Tim Hortons' Caramel Iced Capp and Starbucks' Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino®

It's Pokemon Go Fest 2020 weekend which means we're going to spend some hours out in our local park to enjoy the sun, catch Pokemon, and spin Pokestops.

Starbucks' Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappucino

Last Saturday (day 1 of Go Fest), we decided to grab a venti Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino® from Starbucks after staying in a nearby park for a couple hours.

Starbucks Counter

Inside Starbucks

Starbucks Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino®

Tim Hortons' Caramel Iced Capp

Today (day 2 of Go Fest), we decided to grab a large Caramel Iced Capp from Tim Hortons and potato wedges. We enjoyed it in a nearby local park.

Tim Hortons Counter

Inside Starbucks

Caramel Iced Capp

Comparison

I like the one from Starbucks more and only because of the crunchy thing they put on top. You cannot go wrong with either drink because they're both essentially caramel shake.

Actually, Tim Hortons has a seasonal Salted Caramel Iced Capp which I last saw two years ago. They don't serve it during summer anymore.

Guest Post: Pokey Okey

My brother wrote this post about his lunch for today. More importantly, I am impressed that he takes better pictures than me! LOL. I love the contrast between the black and white placemat and the colourful poke bowl.

I have been craving poke for a while now and decided to order delivery for one today.

What's in a Poke Bowl?

I ordered from Pokey Okey and got The Red Bowl (spicy tuna, spicy salmon, flying fish roe, seaweed salad, kimchi, carrots, radish, purple cabbage, bacon bits, seaweed flakes and spicy sesame sauce). You also have an option of three bases, brown rice, spring mix and white rice and decided to get all three. I also added ahi tuna and avocado to the order. 

The Red Bowl from Pokey Okey

Pokey Okey Review

As you can tell, there are lots of ingredients in this meal so it's a little hard to describe the taste of all of them. The avocado was a great addition as it helped balance out the spice from everything else. I made a mistake by picking all three bases as the spring mix definitely felt out of place with the rice. The fish was tasty and just as I expected so I was glad. Overall, it was a positive experience and I can see myself ordering from them again.

Lunch from Cooking Ng Ina (putaheng Pinoy) | Best Kare-Kare in Metro Vancouver

Update: The wonderful people behind Cooking Ng Ina has opened a restaurant in Surrey, BC! Check out EATS 23 Bistro.

I wrote yesterday that I have a Facebook Ad discovery, and today the food arrived for us to enjoy for lunch.

The food is as advertised enough to feed four people! Because it's just hubby and me, we have leftover to enjoy tomorrow.

Food from Cooking Ng Ina (Putaheng Pinoy)

They offer Filipino dishes for everyone to enjoy. We ordered Kare-Kare, Siomai, and Sisig.

Filipino Feast from Cooking Ng Ina (Putaheng Pinoy)

Kare-Kare

It's the best Kare-Kare in Metro Vancouver that I've tried so far. I'm comparing this with the ones from Max's Restaurant along Kingsway and Little Ongpin in Richmond.

The Kare-Kare from Max's is too runny (too much broth and not enough peanut butter), while the one from Little Ongpin is the opposite. It's too thick.

Kare-Kare

This one is just the right consistency and has excellent flavour. Cooking Ng Ina served it with spicy shrimp paste (bagoong). Yummy! This is the reason why I cooked extra brown rice this morning to smother it with delicious Kare-Kare sauce.

Sisig

In Metro Vancouver, this is the second time I have tried sisig. The first time is from Pin-Pin. They're both alright. We haven't discovered a sisig that would make us want to order it again. The flavour is excellent, but it's not crunchy the way we like it.

Sisig

Siomai

This one brings me back to my childhood of going home from school and buying Siomai from the street vendors. It's so delicious! They even provide you with soy sauce and chilli oil to dip it in. Amazing.

20 pieces Siomai

Will I order from Cooking Ng Ina (Putaheng Pinoy) again?

Absolutely! I'm already thinking of when I can order it for my mom. Kare-Kare is one of her favourite dishes.

Be sure to send Cooking Ng Ina (Putaheng Pinoy) a message on Facebook to place your order.

Guest Post: JJ's Trucketeria

My only brother wrote this post about his experience eating food from JJ's Trucketeria.

Hello, it is me again, the brother. Last time I posted here, I shared my experience at the Breakfast Table with my friend. On the same day (after the Breakfast Table), we went for Linner/Dunch (a combination of Lunch and Dinner, hehe) at the JJ's Trucketeria food truck at Terminal Avenue in front of Columbia College.

You get an option of which meat will go with your order, the choices are between Filipino BBQ Pork, Lemongrass Chicken and Korean Chicken. I decided to go with JJ's Rice Packers with Filipino BBQ Pork.

