Dishcrawl Kitsilano 2013 - What We Ate!

Last Wednesday night, I attended my first-ever Dishcrawl event in Kitsilano. Having been told beforehand the venues we'd be visiting would be newer establishments, I had an idea or two of where the group might be dining. I didn't have to wait long to see if my hunches were correct as we were told to meet at 7pm at Tractor Everyday Healthy Foods [they have a gorgeous website]. The remaining venues though, would remain a mystery.

Having never visited Tractor before, I was a little nervous about what I might find. I understood it to be the very type of restaurant one should expect to find in Kits. I arrived to the bright and cozy, yet comfortable restaurant surprised to see my friend Ed Lau of EdEats.com was there. I should not have been surprised. After quickly taking a seat with Ed, our group of about 30 diners was greeted by Executive Chef Ryan Mah, who coincidentally, I went to high school with [though admittedly he probably doesn't remember me as he is a few classes older]. Chef Mah previously worked in the kitchens of well-known Vancouver eateries such as Chinois, Goldfish, Joe Fortes, and Wild Rice.

Chef Mah explained the concept behind Tractor - healthy food that does not compromise on flavour. My curiousity was piqued.

kale and granny smith apple with radicchio and white balsamic dressing @ Tractor Everyday Healthy Foods

We started with a salad of kale and granny smith apple with a delicious balsamic dressing. I have a love-hate relationship with kale but in this case, the kale was done so it retained its texture without tasting too . . . healthy? I sound crazy, huh? The granny smiths gave the salad an interesting kick, crunch, and worked well with the balsamic.

order up your meal choices from the cafeteria-style bar @ Tractor Everyday Healthy Foods

After the salad, Crawlers were instructed to line up along Tractor's cafeteria-style bar and order our mains. We had a choice between lean turkey chili or curried butternut squash soup [vegetarian].

lean turkey chili with coriander and sour cream @ Tractor Everyday Healthy Foods

I went with the turkey chili which was perfect on that particular cold autumn night. I generally love soups. Asian soups, chunky soups, stews, chilis . . . love it all! This chili was like a hug in a bowl. I enjoyed how the flavours from all the ingredients had come together without having been cooked to a mush. I did not try the butternut squash soup, though it also looked great and my fellow diners seemed to enjoy it. Here's a photo for good measure:

curried butternut squash soup with yogurt and green onion @ Tractor Everyday Healthy Foods

Tractor also provided us with dessert.

double chocolate and pistachio cookies @ Tractor Everyday Healthy Foods

Knowing I had more savoury dishes to munch on before the end of the night, I stashed the cookies in my purse and enjoyed them when I got home. The cookies were nice and chewy [my preferred texture for cookies]. I have a sweet tooth, but not a please-give-me-a-cavity type love for desserts. These cookies were just sweet enough with plenty of rich chocolate-y yumminess.

The second stop of the evening was a bit of a surprise, as we were led to Vibes Japanese BBQ & Sushi Restaurant, one of Vancouver's only sushi AND bbq all-you-can-eats. After being seated, we were told the food would be 10-15 minutes away as the meats had to be marinated. A bit of a surprise as they were expecting our group and knew we'd be on a schedule. However, when the food arrived, I was very pleasantly surprised.

bbq beef short ribs @ Vibes Japanese BBQ and Sushi Restaurant

I usually shy away from AYCE establishments for two reasons. The first . . . I get full really easily/quickly so it's usually a better deal for me to order a la carte anyway. The second [and more importantly] . . . the quality and consistency of most AYCE places scare me. Biting into a piece of this beef short rib, I was thrilled by how tender it was. [Short ribs are pretty hard to mess up, but it has happened before.] Vibes has a house dipping sauce for its bbq items, but these ribs didn't need it. Crawlers were also given marinated beef slices and chicken to throw on the grill.

beef slices  @ Vibes Japanese BBQ and Sushi Restaurant

Also on the menu was Vibes' king crab sushi roll which was topped with avocado and masago. It was good but lacked uniqueness. I could taste the crab and appreciated their use of real crab meat, though it was overwhelmed a bit by all of the avocado. From the tasting we had here, I'd say go to Vibes for the bbq, but not necessarily the sushi.

