VANCOUVER SLOP

EAT MY SAUSAGE

2012-01-24T19:02:00.000-08:00

Historically, there have been a lot of dick jokes on Crass Cuisine...... AND HERE'S ANOTHER ONE!

I love the dish sausage and peppers for two equally compelling reasons:

First, being neither Italian or American, I am naturally very interested in Italian American cuisine. I love Italian food and I love American food, but the classics that are created by Italian immigrants making a new life and new foods in America will always have a special place in my heart. These are comfort classics that warm you up from the inside out. Which is especially good if you happen to live in Vancouver right now, enjoying our daily 6 inches of rain and skies that look like 8pm at 10am.

Second, handling a sausage has always, ALWAYS had the same effect on me: I immediately pretend it's a dick. I do this in precisely two situations: When handling sausages and when pumping my own gas. Since I don't have a car and haven't for years handling sausage is pretty much my only chance to exercise my latent penis envy. I guess that's not really a dick joke, it's more a dick-related story. Plus I think it comes up so much because I love the word. Dick. DICK DICK DICK.

This particular dish is an Italian-American staple that can be served for almost every meal:

Sausage and Peppers

serves 4-6

1 large or the equivalent of about 1lb of sweet or spicy Italian sausage
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and sliced into strips
1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and sliced into strips
1/2 tsp crushed red chile flakes
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 tsp dried oregano
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley

Bring sausages, 3 tbsp oil and 1/3 cup water to boil in a skillet over medium-high heat; cover and simmer until sausages are half-cooked, about 8 minutes. Uncover and cook, turning until sausages are browned all over, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into 1 inch pieces. Set aside. Return skillet to heat along with remaining oil. Add onions and bell peppers; cook until soft, about 6 minutes. Add chile flakes and garlic, cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Return sausages to skillet along with stock, oregano and salt and pepper, boil. Cover and cook until sausages are cooked through, about 10 minutes; uncover and cook until sauce is slightly reduced, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Oh fuck yeah. And you know what else? This dish tastes even better the next day. Get some. Sausage and dick, preferably.

Jessica

http://www.crasscuisine.com/

CHINESE RESTAURANT AWARDS - PHOTOGRAPHS BY MAURICE LI

2012-01-11T23:01:00.001-08:00

Chinese Chef of the Year Competition's award winning dish for 2011 - Sauteed Geoduck with Egg White by Executive Chef Tony Luk from Jade Seafood Restaurant

2011 Critics' Choice Award Winning Dish "Durian Pastry" by Dim Sum Head Chef Jian Ming Lai, Rainflower Seafood

Chinese Chef of the Year Competition's award winning dish for 2011 - Sauteed Geoduck with Egg White by Executive Chef Tony Luk from Jade Seafood Restaurant

Fried geoduck fritters

Photo Credits to Maurice Li
MauriceLi.com

TACOS TECALITLAN

2011-12-15T22:40:00.000-08:00

As Phife Dawg said "Head for the border, go get a taco".

It is old news but Tacos Tecalitlan is a worthwhile stop when you are in Bellingham. This taco truck on Guide Meridian gives you enough reason to choose the Aldergrove port of entry. At $1.25 a taco the value is amazing, and with a variety that includes beef, pork, chicken, pork stomach, deep fried pork, cheek and beef tongue it is a must stop when you are hunting down cheese at Costco in the states.

The tacos kick ass on the burritos and the horchata isn't always available but these prices put our food trucks to shame. The hot sauce is spicy and tasty and the shells are fried with a nice crisp edge just the way I prefer them to be done.

Go follow Phife Dawgs words.

Taco Tecalitlan

5309 Guide Meridian
Bellingham, WA

THE 2011 SLOP PRESS GIFT GUIDE

2011-12-13T23:42:00.000-08:00

'Tis the season to be givin', and o'er at Slop Press, we have our eyes on more than a few lumps of coal. If you're stuck with the holiday shopping, or a hellish Secret Santa conundrum that you just can't solve, here's a few gift ideas from our stable of contributors.

Check out the Slop Press gift guide here.

OH NATURE, YOU SO CRAZY

2011-12-12T21:21:00.000-08:00

Not much shocks me anymore, so I was duly impressed by nature when I rocked into my local Whole Foods and saw these bad boys:

What the actual fuck? I've never heard of them before either. They’re pretty spidery and creepy up close, but they smell wonderful. They’re basically a lemon with no juice. I did some research and this is what I found:

"Buddha's hand is a fruit of the citron variety that has a thick peel and only a small amount of acidic flesh (if any), is juiceless and sometimes seedless. Buddha's hand fruit is very fragrant and is used predominantly by the Chinese and Japanese for perfuming rooms and personal items, such as clothing. The fruit may be given as a religious offering in Buddhist temples."

I did buy one, not because I wanted to eat it particularly, but because I thought it would make an outstanding prop that me and the girls could have hours of lowbrow fun with. And when you’re right, you’re right. For your viewing pleasure, a photo essay starring Carri Ann:

What can you do with a Buddha Hand? Anything! Everything! You have to ask??!! It’s so many things!

It’s a beauty pageant crown!

It’s the star on top of your Christmas Tree!

It’s an fashionable oversize ring!

A deformed hand!

Puke!

A dish scrubber!

White girl dreads!

A potted plant for the office!

A jewelry holder!

A genital wart!

A comb!

A royal family fascinator!

And it’s not just what, but who!!!!!!!!!!

Carmen Miranda!

Bart Simpson’s Hair!

A giant undersea creature that eats boats!

A googly-eyed octopus!

An undersea anemone!

WHEW! Right?

Alas, I wanted this to go on forever, but we had to get back to work, and also, just like a regular lemon, mine is going bad. What am I going to do with it? I’m drying it. It’s going to be used as rind in one of my many holiday baking experiments. Stay tuned.

Jessica

www.crasscuisine.com

JIRO - IF YOU DON'T KNOW NOW YOU KNOW

2011-12-12T21:05:00.000-08:00

10 REASONS WHY I WENT TO TRADER JOES (THIS TIME)

2011-12-11T19:17:00.000-08:00

Trader Joes is one of my favourite places in Bellingham. For those who don't know let me introduce you to your new favourite place.

Trader Joes is a relatively small grocery store but they are the kings of co packing. From what it looks like to me, they source out their favourite products, and then get these processing plants to produce a similar product for their brand. The store's shelves are packed with packaged products including the best selection of nuts and trail mixes, amazing chocolate covered things (edamame, sunflower seeds, cookies and tons more), and tons of great frozen foods. They have a great booze selection where you can get a bottle of wine for about 4 bucks.

It is easy to run up a hundred dollars so beware.

LIMEADE - A FANTASTIC DRINK AND AMAZING WITH VODKA OR ADD SOME SODA AND IT TASTES LIKE FRESH LIME SODA FROM INDIA.

BRUSSELS SPROUTS ON THE STALK - CRAZY

FAGE YOGURT - THE CADILLAC OF YOGURT

BURRATA FOR 5 DOLLARS

(CHEESE IS SO CHEAP IN THE STATES)

DRIED GREEN MANGOS - ALWAYS A MUST

TRADER JOE SAN - WASABI GREN PEAS

MARCONA ALMONDS

TURKEY CHILI FOR THE OFFICE IN CASE I NEED A SNACK

CHEAP ALMOND MILK

TANDOORI NAAN - SHORT SHELF LIFE BUT FANTASTIC

SUN DOG FISHING

2011-12-08T19:12:00.000-08:00

We got to meet John through a Sea Choice meeting held by the David Suzuki Foundation. John is an awesome man, who is also a commercial tuna and salmon fisherman. He obviously is a wealth of knowledge and has created some video showcasing how to fillet you fish and the best way to freeze your fish. His salmon preservation video is awesome because it combines three common freezing techniques used in industry.

Plate Freezing - Putting the salmon on a cookie sheet is similar to how a plate freezer works. The metal will conduct the cold much better than just putting the salmon in the freezer.
Sea Glaze and Block Frozen - The salt water in the bag acts as a sea water glaze which will help protect the fish from freezer burn and oxidation. It also is similar to how fish can be block frozen.

MO MEATS

2011-12-06T21:00:00.000-08:00

Got you bird yet? If not consider this. Get your bird from our friends over at Mo Meats. They are ethical (for every five birds sold they are giving one away to the food bank), and they offer an amazing product. Mo Meats sources their product from Two Rivers Specialty Meats. For those of you who haven't heard of the name, Two Rivers provide food to many of your favourite restaurants and their fine product is free of antibiotics, chemical feed and hormones.

If that is not enough, they deliver (in Vancouver and North Vancouver). So you don't have to transport your 15 lbs bird on the bus like I did for Thanksgiving.

Plus free Rub N Thug

www.momeats.com
sales@momeats.com

FATO FATO

2011-12-06T20:27:00.000-08:00

WHAT'S UP, CHICKEN BUTT

2011-12-06T20:00:00.000-08:00

Why? CHICKEN THIGH.

I call people chicken a lot, it's a term of endearment, but rarely received that way. I think a former boyfriend and I used to call each other chicken, but I'll be damned if I can remember which one. And Stella only likes chicken-flavoured food, so I call her The Chicken Cat. There's a lot of chicken going on in my house.

But as I've mentioned before, I don't like eating chicken. It's taste is sorta meh to me. But I've come around to the idea that the problem is not chicken itself, but how it's been prepared. Most chicken dishes are designed to void the bird of as much flavour as possible. I say no more! I say DOWN WITH BLAND CHICKEN! I can feel y'all are SO with me.

On the heels of the tumeric incident, and because my friend Robin brought me back some gorgeous dark yellow tumeric from India, I thought I would try this delicious looking thing:

Djej Besla - Chicken and Onion Tagine but totally not made in a Tagine (because what kind of asshole has a Tagine)

chicken pieces, breasts, thighs, drumsticks, about 4
3-4 cloves garlic, mashed and chopped roughly
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp turmeric
3 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp crushed saffron threads
2 yellow onions, cut into wedges
1/2 onion, sliced crossways, seeds removed
1/2 cup chopped, pitted green olives
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
salt and pepper to taste
cooked white rice for serving

Make a spice paste by using the flat side of a knife to chop and mash the garlic cloves. Place in a mortar and pestle and grind together with 1 tsp sea salt. Transfer to a bowl and add in cumin, paprika, and turmeric. Stir in 3 tbsp oil and add chicken pieces, toss until evenly coated. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and marinate in the fridge for 4 hours.

Heat about 1 tbsp of oil in a dutch oven or tagine (if you're an asshole) over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken in batches if necessary, remove from heat.

Add saffron and onion to pot, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 15 minutes.

Return chicken to pot along with lemon slices and 1/2 cup of water, bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low and cook covered, until chicken is cooked through, about 40 minutes.

Remove from heat and scatter olives and cilantro over chicken and serve on rice.

Hell to the Yum:

Stella knows her chicken because she would not shut the fuck up yowling around the stove and turning around and around in circles until I gave her some. She doesn't give a shit about spices, she ate her chicken in great hunks while purring the entire time. It's the little things, even for cats.

Is even better the next day, so refrigerate overnight and reheat for an even tastier dinner. Winner winner, chicken dinner.

Jessica

www.crasscuisine.com

LIKE ROME BEFORE THE FALL

2011-11-30T19:50:00.000-08:00

Really:

My friend Priscilla and I have one of those bonds where we can tell one joke and retell and laugh about it for 4 hours. She's pregnant, and told me that there was nothing she wanted so much as roast beef and yorkshire pudding, so I obliged.

There is nothing I like so much as cooking all day, so this was an exciting event. It was made doubly exciting/stressful because I have never made a roast before. It's surprisingly easy, if you get the timing right. I will share with you what to put in when to make the timing (and all the dishes) perfect:

Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding

1 2-3lb roast, tied.
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh thyme
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/ 1/4 cups milk
1 cup plus 2 tbsp flour
3 large eggs
1 large shallot, finely chopped
1/2 cup red wine
1 cup beef stock

Start the night before you are making the roast. Season beef with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, mix together oil, thyme, rosemary and garlic. Rub beef with the herb mixture. Place beef in a small roasting pan, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.

Remove beef from the refrigerator 2 hours before you are ready to roast, allowing it to come to room temperature. Meanwhile, make the yorkshire pudding batter: Whisk together milk, 1 cup flour, 1 tsp salt, and eggs in a bowl. Cover, let batter sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour.

Heat oven to 500. Remove plastic wrap and roast beef until browned, 18-20 mins. Reduce temperature to 250. Roast until a thermometer inserted into the center of beef reads 120, about 25 mins per pound is the standard measurement.

At this point, I made these:

Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

5-6 (or more, depending on how many you are feeding) large white or red potatoes
1/8 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
fresh ground black pepper
4-5 cloves garlic, peeled
6-7 pearl onions, peeled
2 tbsp fresh, finely chopped rosemary leaves

Cut the potatoes in small chunks and place in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, onions and rosemary, toss until the potatoes are well coated. Dump the potatoes on a baking sheet and spread out into a single layer. Place in the oven that's been reduced to 250. Roast for about 1 hour or until browned and crisp.

Remove the roast from oven transfer to a cutting board, and let rest, tented with foil. Increase temperature of oven to 350 to finish roasting the potatoes. Remove potatoes after about 20 minutes.

Raise the temperature to 450. Take a non-stick muffin pan and place 1/2 tsp drippings from the roast pan into each cup. Place in the oven until hot. Pour batter evenly between cups, bake until risen and brown, about 10 mins, reduce heat to 350 to set puddings and bake for 10 mins more.

Make the gravy. Heat reserved roasting pan over medium heat. Add 1 large finely chopped shallot, cook until soft, about 5 mins. Whisk in 2 tbsp flour and 1 cup beef stock. Cook, whisking until thick. Remove from heat and transfer to a gravy boat.

At this point I fried up a little asparagus in a few tbsps of water and butter and lemon juice in a pan on the stove, then turned everything off, placed it on the table, and carved her up. Yes ma'am.

And that, my friends, is how the timing is done on a roast beef dinner. You're welcome.

P and I had a blast making this, although I did overcook the yorkshire, but I can tell you why: Lately I've really been struggling with allergies, and so before P came over I popped a couple Benadryl I'd just picked up at the store. I'd never taken them before so I didn't know that they make you drop dead exhausted/stoned. P brought me red wine so I had some and didn't realize you were not supposed to mix the two. By the time I carved the roast I didn't even know my own name. So, naturally, while the text in my recipe book was swimming around the page, I forgot/didn't see/I-was-way-too-stoned-to-know-what-the-fuck-was-happening that I was supposed to add milk to the yorkshires, so they were a little, well, hard. But they still had great flavour and everything gets soft when you drown it in gravy, which I emphatically did.

Stella even had a little too (if by having, you count climbing on the table and straight-up stealing because my mind had no concept of shapes or depth perception so I couldn't grab her elusive little body. BUT WHATEVER). And although it was pretty garlicky, she made that smacking noise with the side of her mouth while chewing, you know the one cats do, hhhyawing hhhyawing hhhyawing, which means she really enjoyed it.

It's a lot of work but so worth it. Maybe try it for Christmas? Skip the Benadryl, though.

Jessica

www.crasscuisine.com

DUNN'S FAMOUS DELI & AMERICAN CHEESESTEAK CO.

2011-11-28T00:26:00.000-08:00

A couple years ago, Brett Martin wrote "The FedEx Meal Plan" for GQ, wherein - to make a short story even shorter - Martin couriered in famous dishes from around the globe: strömming from Stockholm, prawn mee from Kuala Lumpur, muffuletta sandwiches from New Orleans.

Many of the items were sandwiches of some sort, particularly those from North America (well, the US). When you think of regional specialties on both sides of the 49th, meat and bread features prominently. In fact, when I thought of a quintessential Canadian dish I'd fly in, the Montreal smoked meat sandwich was the first that came to mind.

Dunn's Famous Deli

Now that a Dunn's Famous Deli franchise has opened up shop in Vancouver, I'm saving on shipping costs. Though Schwartz's is undoubtedly the more famous of the various Montreal delis, Dunn's has kept going in some shape or form since 1927, and this newest location is a welcome addition to an otherwise barren playing field in our town.

Ask for at least a medium fat when you order your sandwich ($7.99 for a 6oz and pickle): anything leaner just doesn't seem proper. It's piled high and served fast, though still not quite quick enough to stop the bottom slice of bread from getting soggy. Things are minimal, with a scant bit of Heinz mustard, and perhaps not as much pepper as one might be used to. These are hardly complaints.

That said, it's been a long time since I've been to Montreal, and a long time since I've had a smoked meat sandwich. Just to compare, I popped over to Frenchie's the day after, where the dollar doesn't get you as far (add at least a dollar or two for a meal of the same size), nor does it get you something as good. While one slice of my Dunn's sandwich bread might have been soggy, the entirety of the smoked meat in my Frenchie's sandwich seemed much the same: bland and mushy. My memory might be shoddy, but surely Frenchie's can't be it.

The American Cheesesteak Co.

If it's been a long time since I've been to Montreal for a smoked meat sandwich, it's been even longer (read: never) since I've been to the Illadelph for a cheesesteak. My childhood experience with the classic was solely through a Calgarian food court, where an enterprising Japanese teppanyaki manager needed a twist to get his business into a mall that had already committed to an Edo franchise: add bread, provolone and you've got a new business.

I imagine the Main's Anthony Sedlak must've had the same entrepreneurial spirit: there might not have been many delis for Dunn's to compete with in Vancouver, but there's absolutely no competition for American Cheesesteak Co. (For a comparison, I also tried a cheesesteak from the only other cheesesteak place downtown that I could think of: the Bada Bing food truck, where $6.99 will buy you a graying meat that should never be called steak, a sad affair that one should feel ashamed to order and even worse after having digested it.)

