Shakespeare would've loved Korean and Jap too

Review Snippet
Overall: Probably my favourite Korean place now
Food: Korean
Price: $12/ person
Ambiance: Dim and busy like most korean places, with a large tv screen (good place to watch games) and a decent outside patio
Service: Good, the manager was very friendly


Ap Gu Jung Restaurant
1642 Robson St.
Vancouver, BC V6G 1C7
(604) 681- 8252


Last Saturday, Isabel and I made the trek into Vancouver to catch the play, As You Like It, as part of the annual Bard on the Beach festival. Having seen another play two years ago and thoroughly enjoying it, I was excited for this year's as well. The weather was also perfect, with clear blue skies, bright sunshine and the vanier park beach, serving as a picture-perfect backdrop. 


The icing on top of the cake, was funnily enough, our dinner expedition. We headed down Robson, either for Ramen or Korean food. After much indecision and footsteps, we settled on Ap Gu Jung, a place we hadn't tried before. It was mostly the restaurant setting, resembling a traditional korean house, and the patio dining that caught my eye.

Both craving something spicy (as always), the spicy kimchi hotpot was a must. It comes with either pork or tuna and we opted for the former. I think it would be pretty spicy by most standards but it was perfect for us. The ingredients of veggies, tofu and pork, were ample and we definitely enjoyed this dish. It would have been even better if they added some 'shrooms.

Our next korean favourite, potato noodles!! Although this looks like a plate of earthworms dug out from the soil, the picture doesn't do it justice. The noodles, spring onions and beef slices soaked up the gravy perfectly and every bite was a piece of heaven. Even though I eat pretty slowly, I polished off my servings in seconds.

Lastly, the banchan- one of my favourite items at korean places. Every dish was very tasty, expect for the bean sprouts but I may be biased because I never really liked them anyway. Despite kimchi being my usual favourite, this time, the seaweed was actually really good- sweet and tangy all at the same time.


Ap Gu Jung is now my favourite korean spot on robson st and I definitely want to go back and try the seafood pancake and some of the meat dishes. The staff were efficient and competent and the manager, friendly. We had a good conversation after dinner and I recommended that they should add beef bugolgi (my favourite) on the menu ;)


Walking up the street after a filling and carbo-laden dinner, my eyes darted around for some dessert... -Sara


Review Snippet
Overall: So good!! Will be back
Food: Japanese Ice Cream Parfait
Price: A little on the high side-$7.50/ cup
Ambiance: Cutesy, wooden interior, channeling traditional Japanese houses


Chicco

1504 Robson St
Vancouver, BC V6G
(604) 633-1286

Black Sesame Parfait

Thanks to the sharp eyed girl in the picture below, we had this heavenly creation( at 1/2 off, special promo for the day)  after our extremely filling and spicy dinner of korean fare. The many layers, consisting of black sesame ice-cream, red bean paste, mango jelly, whipped cream, corn flakes, vanilla gelato and sponge cake equated to a really awesome dessert, compounded by the fact that we had gotten it at 3.50 instead of the usual 7.00 made us #superhappygirlsforthenight.

*Happiness*

What a happy trooper...
-Isabel
Sara: I have to add that I REALLY want to go back and try the green tea or hazelnut parfait flavours...let me know if anyone wants to come with!

Ciao Bella- hello beautiful (pasta)

Review Snippet
Overall: Very good value for money especially on Mondays and Tuesdays
Food: Authentic Italian fare
Price: $10- $12/ person
Ambiance: Busy but probably romantic on other nights; Live music (piano) Wed-Sun


Ciao Bella Ristorante Italiano
703 Denman St
Vancouver, BC V6G 2L6
604 688 5771


Last Tuesday, I finally met up with Chad after our much postponed noodles dinner. We were going to get ramen  given our immense love for spicy miso ramen and honestly, I was daydreaming about it while at work. However, we (mostly chad) made the spontaneous decision of trying Ciao Bella, seeing how it was their special pasta night (all pastas were 50% off!) and lines were snaking out the door. Thankfully, we didn't have to wait long as things would not have been pretty...you should know that patience is not one of my virtues. But as my good friend very wisely put, good things come to those who wait :)

Like all Italian places, complimentary bread! Served warm, with a toasty crust and fluffy, soft inside, this was above average bread. Dipped into a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar, I was a happy girl!

