Marutama Ramen
For those ramen fans there is a new ramen spot on the block.   Probably easiest thing to do is to skip this review and go down and try it out for yourself before the line up starts.  

Marutama Ramen is a chain ramen restaurant with locations in Japan, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong.   The interior was nice with the exception of some cheap plastic containers that looked  similar to the ones you get from jelly cups.  

The special feature about Marutama is their noodles.  Hand made in house, these bad boys stand way above the clouds when compared to the other ramen spots in the neighbourhood.  Santouka has the belt when it comes to broth flavour but Marutama's noodles run the show here.   Their soft boiled egg also gets special mention for being perfect!!!  The broth at Marutama was chicken based and tasted clean and healthy.  There is also the option to add additional noodles for $1.25 more (a bowl of ramen is around $12 here).  Addicted to these noodles I intentionally saved some broth and ordered some extra noodles however they came so much later that my broth was cold by then.  I still enjoyed them and added some salt syrup to my soup as well.

I think I still give it to Santouka as my favourite ramen but Marutama is worth the experience just to try the noodles.  If you want to be the man get the extra noodles at Marutama and sneak them into Santouka to make the best bowl of noodles in Vancouver.  

Do yourself a favour and go read Lucky Peach Issue 1, watch Tampopo and then go crush some ramen downtown.  As said earlier my choice is still Santouka but you should try these noodles to get your barometer straight.

Marutama Ramen

780 Bidwell Street

Vancouver, BC

Matt

Oh, I love the aesthetic of this room: Reclaimed wood, honeycomb and subway tile, industrial light fixtures, custom pottery, mismatched cutlery and glassware. This 30-seat restaurant opened approximately two weeks ago, in the renovated space that was the former site of Cafeteria. Chef Andrea Carlson (formerly of C, Sooke Harbour House, Raincity Grill and Bishop's) is the Chef and owner, and Burdock represents her food philosophy. A strong force behind the locovore movement (she developed the first 100 Mile Menu for Raincity), she has created plates inspired by her close connection to food and nature.

The dishes remind me of high-end Scandanavian; nature takes centre stage thanks to precise and organically inspired plating. High-quality ingredients shine through a soft yet creative touch, nothing is over-marinated or flavoured, the quality and treatment stand for themselves. Also? I had the most beautiful cocktail I've ever seen:

Yes, marigolds are edible, and especially delicious bruised and used to scent the glass before a blend of herbs, sake and Victoria gin are added to make Burdock's Marigold Gimlet. An impressive wine and beer list round out the alcoholic offerings, along with creative herbacious juices for those who prefer. We began with Urban Digs Egg, a blend of wild cress, hazelnut and blue cheese granola and potato vinaigrette topped with a poached egg. I appreciate being in a place that honors eggs for dinner. All ingredients are organic and locally sourced, as you might have guessed, and feel wholesome even to read about: Wheat berry Risotto with mustard greens; Spring Cassoulet with smoked tofu and black trumpets. As a person who usually bolts her dinner, I loved a simple dish of bread, cheese and honey because it reminded me to slow down and acknowledge the trip from seed and farm to table. Taking the time to savour seems to be the side effect of Andrea's dishes.

Standouts for me were the seafoods: Cherry Leaf Cured Scallops that have a barely-there cherry perfume and Fresh Oysters in finger lime caviar with french breakfast radishes and chickweed.  The Fried Chicken and Pickles and Heritage Pork and Burdock Sausage with wild dandelion and potato salad deserve honorable mentions.

At 9-19 per plate, its possible to sample several things without breaking the bank. Each dish has a much higher-end feel than the price point, which is a bonus if you ask me. Vegan, Vegetarian and an all-gluten free dessert menu including macarons mean there is something for everyone of every diet stripe.

Burdock & Co
2702 Main Street
http://burdockandco.com/

Jessica

(from the City of Vancouver archives)

There are Pigeon Park politics, just as there were Pioneer Place politics, CPR politics, etcetera. Now there are also Pidgin politics, the complexities of which we do not dare address in this, our inadequate forum.  But what of Pidgin, restaurant?

Past those protesters, the doors and the unfortunate hostess, lies a minimal room, appendages decorating the wall behind the bar, cleaver in hand.  Broken tiles hang from a string in each bathroom. The violence is undoubtedly unintentional, assumedly not a political statement, and mostly missed by the patrons.

It's a small plates concept, meaning that while each item on the menu might be $20 or less, it'll take at least two of each to satisfy any one person with a North American appetite for dinner.  Start with a round of oyster shots ($3), packed with apple and horseradish ice (perhaps a bit too solidly to knock quickly back), a good dose of nostalgia for those that miss Angus An's Gastropod days.  From there, the Asian accents become much more pronounced, with particular emphasis on Japanese flavors.  

Of the cold plate highlights: the beef tataki ($13) is tweezer-dressed with gruyère and woodear for umami and contrast;  a plate of humpback shrimp ($12), served either sashimi or ceviche style (depending on who you ask), is a postcard perfect sample from the sea.  Comparatively, the wedge salad ($8), dressed with a fermented tofu dressing, nori and bonito flakes, is that much less inspired, and yet that much more cumbersome to share.

Of the hot plates: a bowl of rice ($20), speckled with foie gras cubes, roast chestnuts, daikon cubes and an unagi glaze, will get one more-than-comfortably through these gray rainy days.   The chicken wings ($12), lightly dusted in flour, are simple but tremendous.  The scallops ($17), atop a brushstroke of caper raisin sauce, comes with fried polenta blocks topped with housemade XO sauce, an admirable effort even if not entirely memorable (that foie gras rice bowl!).

