True Confections – Vancouver, BC

True Confections @ Broadway
#6 – 3701 W. Broadway (at Alma intersection)
Vancouver, BC
(604) 222 8489

As everyone knows, the food service industry is a tough business. Restaurants pop up suddenly, have their time in the sun, and many burn out before being able to establish a strong customer base. Fickle trends, demanding diners, general economics and others, all factor into the success or failure of any food establishment. Much like the productive lifetime of a professional athlete, restaurants are lucky to get a few good years before having to re-invent themselves, increase their appeal, and stay on the rails towards positive business growth. By marking their twentieth year of operations since creating their first desserts-only-desserts-restaurant in downtown Vancouver, True Confections continues to build their following and has clearly ridden out the tough early years, and has been one of the lucky, long lasting food enterprises in the city. It is all the more amazing, considering their concept, of limiting their offerings to the dessert menu.

It is this kind of boldness that I admire. Niche markets are always a dilemma. While they offer a chance to specialize and fill a need that is narrow in scope, this limitation also can be the death of any business due to the fact that mass market appeal is needed to secure the volume that is often required to make production worthwhile. From my own point of view, desserts have traditionally been an afterthought for many of my meals. I did not grow up in a household where desserts were an element of our family meals, nor did I tend to order dessert when dining outside. It was really not until I was into my first real job following graduation where business dinners were a staple of my work, that I learned how some people view dessert as a crucial element in wrapping up a dining experience.

It was through these dinner parties, working meals, etc. that I became a fan of cheesecake. True Confections does these well, referring to their dense cheesecake creations as being Montreal-style. Whatever that may be, I am a fan. For me, its this richness that makes or breaks a cheesecake. It is a delicate balance, between being still soft enough to enable a fork to cut through with relative ease, while still being solid enough to stand on its own as a single slice without collapsing under the weight of whatever toppings may be applied. The fruit edition is my personal favorite here.

The Broadway location (the second in the three store chain) is a simply designed space, with a prominent showcase presenting the cakes that can be chosen by the slice, and a smaller one near the entrance that is for whole cakes for take-away. Eating-in tends to be either a relaxing or hurried experience depending on the time of day that you go, with evenings (especially on Fri/Sat) being very busy and a popular location for after dinner dates. Parking is a bit tight given that the building shares space with a few other businesses. With several restaurants in the neighborhood, I believe that many customers decide to drop by for a different atmosphere and continue their dinners, with a helping of one of True Confection’s many sweet temptations including cakes, pies, tartes and trifles. Give it a try, your sweet tooth will thank you.

Sushi Tei – Orchard, SG

Sushi Tei @ Paragon
290 Orchard Road, #05-12/18 Paragon
Singapore 238859
+65 6235 1771

Diversity in the available eating options in Singapore is world renowned. For most, it may conjur up images of the neighborhood coffee shop serving up that sweet spread on toast known as Kaya, the distinct flavors of South Area in the form of a spicy curry and Roti Prata in the Little India neighborhood, or that ever present Hainanese Chicken Rice offered up by a hawker stand in a suburban area. But sushi? It sure doesn’t quite fit into the preconceived set of representative Singaporean food. Despite this, I was surprised to see a fair share of restaurants specializing in Japanese food, though I had never attempted to try it here… until now.

While picking up some items in the Paragon Shopping Centre, I made my way to the top floor knowing there would be some restaurants there, and I was in dire need of satisfying my hunger late in the evening. As with most places, I am am willing to give things a try (and potentially take another “bullet for the team”). Sushi Tei, now in its 14th year of operations, is a Singapore-headquartered chain that has expanded to nine locations in their base country (with two more planned), an outlet in China, ten in Indonesia, one in Thailand, and one in Australia. From all appearances, each outlet is not a cookie-cutter model of the same looking design and layout. The Paragon location that I visited had taken clear influences from modern-style, izakaya in Japan, with its use of open spacing, dimmed lighting, clean lines and use of natural materials to accentuate the atmosphere. I could see how it could be popular with the twenty-something crowd, and it sure was packed with people in this demographic on this night, mostly groups of friends or couples out on dates. Now whether this is the age group that is driving the growth of Japanese cuisine in Singapore, I would have to investigate further to confirm.