king crab sushi roll  @ Vibes Japanese BBQ and Sushi Restaurant

Stop number 3 on Kits Crawl was The August Jack, a tapas bar that specialises in food and craft beer pairings.

rosemary polenta fries with basil nasturtium aioli and balsamic reduction @ The August Jack

First up with a deep-fried polenta dish with a balsamic sauce. The polenta fry itself was not bad, though, had I not known it was polenta, might have wondered if it was a potato cake. I found the sauce to be a little bit overwhelming.

truffle popcorn with truffle-infused oil and shaved grana padano @ The August Jack

This popcorn, surprisingly, turned out to be my favourite dish from The August Jack. I did wish the truffle aspect of it would've hit me in the face a bit more, but it tasted delicious and the grana padano was divine. This was so good, I brought my leftovers home and polished it off before the end of night.

leek and barley risotto with smoked cheddar and caramelised leeks, truffle oil, and red amaranth garnishes @ The August Jack

Our third dish at The August Jack was their risotto with leeks, barley, and cheese. I tend to like my risotto on the creamier side, but did enjoy the texture of this risotto even though it was more . . . intact. What threw me off a bit was the sauce, which was very very heavy-handed with the balsamic. I found it to be a bit much and a strange combination with the risotto.

The last venue of Kits Crawl was O5 Rare Tea Bar, a beautiful tea house that reminded me of how an upscale tea specialty store would look in Omotesando, Asakusa, or Daikanyama.

O5 Rare Tea Bar

By this point, my fellow diners and I were felling pretty full and welcomed the light fare of a cup of O5's delicious hibiscus tea. We were told to help ourselves to the selection of sweet treats displayed gorgeously on ceramic spoons.

hibiscus tea and desserts served in ceramic spoons @ O5 Rare Tea Bar

From left to right:

• candied organic ginger rolled in raw cane and dark chocolate
• candied hibiscus flower with rich white chocolate flakes
• pumpkin spice cheesecake with gingersnap crumble

The clear winner here was the pumpkin spice cheesecake, and I'm not usually even a fan of pumpkin desserts. I think what won me over was how subtle the flavour was. The candied hibiscus was also fantastic. The white chocolate helped keep it from being too tart. Unfortunately, I did not get to try the ginger.

In all, Kits Crawl was a fantastic experience and I would highly encourage everyone go give it a try the next time around. It's a great chance to try new restaurants while meeting new people. I really enjoyed the social aspect of the experience.

As I mentioned in a previous post, these Dishcrawls happen in different neighbourhoods around Vancouver [and in fact, many many other cities], so just keep your eyes and ears open for an area you're interested in. For more information, head over to Dishcrawl Vancouver's Facebook page.

Restaurant information:

Tractor Everyday Healthy Foods - 1903 West 4th Avenue - 604.222.2557

Vibes Japanese BBQ & Sushi Restaurant - 1947 West 4th Avenue - 604.559.8423

The August Jack - 2042 West 4th Avenue - 604.428.0075

O5 Rare Tea Bar - 2208 West 4th Avenue - 604.558.0500






Disclaimer: I was invited to join Kits Crawl as a media partner and as such, received a sponsored ticket. Opinions on restaurants/food however, are completely my own.

Kits Crawl

It's funny how timing works sometimes. I've been struggling to get this blog up and running again . . . really wanting to be able to get back into the swing of things and write about topics I'm truly passionate about. Then I heard about Dishcrawl's fast-approaching dining event that takes participants through one of my most beloved neighbourhoods in Vancouver.

The itinerary for Kits Crawl features 4 restaurants, with a total of 12 tasting dishes. The locations will remain a mystery until the event, though hints may be dropped over on Dishcrawl Vancouver's Facebook page. Personally, I think it may be more fun to be surprised!

Like its sister events which brought diners to some of the hottest eateries in Yaletown, Main Street, and Commercial Drive, Kits Crawl will not disappoint! I hope to see you all there!

