Unfortunate Random Taste Associations and Good Ramen

Have you ever had the smell or taste of one item completely ruin the smell or taste of another item for you? Perhaps some wonderful artisan cheese would have been a beautiful experience for you had it not been for the smell of your brother's feet after a football game indelibly imprinted on your brain as a toddler? I myself hadn't really experienced this before until recently. And mine is a doozy.

I am a big fan of the new Biodiversity Museum in Vancouver (those who know me in real life would not be surprised). To help tell the story of the blue whale skeleton impressively hanging in the atrium, the education staff and volunteers at the museum create a multi-sensory experience with various specimens. One of these is a tiny jar of rotting whale flesh and dirt which has a smell that naturally repulses most people and helps visitors to appreciate the ordeal of unearthing the buried whale carcass and getting the skeleton cleaned. Well thanks to that tiny little jar (and repeated exposures), I can't eat the bamboo shoot included in big bowls of ramen at Benkei Ramen. Now, I can't be sure that I wouldn't have disliked them anyway without the rotting whale flesh smell jar, but I have eaten plenty of Chinese bamboo shoots. Anyhow, I just made another attempt yesterday to eat the bamboo shoots after having made that taste connection during the previous ramen meal. I now know to say "hold the bamboo shoot" when ordering ramen. I have never been one to ask to hold anything that came with a meal I wanted anywhere, so this is disappointing. And think about it, bamboo shoot isn't even a sea organism, so why do they smell/taste the same? And I usually make it a rule to give things the ole' three tries before rejecting anything since so many things are acquired tastes, but I'm at the point where I'm just too repulsed by the association. Maybe I'll give it a try in the future when I'm not exposed to rotting whale flesh so often.

Oh, and by the way, Benkei Ramen is great. I've now tried both the Robson location on Thurlowe St., just off Robson, and the 3217 W. Broadway location. Nice noodle texture, and a hot, hearty meal under $10, which will be especially satisfying once the rain comes back. And should you be curious about my particular association, I've got a great rainy day plan for you - spend a morning at the Biodiversity museum, and then have a nice bowl of ramen in Kits right after.

Looking for Sophistication and Refinement?

Perhaps you have had too many sloppy burgers lately, or you've been going to restaurants with toddlers flinging crayons and wait staff singing manic birthday songs. Are you craving a very civilized dining experience? I had afternoon tea at the Lobby Lounge at the Shangri-La Hotel (1128 West Georgia, at Thurlowe) recently. Service was perfect. The food was tasty (though perhaps not as remarkable as the pastries and sandwiches at The Secret Garden Tea Company in Kerrisdale, which remains my favourite high tea spot). And the room and china was beautiful. It is about $36/person, and reservations are required. The high tea is offered between 1-5 pm.

I have also had lunch upstairs at Market by Jean-Georges as well. Their sable fish with a miso based glaze is so wonderfully tasty.

They have a selection of $35 prix fixe lunches with two dishes and a dessert. I had the below a while ago, but I do remember it being very tasty. There is beef rendang in the picture below. There are lots of Asian influences, and it all works fairly well. And you're going to get the amazing service you expect with a fine hotel. Treat yourself (and your dining companions) to some serenity.

The School "Cafeteria" Has Good Food?!?

It does if you are an international ESL student and your school cafeteria/restaurant/bar is Eh! Restaurant, on the second floor, on Alberni St. just off of Thurlowe St. It's staffed by the international students, and the food is fantastic and great value. I've eaten there several times, and love their deals too. Steak Fridays give you steak and prawns for $10.50. There's Tuesday movie and dinner for $14.95, where you can have a very nice mixed grill with grilled lamb chop, beef tenderloin and garlic prawns, complete with veggies and potato, plus a movie certificate good for a year! I've had their onion rings, and they were fantastic.

The drinks are great value too. There are cheap and delicious drinks like a freshly muddled mojito for $4.25 or daily drink specials (under $5!) like Caipirinha - even better when mine was mixed up strong and authentic by a Brazilian. The taste is on par or better than any restaurant in town, and imagining the trendy socialites buying their drinks at 2 -4 times the price next door at Coast restaurant makes me giddy.