As I was dining alone, I was given a spot along the counter facing the open sushi prep area that was in the centre of the room. Towards the back, was the actual kitchen, that was surrounded by banquet seating booths and other table/chair combinations. A large chalkboard was displayed prominently on one wall, outlining the daily specials. The crew in the sushi area was a trio of youths, which did not surprise me as I figured that was the labor they would be using in a place like this. Adorned in clear plastic gloves and visibly cutting the slabs of raw fish with ordinary kitchen knives, I knew that I should not expect much from the sushi. I could see that the bulk of their work was in making those dreaded rolls that everyone in the western world seems to enjoy so much and is what they consider to be sushi. The passing plates of sushi rolling by on the conveyor belt, also did nothing to convince me to give it a try, but alas in the interests of experimentation, I did take a few dishes.

I must say that I have never seen such thinly cut pieces of salmon on nigiri before – they were almost paper thin and reminded me of the thickness one finds with fugu sashimi. And the flavor of the salmon was so weak, it made me realize just how good the salmon is here in Canada. Just watching the crew go through the paces was amusing in itself. The manner in which they would hold the knives, the angle of the cutting motions they made, etc. it all made for a crystal clear view into the mass market, Japanese cuisine market here in Singapore and the level its at right now. To somehow save face, I ordered off the cooked menu and chose a Katsudon – in the hopes that at least they could get that right and it would have an ample layer of rice so as to help fill my hungry belly.

I suppose its my own fault for wanting to stray off the tried and true path by venturing into a chain-style sushi place. A matter of curiosity and convenience (I was staying nearby) got the better of me, as well as some desire to eat something non-Singaporean after a week into my Southeast Asia trip. Aesthetically, having a seat at Sushi Tei @ Paragon is a refreshing change of pace, and made me wish more Japanese restaurants in western Canada would invest in similar design features, and update their outdated looks. But for the food, I would rate what I ate at Sushi Tei as being around the same level as poor to mid-level sushi joints in BC/Alberta. And that after all, is the most important thing to think about here. Save your Sing Dollars for Sing Food la.

Jumbo Seafood – Dempsey, SG

Jumbo Seafood @ Dempsey
Blk 11 #01-16 Dempsey Road
Singapore 249673
+65 6479 3435

Let me begin this post by asking a question.  Does who you dine with influence the anticipation you may have of a restaurant, the food they serve, etc.?  This could also be asked of your impressions of the experience while it is unfolding, with that person(s) at the table with you.  Taking it a step further, does dining with someone in the “industry”, be it from the kitchen, front of staff, or related business side of restaurants have an effect on how you describe your meal later on?

On this evening, one of the people at my table was a professional business and marketing consultant in the restaurant industry based in Singapore.  I was curious to see how their opinions and comments on the food would affect the others.  It really was sort of like a social experiment, observing the interplay of discussions around the table.  Some of the others knew this person better than others, and it was clear that these personal bonds did have an impact on the rebuttals flying around.  Me?  I just played the role of Switzerland and just enjoyed the evening…

We ordered an assortment of dishes to get a wide range of flavors, and were comfortably seated in the outdoor section of the restaurant.  The place was incredibly busy and getting a free table took some time.  Darkly lit by some pole lights, the space was covered in a frame structure, that would support an automatically deploying canopy – quite the investment, and according to the consultant, conveniently paid for by a corporate sponsor who’s logo was prominently displayed on the outside.  Luckily, but not totally unexpectedly, I was able to observe the unfolding, once a few drops of rain fell from the skies and staff quickly scrambled to start the system.

Apologies for the quality of the images.  Taken with a poorer camera and in incredibly low light without flash, some sharpness was sacrificed.  The Crispy Baby Squid was one of the first to reach our table.  The sauce it was glazed with was an oyster sauce, and the texture combination between the crispy exterior and chewy inside of the squid was interesting, but not overly memorable.

The Donut with Seafood Paste, was one of the recommended dishes at Jumbo.  Essentially it is deep fried cuttlefish paste fritters, sprinkled with sesame seeds and served with a sweet peanut paste.  Much like the earlier baby squid dish, the mix of crispy and moist was the key here.  I suppose I liked this dish, as it was one of the more filling that we ordered.

Steamed Bamboo Clams with Minced Garlic, that were eaten with a light soy sauce and were a challenge to eat.  Each piece was strongly stuck to the shell and required some effort to cut free.  I thought they were a bit overcooked, contributing to the tougher, rubbery consistency of the meat.

Scallop Wrapped in Yam Ring, served with a sweet Ngoh Hiang sauce.  Yes, another deep fried dish.  The scallop was tender and plump, though I did not care much for the outer rim made of yam paste.  Perhaps by this time I was tired of the oily, deep fried component.

Amid all the seafood, the vegetables got lost in the mix.  Here, a basic serving of Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli).