Regardless, the sandwich has a reputation that precedes it, and one can't help but visit with some preconceived ideas. One assumption, for instance, is that the cheesesteak should be lethal for those with arterial blockage. While American Cheesesteak Co. doesn't necessarily skimp on the cheese, neither our "Classic" ($9 for the 6") nor our "Philly" ($8 for the 6") was loaded with it. We opted for provolone for the former (which comes with mushrooms) and American processed for the latter: this is one of those rare occasions where the sickly orange seems more appropriate. Both were good, but those expecting some Epic Meal Time grandeur should probably seek their decadence somewhere else.

Of course, that's based on another assumption: that one would usually pick up a Philly cheesesteak in a greasy neighbourhood joint, preferably eaten on the Rocky Steps while banging out some Gamble & Huff tunes on the headphones. It's the same sort of loose memory or assumption that I've got about Montreal smoked meat sandwiches: that it tastes just that much better after a night gone wrong with Labatt Cinquantes. Is that the sort of experience I can Fed Ex in? Probably not (even if they were real), and that - along with the sandwiches at Dunn's and American Cheesesteak Co. - is just fine with me.

Joe.

Dunn's Famous Deli
827 Seymour Street
Vancouver, BC
(604)683-3818

American Cheesesteak Co.
781 Davie Street
Vancouver, BC
(604)681-0130

THE SIMPSONS - THREE MOUTHKETEERS

2011-11-22T22:05:00.000-08:00

There is reason why The Simpsons is the longest running TV show in history. It has never ceased to provide pure hilarity for me. There was even an episode where Homer referenced Carbamate Pesticides which blew my mind away. I was working on the farms then so this was an insane reference for me to hear about from a cartoon.

I'll admit that I have stopped watching since the movie has come out but The Simpsons family has managed to re capture my interest. Thanks to my friend Val for sending me this link.

In this episode, Marge, Bart and Lisa start a Food Blog called The "Three Mouthketeers" and start trying out new restaurants and get some love from the local community.

For those good with torrents or internet searching you can find the whole version.

I LOVE THIS BITCH

2011-11-22T19:31:00.000-08:00

Look at that bitchy face:

If you haven't figured it out by now, I really love my cat. Coming home after a long day at work and having her curl up in my lap makes me feel like all is right with the world. Some people get this from children, I have chosen to get this from a cat. No harm, no foul, right?

I get teased all the time for my kitty love, and I think it's funny and I welcome it, because I believe you should always be at least half laughing at yourself. And if you choose to love another kind of creature, human or otherwise, I applaud you. But there are always going to be people who don't think it's a meaningful relationship. "Its just a cat" is something I have heard many times. And every time I say: To you. It's just a cat TO YOU. Not to me. To me she is never a 'just'. To me she's a huge part of the joy I get from the world. To me she's family.

So in celebration of yet another approaching Christmas I have been lucky enough to spend with Stella Lucy Princess Orangetoes McCat, I decided to spend one recent rainy Sunday making lamb curry and snuggling with my tender beast:

(Holy eff I should just warn you now that this takes absolutely forever. So pick a rainy day and do laundry in between, and by the end you'll feel like you've really accomplished something)

Gosht Dopiaza (Lamb and Onion Curry)

1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp garam masala
4 tsp ground tumeric
2 tsp dried mint
2 tsp ground sea salt
12 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 4" piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
2 lb lamb, cut into cubes
1/4 Greek yoghurt
12 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
6 green cardamom pods, crushed
1 stick cinnamon
2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
1 can whole peeled tomatoes with juice, crushed
12-24 pearl onions, depending on size, peeled

Make the spice paste by combining paprika, garam masala, 2 tsp tumeric, mint, salt, garlic, ginger, jalapeno and 1/4 cup water in a small food processor and puree until smooth. Transfer half the spice paste to a bowl and add lamb and yoghurt, toss until evenly coated. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and marinate in the fridge for 4 hours.

Heat 8 tbsp butt in a dutch oven over medium high heat. Add coriander, cumin, fennel, cardamom and cinnamon; cook, stirring, until cinnamon stick unfurls and spices are fragrant and lightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Add yellow onions, and cook, stirring often until deeply caramelized, about 25 minutes. Add remaining spice paste, and continue cooking until no longer raw, about 2 minutes. Add lamb along with any marinade, and cook until that marinade is no longer raw. Add tomatoes and 3 cups water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until lamb is tender, about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, bring a saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add pearl onions and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain. Heat remaining turmeric and butter in a skillet over medium-high heat, add onions and cook until caramelized all over, about 10 minutes.

Remove curry from heat and stir in the pearl onions. Serve over rice.

Although I offered to share with her, Stellie didn't want any curry. However, the next day, in a possible act of gratitude for the offer, I came home to a turmeric-coloured cat. She had gotten into the spices and of course chose the absolute messiest one to get into. Because her fur is black, the yellow of the turmeric made her look vaguely swampish. Mmmmm. Brackish cat.

I know, it's a bummer I didn't take any photos. But I was too busy having a blast with my beast.

Jessica

www.crasscuisine.com

'TIS (ALMOST THE) SEASON: A KITCHENAID GIVEAWAY

2011-11-21T00:00:00.000-08:00

UPDATE: Contest is now closed. Thanks for entering!

Lookit: we all know it's getting close to that time of the year. We don't want to get your anxieties flowing more than they should be, but it's time to get pens out and start making those gift lists, 'cause no one wants to fight over what dregs remain on Christmas Eve.

Out of the generosity of our hearts (well, and KitchenAid's), we'd like to help you out. Everyone that enjoys cooking - no matter how skilled - needs a kitchen processor, and we've got ONE TO GIVE AWAY.

LOUIS GERVAIS

2011-11-15T19:31:00.000-08:00

Louis Gervais

We blogged about this spot years ago when they were serving meals out of their kitchen. It was pretty hype experience to see the chef prepare your meal and then pretty much eat off that same stainless steel prep tables. Now, Louis Gervais (ex-executive chef of the Sutton Place) has a new spot (just down the street from Thomas Haas) with a bistro inside for those who want that soup and sandwich and not eat on the prep counter.

The new space has their commercial kitchen which provides them the space and equipment for them to do their catering work, but it also doubles as a place for them to hold their culinary classes. 85 bucks for a class seems reasonable but I do not know what it entails or how hands on the experience it is.

I sat down in the bistro to have a soup and sandwich for 11 bucks. The chicken sandwich was tasty and with a nice soft bun with a crisp exterior. The cream of broccoli soup was tasty with a perfect level of richness.

Louis Gervais Bistro

107-850 Harbourside

North Vancouver,

604.904.7720

JUST LIKE IKEA USED TO MAKE

2011-11-14T20:08:00.000-08:00

I'm not a food snob in the least. I love mass-produced, salty, fatty foods. Most people scoff at the $1.99 Swedish meatballs at Ikea, but I find them glorious. Salty and creamy and delicious, especially after spending hours on your feet arguing with your spouse about plywood furniture and wishing you weren't too big for the ball room.

But I'm pretty sure, in order to turn a profit on a $1.99 meal, we're eating lips and arseholes. I thought there must be a healthier alternative, so I found one and made it and it's not too shabby and much better for you:

Swedish Meatballs

2 slices sourdough bread
1/4 cup milk
3 tbsp butter
1/2 finely chopped onion
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2-1lb ground beef
1/2 - 1lb ground pork
2 large egg yolks
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 fresh grated nutmeg
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups beef broth

Preheat oven to 200. Tear the bread into pieces and place in a small mixing bowl along with the milk. Set aside. In a large saute pan over medium heat, melt 1 tbsp of the butter. Add the onion and a pinch of sea salt and sweat until the onions are soft. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a bowl, combine the bread and milk mixture, beef, pork, egg yolks, 1 tsp sea salt, black pepper, allspice, nutmeg and onions. Mix thoroughly. Form meatballs into approximately 1 oz balls (he he, balls) and place on a cookie sheet.

Heat the remaining butter in the saute pan over medium-low heat and add the meatballs 4 at a time. Saute until golden brown on all sides. When done, remove the meatballs to an ovenproof dish and place in the preheated oven.

Once all the meatballs are cooked, decrease the heat on the element to low and add the flour to the pan. Whisk until lightly browned. Gradually add the beef stock and whisk until sauce begins to thicken. Continue to cook until gravy reaches desired thickness. Remove the meatballs from the oven, cover in gravy, and serve.

Oh fuck yeah:

This is the perfect thing to cook when it's cold out, and it keeps really well too, so you can have it multiple times. Kittehs love it too. Just sayin'.

Recipe courtesy of Alton Brown with my slight variations

Jessica

crasscuisine.com

BEEFY STEW

2011-10-31T19:42:00.000-07:00

OMG remember this dude?

My dad used to do this most excellent impression of the Swedish Chef. The only downside was that while he was doing it, he felt the need to squish my face into a million different weirder-looking faces and then laugh his ass off. SO unfun.

Speaking of parenting (if that's what you wanna call it), when I was growing up my mum used to make a big pot of stew on Sunday and keep it on the cold back porch all week long for meals. Yes, by Friday you'd be patently sick of stew (and I don't even know what patently means in that context) but it was a great way to make a lot out of very little, which is really the challenge of a well-lived life, if you think about it.

Mum's stews were always sans meat because she's a veg. But I am a blood-guzzling carnivore. I would eat you if I could get away with it. Raw. So I thought I'd try my hand at beef stew:

Beefy Stew

2lbs or so of stew beef (depending on how many people you are cooking for)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
glug of vegetable oil
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 potatoes, chopped
1 parsnip, chopped
1 turnip, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 cups beef stock
1 cup red wine (optional)
2 bay leaves
3 sprigs rosemary or thyme

Preheat a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Pat the beef chunks dry with a clean paper towel and season with salt and pepper.

Add the glug of oil to the bottom of the pot, enough to cover the entire bottom with a thin layer. Place one layer of beef chunks at a time to brown. Sear meat on all sides until it is entirely browned. Once meat is cooked, add half of the vegetables, beef stock and wine if using. Add the bay leaves and rosemary or thyme, and bring the pot to a simmer.

Continue cooking for about an hour until the meat is tender. Then add the remaining vegetables. Continue simmering for another 30 minutes. When finished, season to taste.

Totally heats you up on a cold day, from the inside out. And it makes a completely affordable week-long meal alongside bread or salad for cents a day (that is, if you happen to live by yourself. If you have a family it will be gone sooner). Yes, by the end of the week you do get kinda sick of it, but if that happens just freeze the rest and make something new!

Jessica

http://crasscuisine.blogspot.com/

CIRCLE CRAFT CHRISTMAS MARKET GIVEAWAY

2011-10-30T21:30:00.000-07:00

It is that time of year again, where you wish you were a kid again and the only stress about Christmas was trying to get to sleep the night before. Like most people I have a list of people that I need to shop for and some of them are picky and a gift certificate to the movie theatres just doesn't cut.

The Circle Craft Market is back to help you find that special gift. There is a strong assortment of food, clothing, jewellery, and kid stuff made by crafty Canadians. They have asked us to help promote the event, and we are giving away a pair of tickets to a lucky reader. All you have to do is post a comment to this post saying what your favourite Christmas gift was/is. The winner will be selected on November 6, 2011. (if you don't have a blogger profile, make sure you include your email in your comments)

If you are looking for stuff for the food lover, last year I purchased the most amazing balsamic vinegar and truffle salt from Maison Cote. A perfect gift for yourself or a friend.

Circle Craft Christmas Market

November 9-13, 2011

Vancouver Convention Centre West

www.circlecraft.net - tickets available online.

DIPSHIT

2011-10-22T18:31:00.000-07:00

"Dip" is misleading. "Dip", at least the really good ones, should really be called "shove" because that's what you end up doing, although you'd be offended if anyone pointed it out to you. C'mon. You know you shove your cracker or your pita chip in there like you're proving a point or scoring the winning goal. Don't give yourself airs. But the word "dip" allows you to think you are dainty.

I'm in the mood for dips. Flavourful, healthy ones if possible. I'm not a big fan of eggplant, but I love baba ganoush. I thought about making it, but then I remembered this Greek meal I had once that started with smokey roasted eggplant dip that was delicious. So I did a little research and found what looked like a simple and authentic recipe:

Melitzanosalata
1 medium eggplant
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 clove crushed garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400. Wash eggplant and place on a cookie sheet. Roast for 1 hour. Remove from oven and place in fridge for about 10 minutes. Remove the skin and stem and chop eggplant fine, almost to a paste. Place in bowl and add the oil, lemon, garlic, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly and mash eggplant to a pulp. Serve warm or cooled in the fridge.

Looks like a roasted boxing glove:

I love this. So tasty and so simple. As I said at the start of this blog, sometimes the best thing you can do to quality ingredients is almost nothing. Here was have not added much, and simply dry roasted to bring out the eggplant's natural flavour.

Why not make it a hat-trick and do roasted garlic alongside an olive tapenade for our dip-orgy?

Roasted Garlic
1 head garlic
extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 400. Cut top off of garlic head so the tops of each clove are exposed. Place inside a piece of tin foil. Pour olive oil over the exposed cloves. Wrap the tin foil shut over top. Roast in the oven for about 1 hour, unwrap and serve.

Mixed Olive and Lemon Tapenade
1 garlic clove
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives
1/2 cup mixed olives, pitted
1/2 small roasted red bell pepper
4 large leaves fresh basil
1 tbsp freshly grated lemon zest
4 stems finely chopped Italian parsley
glugs of olive oil to taste
1 tsp balsamic vinegar

Roast red pepper in oven until soft, remove skin and place half in a food processor. Add olives, garlic, capers, basil, parsley, lemon zest, oil, vinegar to the processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Serve.

I had this little trifecta with toast and it was a perfect way to end the day. Sometimes you just want a light snack, you know?

Jessica

www.crasscuisine.blogspot.com

GOOD EATIN' AT RHYMES WITH SQUIRRELS

2011-10-13T20:17:00.000-07:00

Back in the day, there was way less pressure on chain restaurants in North America. They were go-to joints for basics: steak and eggs, pancakes, burgers, stroganoff, nothing special but warm and hearty pub-ish food that's perfect for a lazy Thursday night. They had names like "Anna's" and "ABC Restaurants". Simple, straightforward.

Things have become a little more complicated. In most major cities, we want our chains to be high-quality, fast, creative, and delicious. Oh, and include dishes from other cultures that come next door to "authentic". Oh, and be well plated and well served in a creative, stylish environment with a good wine pairing. OH, and be reasonably priced. It's a pretty tall order: in order to make food that's appealing to the widest customer base, you have to be less specific, less daring. And the less specific you are, the greater the danger of being bland and boring and scoffed at. It's a culinary grey area/fine line/no-man's land that feels like a set-up that's destined to fail by trying to be too many things to too many people.

I was invited recently to the Earls preview of their fall/winter menu, and to be honest I wasn't sure what to expect. I actually quite like Earls, but I couldn't really picture how I was going to write an interesting article about their food. As far as I knew it was pretty basic. I must admit that I was totally wrong.

We had 5 courses of creative, considered food with high-quality ingredients and surprisingly interesting flavours. We started with a leek and potato soup, which I've made many times and so I know is not easy to make flavourful and unique. I would probably drink a gallon of this:

It's not for dieters. Cream and cream and some more cream for good measure. Chunks of pancetta, praise Jesus. But it's not like the kind of richness that some restaurants employ in their dishes to make up for lack of flavour. It's a meal in itself and I would order it with bread and be full for a whole afternoon. And I'm a complete pig.

The most interesting dish on the menu was the tuna poke nachos. When I heard the name I thought: gross. But again, wrong. It's a cut, fried wonton with tomato, cucumber, albacore tuna, mango, avocado, serrano with a maple reduction and mango coulis. This is the pub food component, a higher-end play on nachos that's pretty creative and craveable. Chain restaurants usually can't have that high of a spice profile, so I kind of wished this had a bit of a spicier, more citrusy finish but the maple/mango combo is flavourful and basic and a great complement to the tuna. Would go great with beer.

This being the West Coast, we love us our salmon salads. Earls needs to have one too and their approach is seasonal, fresh and unexpected: They pan-fry the filet in maple butter making it very tender and juicy. It's served on a bed of what looks like a Thanksgiving horn-o-plenty: greens, butternut squash cubes, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, farro, goat cheese. An interesting use of unusual ingredients and a whole, healthful meal in and of itself. The fall flavours and textures compliment each other well. I inhaled it without taking a picture first, which is really all you need to know.

The home-run as far as I was concerned was the fourth course and that was the Yukon potato gnocchi with old-world San Marzano tomatoes and burrata cheese.

If I closed my eyes I would not have been able to tell that I wasn't in a boutique Italian restaurant paying $40 for my pasta rather than in a chain restaurant.

We finished with warm banana chocolate cake:

Caramelized bananas? Check. There's a whole lotta banana goin' on, and again it's specificity was what really impressed me.

We return to great places because they’re great, and Earls should really be no exception. I’ll for sure be back for that gnocchi.

This new Earls menu is available in all locations as of yesterday.

Jessica

MOM'S GRILLED CHEESE TRUCK

2011-10-12T21:31:00.000-07:00

In this crazy Liz Lemon world that we have all succumbed to, it makes great sense that Mom's Grilled Cheese Truck, another new member of the local street food community, should weather the rain with aplomb.

Familiarity's the sort of stuff you seek out in the rain. Cindy Hamilton, nee "Mom," offers it by the tonnage. She runs the truck much like a neighbourhood diner, eager to learn your name and pleased to give the gift of gab. It's the sort of energy that can run for miles, which is great for a food truck specializing in grilled cheese sandwiches, since there's really only so much one can stretch melted cheese between sliced bread.

Of course, if you count the variations of cheese, bread and add-ons, the combinations can be endless: $5.50 gets you a classic sandwich, with your choice of cheese (cheddar, havarti, pepper jack, swiss, or $0.75 more for vegan daiya) and bread (white, multigrain, sourdough, marbled rye, or $0.75 more for gluten free), accompanied by potato chips and a pickle. Take it a step beyond for $0.50, with either onion, tomato or dill pickle, or for $1.50, with either double cheese, double smoked bacon or a splash of chili. Each is brushed with oil before grilling, weighted down on the flat top with a grill press, slightly charred but with a crisp that will last the walk back to the office on a rainy day.