JJ's Rice Packers with Filipino BBQ Pork

My friend got a Big Plate with the Lemongrass Chicken, he originally wanted a Filipino BBQ Pork as well but to try two meat, he decided to go with a different option.

The Big Plate with the Lemongrass Chicken

We both tried each other's orders, and both chicken and pork were tasty and creamy, and the garlic rice balances the entire meal well.

Birthday lunch delivery from Mui Garden Restaurant

It's my dad's birthday! He requested for Chinese cuisine and my siblings obliged. The images below are taken by my brother.

Shrimp and BBQ Pork Fried Rice

Chinese Broccoli with Salted Fish

Honey Garlic Spareribs

Sweet and Sour Fish

Yay for food!

Yummy, Fluffy Ensaymada from Kaye Bakes

Last month, I ordered Ube Cake from Kaye Bakes. It was so delicious! I was telling my dad about it, who arrived nearly a month ago from the Philippines (yes, he completed his 14-day quarantine period, and he's healthy as can be which makes all of us happy).

He said, "Baka si Kaye from Winnipeg ang binilhan mo." (Maybe you purchased from Kaye who we knew from Winnipeg). Apparently, they have a Couple's for Christ mentee in their two years in Winnipeg, who also moved to BC after 4 years.

Ensaymada

I contacted Kaye Bakes to ask if they have Cassava Cake because my mom is requesting for it. I also awkwardly ask if they lived in Winnipeg because my parents new a Kaye that loves to bake from there who moved to BC. She said, yes we lived in Winnipeg. I told her my parents' name, and yes, she's the friend my dad is referring to—such a small world.

Ensaymada from Kaye Bakes

I didn't know they knew each other when I ordered Ube Cake last month! I was just looking to support Filipino entrepreneurs and enjoy Ube cake.

My dad is celebrating his birthday tomorrow, so Kaye decided to surprise him with Ensaymada. It's too bad that I can't visit them right now to enjoy the fluffy pastry.

My mom called me, telling me how delicious the Ensaymada is. Thank God for using me to help reconnect my parents with their friends.

Where to get Ensaymada in Metro Vancouver?

Be sure to send Kaye Bakes a message to inquire about their Filipino pastries. I'm still looking forward to my birthday, so I can have a mocha cake.

Call Kaye Bakes: 778-697-8143
Email Kaye Bakes: kayebakes.ca@gmail.com

Lunch from Vera's Burger Shack

After picking a spot and settling down at Kits Beach, my youngest sister, hubby, and I walked to look for a food source. We walked along Cornwall Avenue to see what's open. We decided to buy lunch from Vera's Burger Shack.

What to get from Vera' Burger Shack?

I got Vera's Burger. I didn't understand what the cashier was saying so I just asked him to put Vera's sauce in it, instead of everything (tomato, lettuce, etc.). #facepalm

Burgers, Sweet Potato Fries, Onion Rings, French Fries, and Chicken Strips

I love Romer's Burger, but the meat in Vera's Burger is so much better.

Hubby got the grilled chicken. I made a terrible choice of not putting anything in it. It's probably good for our "diet", but of course, without any sauce, it's dry. The chicken and bun are still delicious, but it could have been better if only I asked them to put everything in it.

Vera Burger

Vera Burger

My youngest sister picked chicken strips. It was surprisingly good. It's well-seasoned with great flavour.

We enjoyed our lunch near Kits Beach under a tree on a blanket. It was great!

Breakfast from COBS Bread Bakery

Sunday! I woke up to my mom's message that they'll pick us up so we can go to Kitsilano Beach. An hour later, we're heading to McDonald's along 4th Avenue (at Balsam Street). We really don't want to buy from McD's, instead, we saw the COBS Bread Bakery across the street and decided to quickly buy croissants from there.

I love this paper bag!

I got a couple Plain Croissants for my youngest sister, a Ham & Cheese Croissant and a Spinach & Feta Croissant for hubby and myself.

Ham and Cheese Croissant

Happy Sunday!

Dinner from Express Pho

Update: Express Pho and all the restaurants between West Broadway and Hemlock (west bound) are closed permanently, because that area will be the future location of the Granville Station.

Takeout Day is all about supporting restaurants as they try to survive and cope with the challenges of a pandemic.

I have ordered from most of my favourite neighbourhood joints, and Express Pho is the last one. I felt sad seeing how they're down to two people in the restaurant (I could be wrong, but they look like a mom and son duo).

If you have the means and if you live near West Broadway and Granville, please order from Express Pho. They're right across Jordan, the furniture store.

Support and Order from Express Pho

We ordered new dishes this time (this blog is useful in recalling what we had the last time we were here).