Linguini Alla Diavolo. This had diced chicken breast, with roasted bell peppers, garlic and basil in a curry tomato cream sauce. I think Chad enjoyed the cultural fusion in this dish. Portions were big and he had ample to pack home.

Mine- Ravioli Di Mari. I wanted a stuffed pasta as I hadn't had one in ages. The ravioli was stuffed with seafood and was served with shrimp in a lobster rose sauce. Hmmm it was gooood. It had all my favourite ingredients! So of course I cleaned out the plate in no time- ravioli, sauce and all. 


Ciao Bella is definitely a good place for italian fare, especially on Mondays and Tuesdays where all pastas are 50% off! The pasta is pretty authentic but I think I still prefer Italian Kitchen. The ambiance is probably more delightful and romantic on non pasta special nights and they have piano performances from Wed-Sun. The patio is also nice for the summer time. Will be back, after I have satisfied my ramen craving. -Sara 

Lougheed Wonton

Review Snippet
Overall: Not recommended; Run of the mill dimsum
Food: Chinese/ Dim Sum
Price: $8-$10/ person
Ambiance: VERY chinese


Lougheed Wonton


2408 St. Johns St.
Port Moody, BC 
604 939 8388


Helping out at the salmon hatchery does indeed work up an appetite, scratch that, i'm always hungry. Debating on where to head over to for lunch, we decided to go to lougheed wonton instead of Rainbow, butterfly , for inconvenience sake. Also, due to the fact that my dad had been hinting over the course of the week about wanting to eat their fried eggplant..

Seafood Chowmein

There was a variety of seafood, such as prawns, squid, scallops, with the excpetion of pork. It was a decent rendition of seafood chowmein, but was a tad bit too salty.

Char Siew Pao

Not being a particular fan of Char siew pao in general, i liked it better than other places as it was not overly sweet and the skin wasn't that thick.

Siew Mai

Being on the more meaty/porky side, as compared to the more delicate ones filled with mostly prawns, i wasn't a huge fan of the siew mai.

Stuffed Eggplant

Memories of economic rice in Singapore come flooding back. I've missed eating eggplant and this did not disappoint! The stuffing on the top,  a mishmash of prawn and fish cake was really tasty, as well as the black bean sauce, complementing the rather bland, but soft eggplant.

Honey Spare Ribs

 The ribs as quoted by my father were a little too tough and boney, but the rest of us felt that it was alright, nothing much to be able to rave about. My mum thought it was the best dish though.

Egg Tarts

Although the crust may have been on the normal, less flaky side, the custard was really creamy and oh-so good. Sara and my dad enjoyed it though, particularly because of the firmer crust. - Isabel

As divine as mink

Review Snippet
Overall: Definitely Recommended
Food:  Chocolate; Coffee; Desserts
Price:  $5-$10
Service: Efficient; Friendly


Mink Chocolates
863 W Hastings St
Vancouver, BC V6C
(604) 633-2451


On a warm saturday afternoon, after an arduous journey of apartment viewing across Vancouver, alas the weary travellers were seeking a place of refuge, to refuel their energy for the night ahead. Having seen cactus club and joey's around the corner, we knew that a coffee joint was of close proximity.Keeping our eyes peeled for an "independent" cafe, we stumbled upon....Mink Chocolates.

Left to Right: Blended iced coffee, Chai fog, Blended iced dark chocolate 

The picture speaks for itself, everything was splendid. For once, the ice blended drinks were not overly sweet but just right. The chai fog was surprisingly delightful as well! It was a light drink and not overly creamy. Perhaps it may have been somewhat a psychological thing from an unsuccessful afternoon ,but the drinks did indeed taste really good! My energy level went from nay to yay in those few moments.

 The ambience at Mink's was cozy and the scent of chocolate will intrigue you, once you step into the cafe. A perfect place to chillax if around the area.- Isabel

Rocky Point Park- Pajos, Sun, Music and Whoopi (Goldberg)

We headed over to Rocky Point Park in Port Moody after church today as my mum was excited to check out the spca/animal festival that was going on. Being half-hearted dog lovers (half-hearted because we like dogs but don't enjoy the hassle of cleaning and picking pick up after them, please don't judge us) we haven't owned one one years. Visiting this festival was my mum's way of "owning a dog vicariously". Needless to say, Rocky Point= Pajo's Fish and Chips for lunch.


