Lunch at Kinton Ramen in UBC

It's the fifth ramen shop we have gone to in the last four weeks as we continue going through the list of the Best Ramen restaurants in Vancouver.

1. January 22 - Kokoro Tokyo Mazesoba
2. January 23 - Jinya Ramen Bar
3. January 29 - Kintaro Ramen
4. February 5 - Menya Raizo
5. February 12 (today) - Kinton Ramen

To start our Saturday, we had brunch at Starbucks (yay for free breakfast sandwiches and drinks), then we ran errands. Hubby had a haircut while I grabbed my Lego from the FedEx inside Staples, and I ended up buying 15 adorable Washi Tapes. 

Thirty minutes later, hubby and I went on a random Saturday date to the University of British Columbia (UBC) and visited the Beaty Biodiversity Museum. After three hours of learning and admiring the different specimens in the museum, we had a late lunch at Kinton Ramen.

I ordered my usual Pork Miso Ramen while hubby had Pork Shoyu Ramen. For sides, we ordered our standard sides as well - Age Gyoza, Takoyaki, and Original Karaage.

Pork Miso Ramen (thick noodles)
Soybean paste, pork, corn, garlic oil, and scallions (extra seasoned egg)

The Pork Miso Ramen was good but not as delicious as Kintaro Ramen. It's a close second, though. I made the right decision of adding a seasoned egg to my ramen. It was delicious.

Pork Shoyu Ramen (with thick noodles)
Soy sauce, pork, garlic oil, nori, and scallions

Our favourite Japanese sides

Takoyaki
Deep-fried octopus balls, tonkatsu sauce, mayo, bonito flakes, and aonori

We order takoyaki whenever it is available, and this is one of the best takoyaki I had in Vancouver that I can remember.

Pork Age Gyoza
Deep-fried dumpling and original sweet chilli sauce

Original Karaage
Fried chicken, garlic mayo, and lemon

My favourite chicken karaage is from Kokoro Tokyo Mazesoba. This one is a bit dry, but it's absolutely perfect soaked in the ramen broth. I saved one fried chicken and placed it in my ramen bowl, and it was better.

Kurogoma Cheesecake
Baked black sesame cheesecake

The black sesame flavour is so strong I wish there was ice cream and mochi, or maybe I am just dreaming of the parfait we had last week.

I wonder how long we can continue our ramen streak, but I am all for it. Do you have a favourite ramen shop? Comment below!

Why is Jollibee so popular?

Jollibee is almost here in Vancouver. The latest gossip I heard from the Facebook Filipino group in British Columbia is its opening this February 25, 2022. This is unverified, so please keep your expectations in check. We have been waiting for this opening for more than two years now. My sister's boyfriend is so upset that it hasn't opened yet, and he couldn't eat Peach Mango Pie without driving to Seattle or Calgary.

Why is Jollibee popular?

I am sure people who are not familiar with Jollibee will wonder why the long line when it opens. They might try it and think the food is the same, maybe slightly better than McDonald's, but not think about it again. People will think, why is this jolly bee so popular that Filipinos and fans of the brand alike will endure lining up in the rain (or snow). Here is my attempt to answer those questions.

Answer: Nostalgia and a reminder of home

For Filipinos living abroad, Jollibee is a reminder of the Philippines.

Imagine a parent who had to leave their children and family behind to earn more money abroad, one of their precious memory with their kids was enjoying a meal at Jollibee. Seeing that bee in Vancouver (or anywhere else in the world) will bring back all those memories as they relish a Chicken Joy or Jolly Spaghetti.

For my siblings and me, it's nostalgia. I remember growing up and when it's my dad's payday. My mom would bring us to Bayan (town center) to grab groceries and eat at a Jollibee. Our only brother celebrated his 7th birthday in Jollibee, and our youngest sister celebrated her 2nd birthday in Jollibee, too (she cried and was scared of the mascot). So we had positive childhood memories with Jollibee, and seeing it so close to our new home is something to be happy and grateful for.

Answer: Good food

If it's your first time trying Jollibee and not familiar with any of the dishes, you will not go wrong with Chicken Joy (fried chicken) and be sure to try the Peach Mango Pie. It's a way better version of the pie thing they have at McDonald's.

Third HelloFresh Box for 2022

We received our HelloFresh box last Saturday. I ordered five meals, two of which we already had last year.