The room is comfortable, casual, and even has free wifi (when I was there last).

The down side? As of writing this post, they are only open until 7 pm Monday to Friday, and closed on weekends and civic holidays. However, they are open early, so if you are looking for some bacon and eggs in that area, or a great huevos rancheros platter, you're in luck.

It's No Secret

Had a delicious afternoon tea at the Secret Garden Tea Company (Kerrisdale, Blvd, off of 41st Ave). Every tiny bite, from the little roasted vegetable sandwiches on wee little perfect cheese scones to the lemon tart, was delicious. And of course the tea itself was grand. I had their vanilla almond black tea. Service was perfect and atmosphere very relaxing. It's a place I recommend often, but don't make a point to go myself often enough.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.3

Wimaan Thai Restaurant

So much flavour packed into the red curry with pork that I ordered! It was so good. I also had a really good padd thai. I was going to stop there, but I was tempted by the server telling me that the fried banana was really good. It was fantastic. Nice and crispy, served with vanilla ice cream. The place was very relaxing, but I'm not sure why they weren't busy when their food is so good. I'm definitely going back to Wimaan. It's on Broadway, just west of Oak St.

Olympia

With a late night at work, I was so hungry, I thought I was going to finish my entire roast lamb platter at Olympia on Denman. I almost did, but still had a little left to take home. It was a very satisfying comfort food meal.

Best Thing I've Eaten in Weeks - Irashai's sushi

I had this delicious sushi roll at Irashai Grill on Pender St., just off of Broughton St. (1368 West Pender, 604-688-8697) in the Coal Harbour area. It was called the Black Eel Roll ($11.95), and had mango, avocado and cucumber in the middle, with a magical tempura eel (unagi) on top. The tempura was perfectly crispy, with a super thin batter, still hot, with all the other ingredients complimenting rather than confusing matters.

Irashai is laid back, stylish, and has killer cocktails, along with their amazing sushi and hot dishes. The simple things are done very well too, like the perfect texture of their noodles in the beef yaki udon ($7.25) that I had. Their vinagrettes tend to be a bit on the subtle side for me and are more French-inspired, than Japanese (I like a bit more acid), but still tasty - served on the side for their sashimi salad (about $12).

It's tucked away in Coal Harbour, and does feel a bit like a neighbourhood locals hangout, which in this neighbourhood means it's not cheap and everything feels very "VIP" as they say on their website, but I think the prices are fair and worth it based on the food quality alone. It's easy for me to get carried away, but they have some really nice set dinners for about $17 too.

But it's comfy too. There are swanky red suede-like upholstered semi-circle booths, but several flatscreens around the room too, so it manages to look expensive without being formal. It looks like a good date restaurant if you're looking for something classy that will impress your date yet still has interesting food. They've managed to combine that lux North American casual fine dining comfort (big cushy chairs, big everything) with good quality Japanese cuisine.

Chau

Just a short note to say that I approve of Chau Kitchen and Bar (604-682-8020, 1500 Robson St. at Nicola St.), a Vietnamese Restaurant on Robson that's gotten some good press. Fitting for its location, it's a little pricier than what I'm used to for a typical pho spot, and the decor is a lot prettier. They are going for a modern take on the Vietnmese Restaurant, and now you can have your pho in trendy surroundings with ambient electronica in the background, a cute flower on your table, and friendly service. On a quiet late afternoon for lunch, I had my choice of the "brick side or the pink side." I ate a decent rice noodle bowl with lemon grass chicken, and a nice deep fried taro roll (with the crisp texture of those roll dips that I like so much). I also had a salad roll with prawns, and they put a little crunch in the middle and have a subtler sour sauce, rather than a sweet gooey peanut sauce to dip it in. I appreciated the difference, but I have to admit that I like those thick gooey peanut sauces. I ended up with a Vietnamese coffee. I would definitely go back. All the veggies were fresh and crunchy, and everything was beautiful, and if you get a window seat or a spot on the patio, it's great for people watching. A part of me wishes I could have one those dirt cheap places nearby too as an option in the West End, but if dirt cheap means that the place feels a bit dirty, then Chau is a welcome and refreshing move away from that.