Order the pepperjack with bacon on multigrain (pictured above), and Mom gushes about the combination. "Well, I've never even thought of that," she says. She says that a lot, to everyone.

Of the combos she has thought of, two go for $8.50 (again, with potato chips and a pickle). Try the meatloaf sandwich, not quite a grilled cheese but certainly friendly towards it: the meatloaf is well-seasoned with basil and fennel seed, with just enough melted mozza and parmesan, and a touch of marinara. It's amazingly balanced for what could have easily been a overwrought nightmare, a perfect example of how good comfort food can often be deceptively simple in the right hands. The sandwich divides and conquers: plan for an afternoon nap shortly after, or bring a person to share.

There are further sides (including a serviceable tomato soup with a dollop of basil mascarpone cream, $1 for a shot, $3.50 for a cup), of which I'd only recommend if you're skipping the sandwich. Of course, "Mom" may offer a sample while you're waiting in the rain for your order. You'd be wise to take it, fuel for a patient wait, while all the passers-by stop for a split second, stare, and mutter, "I want to go to there."

Joe.

Mom's Grilled Cheese Truck
Howe Street at W.Georgia Street, by the Vancouver Art Gallery
(as with all food trucks, note that locations may vary over time)

SEA CHOICE PROGRAM

2011-10-12T00:01:00.000-07:00

Vancouver Slop was recently asked to partner up with the David Suzuki Foundation to help promote the Sea Choice sustainability program. We strongly believe in sustainability here and felt that the Sea Choice program is something we are willing to stand behind.

There are more and more third party certification bodies being displayed on logos so it was difficult to really know which one we would align ourselves with. What tilted the scale for the Sea Choice program was the credibility in the support behind it. Backed by the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, the Ecology Action Centre, Sierra Club of Canada, Living Oceans Society and the David Suzuki Foundation it was clear that the program was credible. Furthermore, the Sea Choice program works in collaboration with the Monteray Bay Aquarium which in my opinion is one of the leaders in the seafood sustainability world. So, when the opportunity to hear more about the Sea Choice program and to be involved we were excited.

I walked in with open ears but I had three major questions.

1. What factors were taken in consideration when ranking these species? Where did the data come from and how was it analyzed.

Stock Size - ensuring the removal rates are not higher than the population is capable of replacing.
Bycatch - Gear types like dragnet trawlers are not selective which means many species that are not intended to be harvested are caught. Some the by catch is kept and sent to market but some species are discarded.
Inherent Vulnerability of the Species - lifespan, offspring numbers etc.
Habitat Impact - The amount of damage caused by the Fishing gears.
Effectiveness of Management - Independent scientific assessments to monitor stock status.

2. What was the program's opinion on aquaculture.

Aquaculture is huge out in BC and there is a lot of false assumptions about the industry in relation to sustainability. A lot of our shellfish is aquaculture based, and there are both land based and ocean based pens in BC which have a very different level of impact on the environment. Looking at the Sea Choice guide in some cases the best choice is the farmed option.

Consideration given to

Marine Resources used as fish feed.
Risk of escape
Disease and parasite transfer to wild stocks
Rick of pollution and other habitat effects
Effectiveness of management

Note that the use of drugs in the aquaculture systems is not an area for consideration.

3. What is the difference between Ocean Wise and Sea Choice?

Sea Choice differentiates itself from Ocean Wise by the fact that Ocean Wise is focuses more on the restaurant level and Sea Choice is more in the supply end and retail end of the industry. Take a look at retail counter at your next grocery store and look for the logo and if available they have a compact wallet card that tells you which species are well managed and which ones are not.

Resources

Sea Choice Wallet Card

Sea Choice Iphone App

NOODLE BOX

2011-10-11T07:19:00.000-07:00

Mention Noodle Box to any person remotely impassioned about food and you generally get a scoff. The chain - now with a second location in town after having expanded from Victoria - comes across only slightly better than a regional equivalent to a PF Chang's, offering what is assumed to be an offensive simulacrum of Asian fare in a city whose citizens know better.

But: we don't. It's easy to write Noodle Box off as a non-starter, as I often have, without even trying it. When pressed, most people I know that pan the chain have yet to set foot in it. And that ain't fair.

The primary issue with Noodle Box that comes to mind is one of authenticity. We hate it on principle - even if we've never tried it - because it isn't "authentic." As Todd Kliman recently put it in "The Problem with Authenticity," "authenticity is nothing more than a matter of the angle from which you choose to look. A purely arbitrary, purely subjective surmise of a purely impure thing." But it's still a hard issue to reconcile (witness the breadth of opinion on Bao Bei), particularly when, on their website, the Noodle Box owners give a testimonial about how they started the chain to offer the very foods they enjoyed in Southeast Asia, albeit with a "Canadian spin."

Their menu largely reflects that (the curry dishes specifically reference Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand) though with a more Pan-Asian bent (the stirfry dishes incorporate the usual Asian ingredients that have since found place in the Western vernacular: black bean sauce, peanut sauce, plum sauce, etc.). All of it finds its inspiration in Asian cuisine, though - for their sake and your's - none of what Noodle Box dishes should be treated as such.

Forget, for a minute, that pad thai exists, and try the Spicy Peanut Noodle Box (pictured above; $13 with chicken, but more on that later). The hearty serving, enough to feed two if pressed, is chock o'block full of peanut sauce, chopped peanuts, and other ingredients (fried shallots, bean sprouts, broccoli slices and other crunchy ones) that fight for its place in the bowl. On its own, the dish is acceptable, particularly if you are emphatic about peanuts and little else. But in comparison, Noodle Box's homage ('version' isn't quite the right word) is one-dimensional, without the complexity or depth that tamarind (or even ketchup) gives to the pad thai found around town, with but a lone lime wedge provided to give it any balance.

Try the same experiment with the Thai Green Curry ($11 with chicken and rice noodles). A bowl overflows with the same medley of bean sprouts, fried shallots, broccoli, etc., but served in a bowl filled one-third of the way with a green curry broth. The broth goes down easily with the first few spoons; by the end of the bowl, it is more properly described as somewhere in between a broth and a gravy, taking on more flavour from the mushrooms in the bowl than the absent lemongrass, a muddy taste that doesn't leave the mouth easily...no matter how hard one tries.

In other words, if you don't treat Noodle Box as offering Asian food, it's possible to eat there without being offput before you set foot in the door. Is it authentic? No, and it doesn't have to be. Is it good? No, and that's the real problem.

On an endnote, Noodle Box's website testimonial bears another flaw. "Darren BC" writes that "the Noodle Box is a great place to get filled up without emptying your wallet." The average dish costs anywhere from $10 to $15. Upgrade your protein to locally sourced? An extra $2 to $6. Skip on the carbs? An extra $3. Any other substitution or modification? $0.50. Split one dish into two boxes? $1. All in all, an average lunch at Noodle Box will likely cost around $15 to $20 per person (in comparison, a lunch entree at Hawksworth hovers in the low $20s), tax and tip in.

Joe.

Noodle Box

839 Homer Street (at Robson)

Vancouver, BC

(604)734-1316

HOW PEACHY

2011-10-10T19:43:00.000-07:00

Ah, peaches. I've been in love with them more than any other fruit ever since I first read James and the Giant Peach. I would lie on my bed and imagine eating my way through a giant peach just like James. As an adult, I pretty much have the same fantasy.

It's actually a great season for peaches right now, as they've all been picked in late summer and are coming into their own now. Of course, they are not as good in the grocery store as they would be in late August on the side of the road in the Okanagan, but we make do with what we have.

When I really love an ingredient, I like to make something sweet and something savory with it. Let's start with the savory:

Peach Tomato Salad

2 peaches, chopped into cubes
10-15 cherry tomatoes, quarters
5 large basil leaves, ripped
good glug extra virgin olive oil
small glug champagne vinegar

Mix all together and let marinate for 15 minutes. Serve.

This is a great side, goes great with a big beefy sandwich or something.

And now, for the sweet:

Ginger Peach Pie

FYI, you know my all-purpose crust that I used to use for fruit pies? I've replaced it with this flakier, tastier version that browns beautifully:

Crust:

2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into small chunks
3 tbsp cold vegetable shortening
1 egg
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Combine flour and salt. Rub in butter and shortening until mealy pieces are formed. Add egg and lemon juice, and moisten until mixture holds together with ice cold water. Divide in half and set aside. Now. Here is where most cookbooks will tell you that you should stick it in the fridge. I disagree. I find it much easier to use if I just knead it a few times, roll it out and lay it in the pie plate. Try a few versions and see what works best for you, you could find that leaving it in the fridge for 5 mins makes it less cracky, but I find room temp with the slight chill of the butter and shortening works well. If the dough gets too cold, it will split, and that is just beyond bullshit to try and roll out.

Roll out and place in bottom of pie pan. Set aside.

Filling:

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp peeled, minced fresh ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar (this should vary depending on how ripe and sweet your peaches are. Bite into one and sweeten to taste from there)
1/4 instant tapioca
6-7 large, ripe peaches

Combine lemon juice, ginger, cinnamon, sugar and tapioca in a large bowl. Cut peaches into chunks and add last. Mix thoroughly and set aside.

Preheat oven to 375. Pour filling into the pie pan and roll out the second ball of dough to make the lattice crust. I like to use a serrated pastry wheel make the edges all pretty, but a knife works just as well. Place lattice on pie, first one direction, then crossways, OR you can go super deluxe and weave your lattice. A great tutorial on how to do this can be found here. I personally love doing this as it looks so much harder than it actually is and makes people think you are really talented.

Crimp edges down around the perimeter of the pie pan and wash lattice crust top and edges with egg white. Generously sprinkle sugar on top of the egg, place in the oven and cook for 40-60 minutes, until golden brown and your house smells ridiculous.

I've made this particular pie three times now. Pie porn, y'all:

At first I thought tapioca was a shit thickening agent and fuck it, I was going back to use cornstarch. But it actually works like a hot damn. I would use it in pies you really want to have a thick consistency, like apple. If you don't mind it a little runnier, stick to cornstarch.

Remember this one-hit-wonder? It was a huge hit in the early '90s, here in North America. Proves we have a penchant for inane lyrics. I give you, "Peaches":

Just in case you believe everything you hear in the form of lyrics, moving to the country is no guarantee that you will eat a lot of peaches. I lived in the country for 10 years. No peaches. Not once, ever. What kind of shit is that?

Jessica

http://crasscuisine.blogspot.com/

MED RARE BURGERS - HAMILTON STREET GRILL AND BURGERS ETC.

2011-10-03T20:57:00.000-07:00

The hamburger cooked medium rare is a nice treat for a young adult but can be a serious issue for kids, seniors and pregnant moms if not done properly (could cause kidney failure in at risk populations). Some places may just cook the ground beef patty to a medium rare state and some restaurants may actually grind their own beef and then cook it medium rare. From a food safety perspective, both of these methods are incorrect.

Your primary concern with a hamburger is Escherichia coli (e. coli). The bacteria sits on the outside of your beef and can cause some serious food borne illnesses in humans. So you might ask why can you cook a steak medium rare but you can't grind your own meat and cook it medium rare? Since the E Coli is on outside of the steak, once you grind it the bacteria could move to the inside of the patty and that part of the patty may not reach a kill temperature of 155 degrees Fahrenheit and therefore there is a chance for the bacteria not to be cooked out. The chance of getting sick for a healthy individual might be low but there is still a chance and that would be a concern for some people.

If you really want a medium rare burger the key would be to flash boil you meat before you grind it up. This quick sear would kill the bacteria on the surface, and therefore when you grind it up it, there shouldn't be any E Coli bacteria in it. Furthermore, the quick flash boil shouldn't affect the taste of the burger.

It is quite easy to get a medium rare burger in the states, and at one point it was easy to get a very rare burger at Jack In The Box. Getting a medium rare burger in Canada is a little more difficult but here are two places that I tried this weekend.

Hamilton Street Grill

They make a solid burger. A nice thick patty, with bacon, lettuce, tomato, and onion. The thick patty when cooked rare really stood out. I really want to stress that the rare taste and texture is really apparent due to the large size of the patty. Be warned, for those who are weak at heart, the redness of the ground beef made it inedible to some of the people at the table. The other guests loved the thought of rare ground beef. Overall, the burger and fries were really tasty but I did realize that while I like a rare or medium rare steak, a burger just cooked past rare is a little too much for me. The server stated you could state at what level of medium rare you wanted your patty cooked.

Result - Didn't get sick.

Hamilton Street Grill
1009 Hamilton Street
Vancouver, BC

Hamilton Street Grill claims to grind their own meat but I am not sure about the flash boil.

Burgers Etc

Just as New Westminster should pay respect to Burger Haven and Burger Burger, Burnaby should be thankful that Burgers Etc calls Burnaby home. This small spot boasts numerous awards on the walls but on my visits they were never really busy.

The menu said they do their burger medium well, and the waitress asked me if that is how I wanted it before she put in the order. I asked if can I get it medium rare, and she said of course. This burger patty is much thinner and there was just a small amount of rare red meat in the burger which made me feel more comfortable eating it. The medium rare taste kept it moist and the burger was tasty but could use a little more seasoning in my preference. The fries were a little lackluster, missing a double fry or some hotter oil.

Result - Didn't get sick.

Burgers Etc
4091 East Hastings Street
Burnaby, BC

DON'T BE A RECHARD: EAT YOUR GREENS

2011-09-25T19:44:00.000-07:00

I don't think anyone comes home from a hard day at work and thinks to themselves, "damn, I could really go for a stiff drink and a plateful of green vegetables". I mean really. But we all know they are pretty much the best things for us and help us fight cancer and clean our blood and a million other amazing things. So I keep on with my quest to find interesting and considered ways to cook greens so that I might start craving them along with Mars bars and taquitos.

I found this chard at my local capers and it was so pretty I knew I could find something to do with it:

Try some barely cooked in this unique saute from Bon Appetit:

Swiss Chard Saute

1 bunch red or rainbow swiss chard
2 thinly sliced shallots
2 garlic cloves, crushed in a press
crushed red pepper flakes to taste (don't be a pussy though, put lots in)
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp butter
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Chop your chard down into 1 inch pieces and put in a bowl, including stems. It looks huge, but it will reduce down as soon as you add it to the heat. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until soft, about 5 minutes. Add red pepper flakes, stir 1 minute. Add the stems first, cook for 2 mins, then add the leaves. Add leaves and cook until crisp tender, about 5 minutes, then add butter and vinegar, toss until butter is melted. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Something I didn't expect was that as soon as you add vinegar to chard, it smells exactly like a wet dog. I was standing there thinking seriously that a wet dog had just walked into my house and wondering what I was going to do with it and where it came from. But the smell doesn't last long (just until the vinegar has a chance to burn off slightly) and chard really is delicious cooked this way. I had mine with some pork, because I am slowly but steadily facing my fear of pork.

This would also be really good with a poached egg on top for breakfast, you know, to get your iron in before you go run a marathon and visit the farmers market, you asshole.

Just kidding (or am I?)

Jessica

http://crasscuisine.blogspot.com/

THE VILLAGE PEOPLE: THE LESSER KNOWN HISTORY OF MCDONALDLAND

2011-09-25T13:02:00.000-07:00

The Golden Arches have always been somewhat of an obsession of mine (less the food and more the phenomenon). Since Matt just wrote a bit of local McDonald's history, I thought it'd be a good time to catch y'all up on a few McDonaldland characters that have morphed or been forgotten since their inception in the early 70s.

BOARD THE MC BARGE

2011-09-24T16:46:00.000-07:00

Image credit - Me

Image Credit - Jesse Donaldson

When I think of Expo 86, I think of Expo Ernie, concrete motorcycles and cars, pavilion passports, a monorail and the geodesic dome with the Mc Barge docked next to it. I assume some of these pieces went home, I know some of the buildings were moved to Richmond. As for the Mc Barge, it has been floating in the Burrard Inlet in North Burnaby for some time.

The barge was named the Friendship 500 (Seaborne II is also marked on the vessel). From what I gathered from the Internet, food was delivered to the front of the barge via a conveyor belt. Reports of those who have boarded the vessel state the interior of the barge is in decent condition.

There was talk about a year ago or so about trying to move it over to Mission however city permits became an issue. Maybe someone can convince Princess Cruise lines to pull it along on their next cruise so the Mc Donalds lovers can get their fix.

Many have made plans to board the Mc Barge and from reading a few blog posts there are many that have. It isn't far off shore and seems totally doable for those who want to grab some friends and do a Stand By Me mission to check it out, or for some serious graffiti kids who want to put up a burner on the side. I haven't done any intel to on if there are cameras and such but there is fencing and barbed wire around the boat to make things a little difficult for the pirates or the saboteurs employed by Burger King. If you don't want to board it, the McBarge is a good excuse for a bike ride.

For those who want to make a journey, it is not hard. The first time I tried to get there, I didnt do much research and tried getting there using my Iphone. It wasn't very easy, the Iphone GPS wasn't very accurate out there. I ended up walking down some trail and then started bush wacking a bit and ended up at the parking lot. So after getting to the parking lot, I found that it is really easy to get there by car or bike.

Here are some directions.

Drive down Hastings and turn North onto Gamma from Hastings. Ironically, you just have to head north when you see the McDonalds on Hastings. Follow that all the way down and you are there (Gamma eventually becomes Penzance Drive).

The magazine the Economists states that the reason why we have world hunger is not because of food production shortages but because efficient shipping mechanisms are not available to ship extra fruits and vegetables to the countries in need. Perhaps, the McBarge can be retrofitted help fill this gap and help preserve and deliver produce to these needing countries. What else are they going to do with the McBarge. Maybe I'll do a jobs Canada to see if there are any opportunities for this. Maybe the golden arches and the clown can help save world hunger.

More photos - old and new
Google Maps

CAMPAGNOLO ROMA

2011-09-20T18:14:00.000-07:00

Campagnolo Roma has located the space where the Caribbean Hut Pizza Express was. This is a great new addition to the area and based on the attendance on a few visits it has been very well supported by Vancouverites. The interior is casual, and is accompanied by friendly service with reasonably priced food.

