Spot Prawns - Gambas al Ajillo

It's Spot Prawn season in Vancouver and we love it!  They are sustainable and they are delicious!

Wonton Jook (Congee).....what in the world are they doing at The House of Gourmet in Toronto?

I love wonton and I love congee.

I can eat either of these anytime of the day.  I know, some of you, especially if you are non-Asian may think this is absurd, but wonton or congee is my favorite breakfast food.

On weekend mornings, I will often have a pot of congee brewing before the coffee gets started and wonton is always in the menu rotation for a quick easy meal.
It has taken a few years, but even BR (a meat and potatoes kind of Irishman!) can be caught enjoying these things for breakie once in a while.  If they aren't cooking in the kitchen, he will even go as far as suggesting we go out for them!

Until quite recently, I thought that Wonton and Congee were meant to be served "mutually exclusively".....well I'm here to tell you I have learned something new!

Spicy Edamame (Soy Beans)

Yup, it's been a while between posts, but thanks to BB's request for this recipe....I'm back.  If I have to think about it....may as well write it down for the rest of the world too!

Actually there is a huge backlog of stuff to post but life has been busy and I refuse to be a slave to my blog.

Japchae, Korean Glass Noodles

It was opening weekend in the Tuscan Garden (our ongoing garden makeover project)……that means that Garden Guru and Max have started to settle into their Summer weekend home.

What it means for BR is that the Tuscan Kitchen

Crispy Skin Duck....special delivery

Crispy Skin Duck

Knowing that I was hosting a final King Crab feast for 10 the day I would be returning from Toronto, my meal planning mode kicked into full gear on my last day of vacation.  Fortuantely I was visiting with TJD who fully understands my obsession with food.  Having been away for a week, I was out of touch with what availability and sizes of AKC were around, so I wanted to be sure to have some other menu items to fill out the dinner in case I could only find a smallish crab. So, off we went to Toronto's Chinatown to gather a few supplies for my dinner party back home in Vancouver....

Hello fresh Ontario duck.....

I have mentioned previously that groceries seemed much more affordable in Toronto compared to Vancouver.....Fresh Duck was another example.  It was readily available and very reasonable ($1.99/lb)

Adesso Bistro

more on Toronto after this guest post!

When my blogger friend, Joy Luck Club, suggested I do a "guest spot" I figured I was up for the challenge.  However, I have learned a great deal from my experience and will strive to do a better job next time.  Plates would arrive at the table and we'd start digging in...only to realize I had missed the best photo opp.  So, please excuse the poorly executed food photos and the lack of other photos for the venue.  I'll do better if I'm ever invited back.

Dee


Adesso Bistro
1906 Haro Street
Vancouver, BC V6G 1H7
(604) 568-9975

A Bit of Nostalgia and a Bit of Good Food

For those of you who have been experiencing the Vancouver restaurant scene for a number of years you will be familiar with the location that now houses the Adesso Bistro.  A recent Groupon brought Garden Guru and I in for what turned out to be a great meal.  Adesso takes up the ground floor of a small building on Haro Street that was once a hotel.  The small courtyard on the east side serves as a lovely patio in the warmer months.  Here's where the nostalgia comes in (those of you who used to be regular consumers of martinis and great food in the 80s and 90s have already figured this out) ...this is the original location of Delilah's.  Although Delilah's is now closed, many of us remember it as a dining icon in its day (esp back in the time of its Haro Street location).  Walking down those few steps to the front door and entering to see the reception desk still in its original location had us thinking that we would find the "paper check-list menus" still on the tables.  But this is now Adesso, so I will suppress my fond memories and fill you in on our evening...

This is an Italian restaurant.  You feel it in the menu, the staff and most importantly the food.  Our server was knowledgeable about the menu and her descriptions helped us to make our choices.  We ordered a bottle of Liberty School Cab and then were pleased when an 

amuse bouche was served - a wee serving of fried gnocchi.  

Ahn Dao Vietnamese Restaurant, Toronto Ont.

This innocent looking weed almost ruined a really good dining experience.

More on this later.

After a long day of rich food and wine tasting in Niagara, we thought it best to have a bit of a lighter meal for dinner.

We wandered up Spadina towards College as TJD had the perfect place in mind.

Anh Dao is a perfect example of a family run hole in the wall restaurant.  Through the narrow doorway at the back of the restaurant you could see the many generations working in the humble kitchen.

383 Spadina
Toronto, Ont.

Peameal Bacon Sandwich in "Hogtown"

"William Davies Company was a pork processing and packing company in Toronto, Canada. At one time, it was the largest pork packer both in Canada and the British Empire, and it operated Canada's first major chain of food stores. One of Toronto's longstanding nicknames, "Hogtown", is attributable to the millions of pigs processed annually by the William Davies Company."
*from Wikepedia


So whilst in Toronto, I had to try the signature snack at the St. Lawrence Market.

Being a Peameal Bacon virgin, I really didn't know what to expect.

It's Absolutely Balmy in Toronto!

Zero degrees and the locals are basking in the Spring weather.  I'm down to one layer, walking around in the sunshine!

Ethnic food is everywhere in TJD and BS's neighborhood.  Lots of neat local eateries serving authentic food at really decent prices.  I am amazed at the difference in prices compared to Vancouver.  In Chinatown, you can get a bowl of  really good congee for $3.50, gai lan choy for $0.79/lb, and live lobsters for $6.00/lb.......I won't tell you what the price of gas is here....that'll just really piss you off :-)

Spring Break?!?!

So, I am off for Spring Break and heading away for a well-deserved break.  The weather today at my destination doesn't exactly shout spring.......but what the hell.  

