We started off with the Cornmeal Crusted Scallops.  I enjoyed the contrast between textures – the soft, moist scallops paired with a subtle, grainy, breaded crunch of cornmeal.  The small cauliflower accents were neutrally flavoured so it didn’t take away from the seasoning of the scallops.  The 16-Month Aged Prosciutto Salad was very spring-like and refreshing, with crisp ingredients like strawberries and cucumber. The neutral taste of bocconcini is a good choice of cheese to pair with the salty prosciutto.

The Herb Risotto with Prawn was soupier than I expected it to be and not overly seasoned – a nice interlude between some of our more flavourful dishes.  The $6 “add prawn” meant you got three small prawns, each the size of your thumb, on top of your risotto.  The Potato Gnocchi was my favourite dish of the night.  The texture was light and fluffy (as good gnocchi should be), with the perfect amount of chewiness.  The rocket veggies (arugula?) were cooked in a way that reminded me of spinach.  An overall, well-balanced dish that was likely carefully crafted with care and attention.

For dessert, we had an Eggnog Sundae and some sort of Orange Yogurt dessert.  (Exact names aren’t listed on the website, so I forget what they are called).  The Orange Yogurt was yummy in its separate components (candied citrus peel, gelato, some sort of marshmallow-y log, etc.) but combined together, the flavours didn’t seem to come together.  I liked the flakes of gingerbread in the Eggnog Sundae, it was a creamy dessert served parfait style – reminded me of cookies and cream.

The Donnelly Group’s collection of bars and clubs in Vancouver carves a large spot in the Vancouver nightlife scene. The Bimini Public House in the heart of Kitsilano was the first venue that Jeff Donnelly bought in 1999. Bimini’s first opened in 1974 with BC’s first neighbourhood pub license.  In October 2007, the day before the bar was set to reopen after a $250,000 renovation, Bimini’s was decimated by fire, leaving virtually nothing to salvage. Despite four years or countless hurdles and delays, they never gave up on the project and reconstruction is finally complete!

Modern Mix Vancouver was invited to The Bimini to celebrate the grand re-opening of this Donnelly Group Public House.  It had a very familiar “Donnelly Group” vibe to it, even though I hadn’t previously been to the “old” Bimini.  It could have been a Smiley’s or Library Square!  Typical of several of the Donnelly Group bars/clubs, there were barstool and booth seating among wooden finishings throughout the bar.  Other cool game-type fixtures in The Bimini includes a jukebox machine, vintage pinball machine and fooseball table.

The Bimini is open daily – Monday to Thursday 11:30am to 1am, Friday 11:30am to 2am, Saturday 10am to 2am and Sunday 10am to 1am.

By Eudora Koh, Modern Mix Vancouver Writer

Chaise is another one of the jewels along Main Street, which we all know is recognized for its smaller hole-in-the-wall restaurants and diners. After passing by countless times, I finally got to try the resto-bar that I’d heard so much about.  The highlights of Chaise? It has a very relaxed and casual atmosphere which is perfect for an evening any day of the week, and has a chalkboard full of daily specials, great service, and drinks specials! Initially, from its fancy-looking exterior and signage (and name for that fact!), I would have imagined Chaise to carry pricier food and beverage; on the contrary, the entire menu was affordable and everything sounded down-to-earth but appetizing.

The atmosphere inside Chaise was split into a bar/lounge area, with high tops and bar stools, and a more intimate area, which I’m guessing is the dining room with the booth and table set up.  Maybe it was because I was there on a Friday night, and a Canucks game night, but at times, I found it too loud to have a meaningful one-on-one conversation.

I ordered the Jamaican Burger which was $10, and was loaded with jerk chicken, cranberry mayo, swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, and raw onion (of which I probably should not have eaten so much).  Vanessa had the $10 pasta with meatballs special for $10.  She found the meatballs tender, moist and flavourful but the pasta a bit bland.

Regardless, the value of the food for the price you’re paying made up for that, as did my overall experience.   The portions were definitely filling, the food was decent, and best of all, the beer special was only $4.75/pint.  If you ask me, that definitely makes for a good Friday night … minus the raw onion breath I was stuck with.