It was nice to see some less common items on the menu such as an octopus salad ($12), and whipped ricotta ($6). The octopus salad is one of my favourite things and has a great taste and texture. The ricotta was smooth with a hit of citrus that made for a nice refreshing dish. The pizzas on the menu ranged from 12 to 15 bucks and the pastas were offered in two different sizes (small about 12 dollars and large about 17 dollars).

The large pasta that we ordered was generous in size and very tasty. It can easily be shared by a couple of people. Good for couples or guys who are down with a pseudo bromance. The pizza while clearly not a Napoletana style crust had a nice crunchy, thin crust and great flavour. What really blew me out of the water was the tiramisu. Tilted like the leaning tower of pisa it had a nice balance of flavours, with a very light liquor taste. Soo nice and smooth that you need to get it, get it.

People will likely compare Campagnolo Roma to Nook and although they offer two different style of Italian Cuisine, I would say they both offer a meal that will likely be memorable, especially for the price.

Campagnolo Roma

2297 Hasting Street E

Vancouver, BC

www.campagnoloroma.com

EXIT NINTERVIEW

2011-09-19T19:33:00.000-07:00

You remember Nin. He's the guy who bought me that epic Indian blanket that remains so very relevant to my household. When he first started I promised him a cheesecake for his birthday, and never delivered because I'm an asshole. A year later Nin has decided to move on to greener pastures and has quit our mutual place of employment to be closer to home, as he lives in the 'burbs and he and his lovely wife are expecting a baby soon. I was not consulted in this decision. Pfft.

So to say a proper goodbye I thought it only appropriate to finally make him that damn cheesecake with the topping of his choice, and he chose raspberries:

Raspberry Cheesecake

Crust:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 tbsp sugar
6 tbsp melted butter

Cake:

5 8 oz packages of cream cheese, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
5 eggs, room temperature
2 egg yolks, room temperature
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tbsp grated lemon zest
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Topping:

1 cup red jelly (not jam)
small container raspberries

Preheat oven to 350. In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, butter and sugar, mix until moistened. Pour into a 9" springform pan. Press crumbs into the bottom of the pan and 1 inch up the sides. Bake for 8 minutes and cool to room temperature.

Increase oven temp to 450. Place cream cheese and sugar in a bowl and blend until light and fluffy. This is the part where this cake got annoying. If you don't have one of those million-dollar Kitchenaid things that you can pour cement into and it will come out light and fluffy, then don't bother with this part of the recipe. Huge hunks of cream cheese pelted my walls at 30 mph and the sugar stayed in stubborn lumps on the side of the bowl. "Light and fluffy" my ass. Add the eggs first, 3 to start then 2 at a time for the rest, and they will provide enough liquid to help your shitty London Drugs mixer tackle the cream cheese. Period amen.

With mixer on low, add the zest and vanilla. When all is mixed thoroughly, pour on top of crust in the springform pan.

Bake the cake for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 225 and bake an additional 1 hour and 15 minutes. Turn off oven and open door wide. Cake will not be completely set in center. Leave cake in oven with door open for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to sit at room temperature for another 2-3 hours until completely cooled.

To make the topping, melt the jelly in a small pan over low heat. Gently add raspberries and toss until coated. Remove from heat and let mixture cool slightly. Spoon over top of partially cooled cake and ALLOW BOTH TO COMPLETELY COOL. Cover cake with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.

Remove cake from springform pan by running a knife along the outside edge and slowly unlocking springform. Retain the bottom of the pan for serving.

Let me tell you what an immense pain in the ass it is to do this cake without having the motherfucker crack right down the middle like the Grand fucking Canyon. The reason there are so many fussy temperature steps is to avoid this, as this mixture of egg and cream cheese positively lives to crack. I put mine in the fridge too early before it had completely cooled and so I got a cleft the size of my ass crack off to one side:

Ah well. Nin loved it and that's what counts. I carried this bitch to work with me and let me tell you it is really heavy. It's a good 8lbs of cheese, which is just wonderful if you think about it. We feasted on this alongside rich red wine and it was like Rome before the fall. Om nom nom.

This cake takes a lot of work so it's a good special occasion type thing, but just for a weeknight? You kinda have to hate yourself. Cheesecake is high maintenance. Join the club.

Jessica

http://crasscuisine.blogspot.com/

GUESS WHO IS BIZZACK - 29TH AVE CAFE

2011-09-13T21:25:00.000-07:00

Yoshoku-ya joins the likes of Jay Z, Father MC, Rakim and Alf. I have been longing to go back to Yoshoku-ya for ages and to my excitement I heard they have reopened as 29th Ave Cafe on Boundary Road. They apparently opened a while back but I could never get through on the phone so I was hesitant to make a trip out that way.

The same Korean lady is there and this time she was super nice to me. I showed up with some old regulars plus cute babies so I think there was no way she couldn't be nice. The atmosphere wasn't anything like the old downtown joint but the Toulouse Lautrec artwork was transplanted to their new location.

Enough about the atmosphere I came here to get my fix. The menu looked exactly like the old one except they added clam chowder. Hells yeah, I m down with that. The clam chowder represented some of my favourite things. That weird pasty taste that is reminiscent of the soups that you get from HK cafes and the strong hit of clam or clam nectar. Worked out nice.

The thousand island side salad was just as I remembered it and is fantastic. If you never had this salad it is worth a trip just to have this thing. The katsu curry with that sweet Glico taste also brought back pleasant memories. My one visit isn't enough, I need to rinse through the whole menu so I can keep this smile on my face. I can already hear that cod roe spaghetti begging for me to come back.

If you remember Yoshoku-ya you will make a trip out to the 29th Ave Cafe and if you haven't, you better put this place on your list.

29th Ave Cafe

4441 Boundary Road
Vancouver, BC

BUCKET LIST - ROW 2

2011-09-13T21:22:00.000-07:00

Zipang Sushi - Shrimp Sunomono ($4)

The best sunonomo in town. There is no competition.

Phnom Penh - Deep Fried Squid or Chicken ($13)

A must for any visit to Vancouver.

Guu Otokomae - Maguro Tataki ($7)

Soo refreshing, soo guuud

Green Lemongrass - Phnom Penh Rolls ($6)

A nice alternative to the deep fried spring rolls that you are used to.

CROISSANT SLOP: THIERRY, FOOTO DELIGHTS AND BAGUETTE & CO.

2011-09-12T23:47:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since our last Croissant Slop posts, wherein we disobey all medical advice and seek to destroy what remains of our arteries with the most delicious croissants the GVRD has to offer. Forgive us for our time off: the extra pounds this little experiment has left us makes all the travel time between stops that much more arduous.

Thierry

Thierry ($2.45)
1059 Alberni Street
Vancouver, BC
(604) 608-6870

This latest addition to the Top Table family (Araxi, Blue Water, Cin Cin, West) is also the newest patisserie in town. Helmed by namesake pastry chef Thierry Busset, the place has received a rash of inconsistent reviews, despite being one of few dessert places that is (a) licensed and (b) open until midnight, which frankly works well for our other priorities (drinking, staying up late).

The doors open up to a diabetic's worst nightmare: tarts, pastries, chocolates and macarons all pop to the eye and tempt even the steel willed. Sure, the service can be a bit unorganized (that tends to happen when a crowd rushes the counter in all directions in a sugar-starved frenzy) and the savory items uninspiring, but the desserts satiate and the extra glitz doesn't hurt either. (For those that complain about the pomp of the area, note the environment: this is a street where Tiffany's, Hermes, Burberry, Louis Vuitton, etc. reside, so I'm not sure what else you were expecting.)

The croissant:

Butteriness: 3.5 to 4 out of 5. We've had a number of Thierry's croissants, and each one was slightly different than the other. As with all baking, the general edict is true: the morning croissants were better than those offered later in the day. Overall, though, the butteriness here is generally subtle, and on average most of the croissants we had felt like something was missing.

Flakiness: 4.25 out of 5. If there's one thing Thierry is consistent on, it's the multi-layered flakiness of all their pastries. No matter what time of day, each croissant we had hit this well on the head.

Lightness: 4.25 out of 5. Hey, when you still have room for a apricot danish and a macaron after finishing a croissant, that can't be bad, right?

Footo Delights

Footo Delights ($2.25)
820 Homer Street
Vancouver, BC
(604) 568-6500

Certain locations just seem doomed for business, and Footo Delights is the latest one to slug it out on Homer and Robson. Run by a PICA baking grad, the not-quite-a-bakery shop offers a grab bag of baked and non-baked items (croissants, fro-yo, soya milk, chocolate covered strawberries), in that sort of throw-it-against-the-wall-and-see-what-will-stick kind of way while it gets off to a slow start.

During its fixturing phase, I could've sworn the signage read "Footo Croissant" at one point. Though it no longer appears in its name, croissants are definitely the main featured item. They're made on site and churned out daily through the day, a miracle of sorts given the shop's extremely tight dimensions.

Butteriness: 5 out of 5, but sadly to its detriment. The Footo croissant is so infused with butter that it ends up being overly oily, to the point where one should not consider eating one without a Tide stain pen in close proximity.

Flakiness: 3 out of 5. Though the exterior is as it should be (particularly with that much butter having been washed over it), the interior of the croissant is gummy, almost as though it hasn't been baked enough, and the whole thing seems at odds with itself.

Lightness: 3 out of 5. Eating what feels like a gummy pound of wet butter really sticks to the ribs.

La Baguette

Baguette & Co. ($2.35)
3273 West Broadway
Vancouver, BC
(604)737 8050

Outside of downtown, Baguette & Co. serves up baked goods and pastries in Kitsilano, generating a fair amount of neighbourhood buzz through the year that it's been open. It fits well in that community, with that feeling of familiarity that entices patrons across a broad spectrum.

Butteriness: 4.75 out of 5. If Thierry's croissant was lacking that je ne suis quoi, it can be found at Baguette & Co. On average, this croissant is richer in flavour, regardless of the time of day. Now that Steeve Raye has morphed into Regalade Cafe, Baguette & Co. would likely be considered the reigning croissant champ of Kits...if it weren't for the Thomas Haas up the street.

Flakiness: 4.25 to 4.5 out of 5. We bought our croissants in the mid-afternoon on a hot summer day, which perhaps didn't help matters much, but Baguette & Co. still brings thousands of flaky golden layers to the game. I'm thinking a visit in the morning - or more fresh batches through the day - would elevate that score right up to 5.

Lightness: 5 out of 5. Offers the perfect 5 minute escape from drudgery that a croissant should; any heavier and you've got extra baggage for the day.

Joe.

VANCOUVER SLOP - BUCKET LIST

2011-09-06T20:47:00.000-07:00

My last discussion with Joe we agreed that there aren't any destination restaurants (restaurants that you would fly in for) in Vancouver however many people come to Vancouver with the principal goal to just eat. You could easily spend a week in this city and not have a bad meal or question to yourself that you might have wasted your hunger on a mediocre meal. Food in Vancouver is outstanding and cheap. Asian food can stand up to any other place in the world.

So rather than listing my favourite restaurants, I am creating a bucket list that would serve as my recommendations on dishes you need to try. I know Vanmag has done it but, it is my turn suckers.

Here are photos of my first twenty, all of which are Asian dishes. Click on the image, for a larger view.

I 'll post four each week and make a page that will list them all. Here are the first four.

Bo Laksa King - Laksa ($8)

Best Laksa in the city hands down. If you haven't crushed this meal from Bo (freedom fighter turned chef), you better get your ass down there. And yes his roti will also be on the bucket list.

HK BBQ Master - Roast Pork ($8)

This dingy joint located under the Superstore in Richmond in my opinion serves the best roast pork, hands down. The master destroys the competition

Zabu - Korean Fried Chicken ($15 for a dozen)

Soy glazed double fried chicken wings. This girl wouldn't wait for me to take my photo.

Long's Noodle House - Yellow Fish Wrapped in Seaweed ($13)

The lady in the spot is reason enough to go here.

GET STUFFED

2011-09-05T19:33:00.000-07:00

I love stuffing things into other things and not just in my personal life, I also like to do it in the kitchen.

I've been trying to eat less bread which is tough for me because I'm a meat, potatoes, cheese and bread kind of gal. Veggies leave me flat, but I'm trying to adjust my attitude and my stomach.

So instead of making a starch-fest for lunch I decided to try a veggie fest with a little bit of starch, by stuffing tomatoes:

Stuffed Tomatoes with Rice and Feta

4 large beefsteak tomatoes
1 cup white or brown rice, prepared in a rice cooker or stove top
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
3/4 cup chopped feta
2 cloves chopped garlic
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
good glug olive oil

Rub a dutch oven or baking dish with olive oil and set aside. Using a tomato knife, chop off the tops and bottoms of the tomatoes so they lie flat in the dish. Hollow out tomatoes with a spoon. Sprinkle the insides of the tomatoes with sea salt and place hollowed-side down on a plate covered in paper towel to drain excess water from the tomatoes that will make the filling soggy. Let sit for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 and combine all the ingredients together to make the rice filling. Arrange the tomatoes in the bottom of the dish and fill with rice filling, adding a drizzle of olive oil on the top of each tomato. Bake until the tomatoes turn soft and the filling begins to brown, about 45 minutes. Serve hot or room temperature.

I loved this! It was tasty and filling and the meaty tomatoes I chose were a good stomach filler. I ate two and put the other two aside for dinner. Okay I just lied I ate all four at once. At least I'm honest, eventually.

Jessica

http://crasscuisine.blogspot.com/

EET MOAR FEESH

2011-08-30T20:21:00.000-07:00

AAAHHHHHHHHH!:

I'm not ready for this. Not ready for fall. Fall in Vancouver starts cold and sunny, and slowly sinks into an endless wall of water until May. Fuck.

So I'm trying to eat as much summer food as possible while the getting is good. And although I used canned salmon for this dish, the veggies involved and the compote are fresh summer goodness. And if you could get your hands on some fresh salmon, that would be even better:

Salmon Cakes with fresh Tomato Compote

makes 8 cakes

2 cans pink salmon, or whole fresh salmon (head and tail removed), poached and skinned
1 tbsp capers
juice and zest of 1 lemon, medium size
2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
1 tsp fresh mint, chopped
1 tbsp whole mayonnaise
1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Dredge:

Flour

1 egg
breading (traditional or panko)

Combine all fish cake ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly, set aside. Prepare the dredge, in three separate bowls, place flour, 1 beaten egg, and panko or traditional breading. Form balls about 2" wide from the cake mixture and dip the cakes in the flour, egg, then bread crumbs. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

While the cakes are cooling, make the compote:

2 medium vine or 8 cherry or strawberry tomatoes, finely chopped
2 small shallots, peeled and finely chopped
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped
sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Take a few good glugs of grapeseed or canola or other high smoke point oil and heat over medium-high heat in a deep pan. Place the cakes 2-4 at a time in the pan until golden brown. Flip once. Transfer to paper towel and let rest for 5 mins.

When ready to serve, place 1 tbsp of compote on each cake.

Delicious and filling. Would make a great appetizer, or place on a healthy bed of greens for lunch.

In other news, I stepped on Stella's back leg:

It's the top one, her left one, and she is not letting me forget it. She's limping around the house as soon as she knows I'm watching. Sometimes she just extends her hurt leg and sticks it in my lap as if to say "dooooo something!" Poor Stellie. Don't worry it's not broken. I've checked it out. It's just I'm a pretty big person compared to her and her leetle leggle got squished under my lax weight. Oops.

So you have literally days left to get out and enjoy the sun. Go. Go go go go go. Eat some fish while you're out there.

Jessica

http://crasscuisine.blogspot.com/

SORRY I CAN'T TALK RIGHT NOW, I'M EATING MY FEELINGS

2011-08-24T20:58:00.000-07:00

I took a poll on facebook and asked folks what their favorite comfort food was, and I got the usual answers: mac and cheese, homemade; soup; Shepard's pie; mashed potatoes; pasta. All starchy, all hot, all filling.

I got to thinking about comfort food and what it does for us. It seems very visceral and pure to me: you feel lousy, and when you feel bad you feel empty. Naturally you try to fill that hole with something warm and cottony and soft hoping it will make you feel better. Is there something biological at work here as well? I did some googling and it turns out yes, there is. Some of it is conditioning - we crave the foods we were given to soothe us as children - and some of it is science; we feel happier when our stomachs are full, and nothing makes us feel fuller faster than fat and starch. But there is also a psychological component as well: A recent study suggests a strong link between comfort foods and the comfort we get from loved ones; in fact, simply thinking of comfort foods can make us feel significantly less lonely. Hmmmm.

I have felt like a pretty big bucket of shit lately, and for no real reason. Perhaps a little mix of everything, but one thing is for sure: I don't like feeling this way. So I thought I would make something to cheer myself up. I made a list of all the things I like to eat when I feel blue: pasta, cheese, bread, seafood (I know, I don't know why either), ice cream, cake, hot dogs. I chose a dish that incorporated the most of these varied ingredients, Lobster Mac and Cheese (from scratch):

Lobster Mac and Cheese for when you're Feeling Blue

2 cups elbow macaroni
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup flour
4 cups milk
2 cups grated fontina cheese
1 cup grated sharp cheddar
3 tbsp lobster broth
1 tsp tabasco sauce
1/4 grated nutmeg
fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 cup cooked lobster meat, cut into 1" chunks
1/3 cup minced chives
2 green onions, chopped thinly

If you are using fresh lobster, saute in a pan with butter until cooked through. Set aside.

Heat oven to 375. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until halfway done, about 3 minutes. Drain pasta, transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook, whisking constantly until smooth. Whisk in milk and stir until sauce has thickened and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and stir in the cheeses (leaving a little out), broth, tabasco, nutmeg and season with salt and pepper. Add pasta to cheese sauce. Stir in half each of the lobster, chives and scallions.

Transfer the mixture to a 9x9 baking dish and sprinkle with the leftover cheese, lobster, chives and scallions. Bake until golden brown and bubbly, about 1/2 hour.

