine with Spinach and Thyme
Beef and Roasted Red Pepper Ragout with Spaghetti
Butternut Squash Ravioli with Toasted Pine Nuts and Baby Tomatoes
Cal Smart Caper-Dill Dressed Salmon with Couscous, Tomatoes, and Spinach
Cal Smart Chipotle Pork Chilli with Poblano Peppers and Cheddar Cheese
Cal Smart Harvest Beef Soup with Cream and Potatoes
Cal Smart Italian Wedding Soup with Turkey and Parmesan
Cal Smart Turkey Chilli with Lime Crema
Cal Smart Stewed Harissa Chicken with Peppers and Feta
Cantonese-style Noodles with Beyond Meat x2
Carb Smart Chipotle Beef Chilli with Poblano Peppers and Cheddar Cheese
Carb Smart Moroccan-Style Shrimp Stew with Zucchini, Feta and Almonds
Carb-Smart Stir-Fried Beef with Green Beans and Peppers
Carb Smart Tagliata Steak Salad with Basil Pesto and Arugula
Chinese-Style Beef Bowl with Garlic-Ginger Rice and Green Veggies
Chicken Tikka Masala with Peppers and Garlic Rice
Chorizo Taco Bowls with Lentil Red Rice and Lime Crema
Chow Mein-Style Chicken with Mixed Veggies
Classic Turkey Meatballs with Spaghetti and Parmesan
Creamy Chicken Tetrazzini with Mushroom and Peas
Creamy Gnocchi Alfredo with Spinach and Peppers
Creamy Paprika Chicken with Sweet Peppers on Buttery Mash
Gochujang Sugar-Glazed Shrimp with Seasoned Rice
Golden Thai-Style Chicken Curry with Chow Mein
Ground Turkey Navarin Stew with Creamy Mashed Potatoes
Kale and Black Bean Quesadillas with Fresh Tomato Salsa and Crema
Loaded Veggie Penne with Olives and Bocconcini
Mediterranean Falafel Sandwich with Tzatziki and Side Salad
Mediterranean Gnocchi with Bocconcini and Oregano
Not Noona's Chicken Cacciatore with Cavatappi and Basil
One Pot Italian Sausage Soup with Cream and Potatoes
One-Pot Mexican-Style Quinoa and Black Beans with Lime Crema
Rigatoni and Chorizo in Rose Sauce with Roasted Peppers and Spinach
Sausage and Broccolini Pasta with Fresh Penne
Shrimp Chow Mein with Bok Choy
Shrimp Diavolo Linguine with DIY Chili Oil
Spanish Chorizo and Chickpea Stew with Kale, Peppers, and Spiced Croutons
Spicy Kung Pao Chicken with Peanuts and Ginger Rice
Spicy Lamb Noodles with Honey Chili Drizzle
Squash Ravioli and Roasted Red Peppers with Spinach Salad
Summer Turkey Bolognese with Basil and Zucchini

Sweet and Spicy Chicken Bowls with Green Onion Rice
Sweet 'n' Sour Chicken with Veggie Fried Rice
Tomato Garlic Beef Spaghetti with Sweet Pepper and Zucchini
Tomato Garlic Beef Spaghetti with Sweet Peppers
Tuscan Sausage Linguine with Sweet Bell Pepper, Chili, and Parmesan
Veggie Bulgogi Bowls with Meatless Farm and Gochujang Fried Rice
Veggie Black Bean Curry with Lime-Coconut Quinoa
Veggie Chilli with Tortilla Chips and Sour Cream
Vietnamese-Inspired Basil Beef with Peppers and Garlic-Lime Rice
Zucchini and Lemon Linguini with Basil Pesto and Goat Cheese

Silvanas from The Khaykery | "Maligayang Pasko, Vancouver!"

Where to get Silvanas in Metro Vancouver?

Happy Wednesday! I opened our fridge today and realized we still have a box of assorted Silvanas from The Khaykery which we got from "Maligayang Pasko, Vancouver!".

Six Silvanas in a beautiful pink box.

Ta-da!

Taking my first bite. Yum!

10 minutes later - it's gone.