Spot Prawn Tip

So fresh, live spot prawns have popped up on everyone's menu, which is great. My suggestion would be to get to a Mui Garden before the season is over, and order yourself (at least) a couple of pounds. There are four locations, and the ones fried and then tossed in soy sauce were so good last year at the Burnaby location on North Road that it was my Dad's Father's Day choice this year. I'm looking forward to it, and will verify after Sunday night whether they are still as good as we remember. Oh, and feel relatively good about eating them too - local, lived a wild life (except for the brief period they are kept alive in the tanks at the Chinese restaurants before cooking), and are sustainably caught.

Cinnamon Buns

I love a good cinnamon bun. It's one of my favourite baked goods. I think I've liked them since I was a kid, but really got addicted to them while I was a student at UBC. Sadly, as far as I can tell, the food services there these days doesn't have the same amazing, warm, pillowy, mass of sticky bread-y goodness that I remember from my student days. Or perhaps they are just more difficult to find now. I can go two ways with the buns. I like them as puffy and light as possible (like the old UBC recipe, or I like pastry dough versions that are nice and flaky and light. That leaves out the more common denser version. The photo above is from a nice weekday morning at Uprising Breads (1697 Venables just west of Commercial St., 604-254-5635. I love cinnamon buns both with and without icing. This nice fluffy one had lots of icing and raisins, and was huge. I had a great cup of coffee there, sitting at one of the tables, watching a steady stream of cheery people stopping in for their morning coffee to go and baked goods. The place had a great energy, and lots of goodies to choose from.

I've also had a decent cinnamon bun from Mom 'N Pop's Bake Shoppe in Kerrisdale (2068 W. 41st Avenue at East Boulevard, 604-261-2338).

So, I'm always in search of a good cinnamon bun. Let me know if you've found a source.

Red-legged Millipede Cake

When I see a chocolate bundt cake with dark chocolate glaze, I see a red-legged millipede waiting to be released.

It's A Small World: Flavour-Seeking Culture Sponges Descend Upon Vancouver's Ethnic Restaurants

Mutton Rolls at JR's Taste of Ceylon

Can you differentiate the subtleties of Sri Lankan food from other South Indian cuisines? Or perhaps you simply want to meet other people who care about such things? A new dinner club on Meetup.com, the popular social networking website, provides an opportunity for local food lovers to gather together and learn about cuisines of the world. Meetup.com was founded in 2001 and now boasts over 5.7 million members world-wide, and over sixty-six thousand groups meeting in person in their local communities to explore common interests. The Flavour-Seeking Culture Sponges is one of the many groups dedicated to food topics, and takes full advantage of the cultural diversity in Vancouver Restaurants.

Exploring the fantastic array of ethnic restaurants in Vancouver is like eating your way around the world, but without the jet lag and the neck pillow. In a city where many diners already like to think of themselves as culturally saavy and knowledgeable about ethnic food, this dinner club seems to be discovering new foods and tasting its way around the city without any danger of running out of adventures. They are finding small, authentic, and off-the beaten path establishments. Shame on you if you live in this mecca of international flavours and find yourself going to the same casual fine dining chain over and over.

Marty, the cordial host and founder of this group, has a wealth of knowledge to share, and points to his belly for proof, saying "No, I'm not pregnant. I just know about food." He is the self-appointed tour guide on this trip, and he started this group on January 29th, 2010. The beauty of the internet as a networking tool is how quickly it works. Although it's been less than two months, there have been seven events so far, and to date, 152 members have joined. The group is made up of people of various age groups and backgrounds, and yet their common enthusiasm for food spills out in typical dinner conversation topics such as cross-border cheese shopping. They have gastronomically explored Vietnam, Bosnia, and Ethiopia. They have also surveyed a variety of Indian cuisines, noting the variations between Pakistani, Punjabi, Tamil (South Indian) and Sri Lankan food.