This was absolutely delicious and absolutely comforting, although not at all comforting for my pocketbook: this is the most expensive dish I have ever made on Crass Cuisine. Cheese and lobster are not cheap. But totally worth it, because it made me feel better. Life is too short to feel shitty without a real reason!

Jessica

http://crasscuisine.blogspot.com/

COMA FOOD TRUCK

2011-08-23T21:14:00.000-07:00

"It's good, but a bit runny."

I've been visiting Coma Food Truck for over two weeks now, slowly working through each item on the menu. They've recently added a kalbi marinated burger ($7.99) with fries to the menu, which features Korean-inflected items with the obligatory foodtruck nod to Mexican fare, and I want to know what I'm getting.

Read more >>>

MARULILU

2011-08-22T20:52:00.000-07:00

Marulilu
This cute little Japanese cafe has been pretty busy as of late. It was on my radar last summer but it felt pretty hot inside so I thought I would try it later in the year.

The interior seats about 20 people on a good day and mounted on the back wall sits a few chalkboards used as menus. They offer a wide variety of drinks (coffee, tea etc) and the food menu includes both Japanese yoshoku food and regular Western sandwiches. There is even a combination of the two and you can order a katsu sandwich or katsu wrap. I ordered the okonomiyaki and the katsu don for my friend. I was in a rush so I had to get it for take out.

The okonomiyaki ($7.99) was tasty and but not quite as good as the ones I had in Japan. It was hard to tell what exactly is in this Osaka treat but you could taste or see bits of shrimp, octopus, clam, and squid along with a few red peppers and maybe asparagus. It was covered with bonito flakes and red ginger. The Katsu don ($7.99) was solid, moist inside and crispy outside. My friend was very happy with her meal.

Marulilu
451 West Broadway
Vancouver, BC

They also have natto for breakfast for those who are down with that.

STACKHOUSE - STACK IT UP, STACK IT IN

2011-08-17T14:00:00.000-07:00

Vancouver's burger game has really stepped up with the addition of Stackhouse. It is my understanding that Stackhouse is the project of an old Vancouver bboy form Contents Under Pressure. This was somewhat confirmed when I saw Concise the Black Knight in the spot and the large mirror near the entrance was marked with some beautiful typography likely complements of AA Crew.

The burgers are not cheap but the 15 dollar burger seems to be the norm around the city. Hotels, casual fine dining chains, Vera's, Romer's, and Moderne all seem to have their burger priced at about 15 bucks once you add the fixings. Considering what you get at Stackhouse I can't complain.

I ordered the Stackhouse Burger which was 15 dollars and a burger repping the company name should be a safe order. The burger was served on a brioche bun, with butter lettuce, tomato, pancetta, Guinness Cheddar and portabellini and accompanied by a side of fries. The fries were tasty, reminiscent of the ones from Cactus Club. The large meat patty and brioche bun makes it a heavy meal but the bun does add a nice taste to the burger. The butter lettuce was a welcomed change and the meat patty was juicy and flavourful. I would have to say the burger was strong on all elements and was very filling.

I have a standing fear of Gout, so half of the burger was enough for me but the taste, and quality of the burger was strong enough for me to make me want to return back to Stackhouse. Oh yeah, paying only 4 bucks for an Old Style Pilsner at a new downtown joint is also a draw.

Stackhouse Burger

1224 Granville Street

Vancouver, BC

And an acronym shout out to the old school Vancouver Hip Hop cats, CLC, ABS, Zen, FWUH, R2D2, AA, AMP, SNC, CUP, and nuff others including Badrock for creating Stackhouse.

BLOOMIN' GOOD

2011-08-16T21:55:00.000-07:00

Nads and I share a mutual love of farmers markets and grey cats. Her farmers market in Kits is sliiiiiightly better than mine in the West End, so I asked her if she ever came across any zucchini flowers, to pick some up and I would pay her back. She kindly got me some this weekend, and asked me what I was going to do with them. My answer? FRY THOSE MUTHAFUCKAAAAS!

Battered, pan-fried zucchini blossoms are something holy and worth pondering. Their delicate taste makes me feel like I'm on some sun-drenched patio in Tuscany, having a light snack before going off to pick wild lavender to make soap. In this fantasy I'm also a size two with waist-length flowy raven hair. Hey, it's my mind. It can wander at will even to the ridiculous.

Zucchini blossoms are very fragile, so if possible use them the same day you buy them. If they need to sit, put them in a glass of water to keep them inflated. Wash them, split the petals apart to expose the pistil, and cut it out. Set aside to dry. Make a simple batter of flour, one egg and some water to make a paste that resembles heavy cream. Soak the blossoms in the batter. Put a skillet on medium-high heat and glug a good few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in the pan. When hot, use a fork to drop the battered blooms into the pan. Fry until golden, flip once, when done transfer to a plate and sprinkle with fresh sea salt. Devour hot!

The fried batter is a delicious salty counterpart to the sweet flowers. Oh yeah.

Nads and I started talking about grey cats after we both had run-ins with a neighbourhood beast near our office that for months we referred to as "Grey Beauty". We thought it was a girl kitty. One day I was walking by with a friend and saw Grey Beauty, and told him all about the cat (yes, his eyes glazed over). His owner was in the yard and explained that actually she was a he, and he had been named by her young grandson. The grandson had been told he could name him anything he liked, and he decided to name him Spidey Mike. SPIDEY MIKE!!!!!

God bless that kid for giving this cat the greatest name in the history of cat names. Here is Spidey Mike this morning on his verandah, having a sunbath:

I want to come back as a cat. A cat who gets to eat fried zucchini blossoms.

Jessica

www.crasscuisine.blogspot.com

MANGAL KISS MID EAST BBQ

2011-08-16T13:07:00.000-07:00

Man has had a fascination with fire since the beginning of time, and there ain't any better evidence than all the variations of barbecue that fire has begat. It shouldn't be much surprise that of all the barbecue traditions around the world, the older civilizations have got that game figured out right.

And it was only a matter of time before Vancouver's food cart scene saw a proper representative. Mangal Kiss Mid East BBQ, which recently set up shop on Georgia at Burrard, offers shishlik wraps ($7), each a harmonious, pan-national take on a geographic area not otherwise known for getting along.

Its features: a choice of skewered protein (chicken or beef) nestled inside lightly grilled Iranian taftoon flatbread, packed out with familiar accoutrements from the region (hummus, tahini, tabbouleh) and a few rarer ones (beets, pickled turnips, slices of Moroccan spiced carrots), with a variety of sauces ranging in heat level. The meat - grilled, not just finished, on order - may get a bit lost in that sea of veg, but it's a fresh and tasty predicament to eat your way out of.

But get the chicken, which on average tends to be a bit juicier and more delectable than its bovine alternative. Stand back on the church steps behind with a limonana ($2), a taste-neutral Israeli lemonade with mint and sugarcane, and watch the flame on which those skewers grill: it's one of few things mankind has gotten right.

Joe.

Mangal Kiss Mid East BBQ
On West Georgia at Burrard (beside the Christ Church Cathedral)

SWEATIN' LIKE A WHORE IN CHURCH ON SUNDAY

2011-08-14T19:22:00.000-07:00

It's hot as balls in Vancouver in August. I'm not complaining, I love the heat. It makes Stella pretty grouchy though. It makes her make this face:

What is the difference between this face and her regular face? You have to be a master of subtlety to see it. Or, you have to live with this creature full time. This face is ever so slightly bitchier than her usual face. And a few degrees away from her really mad face. Clearly this is a subject of tremendous import to you.

Anyhoo, the heat. We had our book club meeting on a particularly vicious day, and as this installment was a potluck, I decided to make grilled watermelon, mint and feta salad.

A more elegant version of this salad uses halloumi, but I couldn't find any. It grills a little more nicely, whereas feta is chunkier, messier, but no less delicious. For the cheese novice, feta is the closest in taste to halloumi.

I don't know of any fruit that is more cooling than watermelon. Its high water content, sweet pink flesh and cool texture make it a summer favorite almost the whole world wide, and certainly in areas where it is grown. It's huge in the South (and you know how I feel about the South).

Grilled Watermelon Salad

1 mini watermelon
1/2 container of sliced feta
1 bunch fresh mint
juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and pepper to taste

(I used my George Foreman grill for this, but you can use a grill pan, a BBQ, or a regular pan). Slice and grill the feta in batches, slice, cool and set aside. Slice the mini watermelon into bite-size chunks, place in bowl. Finely chop mint, add to bowl with watermelon. Add cheese, lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper. Toss together thoroughly, serve.

You can also refrigerate this salad to make it extra cool.

Ahhhh. Fresh cool salad on a hot day. Beats all.

Jessica

www.crasscuisine.blogspot.com

JINYA RAMEN

2011-08-10T22:49:00.000-07:00

Perfect bites are infrequent, but when they happen, you know: your eyes roll back into your skull, sighs are heard, and time stops momentarily. And this can be had at Jinya, the newest addition to the city's Japanese ramen scene.

Though this local branch is part of the Ebi-Ten family, Jinya hails from Los Angeles, where Takahashi Tomonori, who owns various different restaurants across Tokyo, opened the first branch in 2010. That location has found fans in the notorious Rameniac and Jonathan Gold, who wrote this, of our perfect bite:

"The slices of chashu, fatty simmered pork, were meltingly soft, barely coherent enough to be lifted from the noodles with chopsticks."

Thankfully, that's true of the Vancouver location as well. When it comes to Jinya's chashu, porcine gods have smiled down upon us and blessed us all, the pork, grilled lightly on one side, is so achingly fatty and delicious that a battle of metaphors will soon rain down amongst the food writers/bloggers in town.

That said, there's the remainder of Gold's review that the Vancouver Jinya carries as baggage, and portions of the bowl don't quite live up. The shio tonkatsu ($9.75) broth, while quite good, isn't quite the soulful "flavour bomb" that is found in other parts of the city (cough, cough, Santouka); the noodles are topped with perfectly fried shallots, and suitably toothsome, though slightly too slender to stand up to the rest of the bowl. You may wish to try the Jinya chicken ramen ($8.75) instead, where the chicken stock is rich and proud, and the thinner noodles make for a better match (expect slices of grilled chicken instead of the "seed studded chicken meatballs" that the LA location offers though). A multitude of sides (mostly $1 each, with $2.75 side 'combos' of 3) are offered: eggs are always a good decision, though someone's got to spread the gospel of the runny yolk to the restaurant, which offers a version hard-boiled in shoyu.

But the pork! A perfect bite is at Jinya, and the rest is almost irrelevant.

Joe.

Jinya Ramen
270 Robson Street
Vancouver, BC V6B

SUIKA SUIKA NOW

2011-08-09T23:42:00.000-07:00

Kinpira

Izakaya restaurants have been a big success in Vancouver and it is nice to have a wide selection to choose from although all are busy. Just think Guu in Toronto has almost standing 2 hour lines everyday. Suika (meaning watermelon) is the sister to Kingyo. Some similar items that you have seen on the Kingyo menu and some new joints like a Chinese Poutine and ox tail ramen.

The seafood here is fantastic. Items like BBQ black cod collars, white spring salmon cheeks/collars, and Copper River Salmon which is some of the best salmon in the world. The sashimi shake salad was a nice affordable treat (under ten bucks) and great for groups with small numbers. The salad comes to the table with the fish slices separate and then they are all combined into a jar and mixed. Simple process but kinda cool. There are also some boxed rolls for those who have a sushi fix.

I have been here a few times and have consistently been impressed. The quality of the food was excellent and everything was tasty. Highlights for me were the Copper River Salmon sashimi, the Fried Rice, deep fried corn, karaage, and kakuni bibimbop.

There are some things that really have me wondering. A one kilogram steak for about 50 bucks, and a pig foot dish that states "Don't Try If You Never Had, my friends weren't really into trying it out and I had to agree since I don't love trotter. The Chinese Poutine was intriguing but a little bit of a let down. My friend once created this with BBQ pork at Hole in the Wall (Tsui Hang) and Fritz Poutine, damn good when you a drunk. Not so amazing when you are sober trying to re create it for lunch.

The place is solid. A nice space, available parking, they take reservations and great food. Don't sleep.

Suika

1626 W Broadway

Vancouver, BC

604.730.1678

Hainanese Chicken Salad

Chicken Karaage

Negitori Boxed Sushi

Deep fried tofu and prawn

Stone Bowl Rice

Fried Corn Joints

Copper River Salmon Sashimi

Ebi Mayo

Asari Yuzu Koshou Udon

PIE DAYS OF SUMMER, VOL. 3 (WITH SCONE BONUS)

2011-08-09T21:24:00.000-07:00

One of the things I love about going home is that mum and I usually stop at one of the local farms to buy fresh produce, flowers, eggs. These are sold at a little stand tucked into the bush that you can pull into and turn your car around in. All items are sold on the honor system: Take what you want, read the price, and leave the money in a metal box. This is what farm eggs look like:

Double yolker, oh my God:

While home I also picked what felt like 10 lbs of red currants. Mum has two bushes, and I picked for what felt like forever, and only got part way through one bush. It's hard to keep up with this shit. I took some home with me in my suitcase, and made scones as soon as I got home:

Red Currant Scones
3 cups flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup fresh red currants or cranberries
1 egg
about 1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 400. Stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Cut butter into flour mixture using fingers or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in currants or cranberries. Break egg into a measuring cup for liquids and beat well. Add enough milk to egg to make 3/4 cup, and stir to blend with egg.

Add milk/egg mixture to dry ingredients; stir gently with a fork until particles cling together. Mixture will be crumbly. Form a ball of dough and hand press into an oval about 1/2 inch thick. Cut with a knife into rounds or use a glass. Place on a cookie sheet, bake for 18-20 minutes or until lightly golden.

Recipe courtesy of Kitchen Sketches

They were very tasty. Fresh currants are tart so if you don't like sour things add a little extra sugar. I wondered how they would be in a pie, so I made one:

Blueberry and Red Currant Pie
Pastry:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/4 cup ice water
1 cup cold butter

By now you are used to my recipe for pie crusts, but I've learned a few things along the way that I hope will help: Cut in cold butter and mush with fingertips (or in a food processor, but I like to kick it old school and women made pies long before there were food processors on the scene). and mix with the ice water added bit by bit until the dough just sticks together. Any more moist and it will get to gloppy. Divide dough in two, cover each round in plastic wrap, and leave in the fridge for 1/2 hour to 24 hours.

My fridge is really cold, so I need my dough to warm up a bit before I roll it out. Once it becomes warm enough that you can just see your fingerprint in it, flour a surface and roll out the dough until a round is formed. Don't worry if it begins to split, you can patch it up in the pan. Place into pie pan and patch as needed. Form around the edge. Put in filling:

1 1/2 lbs blueberries
1/2 lb red currants, picked clean
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp corn starch

Mix filling together and let sit for about 10 minutes.

Once the filling is in the shell, roll out the second round of dough and cut with a knife to form a lattice.

Brush the top of the lattice and edges of shell with the yolk of one egg and sprinkle sugar on top. Cook for 40 minutes at 400. Leave on the countertop or windowsill to cool overnight, just like in the movies.

Nothing is like pie really. It's becoming a real art form for me. I love them. I try very hard not to eat them. I almost always take them to work or to other people's houses. One piece is the most I will allow myself.

And berries grown by your mama taste extra fantastic :)

Jessica

http://crasscuisine.blogspot.com/

GUU KOBACHI

2011-08-04T22:17:00.000-07:00

I was invited to the opening launch of Guu Kobachi and it was awesome. Guu imported a whole Bluefin tuna to be cut up for sashimi and nigiri that night. The normal, local tuna on the West Coast is the Albacore Tuna. The average trip for a tuna boat is fairly long and therefore pretty much all the local tuna you get in Vancouver is previously frozen because it was frozen at sea. The quality is top notch as the fish goes into temperature control as soon as possible which ensures a great product.

In my opinion a fresh fish if it doesn't spend too much time out of the water will always taste better than a thawed fish and what a treat it was to have Bluefin tuna. There is much talk about how the Bluefin Tuna stocks are declining however I will have to defer to the UN position. If the UN has not listed Bluefin in their Endangered Species Appendix (CITES) then I will have to assume there is some stability in the population.

The menu at Guu Kobachi is the most daring and creative of all the Guu restaurants. Items like Deep Fried Enamame, Cold Tomato Curry, Deep Fried Pork Ear, Saba in Curry Sauce, Squid Ink Calamari, Ebimayo Sister (ebimayo covered with shredded potato), and a ton more. I was told portions will be smaller and ideal for snacking while drinking.

The space is small but dope. A big sake drum greeted us at the door, and inside there is a long bar which really feels like a good place to hang out and snack.

Give the new Guu a try, they have never let me down in the past and I am sure the new one won't either.

Guu Kobachi
735 Denman Street
Vancouver, BC
604.683.0785

Matt

CRASS CUISINE'S MAMA HAS A BIRTHDAY

2011-08-02T21:02:00.000-07:00

During my vacation I went home to see my mama for her birthday, cook for her and hang out on her property, on which she grows an amazing amount of food. A short list includes:

Peaches
Plums
Apples
Red currants
Quinoa
Kale
Lettuces
Fennel
Peas
Beans
Fuckload of herbs
The list goes on....

I'm lucky in that my mum and I, although we are opposites in almost every way, are the greatest of friends and really enjoy each others' company. It must be strange for her to look at this creature who doesn't resemble her in the slightest, puttering around in her kitchen, swearing and generally being a pig, and wonder, exactly, how she gave birth to it.

I turn into a complete 8 year old when I go home. I run into her bedroom while she's getting ready, poke her, and run out. She has a hall filled with photos of me from a kid until now, which is sort of a timeline of how I got increasingly weirder-looking. Whatevs.

I made ma a three-course meal for her birthday, which needed to be very specific, because as I've mentioned before she has major food allergies, so it needed to be carefully planned. And it worked! She didn't get sick from my cooking!