Sunday Breakfast and Tuesday Lunch: Chinese-Style Beef Bowls

This is a dish I ordered last year, and thanks to my past self, I added all the chilli garlic sauce this time, and it's so much better. Since we have it for breakfast, I added an egg as recommended. My favourite part of the dish is still the perfectly cooked vegetables.

Chinese-Style Beef Bowls with Garlic Rice and Green Veggies

HelloFresh Description: Chili garlic sauce adds a spicy and zesty kick to this bountiful beef bowl. Taking a pic for the 'gram? #putaneggonit!

Sunday Lunch and #MeatlessMonday Lunch: Mexican 'Un-Stuffed' Pepper Bowls

I surprisingly enjoyed this meal. I am food coma and guiltless about enjoying this meat-free dish.

Mexican 'Un-stuffed' Pepper Bowls

HelloFresh Description: A veggie-full twist on mom's stuffed peppers, bursting with Mexican-inspired flavours! Green onion-spiked basmati and saucy black beans round out these bowls for a satisfying dinner.

#MeatlessMonday Dinner and Wednesday Lunch: Spiced Portobello Fajitas

Too much work and needs more tortillas. I reheated half of the meal for Wednesday (after buying more tortillas) and ate it like a quesadilla. 

Spiced Portobello Fajitas with DIY Refried Black Beans and Lime Crema

Spiced Portobello Fajitas with DIY Refried Black Beans and Lime Crema

HelloFresh Description: Tender-crisp onions and peppers are paired with meaty portobello mushrooms and creamy DIY refried beans in these flavour-packed fajitas! Top with a dollop of refreshing lime crema, and you're good to go!

Tuesday Dinner and Thursday Lunch: Tomato Garlic Beef Spaghetti

We tried this dish last year, and it was great - it's delicious and easy to make.

Tomato Garlic Beef Spaghetti with Sweet Peppers

HelloFresh Description: We've figured out the secret to adding oomph to a simple meat sauce - a splash of soy! The saltiness is a subtle but tasty addition to succulent ground beef, aromatic Italian seasoning and juicy tomatoes. This colourful and flavourful dish is perfect for a night in!

Wednesday Dinner and Friday Lunch: Creamy Parmesan Gnocchi

It's, unfortunately, too salty.

Creamy Parmesan Gnocchi with Spinach and Peas

HelloFresh Description: Golden pan-fried gnocchi add a fun twist to the restaurant classic, Alfredo! Rich cream, melty cream cheese, zesty garlic, and savoury Parmesan make a luscious sauce for this vegetarian supper.

Lunch at Menya Raizo

We have errands to run around the corner of Cambie Street and West Broadway. Afterwards, we decided to enjoy a bowl of ramen in Menya Raizo.

I enjoyed my spicy bowl of miso ramen and the parfait we shared.

Spicy Miso Ramen
Half chicken and half pork with hard noodles. The spicy rich chicken broth ramen topped with corn, green onion, minced chicken, cabbage, bean sprouts, carrot, onion, and chive.

Yuzu Shio Ramen
Half chicken and half pork with hard noodles. The citrus flavoured clear chicken broth ramen topped with green onion, thin sliced Japanese leek, red onion, half seasoned soft boiled egg, seasoned bamboo shoots, and chilli pepper thread.

Spicy Takoyaki
Spicy mayo deep-fried octopus ball.

Raizo Sundae Parfair
Green tea & vanilla ice cream with mochi ball, red bean, black sweet sauce, roasted soybean powder, corn flakes, and whipped cream.

Menya Raizo menu checklist

For future me, here's a list of the Menya Raizo menu as of this post and what you have tried.

Ramen

🗹 Tori-pota Ramen (November 2019)

🗹 Gyokai Shoyu Ramen (March 2020)

🗹 Spicy Miso Ramen (this post)

🗹 Umami Shoyu Ramen (March 2020)

❐ Umami Shio Ramen

🗹 Yuzu Shio Ramen (this post)

❐ Vegetarian Miso Ramen

❐  Vegetarian Tan Tan Ramen

Rice Bowl

❐ Pork Cha-shu Don

❐ Chicken Teriyaki-Mayo Don

❐ Veggie Mapo Don

Side

❐ Tebasaki Chicken Wings

🗹 Karaage (this post)

❐ Gyoza

🗹 Cheese Mentai Gyoza (March 2020)

🗹 Takoyaki (September 2019)

🗹 Spicy Takoyaki (this post)

Dessert

🗹 Kuromitsu Kinako Ice Cream

🗹 Raizo Sundae Parfait (this post)

❐ Raizo Strawberry Parfait

❐ Mango Milk Pudding / Strawberry Milk Pudding / Roasted Tea Pudding / Matcha Pudding

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Lunar New Year meal in our Second HelloFresh Box for 2022

A HelloFresh box arrived at our front door Saturday morning, which means I get to cook five different meals guided by recipes curated by the HelloFresh team.