Golden Nest Salad Tiger Prawns with a sweet yogurt sauce, served in a crispy potato nest.  For me, mixing seafood with sweet tastes just never feels completely right.  I suppose I am the same with red meats.

This popular staple dish of Southeast Asia, Mee Goreng, is a mouthful of interesting flavors as aside from the yellow noodles, ingredients such as chili, vegetables, and seafood (in this case) are included.  As stomach filling as it usually is, by the time this rolled around, I was more than full.

But my table partners would not let me leave without sampling the Black Pepper Sri Lankan Crab.  I knew I had to compare this to the version at Long Beach.  The verdict, Jumbo comes in second based on the quality of the crab meat.  The overwhelming peppery sensation was the same though for both.  As special as this dish is supposed to be, I guess I will never be able to fully appreciate it fieriness, as I’d much rather enjoy the crab meat in its more natural tasting form.

The Dempsey location is now the seventh outlet of this seafood restaurant empire, and opened earlier this spring.  The area of Dempsey Hill is an alluring one, with its historical ties to the old army barracks, that have been transformed into modern yet still colonial-looking buildings that house a variety of restaurants and bars.  Driving around this maze though is an adventure, and parking is tight (a tip: park on the back side, where most people don’t really know about, its next to a nice jazz bar that I frequent when I am in town and allows you to keep a bottle with your name on it).  Bestowed with many industry and media accolades over the years, Jumbo is clearly one of the top players in the Singapore seafood scene.  The business consultant at our table had mentioned that the owners are still very hands-on, and one of them is always found at the Dempsey location.  With over twenty years established on their record for serving Singaporeans, its clear that they are still building towards more and more success.  Unfortunately, I probably won’t be one of their repeat customers, as I came away thinking it was not anything spectacular, ordinary in fact.  When the best dish was the Gai Lan, I must say that does not bode well for a seafood specialty restaurant.  I think some others were feeling the same way, but held their breath in front of the food consultant.  To each his own I guess…

The Regency Palace – Calgary, AB

Regency Palace Restaurant
328 Centre St SE
Calgary, AB T2G 4X6
(403) 777-2288

Buffet. Hot pot. Dim Sum. Banquets. Most  Chinese restaurants leave no potential profit unturned, and yet somehow, even in their bid to be all things to all people, they usually manage to turn out some pretty decent food. To me, very few chefs can rival the versatility of a Chinese restaurant chef. The sheer scope of the menu they must know inside and out,  the sheer numbers that Chinese banquet facilities are expected to service quickly, and the renown pickiness of Asian diners makes for a very high pressure situation. One where when restaurants fall, they can really collapse badly.

The Regency Palace is one of the premier banquet facilities in Calgary. Able to accommodate up to 700 people, it is often used for Chinese weddings and other celebrations. Most of the time i’ve been to the Regency has been for such events. And the food is usually quite good.

On a recent week night, some friends and I decided to partake in their hot pot deal/meal. For $24.95, you get all you can eat (AYCE) hotpot, and buffet. When i arrive at 7:30pm, i wasnt quite prepared for what I saw. A completely empty restaurant, with the exception of one two top, and our own table. It was completely desolate.

Now i’ve been here before on a weeknight, and while it is never extremely busy, usually there are a decent selection of people. The food we’ve ordered off the menu has been ok, but no where near the quality of their banquet food. I’m not sure if the lesser chefs work on the quiet weeknights, but it’s never as good. This weeknight, with everyone getting the all you can eat hotpot and buffet, we don’t get a chance to order off the menu.

Hotpot ingredients are taken from a self-service bar. The hotpot “bar” has an extremely wide selection of food, of varying qualities. On the positive side, they put out fairly low quantities and refresh fairly often. Popular items are turned over fairly quickly, resulting in some fairly fresh ingredients. On the downside, due to the vast selection of ingredients, many are left sitting on ice for hours on end. In a quieter location, i generally prefer the Gold Wonton method – they bring out whatever is ordered, rather than self service. With a large selection of ingredients, and sauces, they definitely have a very comprehensive list of ingredients available.

Unfortunately, the Regency Palace has only one kind of broth, which is fairly mediocre. Not a lot of flavour, but it doesnt detract from the ingredients either.  Service is very attentive, though the staff to customer ratio was a bit ridiculous.

The cooked food bar is something completely different. Something straight out of University memories of Foody Goofy and 7.95 AYCE buffet, the food is poor, much of it deep fried and breaded, and while the selection is vast, the food is barely edible. I choked down a few dishes, hoping without hope that I would not be charged a “waste” charge on my plate for all the uneaten food. Thankfully, I was not.