We started with stuffed peppers, the recipe can be found here. Because of ma's food allergies, I've used goat feta, and scrapped the egg and yoghurt. It still works well, it's just not as creamy. Also, because they didn't have any Anaheim chiles in the sticks, we used a Poblano pepper, which works very well:

Next, because you can buy spot prawns right off the boat, we had them at the very end of the season:

Sauteed Garlic Spot Prawns
1 lb, about 24 prawns, fresh or frozen (fresh obv better)
glug of olive oil, to taste
2 jalepenos
5 cloves garlic
juice of 1 lemon
3 tbsp fresh chopped flatleaf parsley
white wine, to deglaze
sprigs of thyme
salt and pepper to season

Peel and devein the prawns. Heat the oil to high and add the prawns. Sautee until they begin to release their juices and turn almost pink. Add the rest of the ingredients and cook until all pink. Finish with white wine, using to deglaze. Serve immediately, garnished with thyme.

Spot prawns are mum and I's favorite thing ever.

The grand finale:

Maple Seared Scallops with Kalamata Ragout
16 large scallops, fresh if you can get them
4 tbsp high-quality maple syrup
1 shallot, diced
1/2 can or equal-sized container of Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
1/2 tbsp chives
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
salt and white pepper to taste
1 tbsp olive oil

For the Ragout:
Heat a small saute pan on medium-high heat. Coat the pan with the olive oil and saute the diced shallot for a few minutes. Add the olives, chives, lemon juice and a glug of olive oil to the pan at the same time. Saute all together until they begin to blend, reduce heat to minimum and keep warm until the scallops are ready.

For the Scallops:
In a small bowl coat the scallops with the maple syrup and season with salt and white pepper. Heat a non-stick pan to a high heat, coat the pan with oil and add the scallops to the pan and sear or both sides until browned (about one minute). Flip onto first side, add a little more oil to cook into the scallops, and cook until all white. Serve immediately by removing from heat, plating and adding the ragout on top.

I accompanied mine with simple steamed asparagus with a little balsamic vinegar on top:

Mmmmmm, summer seafood. Here's the path to ma's flower portion of the garden that you wish you were in right now:

We aren't as different as we think we are. I was making fun of her and then left the room. She called after me:

"Jessicaaaaaaah?"

"What?"

"FUCK OFF".

(recipes with my modifications courtesy of Saveur, the Vancouver Sun, and The Dirty Apron Cooking School, respectively).

Jessica

http://crasscuisine.blogspot.com/

BROMBERGERS ALL NIGHT LONG

2011-07-30T19:18:00.000-07:00

Eric and Bruce Bromberg are brother chefs who run the Blue Ribbon Restaurants in New York City. Recently they partnered with the Renaissance hotels to launch an exclusive menu of "Blue Ribbon Classic" dishes in select cities. They've chosen Renaissance locations in San Francisco, LA, NYC, Austin, Boston, New Orleans, St. Petersburg AND Vancouver, the only Canadian city. Bruce was here on Thursday along with his tasting menu, and I had a chance to talk to him:

VS: Of all the cities in Canada, why did you choose Vancouver?

BB: We were looking for locations across North America that would translate well for the brand, and Vancouver has a great food culture and not only that, but a real passion for food. We actively chose cities like this; that eat passionately. Also, it has a personal connection for me, my father is a true foodie and has been traveling here for years and has told me it's the most beautiful city.

VS: Who inspires you? Whose cooking do you admire?

BB: My family inspires me the most. My father taught me a lot about Francophone cooking, and that's what I started out being interested in. But now I have to say I'm cooking more like my mother, I'm taking a lot more pleasure in simple things; cooking simple foods in simple ways.

VS: Every time you cook, who are you cooking for?

BB: I'm cooking for my customer on an individual level. My restaurant is like my house, and if someone came to your house for dinner and they didn't finish, you would want to know why, right? It's the same with my restaurants. I want to please that individual palate. Each table, each meal as a whole is important to me.

VS: What do you like to eat?

BB: I like to eat whatever is fresh, good quality and local, no matter where I am in the world.

VS: What is your favorite ingredient to cook with right now?

BB: I live in Denver, CO, and we grow delicious root vegetables. I'm really into different onions and garlics, along with root vegetables, simply grilled.

VS: What ingredient that is trendy right now do you wish would just go out of style?

BB: I'm probably kind of shooting myself in the foot for this, considering I have a sushi restaurant, but Yuzu is kind of overused right now. It's a very special taste that I love, but if I go for dinner and it's in four different dishes, it's not as special.

Bruce is a very nice man and was a real pleasure to talk to. They offered the guests a tasting menu of simple foods:

Fried Rock Shrimp with Lemon Cayenne Sauce
Grilled Chicken Burger
Menchego and Mexican Honey Toast
"Northern Fried" Chicken Wings
White Bean Hummus Toast with Black Olives and Lemon Oil
Grilled Cheese Panini
Sauteed Calamari with Butter, Garlic, Parsley

There were a lot of people there and not a ton of food, so I only got to try a few things, and only then by essentially standing in front of the kitchen waiting for them to come out. I had the Northern fried chicken, the calamari, the fried rock shrimp, and the cheese panini, which were all simple and well made, particular standouts were the calamari and the chicken. The calamari is pan fried and very tender in a simple lemon sauce; the chicken is not greasy with a delicious, well-balanced herbed breading, just crunchy enough.

I couldn't take any photos of the food because it literally flew right past me, which was annoying. One thing I saw but never tasted were the leeeeettttle tiny chicken burgers. I normally don't like little tiny things, they bug me. But these are pretty cute, I must reluctantly admit. It's kind of like admitting you secretly like Hello Kitty. I feel lame.

Bruce's cooking is true to what he said in our interview, he does have a passion for simple foods and it shows in this menu. I probably wouldn't go back to have a grilled cheese sandwich, that's too simple even for me. But I would eat the meat dishes, and I would recommend them. Next time you are wandering by the Renaissance, it's a decent, classic option.

Jessica

WALLY'S BURGER

2011-07-27T16:37:00.000-07:00

Those who were fans are obviously aware that Wally's Burger re-opened in North Vancouver and in Killarney.

For those who aren't familiar with the name, here is a little background. Wally's Burger is an old East Vancouver establishment located on Kingsway that closed their doors in 2008 for a pre-sale apartment showroom that could really never get off the ground. Wally's has been around since the 60's and there was even an episode of 21 Jumpstreet filmed in there. They were known for their inexpensive burgers and their secret sauce.

We used to hit up Wally's Burgers for a cheap meal after breakdancing practice. Young hip hop heads are famous for being broke ass, never coat checking their jacket at the club, nursing a beer all night and knowing where the cheap eats spots are.

I used to order the combo burger (burger with a hot dog wiener inside) or the chuckwagon burger with fries, gravy and a banana shake. I remember it being cheap and I could kill some extra time playing the pinball machine there. The new menu has the old classics and some new joints on there as well.

The new Wally's Burger was fancy or maybe just felt clean in comparison to the old joint. It was not conducive to seating as the only seats inside were along the wall with a 12 inch board running down the sides to be used as a table. The menu was fancy, and instead of the Korean mom and pop behind the counter there were some good looking young kids there. It doesn't really matter who is behind the counter but I was kinda hoping to see the original owners in hopes they might recognize me.

As it has been about five years since I have been to Wally's Burger my barometer for comparison is definitely a little off and I like to think my palate has changed since then as well. The burgers were reasonably priced. All ball parked around the five dollar price point with an upgrade to the combo available for an additional $3.75. The burger wasn't how I remembered it, I felt the new burger tasted a little more gourmet or rather less ghetto than the original. It was still tasty but I couldn't find that uniqueness from Wally's that I remembered (maybe it was from the old grease or metal from the old stove). The new fries failed to create a lasting memory or jog old ones. In the end the burger was good but not the same as it was and not amazing, the poutine wasn't really worth the upgrade and the fries just weren't that crispy or that good. Putting nostalgia aside, the burger is decent for the price.

Does anyone know if the original owners opened up the two new locations or if they sold the company or created franchise opportunities?

Wally's Burger
49th and Elliot
Vancouver, BC

BODY BY PASTRAMI

2011-07-25T20:47:00.000-07:00

I love the United States. Where else in the world can you find Veuve Cliquot champagne and spray cheese in the same aisle in the grocery store?

Me and my girlfriends recently went on vacation to Portland, OR, and what a city. It's clean, friendly, well-kept, interesting and pretty even during a rainstorm (which we got caught in for a little while). My friend Scott makes regular trips to Portland and told me to check out Kenny and Zukes for breakfast. On our second day, we found it. When we walked in we were pissed off and wet; caught without umbrellas.

The first thing I noticed was that they sell t-shirts that say "Body by Pastrami" and that's damn hilarious. It made me feel better instantly. It's warm and inviting in there. I love a restaurant that serves you coffee in a real, thick-lipped mug:

Not only do they serve it to you in that most impressive mug, they serve quite possibly the best coffee I've ever tasted. I thought maybe I was just really in the mood for coffee but Jen and Chris both agreed. It's called Stumptown and the varietal was Guatemalan, and although I can't find that particular one on their website I'm sure the others are equally as good. Get your paws on some. Seriously.

I ordered the standard breakfast, two eggs over easy, hashbrowns, rye toast, bacon. Jen had the pastrami breakfast sandwich and Chris had the hash. The eggs are high quality and done perfectly, the potatoes are crunchy but not overdone, and best topped with their homemade hot sauce. The bacon is also high-quality and perfectly done and you know how I feel about bacon. We didn't speak at all during breakfast because it was too delicious. Chris said it was the best breakfast she ever had, and I agreed.

The staff are friendly and quirky and as we sat at the counter, they yakked away for and to us for as long as we were there. The kitchen is open plan and this chef (pictured below) was wearing a t-shirt with his family tree from North Carolina on it and I kept trying to read it, and as a result I think he thought I was creepy. He made sure to turn sideways whenever I was staring blankly at his chest, which was almost constantly:

Poor guy.

If you find yourself in Portland, even for a night or even passing through, this is the best breakfast you can get, full stop. Go there. Go. Do it.

Jessica

BRINGIN' HOME THE BACON

2011-07-24T23:40:00.000-07:00

If you're a fan of Re-Up BBQ - it goes without saying that we emphatically are - then you'll be glad to know that they're adding one more product to satiate your taste for all things porcine, except this time you'll be enjoying it at home.

Previously available only to a select few (ie those that knew to ask), the Re-Up crew are now offering their bacon (literally!) for wholesale through Two Rivers Specialty Meats. The bacon, from hormone-free, naturally raised Fraser Valley pork, is brined for a week in Maker's Mark, Red Racer IPA and ancho chile powder, and then lovingly smoked over pecan wood, a more mild smoke than mesquite or hickory. Taste the meat, not the (smoke filled) heat!

Read more >>>

GET PORKED, TWO WAYS

2011-07-23T17:47:00.000-07:00

BOOM SHAKKA LAKKA!!

I'm afraid of pork. It freaks me out because the consequences of cooking it incorrectly are not just simple food poisoning, it's getting a worm in your brain that slowly kills you. That's fucking disgusting.

But I'm coming to terms with it, because as I've said I don't really like chicken, and you can't eat red meat all the time. And pork really is delicious. I figure a little education and self-confidence is in order, and I can enjoy this shit. So I decided to make two different pork and potato meals, because practice makes perfect, and there is the perfect pork out there for everyone (hey-ooooooooooooooooo!!!):

Pork Marinade #1

1 tbsp ground coriander

1 1⁄2 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp ground cumin

2 tbsp smoked paprika

2 tbsp brown sugar

2 cloves garlic, minced

1-3 pork chops
sea salt, to taste

2 tbsp. canola oil

Herb Sauce #1

1 tsp coriander seeds

1⁄2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp ground cardamom

1⁄2 cup minced cilantro

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeño, stemmed, seeded and minced

3⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

sea salt, to taste

Vegetables

2 large potatoes or 6 new potatoes

4 tomatillos, peeled

2 poblano peppers

6 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

5 cloves garlic

Mix coriander, fennel, cumin, paprika, sugar, and garlic and stir to combine. Put pork on a plate and season generously with salt. Rub pork with coriander mixture and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour or refrigerate overnight.

Herb sauce: Mix coriander, cumin, and cardamom, cilantro, garlic, and jalapeños. Using a fork, whisk in olive oil and season sauce with salt; cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

Heat oven to 475°. Put potatoes, tomatillos and poblanos on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and bake, turning once, until tender, 40–50 minutes. Transfer to a plate; set aside.

Heat canola oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork and cook, turning, until browned on both sides, about 4 minutes. Place shallots cut side down under pork. Reduce heat to medium and cook until completely done. Transfer pork and shallots to a cutting board and let rest for 15 minutes. To serve, spoon sauce over pork.

This. Was. Stupid. Good. Recipe is courtesy of Saveur, the magazine that is my absolute favorite of all food magazines. Not your thing? Try pork Greek style (not that way perv, we're talking food here):

Pork #2
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp salt1 tsp pepper
6 garlic cloves, minced
yogurt & onion sauce: Stir together well 2 cups plain yogurt, 1/2 of a thinly sliced green onion, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 1/8 teaspoon ground coriander and 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1-3 pork chops

Combine olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, salt and pepper with 1-4 tbsp of the yoghurt and onion sauce (save the rest for the potatoes). Put chops in a ziplock bag and pour the mixture over top, seal and place in the fridge for 1 hour to overnight.

Potatoes
1/3 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups water
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary
2 cubes chicken bouillon
ground black pepper to taste
6 potatoes, peeled and quartered

Preheat oven to 350. In a small bowl, mix olive oil, water, garlic, lemon juice, thyme, rosemary and pepper. Boil 1 1/2 cups water and add to the 2 cubes of bouillon, whisk until completely dissolved. Add the olive oil mixture and stir together until completely blended.

Arrange potatoes evenly in the bottom of a medium baking dish. Pour the mixture over the potatoes. Cover, and bake 1 1/2 to 2 hours in the preheated oven, turning occasionally, until tender but firm.

Heat extra-virgin olive oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork and cook, turning, until browned on both sides, about 4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and cook until completely done.

Place pork alongside potatoes, with yoghurt and onion sauce on the side.

I love Greek food, and this is Greek done right. It's much milder if you prefer no spice and a cooler sauce.

So, pick the way you like to be porked, then get to it :)

Jessica

http://crasscuisine.blogspot.com/

BEENTOO SANDWICH & BBQ

2011-07-22T14:53:00.000-07:00

I've often wondered what it must have been like to eat at the first McDonald's, before it became a multinational cultural juggernaut, a gleaming beacon of a world spun madly out of control at a breakneck pace. When it was still an earnest mom and pop business, eager to serve an honest burger for an honest buck.

It might have been like Beentoo Sandwich & BBQ, one of the oddest new establishments in the downtown core. On its face, the place just dishes out simple food - burgers, sandwiches, a random oddity here and there. No frills, no fuss, just straight-up calories, served with a smile.

THE (DOWNTOWN) KOREAN TACOS

2011-07-16T18:16:00.000-07:00

Since the Kogi trucks first hit it big a few years back in Los Angeles, it seems that any city with a food cart program will inevitably see a variation - or outright copy - of their Korean-meets-Mexican (trying hard not to use the word 'fusion' here) fare. And so it is with Vancouver, and here's a review of two food carts downtown that fit in that category, and, more specifically, the tacos they offer.

(Note: before you send/leave us cranky emails or comments, we also know about our glaring omission, not having included Coma Food Truck. There's two reasons for this: (a) at the time we wrote this, Coma simply wasn't running in the downtown core, and (b) we just plain haven't made it out to try them yet...but will soon enough. We also didn't include the Roaming Dragon's taco, as their menu is much more pan-Asian than Korean specific.)

THAT'S HOT

2011-07-12T19:14:00.000-07:00

I'm on vacation right now, and I'm spending part of it traveling and part of it at home for a little staycaishe action. Right now I'm in the staycaishe part. So far, I've spent most of it staring out the window drinking root beer in my underpants. Which is just fine with me.

I'm taking this home-time to do some domestic stuff, and cook things that have been in the back of my mind for awhile. One of these is stuffed peppers (it's another Saveur recipe. I should just change the name of this blog to "Shit I made from Saveur"). I love peppers and chiles and putting cheese in them only makes a great thing greater:

Peppers Stuffed with Feta

from Saveur with my slight modifications

4-6 Fresno or Anaheim chiles (I used Anaheim, much more common here in BC)
1/2 small container of feta
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp Greek yoghurt
1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
1-2 tsp lemon zest
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1 egg yolk
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese for sprinkling

Set oven to broil, place washed chiles on a cookie sheet, broil for 5 minutes until just tender. Remove and place in the fridge to cool completely.

In a mixing bowl combine feta, oil, yoghurt, parsley, lemon zest, yolks, oregano, salt and pepper and mix well, mashing into a paste with a wooden spoon. Once chiles are cool, slice directly down the middle from the stem, and scoop out seeds with a spoon. Place the feta mixture in the peppers, sprinkle the tops with Parmesan, place back in the broiler until cheese is golden brown and bubbly. Transfer to a plate and serve hot.

MMMMMMMMM. Broiling these peppers actually kills most of their heat so don't be shy even if you're not a huge fan of hot foods. If you are looking for a little heat orgy, try the same recipe with Jalepenos or Habaneros. Although I think you're a little mental if you do. Just sayin'.

I had mine on the side of two scrambled eggs and toast for a nice light lunch. Makes a great appetizer or part of a larger, family style meal.

I might be hanging out almost exclusively in my underwear, but at least I'm not doing this:

Stella is a little put out that I've been spending so much time at home, I think she's offended that I'm cutting into her alone-time. I don't really care. Last night I slept on the couch just to make it seem like I was camping. It was fun until my shoulder cramped up. I'm also using this time to wander around neighbourhoods I don't usually go to, like Main Street and Granville Island. It's kind of fun to pretend to be a tourist in your own city. I highly recommend it! Get out there.