Event: Kits Crawl

When: Wednesday, October 23rd @ 7pm [rain or shine!]

Where: meeting location will be revealed to participants 48hrs in advance of event

Cost: $60 + tax + processing fee [food only]

Promo code: Use 'kitsreturn' at checkout for 20% off the cost of tickets.

For more information and to buy tickets: http://www.dishcrawl.com/kits/.
You can also find Dishcrawl on Twitter: @DishCrawlVan

I've Counted The Days, Day After Day

I Have Waited So Long - Foreigner 

Can you believe THE announcement was almost seven years ago?


*video courtesy Rogers Sportsnet
Yes, that was back in July 2003 and I remember sitting in my shoebox Japanese abode late at night - staying up to find out whether my hometown had won. That bid video set to the voice of Bryan Adams still gives me chills. We've waited so so long and as of today, the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games are a mere month away. Yes, 31 days. Are you excited?

At this point, I feel comfortable divulging some news I've had for a while. I have accepted a position to work with NBC during the Olympics! I have been a lifelong Olympics junkie and when the opportunity came, I just couldn't pass it up. It's very much a dream come true. NBC always does a bang-up job of broadcasting the Games and I hope so badly to be able to meet Matt Lauer, since The Today Show will be broadcasting from atop Grouse Mountain the whole time.

Finally, a step in the right direction. Back to media, journalism, and a job that really gets my blood pumping. It also means I'm packing up my bags and moving back home to Vancouver.

I found out I'd landed the job back in August and it's been hard to keep it only to family and close friends. Back in the summer, I thought February was still so far away. And now, I'm moving home in four days.

In other exciting news, I've hooked up with an ambitious little start-up called Define Magazine. It's Vancouver's newest lifestyle online source and our aim is to draw on the abundant amount of writing talent we have internationally, to provide informative and entertaining articles for readers of any demographic. The launch was a mere week ago, so please check out our website and show some support! I'll be contributing articles to them starting late January, so keep your eyes peeled for that.

Anyway, with all that said, I am feeling anxious about the move. It always happens before I make a big move. Have I packed everything? OMGImusthaveforgottenSOMETHING! This time, I just have to keep reminding myself that even if I do leave something behind, it's just in my parents' place here and they can bring it for me in a few months when they return to Vancouver. Chill G, chill.

Let the Games begin . . .

When The Cold Wind's Blowing Snow Drifts Through The Pine Trees

All That I Want - The Weepies 

There's something in the air. Can you feel it? It's that tingling buzzy buzz feeling I get every year at the end of November . . .

It starts with my birthday, followed the week after by American Thanksgiving. Then you walk into a mall and boom! Trees! Ornaments! Twinkle lights!

Because guess what? In a few short weeks . . . it'll be Christmas - my most favourite holiday of the year. The atmosphere in the city becomes electric. Mix that in with family gatherings, get-togethers with friends, the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships, and feeling like you're on the verge of something.

Then a short week after that? The New Year.

This year, the feeling will last even longer. You better believe it will. Six weeks into the new year, Vancouver will play host to the whole world at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

I, for one, am looking forward to this winter like none other before. Here's to winter!

You'll Make Me Work So We Can Work To Work It Out

Haven't Met You Yet - Michael Bublé

I am failing epically at keeping this blog updated. Apologies . . . though I'm sure I've lost a few readers with inconsistent posts.

Excitement around the corner. My nearest and dearest know what's up. But I can't quite announce the news yet. Though if you pay close attention, maybe you can figure it out? I'm in a countdown, you know. Less than 100 now.

In the meantime, my nephew Colby has started hockey lessons. Regular skating wasn't really working out for him. He's now enrolled at the Hong Kong Academy Of Ice Hockey, which is run by Vancouver native and former NHLer, Barry Beck [LA Kings, NY Rangers].

He's just in beginner lessons for now and it's only him and another little boy named Justin. Two of them to one instructor is pretty good. Halfway through his first lesson he came off the ice whining that it was hot. My sister had put him in jeans under his hockey gear. I don't know what she was thinking. Colby seems to like it though. I will nickname him CoHo and try to score an endorsement deal with Koho . . . Draft class of 2023?