We surprisingly enjoyed the Silvanas. Yay!

Kwek-Kwek from Plato Filipino | "Maligayang Pasko, Vancouver!"

"Maligayang Pasko, Vancouver!" is an annual Christmas Market organized by the Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver. It's my first time going with my husband, mom, and younger sister this year.

Where to get Kwek-Kwek in Vancouver?

Plato Filipino is such a happy store. My mom, sister, and I ordered a lot of dishes. I had to stop myself at three while my mom just kept pointing at everything. 🤣

I ordered turon. It's my favourite Filipino dessert and I got lumpiang shanghai as well because why not and right before we leave their booth outside has kwek-kwek and barbecue. My sister was excitedly saying, "Ate, kwek-kwek! Kwek-kwek!" 🤣

Kwek-Kwek and Lumpiang Shanghai

Turon

I placed all items we purchased in the air fryer. It came out perfect as expected.

Dinner at Acqua Restaurant + Bar

I had a busy Saturday. We were running errands all morning, and at around noon, we were buying food from the "Maligayang Pasko, Vancouver!".

I had dinner with former colleagues organized by the previous company I worked for in the evening. It's pretty awkward to be in the same room with employees who resigned and are still working for the company, to say the least. However, it's nice to see colleagues who became friends.

I had two drinks: Pacific Breeze and She Sells Sea Shells.

Pacific Breeze
Coconut water, iced tea, muddled mint, and lime.

She Sells Sea Shells
Sparkling wine, sweet vermouth syrup, lemon, orange, and soda

For an appetizer, I ordered the Calamari. Meanwhile, for my entree, I selected the Seafood Garganelli Pasta.

Seafood Garganelli Pasta
Salmon, prawns, mussels, pesto, and white wine herb cream sauce (served with garlic bread)

Calamari
Peppers, jalapenos, tartar sauce, and chipotle aioli

To end the evening, I enjoyed a Lava Cake.

Lava Cake
Warm chocolate cake covered with summer berries and ice cream

The food was acceptable. It's nothing to go crazy about, but the portions are small that's why we had to order appetizers and entrees. The drinks were excellent though.

Taho from O! Taho | "Maligayang Pasko, Vancouver!"

"Maligayang Pasko, Vancouver!" is an annual Christmas Market organized by the Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver. It's my first time going with my husband, mom, and younger sister this year.

Where to get taho in Vancouver?

Last week, we enjoyed taho from Sago Togo, and today we ordered some from O! Taho. Today's taho is closer in taste and smell than what you will get from the Philippines. The syrup is sweeter than the one from Sago Togo, and the tofu itself is also silkier, but the pearls are not the small ones you expect.

Taho from O! Taho

A perfect taho would be tofu and syrup from O! Taho, but sago pearls from Sago Togo.

Caldereta and Lechong Paksiw from Pampanga's Cuisine | "Maligayang Pasko, Vancouver!"

"Maligayang Pasko, Vancouver!" is an annual Christmas Market organized by the Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver. It's my first time going with my husband, mom, and younger sister this year.

On the right of Mr. Siopao de Langley is Pampanga's Cuisine. 

They have a combo of one rice and a choice of available viand. I selected calderetang baka while the hubby chose the lechong paksiw. 

Lechon Paksiw
Roasted pork cooked in Lechon sauce.

Caldereta
A mild spicy beef stew is cooked in herbs, tomato sauce, potatoes, carrots, and bell peppers.

Both are delicious, but the best part is that they sell balut. We haven't had it in a long time. Balut is a Philippine delicacy that we don't seek out, but when available, you occasionally have. 

Bola Bola Siopao from Mr. Siopao de Langley | "Maligayang Pasko, Vancouver!"

"Maligayang Pasko, Vancouver!" is an annual Christmas Market organized by the Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver. It's my first time going with my husband, mom, and younger sister this year.

After going through the temperature and vaccine card check, the first food booth to welcome you is Mr. Siopao de Langley. I ordered five (one bag) of bola-bola siopao.

Mr. Siopao de Langley

I will update this post once we enjoy the siopao.