For a recent meetup, thirty-four people came out to fill up the small family-run restaurant J.R.'s Taste of Ceylon (3929 Knight St. just off Kingsway, relocated from their previous Fraser St. restaurant, 604-708-3008). The Sponges feasted on a specially-prepared meal that introduced the group to Sri Lankan cuisine with milder spicing and plenty of friendly explanation to ensure the meal was approachable for newbies. The group was told that the food of Sri Lanka is normally extremely spicy, more so than other Indian regions, and many seem to be thankful for the restaurant's mercy. Although the restaurant has South Indian, Malaysian and Singaporean dishes on its menu as well, distinctive Sri Lankan dishes were the focus of the evening. Hot, crunchy finger foods called "short eats" started the meal as the forty participants of this event trickled in and introduced themselves to one another. These snacks included mutton rolls, tasty little deep-fried packages filled with spiced mutton and potato. For main dishes, several Sri Lankan style curries were served, including those made of beets, chickpeas and coconut milk, eggplant, and cabbage along with the chicken dish. Brown and white Sri Lankan rices and a labour-intensive multi-step ground rice dish accompanied the curries. The staff presented with pride their Sri Lankan specialties such as the delicate bowl-shaped "hoppers" made from a fermented batter of rice flour, coconut milk and palm wine. Dessert included a steamed pudding made with the sap of the Kitul palm tree. The owner described it as Sri Lanka's version of maple syrup.

In a world where technology and urbanization threaten to further isolate us from our neighbours, this group is a delightful example of the internet contributing to a sense of local community and being used to actually bring people together, in real life. The Flavour-Seeking Culture Sponges seem to have some momentum going, and you might spot them breaking bread together in your favourite ethnic restaurant soon.

Yummy-a-Day: Pourhouse Cocktail

Ginger Beer Man and I popped into Pourhouse in Gastown for drinks at the bar last night. A truly delightful barkeep took care of us, and he was clearly passionate about the craft. He made a delicious "white" cocktail ($12) for me from their simplified Olympics menu, which honours the Canadian flag colours. It had gin, Lillet Blanc, white chocolate, and lemon. I love the twenties style and vibe there. They also had the intriguing Fentimen's Ginger Beer, an old-fashioned botanical brew that uses juniper and yarrow extracts.

Oops, Pho Pas!*

Okay, I feel a bit duped. I should have known better. I could tell something was up. I saw some subtle signs that made my foodie senses tingle. Of course, I didn't pay enough attention to them. Little details about the appearance seemed a bit out of place. The sign out front was gone. The prices had gone up. Some of the tackiest neon decorations were missing and I think the tables changed their cloths like they were trying to impress a different person. I was suspicious and confronted the server about it - I came right out and asked if there was someone else...new owners maybe, or new manager... but he didn't understand my question, and so I didn't really get an answer. Miscommunication. Maybe we can still make this work, I thought to myself. Maybe I'm being paranoid. I should give this a chance. I went ahead and sat down in the completely empty Vinada Vietnamese Restaurant (1260 Robson St, between Bute and Jervis) and hoped for the best. I've spent many a happy quick meal here before...maybe their management is different, but it still might be good, I thought. But things have changed. This is not my "beautiful" pho shop. Okay, the shop was never that beautiful, I have to admit, but the food was. Unfortunately, it's the food that has really changed, and the shop looks more or less the same.

Though, once you've sat down, there's really no turning back, is there? I had an uneasy feeling about it, but I kept talking each of the red flags down to size. None of the old servers were anything to pine over (it always seemed to be someone's kid who didn't really know how to interact with people), so maybe they just changed staff, I thought optimistically. That's not a bad thing. And the guy that was there there actually seemed like a slight improvement. I saw that they are still using the same extensive menu (same choices, same photos), just with the prices bumped up. After all, it IS Robson Street, tourist central right in the middle of the Olympic hooplah, so paying a bit more than your typical pho shop isn't really that surprising. It's still going to be cheaper than the average meal in the area. I'll pay ten bucks for my vermicelli combo with those fluffy-crisp roll dips that I get the urge for once in a while.