Review Snippet
Overall: Recommended- great food and ambiance
Food: Fish and chips; Lunch/ snack
Price $8-$10/ person
Ambiance: Surrounding park atmosphere and inlet views greatly added to the charm


2800 Murray St
Port Moody, V3H 1X2
604-469-2289

Between the three of us, we had shared a large (cod) fish and chips and an extra 2.5 pieces of fish on the side. This came with an ample serving of fries, way more than we could finish. The fish fillets were perfectly done-  the batter was crisp and light, leaving me crunching after almost every bite, while the inside was tender and piping hot. Add a touch of tartar sauce and we're golden (no pun intended). The fries were also worth mentioning as they too were nice and crispy.  I don't know why I haven't noticed this before, but at the condiment stand they even offered Vietnamese chilli sauce! Needless to say, I took a helping. Everything tastes better with a little spice!


To wash down all this batter and oil, and make our meal seemingly healthier (although I highly doubt the nutritional value-add of this) we ordered some freshly pressed lemonade. This was cold, sour and thirst quenching. Highly recommended.


Pajo's does a pretty mean fish and chips, despite it being a F&B chain. It's so light and crisp, deluding you about the amount of oil and batter that goes it its preparation. So be careful...once you pop you can't stop!


This outlet at Rocky Point is definitely one of our favorite spots for fish and chips, mostly because of the surrounding park atmosphere, backed by the beautiful inlet and coquitlam mountain ranges.  Today, we were also lucky enough to catch a free summer swing/jazz concert under the tentage. With cute furry creatures running about, live music and the gorgeous sun, this was definitely a fun day at Rocky Point Park :)

There was this guy with two lizards on his shoulders- a bright green iguana and a tangerine coloured bearded dragon. Needless to say, a picture was necessary. I squirmed as I gave each a light stroke...don't know what came over me.

Live Jazz/Swing band

Hello Whoopi!

We also met these ADORABLE hugarian sheepdogs- angel, isabella and whoopi. With dreadlocks like those, a name like whoopi (golberg) was no surprise. Fawning over dogs (and babies) these days is scary, I think I might be succumbing to the whole maternal instinct thing. -Sara

Cora's is a Perfect Breakfast Spot

On the public holiday of Aug 1, Isabel and I had grand plans to try out the newest breakfast haunt in Coquitlam, Cora's, and then proceed on to a fun day at Playland. I was so excited as I haven't had breakfast out in the longest time (except for organic trees muffins and bon chaz on the way to work which are also very good) and haven't been to Playland since first year. However, as usual we were too ambitious for own good and ended up just staying around the vicinity after our brunch....We ended up shopping at H&M for the ENTIRE afternoon. But the sale was so good! Okay, back to Cora's.


Review Snippet
Overall: Highly recommended
Food: Breakfast/Lunch/Brunch
Price: About >$10/ person
Ambiance/Service: Bright and cheery; Very friendly staff just like the surroundings


Cora's Breakfast and Lunch
3025 Lougheed Highway, #390
Coquitlam, BC V3B6S2
Tel: (778) 285-8577




Cora's is a nice little breakfast spot situated in the Pinetree Village enclave, close to a Matoi (my favourite japanese restuarant in coquitlam) , Cobs and a new froyo place that opened recently as well. It hails from Montreal and is supposedly quite a hit out East, hence its attempt at conquering the west coast.


Truth be told, I was a little skeptical about this place at first. The decorations and brand seemed a little tacky, gimmicky and too cheery for my liking. However, lines out the door had to be an indication of some quality. So we finally made our way over last Monday.

Having received flyers and a free drink coupon in the mail, we had to make use of it (being the old ladies that we are). This was their summer smoothie special- a perfect blend of all the berries and vanilla yogurt. It was very thirst quenching and refreshing, definitely a good start to the meal.

I knew right off the bat I wanted something with French Toast or Pancakes because I haven't had either in forever. But I also wanted something savoury so 1990's Harvest provided the best of both worlds. This dish comprised two slices of cinammon and raison broiche french toast, topped with bacon and eggs on one slice and a mountain of fruits on the other. My plate was practically overflowing but my stomach was fluttering with excitement. It's a pity I couldn't capture the french toast slices underneath. Firstly, I appreciated that the french toast had a unique spin on it and was sweet enough that it didn't really need maple syrup with it (although I still layered some on out of habit). The contrast of sweet and salty between the bacon, eggs and slice of brioche french toast was extraordinary. I also loved the fruit salad on the other slices, making the dish seem healthier although I'm pretty sure I threw my diet out the window with this one.

