Thursday, October 20, 2022

Best Pho in Vancouver

It's now starting to get colder and rain is back in Vancouver. With that in mind, there are two food I love to keep me warm: Ramen and Pho.

In this post, I will make a list of best pho (Vietnamese Noodle Soup) spots in Vancouver according to articles in the first page of the Google search results.

Best pho in Vancouver you need to try at least once on Daily Hive | October 17, 2022
10 Best Pho & Vietnamese Noodle Spots In Vancouver To Hit Up On A Rainy Day on Noms Magazine | October 26, 2021
The Top Pho Places in Vancouver on VancouverMom.ca | March 29, 2022
Here are 10 restaurants to get the best pho in Vancouver on Curiocity | March 24, 2021
5 Best Places for Pho in Vancouver on Monecristo Magazine | January 8, 2020

Let's begin!

Delicious!

Best Pho in Vancouver: Anh and Chi

All five articles included Anh and Chi on their list of the best pho in Vancouver.

Second Best Pho in Vancouver: Mr. Red Cafe

Mr. Red Cafe appeared in four of the five articles mentioned above.

Three Votes: Bun Cha Ca Hoang Yen and Do Chay

Both Bun Cha Ca Hoang Yen and Do Chay were included in three of the five articles.

I need to up my pho game! I haven't tried any of the spots above.

List of Best Pho in Vancouver

Map of the Best Pho in Vancouver

Map Legend:

Red: 1/5
Orange: 2/5
Yellow: 3/5
Green: 4/5
Blue: 5/5
Check: I have visited.

Wednesday, October 19, 2022

I'm Back! 8th HelloFresh Box for 2022 | Free HelloFresh Box Promo Code

I cancelled my HelloFresh Box last March because cooking is exhausting. HelloFresh would sometimes send me coupons via email, which I just promptly delete, but they sent me a snail mail of a 50% discount on my first two boxes if I came back before October 15, then 20% for the following two boxes after that.

I won't pass up free or at least discounted food, especially with inflation.

Our HelloFresh box arrived Saturday morning via FedEx.

Teriyaki Beef Bowls with Edamame Rice and Garlicky Broccoli

When did we enjoy this? Sunday and Tuesday lunch

Instead of garlic salt, I would be happy to grate and use real garlic to get the "garlicky broccoli" because this meal came out bland.

Teriyaki Beef Bowls with Edamame Rice and Garlicky Broccoli from HelloFresh

Spicy Apricot Chicken with Garden Veggie Orzo

When did we enjoy this? Sunday dinner and Monday lunch

Yum! I wished I had cooked the orzo for a couple more minutes to make them softer, but the apricot chicken was delicious! I wished there were more vegetables in the "veggie orzo," but overall a delightful meal I'll be happy to order again.

Spicy Apricot Chicken with Garden Veggie Orzo from HelloFresh

Crumbled Crispy Falafel Salad with Garlicky Hummus and DIY Croutons

When did we enjoy this? Monday dinner

This is the first time in a while that we decided to eat one serving for one meal instead of splitting it in two, and there's a lot of salad, and I used the wrong plate because it's spilling. I'm not sure if the "garlicky hummus" adds anything to the salad, but the falafel, croutons, and all the vegetables work well together. The radish is a nice touch.

Crumbled Crispy Falafel Salad with Garlicky Hummus and DIY Croutons from HelloFresh

Thai-Style Sweet Chili Chicken with Cilantro-Lime Rice

When did we enjoy this? Tuesday dinner and Thursday lunch

The Thai-Style Sweet Chili Chicken had a substitution of sriracha instead of Chili-Garlic Sauce. The dish gave off a funky smell. I love the heat, but something felt off.

Thai-Style Sweet Chili Chicken with Cilantro Lime Rice from HelloFresh

Turkish-Spiced Beef with Garlic Toum Sauce

When did we enjoy this? Wednesday dinner and Friday lunch

This meal smelled so good but wasn't as flavourful as it could be. I'm not sure what's missing.

Turkish-Spiced Beef with Garlic Toum Sauce from HelloFresh

Experience Cooking with Hello Fresh

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Sunday, October 16, 2022

Vancouver Canucks Dream Donut from Tim Hortons

Yes! Yes! Yes! Tim Hortons has a Vancouver Canucks dream donut designed with the Vancouver Canucks logo. It's not exclusive to the Toronto Maple Leafs, as I initially thought.

Vancouver Canucks Dream Donut from Tim Hortons

List of Dream Donuts from Tim Hortons

I arranged it alphabetically instead of chronologically.

Baker's Choice Donut from Tim Hortons

Happy Sunday! We went to the closest Tim Hortons location to our home and checked if there was anything new in the dream donut scene. I spotted the Baker's Choice description in a couple of donuts and asked the cashier about it.

Baker's Choice Donut from Tim Hortons

Venetian-filled yeast donut, chocolate dipped and designed for Halloween.

Maple dip Venetian-filled donut topped with chocolate drizzle and candied bacon.

Baker's Choice gives the baker a say in the decorating. Bakers are invited to display their creativity with locally-created (branch-specific) Baker's Choice.

Saturday, October 15, 2022

Taiwanese Pork Chop with Fried Rice for dinner from Typhoon Bubble Tea Cafe

Typhoon Bubble Tea Cafe is located in the Cambie Plaza strip mall in Richmond. I remember noticing them five years ago when I still live with my parents. Unfortunately, they are cash only, and I don't carry cash.