Hell, if I've dragged my friend, Chicken Curry Man all over Burnaby on a desperate 3 am quest for one, an extra buck is not really that much trouble. I'm sure you can picture it: we're driving out to the 'burbs to satisfy a very specific craving, and found ourselves on a wacky adventure, facing all manner of obstacles (well, except for running into Neil Patrick Harris...that would have been cool) and those other spring rolls would just not do. I need the thick ones with the bubbly crispy wrapper and stuffed with vermicelli. Yes, it could have been a fantastically fresh road trip movie with the rare Chinese and Southeast Asian representation: "Dumpling Girl and Chicken Curry Man Go To Pho House"...nahhh, a movie like that would never work, eh?

Anyhow, back on track. Normally, I try to focus on reviews of restaurants that I have enjoyed and generally recommend. I’m not really sadistic, and I know that the Vancouver restaurant business is tough enough without every yahoo online nitpicking every minor detail of every restaurant experience. But today, I feel like I actually need to warn people about this place...think of it as a friendly neighbourhood public service announcement from me to you. I don't want anyone else who might have gone to the previous place to feel cheated or misled. I've been there many a time in the past, but not for quite a few months, and went in expecting a nice, solid Vietnamese vermicelli combo. I mean, it's not rocket science, is it? Even all the mall food court Vietnamese stands make something I like to eat, though not quite as large, fresh, and tasty as a bowl made to order at this place before the change.

I still got free tea. But the bowl came out with the greasiest spring rolls that I have ever had in a restaurant, even though they are still using the old menu that pictures the roll dip. No fresh crunch bean sprouts were there. The lettuce and veggies were okay, but it seemed like it the cucumber was pickled instead of crisp and fresh. The worst part was the grilled pork. It had the look and dried out consistency of something that had been left out from the night before and re-microwaved, rather than the succulent treat that freshly grilled pork should be. The rice noodles were fine, and maybe it was me, but they felt a bit old too. They did include two large prawns with the meal which were okay. And there was plenty of everything. And, yes, I ate it. But it is NOT in the same league as the place before, and I would rather have food from a food court. I actually felt badly for being visible in the window as various tourists passed by the place contemplating it for dinner. I wanted to have a sign to wave around saying, "No! I am not recommending this place, I was duped! This is not representative of the quality of ethnic cuisine in town."

Anyhow, I can't see it lasting the way it is now. I imagine they'll still get lots of walk-by traffic from unsuspecting tourists (which I think is sad, because you can hardly walk a block downtown without bumping into something worthwhile to eat). The least I can do is warn my dear Nancylanders, and hope the restaurant people either figure things out (like how to get the oil in their deep fryer to the right temperature so that the spring rolls don't come out greasy), or that someone else takes a shot at that location.

In contrast, change of management does not have to be a bad thing. On a happier note, I have just come out of La Crepe Bretagne just a couple of blocks away on Jervis St., off Robson (another old favourite that I haven’t been to in a while), and while there’s new management there, you can still get the same yummy crepes that were there before.

*Just a note to say that the correct pronunciation of pho (with a short “uh” sound) wrecks the intended French pun (there are plenty of French influences in Vietnamese food because of the country's French colonial history), unlike the much better and just as appropriate “What the Pho?” but I didn’t want to steal the line from the Seattle establishment that Bleuet told me about. Bottom line, Vinada is all pho’d up now.