Saturday Dinner: Carb Smart Bacon and Spinach Salad

I prepared the Carb Smart Bacon and Spinach Salad for our Saturday dinner with Mushrooms and Shallots. Of course, bacon and Salad shouldn't belong in the same phrase, yet here we are.

Carb Smart Bacon and Spinach Salad with Mushrooms and Shallots

HelloFresh description: What is old is new again! Who knew that mum's sassy spinach salad with a warm bacon dressing would be so "carb smart"? Carb smart is based on a per-serving calculation of the recipe's carbohydrate amount.

Sunday Breakfast: Coconut Kidney Bean Curry

I woke up a bit late for breakfast yet still early for lunch, so I spent my Sunday morning cutting the vegetables to create this vegetarian meal. I added all the chilli, so it was pretty spicy. It's my first time using lemongrass. We had leftovers and enjoyed it Tuesday for lunch.

Coconut Kidney Bean Curry with Green Onion Fried Rice

HelloFresh Description: It's hard to resist the subtle sweetness of this lush kidney bean dish. The bright lemongrass cuts through the richness of coconut milk while chilis give it a nice little kick.

Monday Dinner: Creamy Garlic Chicken Thighs

After work, the last thing I want to do is cook dinner. Thankfully, this recipe doesn't involve a lot of slicing. I wish the recipe called for mashed potatoes because the creamy garlic sauce would cling really well on mashed potatoes. We only ate half the serving size and had the rest today for lunch.

Creamy Garlic Chicken Thighs with Potatoes and Parmesan

HelloFresh Description: Tonight's twist on a meat-and-potatoes dinner is rich, creamy, and speedy! We've snuck some spinach into the sauce... the kids won't even notice!

Lunar New Year Dinner: Pork and Veggie Chow Mein

It's a happy coincidence that I ordered an East Asian-inspired dish with our HelloFresh box this week. I cooked the Pork and Veggie Chow Mein with Toasted Sesame Seeds for dinner last Tuesday, and we enjoyed it with our leftovers from Happy Noodle House. Half of the Chow Mein will be enjoyed on Thursday for lunch.

Pork and Veggie Chow Mein with Toasted Sesame Seeds

HelloFresh Description: Practice your chopstick skills on this deliciously sweet, spicy, salty chow mein dish in time for the lunar new year!

p.s. I didn't read the HelloFresh description until I wrote my blog post, so I didn't know they added this meal specifically with Lunar New Year in mind.

Wednesday Dinner: Shrimp Diavolo Linguine

We ordered this dish last year and loved the heat. Unfortunately, they forgot one ingredient - the Italian Seasoning. It's pretty bland with no seasoning, but as such is life. We'll eat half of the linguine for lunch on Friday.

Shrimp Diavolo Linguine with DIY Chili Oil

HelloFresh Description: Chili oil brings restaurant-worthy flavour to this simple but elevated seafood pasta. Steamy linguine noodles hold onto the golden seared shrimp and rich tomato sauce for a perfect bite every time.

I have another HelloFresh box coming this Saturday. Can't wait!

Lunar New Year Lunch from Happy Noodle House

Lunar New Year is such a great excuse to eat delicious food. Last year, we had food delivered from Grand Chinese Restaurant in Yaletown. The year before last we enjoyed dinner from Lin Chinese Cuisine.

If you checked out those two posts, I am quite consistent with our dishes. I ordered the same thing for lunch today from Happy Noodle House.

Lunch from Happy Noodle House

8-pieces Xiao Long Bao

I liked the Xiao Long Bao. It's close to the one from Lin Chinese Cuisine and to think this has been delivered. I am pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it.

Beef Rolls

Our favourite Beef Roll has been from Peaceful Restaurant and this comes second. The primary difference is the actual roll is thinner and flakier from Peaceful.

Pan-Fried Pork Buns

I still prefer the Pan-Fried Pork Buns from Lin Chinese Cuisine. This one doesn't have enough filling inside.