Overall, for $24.95, even with the extensive variety, this is not a good deal by any stretch of the imagination. The food quality is fairly poor, and the buffet would fit the “avoid at all costs” category for me. It’s unfortunate, as they really do do a decent job of serving banquet food. However, if you’ve been to a wedding at the Regency Palace, and were thinking of trying it out for dinner – don’t. You’re better off trying somewhere else. Neither the menu, nor the hotpot deal are really all that worthwhile.

Wah Yuen Noodle House – Richmond, BC

Wah Yuen Noodle House
1035-3700 No. 3 Road
Richmond, BC
(604) 231 9080‎

The Pre-Game. That’s what I like to call my personal process in preparing my appetite for an upcoming trip abroad. It usually involves some reading (books, magazines, internet), some tinkering with my camera equipment (cleaning, lens maintenance/acquisition), browsing of grocery stores catering to natives of those lands here in Canada, and most importantly, local sampling of some cuisine I can expect to see on my travels. For my latest 18-day journey in Asia, I knew I was in for a large quantity of Chinese food, being that each country I would be visiting has a large community. Unfortunately, with my busy schedule before I boarded my departing flight, this edition of my Pre-Game was quite limited in the eating component. Sadly so, as I could only recall this single outing to Wah Yuen Noodle House, in the week prior to my leaving Canada, and am embarrassed to say it was at a food court.

Located in the Yaohan Center in Richmond, it is one of my earliest experiences with a dominantly-Asian food court in Canada. I fondly recall there being a simple understated Japanese ramen spot here many years ago, but it has since disappeared. There is also a decent bubble tea place that I like getting my fix at. Near the main entrance is Wah Yuen. It stands out for its big bold Chinese lettering in the signage, and the cooking area that is enclosed in glass in one corner of the stall. Offering an assortment of noodle dishes, including wontons, beef balls/tendon/brisket/tripe, etc. Wah Yuen is a popular spot – judging from the constant lineup. They also offer up some congee, so with that, a sampling was done of both.

The Noodles with Beef Brisket came in a smallish Styrofoam bowl, with cheap chopsticks and a limp plastic spoon. The noodles were that skinny but really chewy variety, and the broth was light, perhaps a tad salty but still flavorful with essence of seafood. There were no other toppings, but at this price of about five dollars, I figure I couldn’t be too picky. On its own, it certainly couldn’t fill you up.

I’d heard some good things about the congee here. So a Seafood Congee was selected, more for sampling as truthfully I am not a big congee connoisseur. Hidden under the gooey, soupy rice were some pieces of squid, fish and shrimp. No doubt just some frozen pieces thrown into the pot and cooked. After a few spoonfuls, I must say I still don’t know the appeal of congee, as it just tastes chalky to me and lacks any significant flavor. As I’ve said before, its “sick food” for those days when other things don’t go down and your taste buds are out of commission.

Based on this meal alone, it did make me realize that I could look forward to better offerings abroad.

Brewsters Brewing Company – Beltline – Calgary, AB (chain)

Brewster Brewing Company and Restaurant (Beltline location)
834 11 Avenue S.W.
Calgary, Alberta T2R 0E5
(403) 265-BREW (2739)

Many years ago, I was fascinated with the idea of starting a brew pub. I was sick and tired of sub-standard beer, and the same boring choices. I wanted beer brewed in small lots, with seasonal diversity, in many different styles. Rather than do my market research, I let enthusiasm take hold of me and I immediately started looking for a brewer. Through one of my contacts, I was put in touch with a top notch Canadian brewer. When i presented him with my idea, he says to me “oh, you want to build a Brewsters?”

Brewsters is a chain of Brew Pubs located in Saskatchewan and Alberta. Each location brews their own beer, and typically has a tremendous amount of diversity on hand at any given time. From Pilsners, to Barley Wine, to stouts, ales, and lagers, to seasonal beers, their skilled brew masters meticulously craft small lots frequently- making sure that their beers are fresh, and tasty.

The concept behind Brewsters is pretty simple. Pub/Bistro type fare, microbrewed beer, televisions for sports, comfortable seats and VLT’s. A place for everyone – I often go here to meet friends that come from very diverse food and beverage backgrounds – it isn’t anyone’s favorite, but no one objects either. The food itself is reasonable – more of a crossover between Earl’s and a pub. It is, however, nothing to write home about, but with prices fairly reasonable (entrees from 11-30, mostly in the 12-16 range) and some decent, even healthy alternatives available, the diverse selection makes it a reasonable choice for something to eat when you’re craving a tall schooner of beer, and there’s a group of you that can’t decide on where you want to eat. The menu is one of those eclectic mixes of something for everyone.