Bola-Bola Siopao Update

The Bola-Bola Siopao from Mr. Siopao de Langley tasted like something you will get from the Philippines. I wish I had some sauce to go with it though.

Bola-Bola Siopao

If you're in Langley, then this is definitely a good siopao place, but since I am in Vancouver I still love the Bola-Bola siopao from Bao Bakery.

Though, I did find The Bao Place in Burnaby near Metrotown. I'll definitely check them out and compare if they are any better than the Bao Bakery.

Puto Bumbong from Max's Restaurant | "Maligayang Pasko, Vancouver!"

"Maligayang Pasko, Vancouver!" is an annual Christmas Market organized by the Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver. It's my first time going this year, with my husband, mom, and younger sister.

The first food truck we saw outside was Max's Restaurant. You should see how giddy my sister was at the thought of Max's fried chicken.

Max's Restaurant Food Truck

Perusing the menu, I knew I would order the pork barbecue and palabok, then at the bottom of the menu was puto bumbong. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to find puto bumbong in Vancouver? I ordered two of the purple rice cake.

It was delicious and nostalgic for Christmas back in the Philippines.

Puto Bumbong

Pork barbecue and palabok

The barbecue was thicker cut, and the palabok was okay as well. However, I prefer both dishes from elsewhere.

We had our Max's food-to-go and enjoyed it in our home with Mama and my younger sister.

Where to buy Puto Bumbong in Metro Vancouver?

Honestly, I have no idea. I am reviewing the Max's Restaurant menu in Vancouver and it seems like the puto bumbong we had is a one-time thing. I will update this post once I found a vendor.

Update:

I found a Facebook vendor selling Filipino snacks and rice cakes: KakaNinz! Her menu includes puto bumbong. I'll order from her, but she's pick-up only. I'll see what I can do.

Dinner from Salmon n' Bannock

As I continued my food coma day and first day as a Canadian Citizen, we ordered dinner from Salmon n' Bannock. I thought of using UberEats, but after our food coma lunch, I took a nap and woke up at 6:00 PM. I checked the app, and it says that Salmon n' Bannock has temporarily closed the store for delivery.

I called the restaurant to check if they were available for takeout orders. The wonderful person I spoke with said yes. I told her that we'd check the menu and call back with our choices for pick-up.

I looked at the Mains section of the takeout menu and realized we tried two of the five possible options last Canada Day, so I ordered the remaining three for tonight.

Salmon n' Bannock Dinner

Fiss n' Barley
Our Wild Sockeye Salmon is served on our barley. Served with Seasonal Vegetables and Signature Bannock.

The Fiss n' Barley was delicious. I love the grilled Brussels sprouts, perfectly cooked salmon, and flavourful rice (they didn't have barley). However, it didn't come with the signature bannock.

Bannock Tacos
Our signature bannock is covered in house chilli and topped with organic greens, tomatoes, and cheddar cheese.

The person who took our order over the phone recommended we add bacon on top of the tacos, and oh boy, was that a fantastic suggestion. The flavour of tacos is all here, but it's on top of delicious Bannock instead of a tortilla.

Signature Bannock with House Chili (Vegetarian)

The chilli is excellent, and I wondered why I thought the one they serve at Tim Hortons is even close. Freshly cut tomatoes, black beans, melted cheese, and a bit of heat. It's perfect for this rainy evening.

We enjoyed our dinner while watching the Vancouver Canucks win over the Winnipeg Jets.

Poutine from La Belle Patate | First Meal as a Canadian Citizen

I just finished my Canadian Citizenship oath-taking, and for lunch, we decided to order poutine from La Belle Patate (The Beautiful Potato).

Canada was founded by three groups: the aboriginal (First Nations, Inuit, and Metis people), the French, and the British.

Our lunch today is an appreciation to the French people in Canada.

Left: Smoked Meat Poutine
Right: La Belle Poutine

The Poutine was delicious, but as expected food was coma-inducing. The gravy was good, not too salty, and the curds were melted. I enjoyed the smoked meat too.

Overall, it's good poutine. I think it's the best one I've had so far.