Tan-Tan Noodles (with Hand-Pulled Noodles)

It's so spicy! I liked it. The best Tan-Tan noodle dish I've had in Vancouver is from Szechuan Chili. It has a more peanut spicy flavour.

Happy Lunar New Year!

Dessert at D’oro Gelato e Caffè – Denman Street

After our delicious lunch at Kintaro Ramen, we walked the stretch of Denman Street looking for desserts and ended up at D’oro Gelato e Caffè – Denman Street.

Cake and Brownie from D’oro Gelato e Caffè – Denman Street

Ricotta Pistachio Cake slice from D’oro Gelato e Caffè – Denman Street

Gluten-Free Brownie from D’oro Gelato e Caffè – Denman Street

The brownie tastes like Ferrero chocolate. I love it!

Lunch at Kintaro Ramen

Happy Saturday! We had errands to run in Downtown Vancouver today and decided to have ramen for lunch. We went through the list of the best ramen in Vancouver and had lunch at Kintaro Ramen.

I enjoyed the Miso ramen more than I thought I would. This has become my favourite ramen shop for Miso Ramen. Next time, I'll try making it spicy.

Barbeque Pork Miso Ramen
Kintaro's best. Ramen noodles in soup are flavoured with soybean pastes from four different Japanese regions and twelve spices with beans.

Barbeque Pork Miso Ramen has bean sprout, bamboo shoot, green onion, and I chose half & half of fat and lean bbq pork.

Shio Ramen
Ramen in a simple and mild soup made from pork-bone stock and natural sea salt.

The BBQ Pork Shio Ramen has bean sprout, bamboo shoots, green onions, boiled egg, and half & half BBQ pork.

Gyoza

Can't wait to try more delicious ramen!

Lunch at Jinya Ramen Bar

Happy Sunday! We're back in Downtown Vancouver today for errands, and I was planning to grab lunch from one of the food trucks participating at Dine Out Vancouver food truck event in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery. Still, I found it too cold to be enjoying food outside. 

We ended up walking along Robson Street, and I spotted Jinya Ramen Bar. It's our first time here, but we have ordered for delivery in the past.

Hubby pointed out the Premium Tonkotsu Red and thinks I'll enjoy it. I love spicy food. According to the server, Level 9 and 10 are unavailable because they're out of stock of the habanero peppers. I wanted Level 7, but she said Level 4 is already spicy, so I settled for Level 6.

Premium Tonkotsu Red
Pork broth, pork chashu, kikurage, green onion, seasoned egg, nori dried seaweed, red hot chilli, oil and spicy bean sprouts, and thick noodles.

First, the broth was rich and flavourful, and for level 6, you can feel the burn on your throat, but only during the first sip. Anything after was much more enjoyable. I love the pork chashu, and I ordered more before finishing my ramen.

Meanwhile, hubby ordered the Karaage Chicken Ramen from the Chef's Special menu section.

Karaage Chicken Ramen
Chicken broth, crispy chicken dressed chilli sauce, green onion, spinach, seasoned egg, nori dried seaweed, and thin noodles.

For our appetizer, we ordered Spicy Creamy Shrimp Tempura and to end our meal, we enjoyed Mochi Ice Cream.

Spicy Creamy Shrimp Tempura
Crispy shrimp tempura tossed in Jinya's original spicy mayonnaise in the classic "Ebi-mayo" style.

Green Tea Mochi Ice Cream

I like the ambiance of Jinya Ramen Bar. I'll bring my mom here next time we're in Downtown Vancouver.

Lunch at Kokoro Tokyo Mazesoba

Happy Saturday! After more than a week, we left the house today. Before going grocery shopping at Real Canadian Superstore, I told my brother (who we met in Downtown Vancouver after running errands) that I wanted ramen. He remembered trying Kokoro Tokyo Mazesoba.

We were there five minutes before they opened and decided to just wait out in the frigid. It's a cold but beautiful sunny day.

Hubby debated whether to order the most famous Tokyo Mazesoba or the Chef's Special Zenbu Mazesoba. He ended up with the Zenbu Mazesoba, and after taking a bite, I seriously regret not ordering a Mazesoba.

Mazesoba is ramen without soup like Chinese chow-mein or saucy Filipino pancit. 

Zenbu Mazesoba
Slow-Braised Pork Chashu, Spicy Minced Pork, Soft Boiled Egg, Seaweed, Bamboo Shoot, Seaweed Flakes, Chives, Green Onion, Minced Garlic, Grinded Saba Fish, Sesame, Raw Egg Yolk, and Multi-Grain Noodle Made in House

I ordered ramen because it's what I am craving, and I went for the name-sake ramen, even though the Tantan Ramen and Spicy Ramen look tempting.