Yummy-a-Day: Chirashi Don at Oysi Oysi

I just had a fantastic chirashi don (about $15) at Oysi Oysi (1136 Alberni St. @Thurlowe St., 604-682-0011) and I was very surprised at what a great experience it all was. I haven't gone to Oysi Oysi in years, and remembered it as being mediocre food. I feel like it's a completely different place now. The service was extremely attentive for this price range, and the chirashi don was very tasty and reasonably priced. My tea was thoughtfully refilled throughout the evening. The sashimi fish tasted fresh and cut properly. The rice is flavoured with shredded seaweed, mushroom bits and pickle bits. They even gave me a nice little complimentary ice cream afterwards. I stopped by after swimming tonight, and felt completely cosy there - the room is fairly quiet and relaxed, the food network (with close captioning) was on the tv, I got hot tea right away, and there were plenty of things to choose from in the brightly photographed menu. In fact, they even have some Chinese dishes there, making it a great place to graze on lots of small dishes and I can even supplement my meal with an order of garlic gai-lan! I find I tend to miss getting enough greens when dining in Japanese restaurants, so I am all for the non-Japanese dishes being on the menu. If you haven't been to Oysi Oysi for a while, I think it's definitely worth checking out again.

Little Bandidas Tacqueria is Growing Up!

Bandidas Tacqueria (2781 Commercial Drive at 12th Ave., 604-568-8224) celebrated their one year anniversary with a great little party, with cheap drinks, free tacos, and a fantastic band called The Creaking Planks (gotta love their accordian rich, jug band covers like Beastie Boys' Fight for Your Right to Party, Talking Heads' Psycho Killer and NIN's Closer and their real washtub base). Bandidas is a vegetarian restaurant that does delicious modern takes on Mexican and Mexi-cali food (like nachos and burritos). They use tasty things like roasted pineapple, and spiced breaded walnuts, which make the food fun and satisfying even for a someone with my carnivorous habits. It's run by an eco-conscious group, and has a nice casual vibe making it pleasant to hang out for a while and drink their cheap sangria ($8 for a half litre, $15 litre) amongst the mis-matched furniture, bicycles, and vintage lamps. They're open for brunch and dinner, have super friendly staff, and great veggie and vegan friendly food at great prices.

Yummy-A-Day

In an effort to get myself back on the blogging wagon, I am going to try posting even when I don't have time to do a full review or article. I'll try to make little quick notes in the evenings about one notably yummy food or drink item that I've consumed during the day.

Today's yummy-a-day is "The Sunriser" breakfast at Kyle's Cafe (2627 Commercial Drive at 10th Avenue, 604-872-5885) one of my favourite regular breakfast haunts. Nice quiet spot where you can get Chinese and "Canadian" cuisine, both of good quality. The Sunriser has two eggs, two bacon, two sausage, hash browns, toast, and two pancakes! It's a huge breakfast for a nice start to a day off, and with bottomless coffee plus tax and tip, I've filled up for the whole day for about $10 (it's more of a brunch for me than just breakfast). They have a breakfast special for $2.95 without the pancakes which is also fantastic value (I think the Sunriser is about $5.95).

A lot of people express a great love for the breakfast special at nearby Bon's Off Broadway. For the same price at Kyle's, you can get a better tasting coffee, that is actually served and refilled for you by the server; you never have to line up for a table (this is huge for me - lining up for my first coffee and food of the morning is just not my style); you never really have to wait for service, and you get a fairly quiet, mellow room with sunny yellow walls and natural light coming in. Sure, you don't get the eclectic atmosphere of Bon's, but I'm sure there's some student that you know living in a messy, dark basement suite with movie posters on the wall that you can visit if you really need your fix. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy Bon's, but most days, I'd rather hit Kyle's Cafe. Oh, and I like their house special chow mein too.

Lunch Perfection at Trafalgars

You might think of Trafalgars Bistro (2603 W. 16th Ave. at Trafalgar, 604-839-0555 ext.1), as just a great place to choose a decadent dessert from a beautiful array of fancy sweets, and this slice of carrot and hazelnut cake was indeed very satisfying, but I found out that it's also a great place for a hot tasty lunch. I had spent the morning mucking about in pouring rain on muddy trails, and was looking for a lunch spot in the west side where I could warm up, dry off, fill my tummy up, and re-energize for the afternoon.