The beer itself is quite good. I find they don’t quite have the same body and depth that other brewpubs seem to have (like Wild Rose, or Wildwood) – everything tastes a bit sterile, like it’s been brewed for the lowest common denominator. However, it is very consistent from one brewery to the next, and they do have a great selection of styles. I’m fairly partial to the Bow Valley Brown ale, Czech Pilsner, and the Heffeweizen.

Overall, the concept is pretty sound, and based on their 11 locations (and growing), they are obviously striking the right chord with the Alberta and Saskatchewan markets. Good beer, decent food, tv’s may not seem like a unique concept, but when trying to find a place that will appeal to everyone that consistently serves a decent pint and reasonable food, there arent a lot of other choices. Brewsters fits the bill.

Pho So 1 – Calgary, AB

Pho So 1
1609 Centre Street NW
Calgary, AB T2E 2S2
(403) 230-7472

Restaurant names are funny things. I’ve always wondered what goes through an owner’s mind when naming a restaurant. Are they trying to be catchy? Unique? Informative? Self-aggrandizing? Descriptive? I’m sure it’s probably a mix, depending on the restaurant. But i find them to be an interesting study. Think of some of your favorite restaurants – do you know why they named their restaurant what they did?

Pho So 1 has always boggled me, as to me, the “1″ implies that there is a Pho So 2 somewhere.  But there isn’t. Maybe there were grand plans for expansion that never materialized. Or maybe they meant Pho So #1..the more recently added tag line “#1 vietnamese beef noodle house” seems to imply this. Regardless, at the end of the day, they could call it “raw cow palace” and i’d go, assuming it was tasty.

Pho So 1 was the first Vietnamese restaurant i went to when i first moved to Calgary. Consequently, it’s tough to measure it’s place in the pantheon of Vietnamese restaurants in Calgary, because i have a tremendous soft spot for the food. However, i will try and objectively present, and distill, hundreds of visits into a fair review.

My favorite dish, that keeps me coming back to Pho So 1 is the Cha Gio (Fried Spring Rolls). Supremely crispy, the filling is a wonderful balance of pork and shrimp. A judicious use of tree ear, mushroom, and garlic leaves a very pleasant aftertaste yet doesn’t leave one with any one overpowering flavour. I’ve honestly looked for better Cha Gio, but have yet to find any in Calgary that i like more (though Pho Dau Bo is excellent too).

The Pho itself is decent, and I do occassionally indulge in Pho Tai, but my biggest issue is their broth. Too much MSG, making it a bit salty. It’s also not as rich, and balanced as other broths i’ve had. It’s passable, but nothing to excite the senses.

One of their special dishes though, the infrequently seen Bun Cari, used to be one of my favorites, and the first place i went in town for curry soup. Pho Anh Huyen down Centre Street has one too, but on their good days, Pho So 1 does a much better job. A blend of turkey, chicken, and potato, the curry is typically rich, flavourful, and full of thick noodles and a great blend of sweet and heat. However, lately, they’ve been quite inconsistent with this dish. On the day the photo was taken, it was extremely oily, and most of the veg had been overcooked. It was 20 minutes before closing, but i’d expect them to suggest a different dish if it wasnt still up to par.

My final favorite is the Bun Bo Hue, the special beef noodle soup. This is a adaptation (or, as some Vietnamese friends have said to me, a bastardization) of the popular Central Vietnamese dish that typically features a rich broth made with beef, and pork knuckle, and featuring a lemongrass flavour. The broth does have pork hock in it, making for a richer broth, but has been spiced up tremendously, masking any (if at all) lemongrass flavour. It’s more satay meets rich broth than anything else. But i enjoy the break from Pho with thicker noodles, the richer broth, and a bit of kick. It’s still pretty good stuff.

At the end of the day, Pho So 1 doesn’t manage to standout from their peers. I’d skip the satay, definitely order the spring rolls, and order the Bun Cari and hope for the best it’s a good day. The Bun Bo Hue (23c i believe) is a good alternative as well. I can’t promise that you’ll like it as much as i do, but I do encourage you to give it a try, instead of your regular Pho place. Even if it doesn’t end up as good as your special spot, at least you’ll learn a bit more about your tastes, what you like and don’t like, and more importantly, why you like what you do. And if you ever find who what the “1″ stands for, definitely let me know. It’s been bugging me for 8 years!