Kokoro Ramen
Pork Bone Broth, Slow-Braised Pork Chashu, Soft Boiled Egg, Green Onion, Garlic, Black Fungus, and Thin Ramen Noodle

Chicken Karaage
Juicy fried chicken served with fresh greens.

I almost always order Chicken Karaage from all the Japanese restaurants. This just became my favourite Chicken Karaage, narrowly beating the one they serve at nearby Ramen Gojiro. This chicken is lightly battered and so insanely juicy.

Spicy Pork Gyoza
Handmade pork potstickers

The gyoza is a standard Japanese dumpling. This is another item I always order from Japanese restaurants, but it's pretty challenging to find mind-blowing gyoza.

Note for future me: Order the chicken karaage again, skip the gyoza, and try the takoyaki.

To end our meal, hubby ordered Fuji Cheese Cup Cake which they served with a shovel-looking spoon.

Fuji Cheese Cup Cake
Japanese cheesecake with Oreo crumb base

The dessert is okay. They have a couple other items which we can try next time. I will definitely be back. I actually think my mom would enjoy Mazesoba since she loves pancit. 

My First HelloFresh Box for 2022

I skipped the first two weeks of the year and didn't order HelloFresh.

I was planning to order a HelloFresh box last week, but we had to do our twice-a-year Costco run, which means my small fridge can't fit all the frozen items from Costco and a HelloFresh box.

My five HelloFresh meals.

I look forward to relatively healthy eating from my HelloFresh box this week.

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Sign up now!

Carb Smart Chipotle Beef Chili with Poblano Peppers and Cheddar Cheese

We also ordered this dish last year, primarily because it's only 580 calories which I split into two, so each meal is only 290 calories! I added all the chipotle spice, and there's heat on the chilli - I love it!

Carb Smart Chipotle Beef Chilli with Poblano Peppers and Cheddar Cheese

HelloFresh Description: This nourishing low-carb chilli replaces beans with lots of wholesome veggies! We added extra deliciousness with spicy chipotle and melty cheddar cheese! Carb Smart is based on a per-serving calculation of the recipe's carbohydrate amount.

Thai-Style Sweet Chili Chicken with Cilantro Lime Rice

I am uncertain what makes this Thai style because when I think of Thai cuisine, I think of heat and peanut sauce. I enjoyed the zucchini, though.

Thai-Style Sweet Chili Chicken with Cilantro Lime Rice

HelloFresh Description: Chicken pieces are coated in a tangy sweet chilli sauce, then coupled with zucchini and burst tomatoes. The cilantro-lime rice infuses every bite with brightness.

Smoky Falafel Bowls with Tahini Drizzle

I only ordered one Falafel dish last year, and they completely forgot to pack the falafel. Fortunately, they remembered it this time. I love the tahini, and I wish there was more falafel.

Smoky Falafel Bowls with Tahini Drizzle

HelloFresh Description: Hearty falafels are perked up with a spicy, garlicky tahini drizzle in this delicious and nutritious rice bowl.

Mexican-Style Red Bean Stew with Cheesy Quesadillas

I like the heat from the stew, and the quesadillas are truly perfect for dipping.

Mexican-Style Red Bean Stew with Cheesy Quesadillas

HelloFresh Description: This Mexican-style stew is veggie- and flavour-packed! The cheesy quesadillas are easy to make, melt-in-your-mouth delicious and made even better by dipping into the stew - a perfect dinner for any night of the week.

Kale and Black Bean Quesadillas with Fresh Tomato Salsa and Crema

I ordered the same dish last year and absolutely loved it. However, somehow it felt lacking this year. Maybe I didn't add enough salt. Also, the tortilla they sent seems lower quality and much smaller, so the filling is spilling all over the pan.

Kale and Black Bean Quesadillas with Fresh Tomato Salsa and Crema

HelloFresh Description: Forget all meaty Tex-Mex quesadillas of the past! This veggie beauty is jam-packed with hearty kale and filling beans. The secret to this memorable Tex-Mex feast is the refreshing salsa with tomatoes, cilantro, and lime. Simple, yet so satisfying!

I am skipping HelloFresh next week because we're going to Real Canadian Superstore and plan to buy things in bulk, and our small fridge can only fit so much food.