I will be visiting my amazing cousin.  He is a trained chef and a professional opera singer.........we are going to have a blast!  Music and Food......add a bit of wine, served up with great company......perfection!

Any suggestions for eateries in Toronto in case we run out of our own ideas?  

Check back, you may be treated to some interesting "drunk" blogging :-)

West Lake Vietnamese Kitchen in Richmond

4800 No 3 Rd
Richmond, BC V6X 1E4
(604) 276-2921

West Lake has recently relocated from their previous spot in the Empire Centre.  West Lake is now located on No. 3 Road, across the road from The Superstore.  This visit was during their grand opening week and the place was packed during our lunchtime visit.

I like the ambiance of this new location.  This spot was originally the Roosters Quarters....a Montreal style roast chicken restaurant.  In recent years, Celsius and others have occupied this place.

Jimmy, the owner, stopped to chat with us and was saying that his previous location was just too big and the rent and overhead was getting out of hand.  Good luck to Jimmy in this new location.

This location is bright and clean and the decor is simple and fresh.

How to Cook Alaskan King Crab .....Steamed on a Silky Smooth Egg Custard

This is the continuation of my series on Alaskan King Crab (AKC)

The Alaskan King Crab season is at it’s peak in Vancouver….right now! 

If you have not had a chance to try this succulent delicacy, now would be the time.  It is priced at the lowest point around $10 per pound.  Not exactly cheap, but much more affordable and oh so worth it........even if just once in your life!  

Out of season, the price per pound is upwards of $30/pound.  The season in Vancouver is short, running from mid February to around the end of March.  After this week, prices will likely start to increase. So don't wait......just do it!  [after this, we go on diets and wait for the start up of Spot Prawn season:-)]

How to Cook Alaskan King Crab, Part 3......Spicy Deep Fried Alaskan King Crab with Chili and Garlic, Chinese Style...just like your favorite Chinese Restaurant!

This is part three in my Alaskan King Crab series. Part 1, the full menu of our home cooked Alaskan King Crab Feast with photos is here and Part 2 the recipe for Steamed Alaskan King Crab (legs) with Garlic (Chinese Style) is here.

Alaskan King Crab (Part 2)……..Recipe #1, Steamed with Garlic Sauce (Chinese Style)...Just like your Favorite Chinese Restaurant!

This recipe is Part 2 of a ongoing series about Vancouver's Alaska King Crab Season.
Part 1 of the Alaskan King Crab Series can be found here.  All the recipes will eventually be posted as individual posts.  Please check back!

Alaskan King Crabs can look a bit intimidating...they move around, have massive heads and are quite spiny.  If you can get past all of that and try cooking this is your own kitchen, you will be rewarded with something really amazing.

Alaska King Crab (Wong Dai Hai)....A Feast for Royalty and J. Lo

The Catch of the Day!

It’s Alaska King Crab season in Vancouver.  Thanks to Ben, over at Chowtimes, we have been salivating for days in anticipation of this feast!  This is a very exciting time for folks around these parts.  Some of us wait all year…….it’s right up there with Christmas.

Tim Horton's.......Rrrroll Up the Rim. I am a WINNER!!!

On my way into work this morning, I decided to stop and pick up a coffee at Tim Hortons. 

Coffee is not normally part of my morning ritual, but this morning I felt like a needed a bit of a kick start!

To my surprise…..It’s Roll Up the Rim to Win…with more prizes and more chances to win! 
Sounds good eh?
I don’t normally pay attention to this kind of stuff, ever!

Well, guess what? 

I am a winner!

The Keg at Morgan Creek, Surrey, BC

Yes...if you keep reading there will be a restaurant review amongst the rambling.  Some places are more difficult to write about than others or it could be that my ADHD is really active today :-)
I've had this review churning for quite a while now...couldn't really get it out.  So this is it.  It's the Keg, what can I say? Don't get me wrong..... I don't mean that in a bad way at all.
It's the Keg......

After a couple weeks of heavy duty cooking and entertaining we went with the option of eating out…..nothing fancy, just good old meat and potatoes.

Interesting the feedback you get once you start telling the world about yourself.

Pan Fried Chive Dumplings....Inspired By Chen's Shanghai Restaurant

So what do you do on a snowy morning?  Over here we think about what are we going to eat for brunch!
Dee and Max did an overnighter because of the snow last night.  After our morning coffees we discussed our next feeding.

BR was quite excited when Chen's was thrown into the discussion.  If you are expecting a restaurant review you are going to be disappointed. When you don't take photos, you can't really blog properly.  Long story....I was a bit off my game this morning.  Camera issues, well actually camera owner issues.  No photographs were taken but we had our fill of yummy dumplings and noodles.
We all left very happy.  That was less than 2 hours ago.

These could be the dumplings we had at Chen's....but they are not.  These were created just moments ago
at A Wok in the Tuscan Kitchen........looks yummy, right?

Tap Ko Choy....What the heck is it?

I was out grocery shopping the other day and came across an interesting looking choy (vegetable).

I've never eaten this before........let alone try to cook it.

I am imagining it to be like most choys.....but then again, it might have some sort of strong bitterness or something to it.

Need a Quick satisfying lunch.....Deer Garden Signatures, Richmond might fit the bill

Deer Garden Signatures, Richmond BC

 8580 Alexandra Road (2nd floor)

Richmond, BC

(604) 278-9229

We stopped in for a quick lunch at Deer Garden.  This is a very popular spot, so we know to be quick and to avoid a huge line up, we must arrive early.  We were a group of 4 and we arrived around 11:30