Located on the second floor inside the Westin Grand Hotel in Downtown Vancouver, Hidden Tasting Bar & Social Lounge is not the most obvious restaurant choice when it comes to stumbling upon a new restaurant in Vancouver.  I’m hoping by writing about this wonderful, neighbourhood gem, Hidden will get the exposure and recognition it deserves for its unique menu pairings, excellent service and reasonable prices.

I’ve been to Hidden at least 3 – 4 times in the past few months and every time I have been impressed by their extensive menu pairings and excellent service.  Let’s start from the beginning.  What drew me into Hidden in the first place?  A 2-for-$15 tapas pairing menu during lunch, its close proximity from my downtown workplace, and the ability to make a reservation for points on Open Table.

flatbread with spinach, smoked salmon and black bean dip

Hidden’s lunch menu is a contemporary Western style, categorized into ”Bites”, “Earth”, “Sea” and “Land”.  You can order a dish on its own for around $8 – $13, or you can partake in the Hidden tapas pairing special, where you can choose any two items, regardless of price, for $15.  Of course, the portions are slightly smaller than if you had ordered one item on its own, but it’s paired to be the perfect portion size for lunch.

cantaloupe salad with goats cheese & crispy prosciutto and grilled brie cheese sandwich with short rib & cranberry puree

All their menu items seem to have an unconventional twist to it.  For example, it’s not just any old mac and cheese – it was made with scallops.  And the scallops were served on the side, on a bed of marinated raisins.  The sweet and savoury pairing was delicious. The grilled brie cheese and short rib sandwich, was made with a cranberry puree … with the crusts cut off (awesome)!  My salad paired cantaloupe, goats cheese and prosciutto.  Another refreshing, fruit-based salad I tried paired watermelon with feta cheese, olives and mint puree.

watermelon salad with feta cheese, kalamato olives and mint puree

The poutine wasn’t just cheese and gravy, it was made with lobster.  (Although, the cheese curds were a bit rubbery and not fully melted in that particular dish).  Even down to the ketchup variation served with the fries, the ketchup had a smokey hickory flavour to it.  In short, basic ingredients, unusually paired, makes for a unique dining experience.

lobster poutine with montreal cheese curds and bacon & avocado mini burgers

When I tell people about  my experience at Hidden, they seem to be surprised they haven’t heard of this restaurant located in such a central spot in downtown Vancouver.  Unsurprisingly, this is likely because Hidden tucked away in the 2nd floor of a hotel, and perhaps not necessarily a restaurant you can just stumble upon?  My friend uploaded a photo of his Hidden meal on Facebook, and someone had commented asking where we were.  When he replied that we were at Hidden, the restaurant, the confused commenter replied with “No, but what city and country are you in?!”  Perhaps its unbelievable that a restaurant like Hidden could remain unheard of in one’s own city.

To make your experience at Hidden the most worthwhile, be sure to take advantage of their food and drink specials:

• Locals discount: 25% off breakfast & brunch for residents of Vancouver
• Hops Hidden Tuesdays: From 4:30pm to 7:30pm, beer tasting is only $10 for three 2 oz. beer tasters paired with tapas bites.  In addition, you can use the $10 as a credit towards your dinner on the same night.
• Grape Sundays: 50% off selected glasses of wine

Gyu-Kaku is a chain of Japanese BBQ restaurants. The first Gyu-Kaku in Canada opened in September in Downtown Vancouver at 888 Nelson Street. First of all, a warning: vegetarians beware.  Although there are tofu and vegetable dishes available on the menu, there is a very noticeable scent of meat that permeates through the entire restaurant.   Upon opening the door to enter the restaurant, you can literally feel a “whoosh” of warm meaty air rushing into your face, absorbing into your clothes…

We went in a group of 7 for a birthday party.  Unfortunately, the restaurant doesn’t take reservations so we ended up waiting nearly an hour and a half (until 9:30pm) for booth seating. Despite the long wait, I still think this is an awesome hot-spot for group dining.  You can order a la carte – individual portions of Japanese appetizers, salads and soups, noodles and rice dishes, or dishes of raw meat to grill on the communal BBQ (the epitome of Japanese BBQ – that’s what people come here for!).  Alternatively, for the full Japanese BBQ and communal dining experience, you can order from the set course menu.