Dinner Tonight

Vietnamese Spring Roll (2 Rolls)

Curry Beef with Steamed Rice

I love the way Vietnamese cuisine cook their beef. They're always so tender.

Beef Balls, Chicken Balls in Soup (Rice Noodle is in a separate container)

Bean Sprouts and Rice Noodles

I hope this post gets more people ordering from Express Pho and that they don't close (like the Greek restaurant beside them, Bawan Greek). We took a peek in their window, and it's empty. Hopefully, it's just a temporary closure, but it doesn't look like it.

Guest Post: Brunch at The Breakfast Table

This food experience is shared by my only brother. Yay! :) I love The Breakfast Table, too, and I'm glad to see him enjoy their food as well.

It was my first time going out since the COVID-19 pandemic has begun. I met up with a friend for brunch at the Breakfast Table.

I decided to get the Beef Bulgogi Hash with poached eggs.

(two poached eggs, kimchi, sauteed mushroom, spinach, green onion, sweet chilli sauce)

While my friend wanted to have the Coffee Crusted Pork Belly Benedict, but it was not available at the time, and so he decided to have the Hipster Benedict instead.

(two poached eggs, housemade peppered bacon, tomato, avocado, English muffin, bearnaise)

Lunch Delivery from Ramen Gojiro

We haven't had ramen in such a long time, and one of our favourite spots to get the delicious Japanese cuisine favourite is Ramen Gojiro. We love their spicy soup and crispy chicken karaage. I think they have one of the best (if not the best) chicken karaage in Vancouver (if you know of a better place, please let me know so we could try it).

Best Chicken Karaage in Vancouver

I ordered Original Chicken Karaage and Spicy Ramen with Chicken Karaage as the topping. I couldn't get enough of the crunchy and juicy boneless fried chicken.

Original Karaage (house-made crispy deep-fried chicken)

Spicy Ramen

Below is my spicy, creamy, ramen (without the soup yet) topped with karaage. I added extra Ajitama (medium-boiled marinated egg).

Spicy, rich, spicy ramen (without the soup) topped with karaage.

This is the photo with the spicy, rich broth added in.

Spicy Ramen topped with karaage, spicy, and with rich broth.
Ramen Gojiro's signature broth with the perfect balance of pork and chicken. The spicy sauce with a hint of sweetness.

I enjoyed the ramen very much. The heat was perfect, while the noodles were chewy. The perfect crunch was provided by the fried chicken.

Enjoying my Spicy Ramen

Delicious Gatsuri-Style Ramen

Hubby ordered the Yokohama Iekei Ramen. The broth was delicious, but since I like my ramen with a bit of heat, I prefer my Spicy Ramen. I tried a portion of the pork from his ramen, and it was tender.

Yokohama Iekei Ramen
"Homestyle" pork and chicken broth with shoyu flavour based from Yokohama. Thick noodles with very flavourful broth with depth and complexity.

Gyoza on the Side

My ramen lunch won't be complete without our favourite side gyoza. It's not the best gyoza, but really, I order and eat at Ramen Gojiro for the fried chicken.

Gyoza

It's a happy Saturday!

Lunch from Newly Renovated Beautiful PICA Blue Hat Bakery-Cafe

We had to run an errand around the area and thought it would be a great idea to visit the newly renovated and stunningly beautiful PICA Blue Hat Bakery-Cafe.

Blue Hat Bakery

Once I feel comfortable eating in a restaurant again, I want this spot right here! Look at the view from the window, it looks like a beautiful picture.

View from PICA Blue Hat Bakery-Cafe

Beautiful new counters from PICA Blue Hat Bakery-Cafe

Tuna Mediterranean Sandwich from PICA Blue Hat Bakery-Cafe

The food is still delicious. It's nice to see the faces of Christine and Lily and I'm glad they're back at work. Be sure to visit PICA and grab things to go or if you're feeling brave enjoy it either inside the cafe or outside in their elevated patio.

Dinner at Bridges Restaurant

We're celebrating our first Catholic wedding anniversary on Monday. Today, we decided to attend Mass then we made a reservation for dinner at Bridges Restaurant.

Beautiful Weather for Patio by the Water

I prayed last night to have a beautiful, sunny weather today which would make seating outside the Bridges by the water more enjoyable. I'm so glad God answered my prayer.

Our view during dinner

What to get from the Bridges Restaurant?

Being near the water, we decided to order seafood items from the menu.

For the appetizer, we had calamari. For our main course, I had the seafood penne while hubby had the grilled salmon. To end the lovely meal, we had chocolate cake.

We stayed there for 1.5 hours.

Calamari (lemon pepper, fresh dill, tzatziki)

Seafood Penne with prawns, salmon, and halibut in lemon basil cream sauce

Grilled Wild Sockeye Salmon with saffron cream, citrus-tahini charred broccolini, and mashed potatoes

Chocolate Cake

What I like about the Bridges Restaurant?