I will see you soon . . .

And The Rain Turned Into Tears Upon Your Face

Lost - Michael Bublé

This is breaking my spirit.

- mobile post from my iPhone

There's No Winning This, The Battle's Just Begun

Where Do We Go From Here - Deborah Cox

I keep setting deadlines for myself. And they keep passing.

I fail. Epically.

Show Me That Smile Again

As Long As We've Got Each Other - B.J. Thomas & Jennifer Warnes

Alright . . . time for my first real post of this year. I can't believe it's already May! Where has the time gone? I haven't written in five months. That's got to be a new record or something for me.

But I guess there's a good explanation. There really hasn't been anything significant to write about lately. Same place, same job, same people . . . I'm getting so bored of it all. I actually have half a mind to just pack up and move back home. It's what I've wanted to do practically since I got here. But there's a complication.

Life hasn't been kind to be lately. And I know it's mostly my own doing too. But I'm having hard time figuring out how to dig myself out of this one. I've started to . . . but it's not enough.

Thing is . . . if I'm not happy where I am, how could I ever be expected to put in as much effort as I should? Part of me really thinks that I've used up all my good luck. I went from university straight into my first post-grad job. Then from that job straight back into school. Everything has always transitioned so easily. Now what?

Most people would just say, "If you want to be back in Vancouver so badly, then just go." I see their point. What's holding me back?

My friends have been great lately . . . tons of support and encouragement . . . they've really helped me keep my head above water through all of this. The old reliables . . . and one I thought I'd lost forever. It's good to have you back. After all, you probably do know me better than anyone out there. My friends are the ones keeping me smiling.

[It's a lazy night in for me . . . for some reason I've been reading my old blog. In some ways I'm still the same . . . but in other ways . . . geez I'm so happy not to be in that place anymore.]

I Fell Right Through The Cracks And I'm Trying To Get Back

I'm Yours - Jason Mraz

Allow me a second or two to mope. *sigh* Is it done for? Okay, I'm finished moping for now.

Was feeling ridiculously homesick earlier today. Blame it on scanning random photos of the city - Coal Harbour, Stanley Park, downtown. Started thinking about how I'm about to miss yet another Christmas in Vancouver and another snowboard season. The malls get stupidly busy and it feels super claustrophobic, but I love that holiday buzz that manages to seep into my bones. Christmas isn't the same without cold weather.

Have decided with my fellow 604-transplant Delz that come December, we're going to have a Christmas movie marathon. Home Alone, Love Actually, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, Elf. The only thing that could make this list better is if somehow, someone could find me either a DVD or digital copy of Babes In Toyland with Keanu Reeves, Pat Morita, and Drew Barrymore - I must've viewed it over a hundred times in my childhood but it's been a lost love since. I think I still remember the words to almost every song. "My jeep's got 4-wheel drive." LOL. If you're in 852 and interested in joining, give me a holler.

Tried to cheer myself up the other day by spending too much money. Picked up the Logitech Cordless Desktop S530 Laser For Mac despite a couple of bad reviews on Apple.com - a completely frivilous purchase. Have had zero problems with it so far and it's nice to type on a real keyboard instead of my laptop one . . . I've missed having a number pad. And of course, the keyboard was made for matchy-matchy prettiness.

And Sometimes You Close Your Eyes And See The Place Where You Used To Live

When You Were Young - The Killers

It's been two weeks since I returned to Hong Kong after two and a half phenomenal weeks back home in Vancouver, and I still have yet to blog about my trip . . . Going back to Vancouver at this point in time was equally good and bad. I had just gotten over "I hate Hong Kong and I want to go home right noooooooow" but I had yet to get over "I'm so goddamn homesick I don't know what to do with myself."

What came out of this trip was a realisation of how lucky I really am. Despite all my whining and bitching, the truth is that I am loved and I have a wonderful group of friends who were not shy to spoil me silly and show me just how missed I was. To them, I say a heartfelt thank you.