For six people, we ordered the Shogun Course menu ($150) which included a variety of appetizers, side dishes and BBQ dishes for you to grill yourself in the circular BBQ in the center of the table. Appetizers included the edamame, Gyu-KaKu salad (see photo left), spicy tofu chigae soup.  Salad was very refreshing, and a good base to the meaty dishes to come.  The shogun menu also included two bowls of “sukiyaki” (BBQ beef flavour) bibimbap, which was my favourite.  Basically, “bibimbap” consists of rice and other ingredients (ie. raw egg and/or beef and/or veggies)  that are served in a very hot stone bowl, then mashed together so it sizzles against the hot stone bowl.  The rice is then slightly crispy, the egg cooks itself, and the rest of the ingredients remain well-cooked and hot.

The meat dishes included various cuts of beef, pork belly (see photo right), and chicken marinated in basil (sort of like pesto).  The meat all tasted generic to me, but it was tender and well-seasoned.  The chicken was distinguishable, and we all agreed the texture was very tender.  The basil marinade reminds me of pesto.

Because the Shogun Course menu wasn’t enough, we also ordered the asparagus wrapped in bacon ($5.95) – I thought it was prosciutto and almost ate it raw!  We also ordered the fried chicken karaage ($4.50) which was the size and texture of KFC’s popcorn chicken.

Overall, I thought this was a great group dining experience.  But for such a casual, chain restaurant , I thought it was really expensive.  Next time I come back, I would probably order from the a la cart menu and get a udon or bibimbap bowl instead.  Also would like to try their desserts – marshmallow s’mores for $3.95 which can be toasted over the BBQ grill.

Modern Mix Vancouver Weekend Brunch Series – If you’re a foodie on a budget, going for brunch on the weekend is a great way to check out a restaurant without breaking the bank.

The Flying Pig (1168 Hamilton Street) in Yaletown opened in the summer, but their weekend brunch menu just started last week in September.  It’s a perfect little brunch restaurant to go to when you want a more intimate environment, and don’t feel like going to a chain-restaurant (like the nearby Milestones, Cactus Club or Earls) or anything too barlike.  It’s also nice to stay in Yaletown for weekend brunch, because the streets outside the downtown Granville restaurants are generally littered with crap in the aftermath of a Friday or Saturday club night out.

I had the Wild Mushroom, Asparagus Chevre Frittata ($10) which was served with organic greens.  The presentation of the food was good – on a wooden butcher’s board with a handle.  The salad was really fresh, with just the right amount of dressing.  I thought I tasted some bits of salt in the mix, not sure if it was supposed to be there, but I liked it.  As for the omelette, there was no asparagus in my frittata!  I also thought the mushrooms were coarsely cut and were not as thoroughly cooked as I would like – still slightly raw, but perhaps that is just a matter of personal preference. I didn’t finish the omelette.  Tomatoes were cut too big, and the entire omelette got watery, the more I picked at it.

My friend got the French Toast With Maple Blueberry Compote ($9) which was served on thick cut brioche with butter and a generous helping of syrup-y blueberries and whipped cream. She liked how the bread was toasted crunchy on the outside but soft on the inside. Meanwhile, my other friend got what could be considered the plainest breakfast options – a side of eggs ($5) and hashbrowns ($5). The eggs were plain, but the hashbrowns were fancier – soft, shredded potatoes with a flavourful mixture of dried herbs and cooked onion.  For drinks, the Organic Fruit Smoothie ($4), made with seasonal fruits (it was mixed berries today), is a healthy choice.  The mimosa ($5) I ordered was nothing special – just a flute of champagne topped with a dash of orange juice.

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Cafe Firenze (920 Beatty Street) opened earlier this month at the edge of Yaletown at Beatty x Smithe Street. Although the name indicates a cafe, a more accurate description would actually be a small restaurant with cafe-style seating. The front of Cafe Firenze displays a freezer full of italian gelatos with 10 flavours to select from.  Adjacent to that is a display of cake slices, baked goods and other pastries.  Then there’s a cafe menu with coffee teas and lattes.  But the jewel of Cafe Firenze is its fresh made pastas and paninnis.