Breakfast and Penguin Dream Donut from Tim Hortons

As mentioned in my earlier TimBiebs post, I ordered breakfast today and included the Penguin Dream Donut.

If you have been following my blog (which I don't think anyone is, except maybe my mom - "Hi, Ma!"), you would know that hubby and I would try any available dream donut.

• Dulce de Leche Dream Donut from early 2020
• Chocolate Hazelnut Éclair Dream
• Sea Salted Caramel Dream
• New York Cheesecake Dream Donut
• Strawberry Shortcake Filled Ring
• Vanilla Cream Puff Filled Ring
• Apple Pie Dream Donut

Today, I included the Penguin Dream Donut in my breakfast delivery alongside other Classic donuts because hubby asked if we tried them all, and I said no.

Penguin Dream Donut, Boston Cream Donut, Vanilla Dip Donut,
Honey Cruller Donut 💓, Honey Dip Donut, and Apple Fritter Donut 👎

Penguin Dream Donut

The Penguin Dream Donut looks so adorable. Though, hubby said it doesn't look like a penguin. 🐧

Breakfast delivery from Tim Hortons

Our delivery includes two Farmer's Breakfast Wraps (one sausage and one bacon), two hashbrowns, one coffee, and one hot chocolate.

It's a fantastic Friday!

#TimBiebs delivered from Tim Hortons

Happy Friday! For breakfast today, I had Tim Hortons delivered. It's a special day because today is when I become a Canadian Citizen.

Before my online oathtaking, we enjoyed breakfast and finally got to try the famous TimBiebs. It's a Timbits flavour collaboration between Tims and Justin Beiber.

10 pack of timbiebs

1. Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Timbieb
2. Birthday Cake Waffle Timbieb
3. Chocolate White Fudge Timbieb

Let's get right into it. I enjoyed the Sour Cream Chocolate Chip and Chocolate White Fudge, but I absolutely hate the Birthday Cake Waffle. I want to burn it. I find it too sweet, like it'll rot my teeth just by eating it.

Anyway, if they will keep one flavour permanently, I think the Chocolate White Fudge will be a good candidate.

But my brother is right; they are better than what I thought it'll be, plus it's not bone dry like some of their donuts in the past.

Filipino Spaghetti from Shameless Buns | Magkasama Christmas Market 2021

There are three things you should know about Filipino households.

1. All Filipino households have a rice cooker. When my younger sister moved out, my housewarming gift was a rice cooker and rice. 🤣
2. All Filipino households have their own variation of the adobo. The only thing consistent with an adobo recipe is it has chicken and/or pork, soy sauce, vinegar, and garlic, and whatever version you have at home is the best. Well, at least, that's how my siblings and I think with our dad's adobo. 💓
3. The same can be said about Filipino-style spaghetti. It's sweet and savoury with cut-up hotdogs, and any Italian will get upset with our culture's rendition of the spaghetti. Every household has its own version of their mom's (or grandma's) spaghetti, and we think our mom's spaghetti is the best. 🍝

All this introduction just to introduce the Filipino Spaghetti from Shameless Buns. Of course, I'll be biased and think that my mom's spaghetti is still the best. However, enjoying the Filipino Spaghetti from Shameless Buns is like that scene in Ratatouille when Anton Ego (food critic) was transported back to his childhood.

Filipino Spaghetti from Shameless Buns

I felt that way. It's like eating the spaghetti served by our neighbour during a children's party (the child in my memory is that kid I played with all the time outside our home before I became a tween). It was delicious and nostalgic. While devouring the pasta (with perfect noodle-sauce ratio), I could hear the laughter and visualize the balloons and party hats in my head. Then, of course, there's also pabitin and my mom's panic voice that I should wipe my face covered in spaghetti sauce. 

Reheated the Shameless Spaghetti on the pan. This is half of the container.

I hope all food can make you feel like this. The only thing missing is a piece of Tasty (it's what we called a sliced loaf bread when I was a child because it's a famous brand we were familiar with where we lived).

I will absolutely rebuy this, and if Shameless Buns can make a combo with toasted pandesal (and butter) on the side, that'll be genuinely nostalgic. The thought is making me smile ear-to-ear already.