Isabel ordered traditional Eggs Benedicts which came with hashbrowns and also a generous serving of mixed fruit. This dish was tasty and the eggs were left runny which is a sign of an eggs benny done well but I have had better. This was  a little disappointing for me as the hollandaise sauce and ham slices felt a little too processed and pre-packed.


The one thing apparent about Cora's is that it prides itself on the fruit factor. Every dish is fruit laden and though I enjoyed it, I have doubts about this being Cora's signature and core brand image. The breakfast and lunch options are voluminous and all look very tempting. I will definitely be back to try the pancakes, crepes and waffles especially since its just down the mountain and I can now drive! Yay me! -Sara

Penang Delight- Welcome to the Simple Life

About a week or so ago, we met up with my mum's cousin for dinner. It was good catching up, having not seen them for quite a while. We decided to go to Penang Delight and I was excited, to say the least, as I terribly miss my hometown comfort food. I have heard of this place in passing and was excited to try a place that was hopefully more authentic than your run-of-the-mill Tropika, Banana Leaf etc.. (that's not to say I don't enjoy the food at these places)


Review Snippet
Overall: Good; A good change from the usual Singaporean haunts
Food:Singaporean/Malaysian
Price: $10-$20 per person
Ambience/Service: Chaotic


Penang Delight
3885 Rupert St
Vancouver, BC V6R 2G7
604-566-9898

The restaurant was simple and quaint, channeling the rustic village atmosphere of Malaysia/Singapore in yester years.

We started out with some appetizers. From top to bottom: penang shrimp roll (ngoh hiang), penang tofu, roti canai and chicken skewers (satay).The appetizers were all really good and picking a favourite would be tough... The ngoh hiang was perfectly crisp and power-packed with shrimp, chestnut and meat filling. The penang tofu(which was more like thai-syle tofu) was crisp on the outside, soft on the inside with a good amount of thai sweet chilli sauce over top. Chicken satay was very tender but the peanut sauce lacked a certain kick. And the roti canai was a little sweeter than the roti prata i'm used to back home but it was still tasty- perfectly doughy yet crispy all at the same time.

These were my favourite mains! The sambal prawns were juicy and the sauce was pretty tasty but could have been spicier. Everything in Canada can be spicier :P Given that sambal is hard to prepare I was just happy to be able to have a sambal infused dish. 


The mango fish was more thai than malaysian but I enjoyed it a lot. The fish was fried to perfection while leaving the meat tender. The sweet chilli sauce was great and the sour mango slices complemented it really well, adding an extra punch.


The malaysian specialty vegetable dish was quite good as well, especially the eggplant.

The curry based dishes were a little disappointing mostly because the curry was not "lemak" or coconut-y enough. But there were ample ingredients in the laska dish as well as the chicken curry dish.

Now, on to my fav part of the meal- DESSERTS. Missed my nonya kuehs (little cake things) sooooo much! So this made me very happy :) The one at the top is malay kuih. It has a green base that is gelatinous but slightly firmer and topped with a coconut layer, coconut flakes and milk. My favourite was the bottom dish which was a pandan crepe that wrapped a filling of coconut pieces drenched in brown sugar (gula melaka). Heavenlyyyy. This two dishes are defintely must-haves for the coconut lover! I definitely want to come back and try the rojak (one of my fav singaporean dishes) and the friend banana (goreng pisang) with vanilla ice-cream. Goreng pisang is my childhood dish.. I have so many memories of my nanny going to the nearby market and getting fried banana and sweet potato fritters for an afternoon snack...probably did not help my loyal membership to the TAF club at school, but that's okay. TAF stands for trim and fit, for those unaware of the eccentricities of the Singapore school system. It is essentially a program for fat kids in public school. Oh the wonders of the schooling in Singapore...


I will definitely be back to Penang Delight for a sampling of their many other offerings! Their menu is extensive and left us spoilt for choice. But probably for lunch as it was a bit too chaotic at dinner time for my liking. -Sara