This is what I ordered for dinner from Typhoon Bubble Tea Cafe.

We visited my siblings in Richmond today, and our youngest sister requested that we order from Typhoon because she wants rice. So, of course, I am more than happy to oblige since I love Taiwanese cuisine, and as expected, I ordered a lot for my husband and me to share.

Typhoon House Special Chicken Nuggets

We ordered chicken nuggets for sharing, which was a good bite-size fried chicken.

Taiwanese Sausage with Rice and Sides

We love Taiwanese Sausage, but this one is not as sweet as I am used to when ordering from other Taiwanese restaurants.

Taiwanese Pork Chop with Fried Rice

The fried rice is exceptionally flavorful and delicious. It's the best thing tonight and works well with anything. I didn't expect the pork chop to be as it is. The flavour was good, but I expected it to have the same level of seasoning as the chicken nuggets.

Taiwanese Style Plain Noodles with Bean Sprouts and Meat Sauce in Soup

Other than the fried rice, the best thing tonight is the soup. It's a warm, clean broth that's comforting to the soul. But, unfortunately, the delicious broth couldn't save the plain noodle and bean sprouts.

I can't wait to try the soup with beef. I bet it'll be delicious.

High Rise Pancakes for lunch at Eggspectation Richmond

Our youngest sister works at Eggspectation in Richmond, BC, so after practicing our civic duty in voting and participating in the local election. We went straight to Eggspectation for lunch.

I have a list of menu items we have and have not tried and picked based on that. My sister was the one who brought our food to the table, and she mentioned that she made sure they looked pretty for my picture.

High Rise Pancakes
Kick-start your day with a mighty stack of pancakes with sausages, bacon, and potatoes layered between them and top with a sunny-side-up egg.

Top-view of the High Rise Pancakes

Inside view of the High Rise Pancakes

I am surprised at how much I love the High Rise Pancakes from Eggspectation. With the syrup drizzled all over, it's the perfect sweet and savoury breakfast to kick start any day.

Classic Benedict
Two perfectly poached eggs on smoked ham and a toasted English muffin, topped with our famous hollandaise sauce and our Lyonnaise-style potatoes

I love eggs benny, and since I already tried the Smoked Salmon Benny (my go-to in any breakfast spot) and Montreal Benny (because it sounds interesting), I had to try the Classic. I am pleased to report that the egg is perfectly poached this time.

For drinks, we enjoyed their freshly squeezed orange juice, and yes, they are genuinely orange. My sister told us during her first week that one of the first things she has to learn is to squeeze orange to make their OJ.

Wednesday, October 12, 2022

Pho Name Bo Vien for dinner at Thai Hang in Vancouver International Airport (YVR)

We're back in Vancouver! As much as I was pleased to see the mountains, I fell in love with the hustle and bustle of Toronto. I never knew how much I missed the fast life until I went there. My sister was ready to disown me when I said it. 😂

When we landed in Vancouver, I told my husband that I wanted soup and/or rice, so we went to the airport's second floor (departure area, before security) and walked through the Food Hall at the Domestic Terminal. Unfortunately, there are no soup or rice, only sandwiches and burger.

We walked all the way to the International Terminal and spotted Thai Hang. It's a Vietnamese stall.

Grilled Lemongrass Chicken on Steamed Rice

I took a bite of the juicy grilled chicken and a spoonful of rice and felt comforted. Then, I slurped the beef broth from the Pho Nam Bo Vien, which was perfect.

The pho soup is the ultimate comfort meal after a flight. It just brings you back to earth without being greasy.

Pho Name Bo Vien
Beef brisket & beef meatballs with rice noodles in soup

Dac Biet Cha Gio Thit
Deep-fried spring rolls with pork

I don't recommend the spring roll, though.

The Reubenesque for lunch at Caplansky's Delicatessen in Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ)

We're going back to Vancouver! Before that, we grabbed lunch from Caplansky's Delicatessen. I remember Zane Caplansky when watching Guy's Big Project. I remember rooting for him to win.

When searching for places to eat in Toronto, I checked multiple sources like Anthony Bourdain, Michelin Guide, and Food Network shows like You Gotta Eat Here (YGEH) and Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives (DDD).

I had already ordered when I saw the DDD symbol on the menu. So hubby and I went for starred menu items, which indicates they are fan favourites.

The Reubenesque

I love a good Reuben sandwich, and it's something I use to eat at least once a week at PICA Blue Hat Cafe when I get free lunch from there, paid for by work.

The Reubenesque
Smoked meat, Swiss cheese, Russian dressing, coleslaw, and grilled on rye

The smoked meat was delicious, but I wish there was more Russian dressing because it was a bit dry in some sections.

The Caplansky Burger
70% fresh ground beef and 30% smoked meat. Served with lettuce, tomato, onion, & pickle on an everything bagel bun

My husband went for The Caplansky Burger because it's the namesake. I thought the patty was dry, then realized it's 30% smoked meat. The tomato, lettuce, and sauce provided much-needed moisture to the burger.

The Caplansky Burger

I can't wait to come back to Toronto or have a transit through YYZ to try items with the YGEH and DDD symbols.

This was our last meal in Toronto, and it was such a fun, short, and food-filled vacation. I can't wait to travel again soon!

Smooch Food

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Thursday, October 20, 2022