But they are the precise reason why I'm once again back in the "I want to go home right now" phase. Halfway through my trip home, the following thought started bubbling in my head and has yet to leave me alone: In Hong Kong, I am merely living the life of a robot. Going to work, going home, and spending way too much money on the weekends trying to dull the contempt that I have for this city. But in Vancouver, I was LIVING. Acute difference. Previously to my trip, I had thought maybe I should do my two years in HK before calling it quits here. But now, I think I really want to get back to living instead of just passing time.

It's like that quote from The Holiday. In the movie, they say [and I'm paraphrasing here] . . . In the movies, there are the leading ladies and and there are the best friends. You're at least supposed to be the leading lady in your own life! That's exactly it! My gut is telling me that as long as I stay in HK, I won't be the leading lady in my life.

Out of all the years I lived outside of Vancouver and all the trips I've taken back to the fair city, I truly feel this is amongst if not the best return I've had. Anyway, if you're interested in the day-to-day of my trip back, read on:

Day 0 - 17 July 2008 - Arrive YVR 2130h
Am lucky enough to have Walz come grab me from the airport. First stop: bubble tea!!!

Day 1 - 18 July 2008 - A Bat, A Clown, Dresses & Sangria
My first full day back and the first occurance of G-Spoil. Walz takes the day off so we can chill! He and I go watch The Dark Knight in IMAX on opening day. Good thing we went to the matinee showing. I'm immediately taken by Heath Ledger's performance and vow to watch it again in theatres. After the movie, we head downtown and grub at Caffè Artigiano - my favourite! Then it was errands time and I'm lucky Walz is such a patient guy! Two days away from the wedding of two of my oldest friends, I desperately need to find a dress for the big day! Good thing the old standby, BCBG is having a sale and it's not long before I find something. I run into Doogan and Lyds, who inform me when their big day is going to be. Looks like I'll be in Vancouver in May 2009! Later, Walz and I are joined by Kennings, Shim, and Kevin at Ebisu where we quickly polish off over $200 worth of sushi and sangria. Yuuuumz. Then we were off to Blueberry for some yummy frozen yogurt.

Day 2 - 19 July 2008 - Pre-Wedding Festivities
A very simple day of meeting with my co-MC for the wedding and then manis, pedis, and dinner with the bridal party.

Day 3 - 20 July 2008 - Batman Marries Doraemon!
Wake at 5am to get the day rolling . . . hair, make-up, wardrobe! So much fun. I could not be more honoured to have been asked to be a part of the wedding. Donn't get home until nearly three.

Day 4 - 21 July 2008 - Finally, A Chance To Relax
Sleep until 2 in the afternoon after being completely drained of all energy the day before. The afternoon is a lazy one at home before heading out for dinner and drinks with my boys. Patios and bellinis are a summertime must.

Day 5 - 22 July 2008 - E Day
It's day 5 back home before I have the chance to see my bestie, E. She swings by after work and after we reserve our rental car for Thursday, we go for eats and bubble tea at Pearl Castle. They were out of curry, damnit!!!

Day 6 - 23 July 2008 - Bye Bye Walz
Having promised to drive Walz to the airport, some disorganised planning leads to his picking me up then us going to the airport together and then my taking his car after he leaves on his trip. Yaaaaaaaay, zippy Mini Cooper! I'm happy he and I condensed our catching up time before he took off. CC and I head down to The Celebration of Light to watch Canada do their thing . . . but not before I taste my first Japadog!

Day 7 - 24 July 2008 - Sea-Town, Here We Come!
E and I meet up at the car rental place at the crack of dawn and charm our way to a rental upgrade. Yay! We are at the Seattle Premium Outlets by 1020h and spend the next four hours scouring the stores for deals. Then we head to Bellevue, eat a late lunch [happy hour deals!], and check out Aritzia in the US. LOL. Yes, we are dorks. We head to our hotel around dinnertime and then shop around downtown a little bit before hitting our usual dinner spot - The Cheesecake Factory. But this time, we did not break our record of spending $100 on food there. LOL.