I was fortunate enough to meet Silvio, the Italian owner of the cafe, who welcomed me into his Cafe and ushered me behind the counter like I was a house-guest, rather than a restaurant patron. I ordered a penne with meat rosé sauce.  Silvio assures me that his pasta is authentic, Italian pasta, made with the renowned Barilla Pasta , the #1 pasta brand in Italy.  The tomatoes are also fresh cut.  The high-quality pasta and fresh vegetables are then cooked in Olio D’Oro extra virgin oil.  The rosé sauce was lighter than I expected but the slightly watery texture (likely from the tomatoes) gave the pasta dish a feeling of fresh, healthiness rather than heavy, hearty and oily.

Pasta dishes range from $10 to $15. In addition to pastas and paninnis, coming soon to Cafe Firenze will be fresh-baked pizzas.  Stay tuned…

With a craving for ramen (Japanese-style noodles in a soupy broth), I went to Benkei Ramen (545 West Broadway x Cambie) for dinner.  I had walked by the small noodle shop several times because it’s close to the 99 Bee-line bus stop and right beside Mcdonalds.  The sign to the restaurant is distinctly Asian, with a red logo and Japanese characters, the interior had bamboo dividers and small wooden tables.

The main ramen menu is quite limited, only five dishes:

• Shoyu ($6.95) – This traditional Tokyo Ramen is a standard in ramen stores. Served with bamboo-shoots, spinach and nori, it’s a very healthy Japanese style-Chinese noodle.
• Shio ($7.50) – Boiling the pork and sapping out the rich taste, this Fukuoka-born ramen contains collagen and calcium – a source for beatiful skin and strong bones. This is a recommendation for female ramen lovers.
• Miso ($7.80) – The Hokkaido ramen is made with rich chicken and pork soup. Cooked with our special miso sauce, it has a tasty aroma and beautiful rich flavour.
• Vegetable Shoyu ($7.30) – A flavourful clear chicken and seafood broth simmered to perfection, with a generous helping of bean sprouts, spinach, bamboo shoots, corn, nori and green onion.
• Akaoni ($8.95) - Mixed with various kinds of spices, this spicy-miso is a favorite for many. The addition of garlic oil creates a much richer flavor. The burning sensation followed by the soothing delicious taste is going to make you come back for more.

Benkei prides itself on their “no MSG” policy, by cooking their soups from scratch and using natural ingredients.  They filter the soup several times to take out the fat, but leave in the rich taste of chicken or pork.  I ordered the Akaoni, which was the only dish labeled as “spicy” on the whole menu.  It wasn’t too spicy, although it made me thirsty afterwards.  I like the texture of the minced pork with the soup in the noodles; and because the ground pork was pan-fried beforehand, it’s more flavourful than just boiling the ground meat.

Although there’s already quite a lot of ingredients in each bowl, you have the option to further customize your meals with toppings including green onion, spinach, bamboo shoots, corn, boiled egg, etc. ($0.50/each).  We also ordered three side dishes – Vegetable Gyozas (5 pieces for $3.25) and the Chashu Onigiri (2 pieces for $3.50).  The gyozas had a very thin skin, which apparently is a trait for good-quality dumplings.  The Chashu Onigiri are rice balls with chopped up pieces of pork in it.  Tasty, but carb-heavy – I probably would have enjoyed them more if I had eaten them on an empty stomach rather than after a large bowl of ramen noodles.

When the White Spot subsidiary Triple O’s launched in 1997, it was meant to be a quick alternative to a meal at its sit-down parent company family restaurant White Spot.  Triple O’s first branch, which still exists today, is in the heart of downtown Vancouver at Robson and Thurlow Street.  The retro diner, with its black-and-white checkerboard tiles served a condensed, simpler version of the original White Spot menu.  Mainly, burgers topped with White Spot’s secret Triple O Sauce and hand-cut fries. Fresh food on the go!