Toast these with the assertive cocktail list, each also taking their Asian cues. The Mary Ellen Smith ($11), a brisk concoction of gin, carbonated sake, lime and cucumber juice, can wash most everything down, or skip right to the Junmai sake on tap, served like a glass of white wine, to wash down anything it can't.

That may, depending on your disposition, include what goes on outside.  Settle the bill, head back out the door, and the protesters - unless their nightly shift is over or until they acquiesce, whichever comes earlier - will still be there to bring the Pidgin politics back to mind, those politics that will outlast the restaurant itself, the park, and the area.  

Joe.

Pidgin

350 Carrall Street

Vancouver, BC

(604) 620 9400

@pidginvancouver

One night our friends from Japan took us out for Fugu (blowfish).   It was explained to us that the fugu served to us at this restaurant was a mountain version in which the swim bladder was not toxic.  I had no idea that there was such a thing and I was kinda sad that there wasn't a chance of dying but a great experience nonetheless. 

Read more »

One major reason to go to Japan is to see the super passionate people that master their craft.  Japan is home to masters in many of the elements.  The best dancehall queen and dancehall selectors, top fashion designer, chefs, pour over coffee masters, bartenders, rockabilly dancers, you name it, they got it.

Read more »

All my Japan trips involve numerous ramen meals.  When trying to establish a barometer there is no better place than the origin. Ramen is great as it is easily available, affordable and fast.   Based on some information from the Serious Eats blog our first stop was Ramen Street in Tokyo Street.  Our Process - look for the longest line, line up, look what everyone is ordering, pick that one, figure out how to order beer and wait to be seated.   Many ramen spots including this one patrons have to order via an electronic machine which all items are listed in Japanese characters.  Usually the first item is the most popular so going with that is a good choice.

Read more »

Japan is one of my favourite places.  Fantastic food, amazing craftsmanship, respectful people and a handful of weird things like cat cafes, maid cafes, and hotel rooms you can destroy (you pay per item you destroy).  Rather than list a restaurant that you may never get to or if you do this review will be totally out of date, I will do a comparison of the Japanese food on our trip to the Japanese food in Vancouver.

Read more »

One of my New Year's resolutions is to stop making so many assumptions. Usually I assume, and usually I assume the worst. I realized not only was I usually wrong, I put myself through a lot of shitty feelings just to be proven that life was not as bad as I thought. No more! Life is short and assumptions are stupid.

I saw this recipe in the latest issue of Bon Appetit, and I thought, ew. Fishy greens with a soggy breadcrumb topping? No. But because I am turning a new leaf here, I thought what the hell. Besides I had a bunch of kale in the fridge that was getting so old it was resembling a pot scrubber.

Orecchiette with Kale and Breadcrumbs

1-2 bunches (depending on how green you want your pasta) kale
salt
black pepper
5 tbsp olive oil
1 cup coarse fresh breadcrumbs
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tbsp unsalted butter
4-8 anchovy fillets, chopped
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 box orecchiette pasta
3/4 cup grated Parmesan

Cook kale in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 4 minutes. Using tongs, remove from the water and let cool on a cookie sheet. Set aside pot with water. When cool, squeeze out excess liquid from kale, chop leaves and finely chop stems, set aside.

Heat 3 tbsp oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and cook, stirring often, until beginning to brown, about 4 minutes (if you use cast iron make it medium high heat). Add one third of the chopped garlic and cook, stirring often until breadcrumbs are golden, about 3 additional minutes. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a plate, set aside.

Heat butter and remaining 2 tbsp oil in a large heavy pot or saucepan over medium heat. Add anchovies, red pepper flakes, and remaining two thirds of the garlic, cook, mashing anchovies with a spoon until a paste forms, about 2 minutes. Add reserved kale and 1/2 water. Cook, stirring often, until kale is warmed through, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile bring reserved kale cooking liquid to a boil, add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid. Add pasta and 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid to kale mixture and stir to coat. Increase heat slightly and continue stirring, adding more cooking liquid as needed, until sauce coats pasta. Mix in Parmesan and 1/2 cup breadcrumbs, toss to combine. Divide pasta among bowls, drizzle with oil, and top with remaining breadcrumbs.

Oh word:

Why do chefs like to use pasta water in pasta sauce? It turns out the starch and the salt in the pre-heated water helps a sauce to emulsify. It also works to give the dish a full-bodied, well-seasoned flavour. Huh.

See I told you my assumption was wrong. The key here is toasting the breadcrumbs, and toasting them well. This adds a textural dimension to the pasta that I assumed would be soggy and gross. The flavours are well-blended, thanks to the use of pasta water, and oddly, kale and anchovies go well together. If you're not a fishy flavour fan, use no more than 4 anchovies, and you should be good.

Eat Hearty!

(as usual with Bon Appetit and all other magazine recipes, I have altered the ingredients, instructions and recommendations based on my personal experience preparing the dish)

Jessica
www.crasscuisine.com

Another installment in our ongoing "Labelled" series:

Parallel 49 Brewing Company's Ugly Sweater Milk Stout (Vancouver, BC)

LABEL SAYS: A non-recurring character from an episode of late-era Simpsons where Homer does something or another to land the family in a Groundhog Day type spoof, except, y'know, more "current."

BEER SAYS: A malty, creamy elixir that feels more like a comfortable sweatshirt or a well-worn pair of mittens.

DESIGN HARMONY: This beer doesn't phone it in as much as Groening & Co have in the past few years.  Good enough to drink even though Punxsutawney Phil is saying you only got a few more weeks.

Joe.