I went into Trafalgars and had their Moules et Frites for $15 on their lunch menu. The mussels were in a delicious tomato caper, lemon and chili broth, which I devoured right down to the last drop sopped up with the generous fresh basket of warm baguette (with butter) that you are presented with at the beginning of the meal. I had a hot cup of tea, and the mussels were like a super tasty tomato soup, perfect for that cold rainy day. The fries made the meal incredibly filling and satisfying, and they were crispy and even topped with a little hot spice which made them more interesting. I finished off with that carrot and hazelnut cake ($8) served with a beautiful striped chocolate curl stick, and mango coulis with a bit of a vanilla cream sauce.

Service was perfect, and incredibly welcoming considering I came in somewhat grubby, wet and muddy. The room was completely filled with people conversing and lunching leisurely, and yet it managed to be calming and relaxing. It was a cheerful spot and perfect lunch.]

Pad Thai At Your Own Pad

I made Pad Thai tonight for the first time...sort of...or at least a Pad Thai-inspired noodle dish. I didn't have some key ingredients around such as bean sprouts (substituted julienned broccoli) and tamarind pulp (substituted Japanese "bulldog" sauce, vegetable and fruit sauce for dishes like yakisoba, which has a similarly sour, sweet, and fruity quality, I'm guessing). I was also missing garlic chives and green onions, so I sliced up a yellow onion instead and started with stirfrying that. I did have Thai rice stick noodles, tofu, prawns, eggs, red chili, and fish sauce though. I was very pleased with the result, especially the mouth-feel of the noodles.

I found a great detailed explanation of how to make it (not exactly a "recipe") online at Chez Pim that is really worth checking out if you've never made it before, or even if you have and want to refine your technique. Apparently, it's closer to the Pad Thai sold in the streets of Thailand from carts and doesn't have that mysterious red oil stickiness that seems to be more common in western Thai restaurants. Give it a try.

If you'd rather eat out, I recommend the Pad Thai at Maenam Thai Restaurant (1938 W. 4th Avenue, between Cypress and Maple St., 604-730-5579), the second incarnation of Gastropod. Actually, everything that I ate there was super tasty when I checked it out shortly after it opened. Really, really tasty. Really.

For a trip down memory lane, here is my last meal at Gastropod before it turned into Maenam.

Okay, I didn't eat ALL of this. Some of it was for Bac'n Girl and Ginger Beer Man too! Well...alright, I admit, I ate most of it. Very rich. Too much food. And a very good time.

But I am very happy with what the chef has done with the Thai menu too. I thought I had pics from that night as well, but I was probably too gaga to remember to take photos. It was an "anniversary" date night that included walking over to the Stanley for a great production of Les Mis. Again, very rich. Too much food. And a very, very good time.

Remembering Hopscotch 2008

Last year, I was treated to a fantastic night of scotch tasting at the Hopscotch festival, which ran November 11 - 16th, 2008. Ginger Beer Man won tickets for us, and we must have sampled about a dozen premium scotches along with tasty bits of food, some beers, and even a tequila.

Pre-sale tickets will be on sale for this year's event on October 1st. Just sign up for their email newsletter on the website, and the event runs November 16 - 22nd, 2009.

The grand tasting event tickets give you admission to the Thursday or Friday main tasting event, five tasting tokens ($1 each) and a little souvenir tasting glass to use as you hop from booth to booth. You buy more tokens at the event, and there is even a complimentary shuttle afterwards (though after all that scotch, it was a great night to waddle off happily to the Main St. skytrain station on our own, from the Rocky Mountaineer Station off terminal (near Home Depot). Various seminars are also included during the evening, so if those interest you, get your name on the list early on in the evening. We wound up needing all the time to make our way around the booths.

Last year, my first year at the fest, was a spectacular event. Some of my favourite tastes of the night were:

• an old single malt by the name of Penderyn (misplaced my notes, but I think this was my favourite)
• fall off the bone ribs made with Jack Daniels and Rickard's beer.

I highly recommend the event. I remember the night fondly.