Jessica

http://crasscuisine.blogspot.com

VERACE PIZZA - TRUE SAY

2011-07-11T23:11:00.000-07:00

With great power comes great responsibility and with great ingredients generally comes a higher price tag. With the introduction of The Bibo and Nicli, the old concept of pizza in Vancouver has changed. Pizza is no longer the meal that you give to your friends after you move or watch a UFC fight. 30 dollars doesn't get you a large pizza with stuffed crust at these new pizzarias. The gourmet pizza is here and there are more and more opening up in the neighbourhood.

Welcome Verace (meaning true, genuine or real) to Tinseltown/Gastown. The location surprised me, as it wasn't on the developed side of Keefer but down in the cul-de-sac by TnT. The interior wasn't impressive, it felt like what a tourist trap in Rome (or in Vancouver, for that matter) would look like. It's not something that you would hate or feel dirty in, just nothing original.

We ordered a three pizzas for the group of three. The Verace Margherita DOP (more on that certification just below), Funghi and Prosciutto e Rucola; all were about 18 dollars each.

The pizza came out incredibly fast. From the time it took to order to reaching our tables, less than 3 minutes. The chef said it took 20 seconds to stretch the dough, and 60 seconds in the oven. With a gas powered, brick stove set at 800 degrees F, it wouldn't take long to bake a thin crust pizza.

The crew agreed that the pizza was delicious. The Napoletana pizza is intended to be eaten quickly as the longer it sits, the tougher the dough gets. For this reason, I would order one pizza at a time so you can ensure you have the pizza at its best form. The Funghi (mushroom) was our favourite and the prosciutto was fantastic, with almost a whole package of arugula on top.

DOP Certification: Verace offers two types of Margherita pizza. The DOP version was about 5 dollars more.

The San Marzano tomato is Italy's most famous plum tomato. The tomatoes are grown in Campania, in the volcanic soil from Mount Vesuvious (maybe the bones from the citizens of Pompeii helped keep the soil rich with organic matter and give the tomatoes a nice taste) and harvested by hand. Naples, commonly known as the birthplace of pizza, is located in Campania. The origin of these tomatoes is so important that they receive a EU certification, for which companies that qualify can boast using the DOP logo (Denominazione d' Origine Protetta) on their label. The interesting part is there are companies calling themselves 'San Marzano' even though they don't sell tomatoes from the region, in an attempt to falsely brand their product.

There are also tiers of certification. The red logo is for product that is entirely manufactured in Campania and the blue logo, which is seen from time to time on some cans, is for product that is only partially manufactured in Campania. The Italissima ones from Bosa boast the red DOP certification.

Napoletana Certification

There is also third party certification for Napoletana pizza makers. The certification badge doesn't look official (like a KKK member holding a Japanese paddle) and I am not sure if it is widely accepted as the gold standard but they do list criteria for what they feel a Napoletana pizzeria should be. One of the conditions that they do list - which Verace doesn't meet - is that the pizza should be made in a wood burning oven that reaches 900 degrees F (I am not sure if Vancouver will let a new restaurant have a wood burning oven). Another condition is that the pizzeria uses a list of prescribed quality ingredients, and in this category Versace does meet the standard. Then again, paying $2000 dollars for the certification doesn't seem worth it.

Verace Pizzeria

189 Keefer Place

Vancouver, BC

Matt

Above: San Marzano brand plum tomatoes (left) and Italissima San Marzano DOP Certified tomatoes (right)

Vince and I did a Breaking Bread Podcast here with G-Man. Be on the look out for that.

PRONTO CAFFE

2011-07-10T18:17:00.000-07:00

Pronto Caffe
Pronto Caffe does their interior right. It is a refreshing view compared to the clean but soul less interiors that we often see. The inside has an old Italian caffe vibe to it, and it just feels proper. I haven't been to Italy for a few years so I can't say it is true to form, but the mirrored wall and the hexagon tiles look fantastic. The branding and signage are cute and clean. A great job to whoever did their creative work.

For our meal, the two of us shared a porchetta sandwich ($8 - we asked for light mayo on the sandwich), the soup of the day ($4) and a green salad ($6). The green salad was clean and tasty, and the use of mizuna leaves in it made me happy. The salad wasn't anything amazing but the price and name didn't advertise anything different. The soup of the day was creamy fennel and was exceptionally tasty and creamy but needed to be served at a hotter temperature. The porchetta was nice and I had a good portion of crackling in mine. The porchetta was a little different than Meat and Bread's version (maybe a little saltier) but still good. I prefer the bun they use at Pronto which was par baked and finished in the Caffe, however the presentation of the sandwich and chimichurri sauce at Meat and Bread is better.

The place looks great and the food is good. A great addition to the Cambie neighbourhood.

Pronto Caffe

3473 Cambie Street

Vancouver BC
www.prontocaffe.com

Matt

THAT CHICKEN IS A REAL ASSHOLE

2011-07-10T10:12:00.000-07:00

Continuing in my mission to find a chicken dish that I like, I decided to try Saveur's recipe for jerk chicken. Some other names I've used to refer to this dish over the last few days:

Personal issues chicken
Bastard chicken
Anti-social chicken
Prick chicken
Thinks-his-shit-don't-stank chicken

The marinade in and of itself smells amazing and tempted me to eat it with a spoon:

Jerk Chicken

Marinade:
combine the following in a blender or food processor
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
4 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp dried thyme
2 tbsp soy sauce
4 tsp ground allspice
8 cloves garlic
5 habanero chiles (the original recipe at Saveur calls for 8, but this is too spicy for most people)
8 green onions, roughly chopped
2 shallots, roughly chopped
1 1" piece of peeled ginger, roughly chopped
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Directions:
place 5-8 chicken pieces (thighs and legs, bone in) in a baking dish, pour sauce all over top, making sure each piece is totally covered. Cover with plastic and leave in the fridge for 8 hours or overnight.

Place on a BBQ or a grill pan on a stovetop and leave to grill, about 20 minutes each side, depending on thickness of the chicken. Transfer to plate and serve.

Yes. YES! I have found a chicken dish I like:

I went over to Junior's and we made this on his barbeque. It's zesty and spicy and juicy and exotic and all the things I love about well-marinated meat. It's heavy on spice so if spice is not your thing, I'd skip it. Goes great with a cool salad. Enjoy!

Jessica

http://crasscuisine.blogspot.com/

YUJI'S JAPANESE TAPAS

2011-07-07T21:34:00.000-07:00

Some people have their go-to watering holes, and we - like many living in the GVRD - had our go-to sushi joint. It's one that we've visited once every seven to ten days since we first moved to the city in 2006, one where we've grown comfortable and familiar in. At times, we've seen the staff more frequently than members of our own family. Loyalty runs deep.

That place is Yuji's Japanese Tapas, and it closes its doors after service on Saturday.

Yuji's sat in an interesting niche. It's not quite a traditional sushi restaurant: its broad menu offered as many cooked items as raw, where a spicy tuna roll co-existed with a scallop habanero tartare. It's not quite a Vancouver izakaya: though the menu is sympathetic, there's no after-work drinks here, no loud calamity, no orders hollered across the room. Instead, Yuji's - much like its namesake - was a calm affair, nestled on the borderline between both genres.

It's where we had our first mango roll in this city, a pedestrian affair for locals but exotic to transplants from the Prairies, and graduated onwards to other items. It's where we saw our first housemade tamago cooling on the counter, its shade finally that of real egg, rather than the yellow fluorescence of that mass produced stuff that we've since learned to reject. Sitting at our usual spot at the counter, it's where we'd ask Yuji for his freshest offerings, and often treated to just-arrived geoduck, baby hamachi, local octopus or other Japanese fish that weren't easily translated. It's where we first saw a Japanese restaurant offer amuse bouches, where Yuji's creativity often flourished most (the yuzu/pepper gelee is still a highlight), offered to regulars who had grown to trust him and whom he had grown to trust as well.

And, while admitting that all objectivity has long gone out the door, it's Yuji's I've often used as a benchmark for all other restaurants, Japanese or not, one that even Yuji didn't meet all the time. But when he did, true of most occasions, eating at the restaurant was the bright spot of that week, one we'd grown to depend on for the past few years.

But we move on, and so does Yuji. Visit one last time before the doors close - see you there.

Joe.

Yuji's Japanese Tapas
2059 West 4th Avenue
Vancouver, BC V6J 1M7
(604) 734-4990

UPDATED: Pictures of the last few nights at Yuji's.

A cherry tomato in yuzu/pepper gelee.

Roe on kelp.

Norimaki salad, with crab.

Tuna and salmon wasabi tempura.

Agedashi tofu.

Housemade tamago.

Sashimi platter: big eye tuna, hamachi belly, toro, geoduck, amberjack, Japanese sea bream.

Maguro avocado crepe.

Spicy curry calamari.

Sweet potato tempura sticks.

Chicken karaage.

Cold ramen, served with shoyu chicken broth for dipping.

Yuji Otsuka.

PIE DAYS OF SUMMER, VOL. 2

2011-07-05T20:27:00.000-07:00

Ah, barbeque season. Cold drinks, hot sun, sizzling meat and veggies. It's really the very best thing ever. I was invited to one recently and we took in the overflowing windowboxes and pots and the setting sun while stuffing ourselves with steak salad. I was in charge of dessert, so I pondered my pie progress and decided on lemon meringue:

Lemon Meringue Pie

For the crust:

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 stick unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:

1/3 cup cornstarch
1 cup white sugar
4 large egg yolks (from white eggs, unless you want orangey-lemon meringue pie)
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 3 large lemons)
1 1/4 cup water
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp freshly grated lemon zest (from about 2 large lemons)

For the meringue:

4 large egg whites
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup white sugar

Crust:

Preheat oven to 375. Combine crushed graham cracker crumbs and butter in a medium bowl and mix well. Press into the bottom of a pie pan and up the sides to form an even crust, about 9 inches across. Bake for about 10 minutes or until golden brown, set aside to cool.

Filling:

Combine cornstarch, sugar, egg yolks, and lemon juice in a saucepan. Add water and whisk until blended. Cook over medium to medium-high heat until mixture begins to thicken. Remove from heat and add lemon zest and butter and stir constantly until mixture becomes pudding-like in consistency and completely blended.

Pour the mixture into the crust and cover with parchment paper and leave to cool until room temperature.

Meringue:

Refrigerate egg whites until cool, not cold. Add salt and beat until creamy, then begin to add sugar gradually until stiff glossy peaks form. Spread the meringue over the pie making sure to meet the meringue and crust, if not completely covering the crust so that the meringue won't shrink. I find a small spatula works well for this job. Bake pie at 375 for 10 minutes or until meringue is golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool completely. Then refrigerate overnight. Serve chilled.

The following group of photos I like to call "Pie Porn":

Oh, yum. Lemon pie is a great hot weather food. Serve yourself a big slice and enjoy the heat!

Jessica

http://crasscuisine.blogspot.com/

VANCOUVER SLOP (MATT) COOKS AGAIN

2011-07-04T17:57:00.000-07:00

When the Waldorf first re opened last year, I had an amazing steak in the Leeteg Room. The steak was only on the menu for a few months but it along with some other menu items like the black cod quesadilla, and the tacos were taken off the menu (I heard the chef left the Leeteg Room).

The steak was memorable and since it was taken off the menu I was inspired to make it at home.

Chimichurri sauce (based on the epicurious recipe with some additions/omissions)

1 cup Fresh Italian Parsley

1/2 cup Olive Oil

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

1/4 cup cilantro

4 garlic cloves peeled

3/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

Stick it all in your blender or in my case an inversion blender and then let sit for an hour.

The Steak.

I follow the Alton Brown technique for making the steak.

Heat up the oven to about 500 degrees. Place your cast iron frying pan in the oven until it becomes super hot (about 5 mins).

Rub both sides your steak with grape seed oil, salt and pepper.

Take out your pan using an oven mitt and place the pan on the stove element (already at high heat) and sear each side of the steak for 35 seconds. This should give you that nice crust or char. Then put the pan with the steak on it back in the oven for 3 minutes per side (depending on the size of the steak) and cook to the desired tenderness. I prefer to use a meat thermometer rather than the palm firmness technique to gauge the tenderness.

Let the meat rest and then pour on your chimichurri sauce.

Pictured above served over quinoa.

Latitude serves a steak with chimichurri sauce.

Matt

LOBSTAH!

2011-07-03T17:24:00.000-07:00

I've never cooked a lobster. I refuse to do a live one, I'll just agonize about it for days afterwards. I've only had lobster before once in my life, and I seem to recall that it was delicious. I was determined to cook some after I realized that I've never seen the Atlantic ocean. God, I'm the worst traveler. And since I can't see it any time soon, I thought I would have a piece of it for dinner. This is what I came up with:

Lobster Salad
1 lobster tail, fresh and packed in broth
1 bunch frisee
1/2 medium sized beet
1 avocado
Handful pea shoots
1/2 grapefruit, peeled and separated

Dressing:
1/2 small shallot, chopped fine
2 chives, chopped fine
1/2 tbsp dijon mustard
Glug of extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp champagne vinegar

Mix ingredients together for the dressing, blend together well with a spoon, set aside. Boil a large pot of well salted water and cook lobster, about 3-5 minutes. Remove, place in a bowl and put in the refrigerator. Wash frisee and make a bed of it out of approximately 8 leaves. Place pea shoots on top. Cut the beets into matchsticks and place to one side. Slice avocado and place on the opposite side. Place lobster in the center. Sprinkle the grapefruit over all, then top all with dressing. Serve.

It was as good as it looks.

Here's a bit of lobster advice that I learned from the very nice lady at the Lobster Man (who you should absolutely go to if you live in Vancouver and have a hankering for fresh seafood): If you are on a budget and still want fresh lobster, the best way to go is to get it fresh and packed in it's broth. That way, you can use what you need and freeze it if necessary, the juice will help preserve the flavour. Many recipes also call for fish broth, and lobster broth is a great substitute, so when you have finished the lobster freeze the leftover broth on its own. Also now is lobster season so if you want to try it, act now. I got two gorgeous tails for $23. Steal of a deal.

I gave a piece to Stella, who didn't want it. Seriously this is the weirdest cat. She only wants chicken and tea, not water or beef or fish or any of that other shit that cats are supposed to like. Mind you, she did look at me like this the entire time while I was cooking, which was sort of sweet. I call it the "How was your day?" pose:

Aw.

It's officially summertime! Gorgeous and hot and blue sky for miles. In recognition of it's long-awaited arrival, I give you "Summertime" by the greatest baritone that ever lived, Paul Robeson. Enjoy:

Jessica

http://crasscuisine.blogspot.com/

MICHIGAN NOODLE SHOP - ALL ABOUT THE DONUT

2011-07-01T14:12:00.000-07:00

There were two big realizations I had from my recent Hong Kong trip. One was that the Chinese food in Vancouver is really amazing and the second is that dish as simple as congee can taste incredible.

I still haven't found a spot in Vancouver that can make congee as well as I had it in Hong Kong but so far the best is Michigan Noodle Shop Ltd.

The congee is good here but the what sets this place apart is the fresh Chinese donut. When it comes out of the kitchen warm, and just out of the deep fryer it gives my tongue goosebumps. It is a bit oily, but what do you expect from something that just came out of the deep fryer. The difference between a fresh Chinese donut and a previously cooked one is immense. Think about the first time you had a fresh falafel, simply amazing. Michigan Noodle Shop's other speciality is the wonton egg noodles which is also impressive but in my opinion sits in the shadow casted by the Chinese Donut.

The other dishes were good but the real treat is the Chinese donut and wonton noodles.

Michigan Noodle Shop Ltd

8580 Alexandra Road

Richmond BC

The parking lot can be one of the biggest issues for me and on my last visit I got in a heated debate with another driver. In my opinion, you can't call a parking spot once you have passed it, I don't care if your signal light is on. If you drive past it and your intent wasn't to back into it, you have lost it. I am sure Larry David would agree with me.

CAUSE IT'S SUMMERTIME

2011-06-30T13:50:00.000-07:00

"Break to ya crib change your clothes once more,cause you're invited to a barbecue that's starting at 4."

Summertime = barbecue = email us at vancouverslop@gmail.com to get your Steaks is High apron. $20 will get you nods from all the Dilla AND George Foreman fans.

VIETNAMESE - THATS WHAT THE SIGN SAYS

2011-06-28T22:10:00.000-07:00

Cambie Vietnamese Restaurant
There is good and bad Vietnamese food and unfortunately my palate is not refined enough to accurately tell the difference between great Vietnamese pho and amazing Vietnamese pho. My body can tell if there is a ton of MSG added. Today, I had the buns.

The Cambie Vietnamese Restaurant has always been interesting to me because their signage outside just say VIETNAMESE in huge letters. I am pretty sure the province won't let you name your business after the people inhabiting Vietnam, but I guess that doesn't mean you signage can't. The other interesting thing is that this restaurant isn't even on Cambie, it is on Main.

The food was good but the story here is about the man on the floor. He greats people using every term of endearment known to man, during my time there I heard brother, boss, sir, man and mam sir. He was dynamic while making his rounds on the floor and thanked the filipino crew beside us with a "salamat po". I have some friends that swear by this place and I would say the food is as good as the next Vietnamese spot but the characters inside make the experience that much more enjoyable.

Cambie Vietnamese Restaurant

4136 Main Street

Vancouver, BC

Matt

PIE DAYS OF SUMMER

2011-06-28T21:22:00.000-07:00

One of my hobbies is maintaining a state of constant confusion amongst my extended family as to my sexual orientation. The idea of keeping them guessing came to me after a strange conversation with my grandmother, who in the middle of casual conversation told me that if I was gay, it was okay. I'm straight, and not at all offended that someone would think I wasn't, but it was odd. What was it about me that made my grandma think I needed a good gay pep-talk? My bobbed hair? My no husband? What? Did it matter? A good person would have said something like "grandma that's really nice of you to tell me that, but I'm not gay". I, however, am not a good person. An imp stirred in me. I gave her no details or thanks. I just smiled and said "when do we eat?" Thus, the idea was born.

Last summer I became interested in baking pies from scratch, which I think people generally found confusing, and not just sexually. Me - who had never done a domestic thing in my life up until that point. The short-haired-no-husband-might-be-a-lesbian was now trying to be some kind of '50s housewife? What gives?