I like love the view. It's really the best reason to come and eat here. Enjoy the view, breathe the fresh air, and melt all your worries away (at least for 2 hours). I like the service. The waitress and hostess are super friendly and they don't hurry you into leaving which gives you enough time to enjoy your meal and relax. The food is good, not the best in Granville Island by any means, but it's the best one by the water.

Canada Day lunch from Salmon n' Bannock

Happy Canada Day! How we usually celebrate Canada Day?

• 2016: Steveston Richmond, BC Salmon Festival and Canada Day Parade with sisters
• 2017: Steveston Richmond, BC Salmon Festival and Canada Day Parade with parents, sister, and brother
• 2018: Steveston Richmond, BC Salmon Festival and Canada Day Parade with hubby
• 2019: We were not in the country to celebrate. :(
• 2020: There's a pandemic.

Since there's still a pandemic, we decided to order lunch from Salmon n' Bannock. They are the only year-round Indigenous restaurant in Vancouver. They serve wild fish, free-range, grass-fed organic meat, Bannock made fresh daily and other culinary delights inspired by a variety of First Nations traditions. It seems fitting to support a First Nations business today.

How to order?

They are not open for dine-in service, but they're on Uber Eats, and I originally planned to order that way. However, I called yesterday to check if they are open today, and they said yes with a caveat that they're serving a July 1 BBQ special, and that's the only thing on the menu. I ordered two for pick-up at 1 PM, which is the time they open.

July 1 BBQ from Salmon n' Bannock

We walked there in the rain and picked up our food. It costs $21.00 each. What's included in the meal? Wild sockeye salmon, maple coleslaw, vegetables, signature bannock, and a baked potato.

Wild sockeye salmon, maple coleslaw, vegetables (steamed broccoli and buttered sweet potato), baked potato, and signature Bannock. Butter and sour cream on the side

Wild sockeye salmon, maple coleslaw, vegetables (steamed broccoli and buttered sweet potato), baked potato, and signature Bannock. Butter and sour cream on the side

My hubby and I are stuffed! Everything was so delicious. I love salmon, and it's cooked perfectly. The Bannock is good with the butter they provided. I can't wait to go back, hopefully, when they're ready for dine-in service.

Where is Salmon n' Bannock located? It's the same block as Toys R Us along West Broadway.

My only request, please serve salmon chowder. It's something I fell in love with last year when we had lunch at Thunderbird Cafe in Squamish Lil'wat Cultural Centre in Whistler.

Dinner at Suika (dine in during COVID-19)

Phase 2 in BC has started mid-May, and since then, restaurants have slowly been opening up for dining service with limited seating. We decided to wait until today before risking going out to enjoy a delicious meal at Suika.

Read my post on things I'd do first when things get better in BC. Check out what's second on the list.

First Time to Dine In

How's the experience? I want to say the same, but not really. Suika is a popular Japanese restaurant along West Broadway near Fir Street. They're usually jam-packed with people for both their lunch and dinner service.

Today, only a maximum of 40 people is allowed in the restaurant. The layout can be divided into three sections, and based on my observation, only 2-3 tables per section has a customer. Specifically, in the location we're in where there are four tables, only two are being used. 

There's sanitizer by the entrance which we used, and we maintained a reasonable distance to the host who walked us to our table. He gave us the menu that is printed on paper, which he didn't take back after we placed our order.

The only time someone came in less than 6 feet is when a server wearing a mask would place our food in the table.

The Food

Suika has the best katsu curry in Metro Vancouver. If you love Japanese curry, please give the one at Suika a try.

Signature Beef Curry (Suika's original stewed beef tendon curry) topped with Tonkatsu (pork loin cutlet)

The food is still fantastic. I thought it's even better than I remember, but it could just be the anticipation and excitement of eating here again after a long time. We had it delivered in April, but it's just not the same as eating here fresh from the kitchen.

Hubby had his usual double tonkatsu. We also had an appetizer for sharing and desserts.

Yuzu Tuna Tataki (lightly seared albacore tuna seasoned with Yuzu, topped with ponzu jelly and crispy garlic chips)

I think this is the first dish from Suika that I didn't enjoy. 

Double Tonkatsu Set (2 pieces of fried pork loin cutlet using special fresh panko served with two kinds of dipping sauce, rice, and miso soup)

Frozen Matcha Brulee (Frozen matcha creme brulee served with whipped cream and red bean sauce)

Is it worth it?

Yes. Everyone is observing physical distancing, which helped put my mind at ease. More importantly, I get to eat the great food Suika serves again and then can continue to provide employment.