Nearly 15 years later, Triple O’s is still on the go; quite literally, with its recent launch of their 30-foot mobile food cart.  Joining the likes of La Brasserie and Nu Restaurant, which are local restaurants who have recently branched out into a “street cart” version, Triple O’s is utilizing its mobility to test potential new locations and menu items.  According to Warren Erhart, President of White Spot Limited, these are the two greatest “x-factors” of any restaurant organization, before putting a stake in the ground.  (Click here for a fun infographic from Mashable about the rise of the social food truck).

In celebration of Triple O’s newest venture, members of the local media (including Modern Mix Vancouver) were invited to an outdoor picnic with never-before-eaten menu items from the mobile food truck in the parking lot attached to the White Spot on 12th and Cambie.  Red and white checkered cloths were laid over picnic tables, picked flowers were in glass bottles on the table, and bottles of pop were submerged in ice-y buckets of water…it felt like a good, old-fashioned family picnic.

That being said, here’s a quick shout-out to The Pop Shoppe, which is an iconic Canadian soda pop brand that was founded in 1969.  A cultural icon just like White Spot, appropriately enough, this beverage can be purchased through the Triple O’s mobile food truck.

For the first picnic course, we were served pulled pork poutine.  A salty gravy with tender, shredded pork over familiar thick-cut french fries.  The second course was a chipotle BBQ bacon burger, which has a smokey and faintly spicy kick to it.  Two milkshake tasters were also served during the picnic.  A frothy, candied orange creamsicle milkshake – there’s really no other way to describe it other than a liquified creamsicle.  The second flavour, a peanut butter mocha, was really sweet and nutty.  I wasn’t a big fan of it, but to be fair, I don’t usually like peanut flavoured sweets.  Milkshake portions are large and prices are reasonable – $2.69 for a 16 oz. and $3.99 for a 24 oz.

In general, the food items we tried at the event seemed to all be reminiscent of  ”the olden days” as a tribute to White Spot’s long-standing local history.  The only constructive feedback I have for the menu items is that there doesn’t seem to be any healthy options on the menu.  Then again, with limited kitchen space in a mobile environment, it’s hard to adapt to a wide variety of eaters – you just have to focus on what you’re good at and stay true to your core menu items!

Lastly, I leave you with some interesting, historical facts about White Spot Restaurants.  These facts were all handpicked by me from the “Triple-O: The White Spot Story” book which we were given as part of the goodies in a gift bag we received from attending the Triple O’s mobile truck launch event:

• Nat Bailey, the founder of White Spot restaurants, was a huge fan of Baseball and sold hot dogs, peanuts and coffee at Athletic Park (now known as Nat Bailey Stadium at East 30th and Ontario Street) early on in his career.
• White Spot was the first drive-in restaurant in Canada as well as the first carhop.
• Some of the more unique items on White Spot’s 1938 Christmas dinner menu included cottage cheese and pineapple salad and home-made hot biscuits with Jam or Honey.
• In 1993, the first U.S. location of White Spot opened in Bellingham, Washington.  After conducting market research, it was discovered that the Americans wanted Mexican food.  As a result, the Bellingham menu included a Santa Fe Salad, a Mexican Omelette and Quesadillas.

For more information, visit the Triple O’s website at tripleos.com and follow their tweets @tripleos.  The next confirmed sighting of the Triple O’s food truck will be at the upcoming Abbotsford Airshow from August 12th to 14th.

Although located in the heart of downtown Vancouver and nestled among high-end boutiques, the Pink Elephant restaurant name honors old world Thai culture and tradition. In Thailand the white elephant is a symbol of divine and royal power, featured in Buddhist art and architecture, and loved by Thai people. In contrast, the hot pink part represents all that is fun, sexy and hot.

The 80-seat restaurant will have an intimate bar with seating for 10, plus a chef’s table for larger groups. The decor is ultra sleek with gleaming whites and polished blacks, offset by plush banquette booth seating, and punches of silver and the restaurant’s signature pink. Although the atmosphere at Pink Elephant Thai aims to be “sanook”, that’s Thai for fun and vibrant with lots of energy; there’s also room to “sabai sabai” or relax and chill. With two levels, there’s enough space to accommodate everyone’s mood.

I’ll be keeping this on my radar – the Pink Elephant is coming!

Pink Elephant Thai will be open seven days a week, from 11:30am through midnight, serving lunch, dinner, cocktails, plus everything in between.