Well, what gives is nothing, really. I just suddenly became really interested in baking pies. And since then I've made a cherry pie, a strawberry, a blueberry and a key lime. And I have to say that almost all of them have turned out really well. I love making fruit pies with lattice crusts on top, it's so rustic and picnic-y and cute. As summer is a few days old and it's getting nice and hot and nothing reminds me of summer more than coconut, I made a coconut cream pie of my own quick and dirty recipe. And I was thinking I should make a little series about pies, since I love making them so much. This will be the first of many pies I will make this summer:

Coconut Cream Pie

1 box instant vanilla pudding mix
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1 frozen pie shell
whites of 3 eggs
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 tsp salt

Thaw pie crust and prick the bottom (he he, prick) with a fork. Bake at 350 until lightly brown, about 10 minutes. Remove and let cool. Follow directions on vanilla pudding and assemble. Mix 1/2 cup of shredded coconut into the pudding and pour into the pie shell. Leave to cool until room temperature.

Take cooled egg whites, add salt. Whip until stiff, glossy peaks form. Spread on top of pie, making sure the meringue touches the sides of the crust so it doesn't shrink. I've found a good way to do this is put a blob of meringue next to the edge with a spatula and press down on top of the blob to make it touch. Get a little creative making peaks and valleys with your meringue. Sprinkle shredded coconut on top of the meringue. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for 4 hours, preferably overnight.

Of course, being a complete pig, I tried to eat a piece of this pie before it cooled, and it sort of caused a flood of hot pudding into the empty piece, so I couldn't cover up my crime when I took the cooled pie into work the next day. "Why does this one piece have no meringue or crust?" Fuck you. That's why.

I promise I will make more creative, from scratch pies that aren't so instant, but we are warming up here. More to come.

Happy summer!

Jessica

http://crasscuisine.blogspot.com/

CHICKEN CACC-22

2011-06-26T11:04:00.000-07:00

I met this guy at a hipster bar a few months ago who suggested we hook up in the most strangely poetic way, giving me the creeps and managing to sound like Keats at the same time: "come by on Saturday, I'll be cooking chicken in the park".

I don't think he ever said what park he would be cooking said chicken in, there are a lot of parks in Vancouver. And little pathways with benches that people like to drink on. The possibilities are endless. Although to be fair he could very well have said what park, but it was really loud in there and I was fairly hammered. In response I think I said something like "I don't..... know what..... park you mean I..... don't live...around.....here".

We never did meet up and have chicken.

I was thinking about that little exchange while I was in the bathtub recently and wondering why I don't cook a lot of chicken. It's just not a meat I'm drawn to. I HATE handling it, it reminds me of breast implants or plastic barbie body parts or prosthetic testicles or something (I've never seen/handled any of these, btw), and I don't really love the taste of it. That being said, I've always wanted to try chicken cacciatore, convinced that multiple chicken-loving nations couldn't be wrong:

Chicken Cacciatore
2 chicken breasts
1 small red pepper
1 small yellow onion
3 garlic cloves
1 can diced tomatoes with juice
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 cup fresh basil
2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Sprinkle the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour to coat lightly. In a saute pan, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and saute just until brown, about 5 mins per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. Add the bell pepper, onion and garlic to the same pan and saute over medium heat until the onion is tender. Season with salt and pepper. Add the tomatoes with their juice, broth and oregano. Return the chicken to the pan and turn them to coat in the sauce. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Continue simmering over medium-low heat until the chicken is just cooking through, about 30 mins. Serve.

The result? I ate it and it was filling and nutritious, but I think they should change the name to chicken caccia-boring. I just couldn’t get too excited about it. Sure it’s good, rustic, hearty, I should love it, but I don’t. It doesn’t have enough unique flavor for me.

I read somewhere that if you want to shake up this dish, you should add gnocchi, which is a great suggestion. I didn’t, because I was so bored that I fell asleep while boiling the water. I’m bored even writing about this dish. Yawn.

I don’t like to just bitch about things that are unsatisfactory, I like to do something about it. It’s one of my only redeeming qualities. So instead of giving up on chicken altogether just because of cacciaboring, I’m going to find a chicken recipe that makes me drool. Stay tuned.

Jessica

http://crasscuisine.blogspot.com/

ZABU - KOREAN FRIED CHICKEN

2011-06-23T08:03:00.000-07:00

Koreans love their Starcraft, the pop singer Rain and their fried chicken. While fried chicken is a very satisfying snack when you are playing your real time strategy computer game, it does make your keyboard greasy and you could lose some valuable time that you could have used to build more Protoss units.

I couldn't find too much on the interweb about the origin of fried chicken in Korea, maybe it was the Korean war or maybe it was the love for Americana? Regardless, fried chicken is a very popular and prominent thing in Korea and it has been for a while. I had some great Korean Fried Chicken in K-Town LA, which was double fried and just wet my appetite for more.

Zabu is located at the bottom of Robson, close to where all the Japanese ramen and izakayas are. The chicken was incredible. Soo moist with a nice light batter. I am still craving it. Zabu offers the chicken wings in three forms, unglazed, soy glaze or hot. I didn't order the hot this time but from my previous experience with Korean Fried Chicken the hot is ridiculous and it burnt my taste buds for the rest of the night. The unglazed is decent but the soy glaze is off the hook. A nice sweet taste that didn't taste like soya sauce but more like a light honey garlic flavour, either way still great. They seemed to be less greasy compared to our KFC and Church's counterpart. These wings are soo good that I no longer crave Phnom Penh, I long for Zabu.

The rest of the meal was good. The Japchae was tasty and the infinite panch'an always keeps the table happy. The service wasn't exactly on point but it was a busy night.

Can someone please school me on Korean Fried Chicken and how it became so big in Korea?

Maybe Robocop brought fried chicken to Korea.

Zabu
1635 Robson Street
Vancouver, BC

Matt

He ain't heavy, he's my Grandpa

2011-06-21T20:36:00.000-07:00

Right as Christian Audigier became popular, and before I knew what Ed Hardy was, I became profoundly confused at the number of signs around town that exclaimed “We have Ed Hardy!” and “Ed Hardy 50% Off!!!!”, because Ed Hardy is my grandfather’s name.

When I realized that Ed Hardy was a line of clothes with tattoo art, I thought ha ha, that’s funny, grandpa will think that’s hilarious. When I realized that the clothes were purchased exclusively by douchebags, I began to get a little defensive. Let’s be clear now:

Ed Hardy is not clubwear for douchebags. Ed Hardy is an 82 year old retired horticulturalist who lives in White Rock.

Here is a chart for your convenience:

Ed Hardy (clothing)	Ed Hardy (the man)
Cheaply made	Built to last – healthy as a horse at 82
Ugly concept	Handsome in his youth and now
Worn by deadbeat dad Jon Gosslin, who became famous for ditching his wife and 8 kids	Married to the same woman for 57 years and father of three girls
Ridiculously expensive	Grew up during the depression, knows how to save, bargain, and grow his own food
Only assholes wear it	You calling my grandpa an asshole?
Anyone wearing Ed Hardy in my hometown would get beat up	No one beats up Ed Hardy. Ed Hardy is badass.

So there you have it. There is no comparison.

Now that we’ve cleared that up, let’s move on to one of the many positive contributions the real Ed Hardy has made to this world (and if you’re keeping score: Ed Hardy: 30,000; Christian Audigier: 0): his Caesar salad. Grandpa’s Caesars are the best you’ve ever had. My grandparents both believe in eating healthy, homegrown foods wherever possible. And through the years, they have grown a lot of food in their massive gardens. I admire them for that: it was fashionable when they were my age to serve Technicolor foods to your family. They never, ever did.

This is a real Caesar, and the real, original version didn't have any dairy in it. You can add Parmesan if you like, but it's not necessary:

Ed Hardy's Caesar Salad

(note, this recipe is enough for one dinner-size serving, adjust up or down as needed)

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice (fresh is key)
1 tsp anchovy paste (or 1 tbsp chopped whole anchovies)
1 tsp whole grain French mustard
1 clove fresh garlic, crushed in a press
sea salt and pepper to taste

Mix the following together well in a small bowl, and drizzle over freshly washed and chopped Romaine hearts. Serve.

Gramps really knocks it out of the park with this salad. If you are not a fish fan, then this version is not for you. However if you are, it's ten times better than what you're used to, I can guarantee that.

Goes great with a back porch and a glass of wine while watching summer come gradually out of hiding. Enjoy!

Jessica

www.crasscuisine.blogspot.com

FRESH LOCAL WILD (REDUX)

2011-06-20T16:19:00.000-07:00

If it feels like you've read this review before, it's for a reason. Though, in some ways, it's been off the streets for months, Fresh Local Wild is serving the masses again, but in a different incarnation. Not long after we reviewed the original cart, chef Josh Wolfe and Andrew Fielding parted ways. Fielding kept the menu and re-opened as Kaboom Box in the original Granville/Robson location, but Wolfe kept the original name. And now we've got a familiar, though brand new, cart on our hands.

PHNOM PENH - GUEST BLOGGING

2011-06-19T09:46:00.000-07:00

We have covered Phnom Penh on VS already so when I made a return visit, I asked my friend to write her thoughts about it.

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On a busy Friday night, my family and I ended up at Phnom Penh for dinner. It was crowded, busy and noisy but it smelled delicious and I was excited for some chicken wings.

Phnom Phen's reputation precedes it as a hidden gem of Cambodian and Vietnamese Cuisine and the first few times you go, you are charmed by the seeming authenticity of the setting and the food that comes out of the kitchen, but each time I go, I get less and less excited about going.

We ordered Phnom Phen's signature dishes - the deep fried Garlic Chili Chicken Wings and the deep fried squid. Both stood up to their reputations and were the perfect combination of sweet and salty and deep fried to perfection.

We also ordered the oyster omelette which was I found to be too heavy and not the most appetizing combination. We ordered their dry noodle special, a popular traditional Vietnamese dish, with a mix of egg and rice noodles, prawns, strips of barbequed beef (which were too dry) and bits of fried garlic and green onions mixed with their house sauce. I quite enjoyed this dish, though my sister thinks the one at Lemongrass is better.

The fried rice and the sauteed greens in garlic were both good, but they are not dishes that I would come back for especially. I will say that the service was good; the gentlemen serving us was helpful with the menu and happy to answer our questions. The food is also pretty reasonably priced, and you can get your fill for under $20 per person.

Overall, I think there is too much MSG in the food and I still maintain that the dish they are famous for is really the only reason to come back. Phnom Phen, whatever you are doing to those chicken wings - keep on doing it.

They do take out as well, so anyone living near by should consider a pairing of beer and chicken wings for a nice night on the many stoops and patios and parks around the neighbourhood to celebrate the warm weather, whenever it shows up.

Phnom Penh
244 East Georgia Street
Vancouver, BC

Facepalm

2011-06-16T21:27:00.000-07:00

I’m typing this with one hand because my other hand is holding my head in shame, which means it’s fairly slow going. I know everyone has something to say about the Vancouver Stanley cup riots, and now it's my turn:

If I could write a letter to all the Vancouver rioters and be sure they would read it, it would go something like this:

Dear Vancouver Rioters,

1994 called, they want their riot back. If you can’t act like grownups, don’t embarrass the rest of us by putting us to worldwide, public shame for your boorishness. Focus your energy instead on a 9-piece jigsaw puzzle, or something else you would find equally as challenging.

No love,

Ugh. I’m humiliated for my city. A few spoiled brat thugs ruined it for the rest of us. Yes we lost. Yes we’re disappointed. Burning our own city? Please. Have your tantrum in private.

A few points of note:

1. Those were not real hockey fans.

2. Somalia, Egypt, Libya? They riot over Government. Vancouver rioted over a lost hockey game

3. They should have looked to the Canucks for how to behave. They behaved like gentlemen after their loss. Sportsmanlike conduct is a real thing. Look it up, rioters.

4. Looting? You live in one of the richest countries in the world.

I know no one who participated in the riots. In fact, those people don’t know anyone who did and those people don’t know anyone who did and those people don’t know anyone who did. Please believe that this does not represent Vancouver. We are not a city of thugs. We are a young city who are still working out a few kinks but we are genuinely good at heart. To wit: the over 1000 people who got up at the crack of dawn to help clean up the morning after and continued for most of the day; The Citizen’s Wall at the Bay; sold out flowers at Urban Fare.

In the spirit of peace, friendship and sportsmanship, I made a Boston Cream Pie:

Boston Cream Pie

Cake:

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 ½ cups cake flour

2 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

6 tbsp butter

¾ cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ cup milk

Filling:

½ cup light cream

½ cup milk

¼ cup sugar

Pinch salt

4 tsp cornstarch

2 eggs

½ tsp vanilla

Chocolate Frosting:

3 1 oz squares semisweet chocolate

2 tbsp butter

¼ cup light cream

½ tsp vanilla extract

½ cup confectioners’ sugar

Preheat the oven to 375. Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans. Mix the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder and salt together and set aside.

In a deep bowl cream the 6 tbsp butter with the ¾ cup of sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the 2 eggs, one and a time, then beat in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture alternately with the ½ cup milk in 3 additions, beating the batter smooth after each addition. Divide the batter between the 2 prepared pans. Bake for 15 minutes or until the cakes begin to shrink away from the sides of the pans and centers spring back when lightly pressed. Remove from cake pans. Here's where it gets tricky: scrape around all the sides and as far as you can underneath because this is a fragile cake and will crumble if you don't. You can repair the cracks later with the custard and icing, but still. Leave to cool.

To make the filling, combine the ½ cup light cream with ¼ cup of milk and cook over medium heat until bubbles begin to form around the edge of the pan. Immediately add ¼ sugar and the salt, stirring until dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat.

In a small bowl, combine the other ¼ cup milk with the cornstarch and whisk to remove lumps. Whisk in the 2 eggs. Add the hot cream mixture in a thin stream, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the saucepan, bring to a boil, and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens and is smooth (about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in the ½ tsp vanilla and allow to cool to room temp.

To make the chocolate frosting, take a heavy saucepan and over low heat, stir the chocolate pieces and 2 tbsp butter until they are completely melted. Remove from the heat and stirring constantly, add the ¼ cup light cream in a thin steady stream. When mixture is smooth, stir in the confectioners’ sugar and beat vigorously. Stir in the ½ tsp vanilla.

Spread the cooled filling over one of the cooled cakes and place the second cake on top. Pour the chocolate frosting evenly over the top allowing it to spill down the sides.

I humbly offer this pie on behalf of the City of Vancouver to the 2011 Stanley Cup Champions, The Boston Bruins. Congratulations! I’m sorry for the conduct of a few punks after your victory. If you come back, I’ll cook for you anytime.

PS. Zdeno Chara, I’ll still cook for you, but you’re scary with your height. I can’t decide if I want to run away or swing off you like money bars. Just sayin’.

VANCOUVER SLOP

EAT MY SAUSAGE

CHINESE RESTAURANT AWARDS - PHOTOGRAPHS BY MAURICE LI

TACOS TECALITLAN

THE 2011 SLOP PRESS GIFT GUIDE

OH NATURE, YOU SO CRAZY

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10 REASONS WHY I WENT TO TRADER JOES (THIS TIME)

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DUNN'S FAMOUS DELI & AMERICAN CHEESESTEAK CO.

THE SIMPSONS - THREE MOUTHKETEERS

I LOVE THIS BITCH

'TIS (ALMOST THE) SEASON: A KITCHENAID GIVEAWAY

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BEEFY STEW

CIRCLE CRAFT CHRISTMAS MARKET GIVEAWAY

DIPSHIT

GOOD EATIN' AT RHYMES WITH SQUIRRELS

MOM'S GRILLED CHEESE TRUCK

SEA CHOICE PROGRAM

NOODLE BOX

HOW PEACHY

MED RARE BURGERS - HAMILTON STREET GRILL AND BURGERS ETC.

DON'T BE A RECHARD: EAT YOUR GREENS

THE VILLAGE PEOPLE: THE LESSER KNOWN HISTORY OF MCDONALDLAND

BOARD THE MC BARGE

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EXIT NINTERVIEW

GUESS WHO IS BIZZACK - 29TH AVE CAFE

BUCKET LIST - ROW 2

CROISSANT SLOP: THIERRY, FOOTO DELIGHTS AND BAGUETTE & CO.

VANCOUVER SLOP - BUCKET LIST

GET STUFFED

EET MOAR FEESH

SORRY I CAN'T TALK RIGHT NOW, I'M EATING MY FEELINGS

COMA FOOD TRUCK

MARULILU

STACKHOUSE - STACK IT UP, STACK IT IN

BLOOMIN' GOOD

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SWEATIN' LIKE A WHORE IN CHURCH ON SUNDAY

JINYA RAMEN

SUIKA SUIKA NOW

PIE DAYS OF SUMMER, VOL. 3 (WITH SCONE BONUS)

GUU KOBACHI

CRASS CUISINE'S MAMA HAS A BIRTHDAY

BROMBERGERS ALL NIGHT LONG

WALLY'S BURGER

BODY BY PASTRAMI

BRINGIN' HOME THE BACON

GET PORKED, TWO WAYS

BEENTOO SANDWICH & BBQ

THE (DOWNTOWN) KOREAN TACOS

THAT'S HOT

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PRONTO CAFFE

THAT CHICKEN IS A REAL ASSHOLE

YUJI'S JAPANESE TAPAS

PIE DAYS OF SUMMER, VOL. 2

VANCOUVER SLOP (MATT) COOKS AGAIN

LOBSTAH!

MICHIGAN NOODLE SHOP - ALL ABOUT THE DONUT

CAUSE IT'S SUMMERTIME

VIETNAMESE - THATS WHAT THE SIGN SAYS

PIE DAYS OF SUMMER

CHICKEN CACC-22

ZABU - KOREAN FRIED CHICKEN

He ain't heavy, he's my Grandpa

FRESH LOCAL WILD (REDUX)

PHNOM PENH - GUEST BLOGGING

*Facepalm*

Facepalm