Day 8 - 25 July 2008 - Sea-Town Part 2
The weather cooperated magnificently for our little road trip and we tear through downtown Seattle with a mission. I have another wedding to go to in one week and need another dress! BCBG to the rescue again! E tries on this gorgeous dress at Nordstrom but doesn't buy it. We head back home, crossing the border at ten. The super nice customs agent lets us through even though we are bringing back over $500 worth of goods. Sometimes it pays to just be honest! We head to Pearl Castle to meet up with Rick, Shim, Doug, Mariko, Kennings, and Jacq. Good times, good times.

Day 9 - 26 July 2008 - BBQ and 151
AC and Vana pick me up mid-afternoon and we go to Shim's for some bbq-ing and Rock Band-ing before heading to Century House for "Get G F*cked Up" night. Unfortunately, I miss the surprise that Rick has prepared for me during his DJing set. I gulp down some rather nasty drinks but somehow I end up okay, which is more than I can say for CH.

Day 10 - 27 July 2008 - Recovery
It's a lazy Sunday after a night of partying. But wait a minute, are those cops knocking on my door? Turns out, some stupid kids decided it'd be fun to go around my neighbourhood spray painting expensive cars. Victims include my neighbour's minivan [one of those fancy ones], the brand new Mercedes Benz C300 down the street, and yes . . . Walz' Cooper. Omigawd. Shim comes over to see what can be done and after concluding that the car needs to be looked at by the pros, the two of us head out to do some shopping and grab some food. Hmm, more bellinis and patios.

Day 11 - 28 July 2008 - Time With My Girls
M comes over to pick me up for lunch [at my absolute favourite Japanese place, Maruwa] and some shopping, then I head out for dinner with two of my UBC girls. It's good to catch up with them since it's been awhile.

Day 12 - 29 July 2008 - Quiet Cleaning Day
In the early afternoon I head downtown for a long overdue visit to my stylist, Tai, at Suki's. Tai's been my stylist for about two years now and I've never trusted anyone with my hair more than him. Then I head home because, with only a few days left in Vancouver, it's time to get serious about packing up my old rooms. E is sweet enough to come by after work and help out. We spend the night sifting through my childhood bedroom and find proof of some rather unfortunately wardrobe choices. Fun fur! Button-fly jeans! Plaid shirts - oh wait, those are coming back in.

Day 13 - 30 July 2008 - More Packing Up
It's not easy to pack up the past. And the more I dig into my old bedroom, the more I rediscover. But I've never had more conviction to throw away what I don't need. Out with the old, in with the new. The new won't come unless the old leaves. All those clichés. No time to waste, don't even think about reminiscing. Just chuck, chuck, chuck. But I can't help calling out the troops for one more dinner at Nanchuu.

Day 14 - 31 July 2008 - Hennessey Is Gonna Be The Death Of Me
I'm well into sorting through all my stuff now and it isn't until after dinner that I venture out of the house. FayJay picks me up for my night at Hennessey, planned by Rick. It's a small group of people but damn was it fun. I savour the taste of Dirty School Girls and even get dirty with a Rocky Mountain Bear F*cker before leaving the premises.

Day 15 - 1 August 2008 - It's Foxy Time
Time for wedding #2. Yay, gives me an excuse to get all dolled up . . . nails, hair . . . then back home to change before driving out to New West for the festivities. It's a fun night with old friends. It's an opportunity to make amends with demons from the past. All capped off by Bubble World with Shim, Kennings, and Jacq.

Day 16 - 2 August 2008 - OMGWTFBBQ/Bittersweet
On my last full day at home, I get up early and continue the task of packing everything up. As a farewell to my family home [which my parents are selling], I have invited the crew over for a proper send-off. It's a night full of hilarity, the rehashing of old memories made at the house, and new memories to be taken with me. After the last of the partygoers leave at around 2 in the AM, I get right back to work packing up my old room.

Day 17 - 3 August 2008 - Au Revoir
This brings me to my previous entry. Saying goodbye to my house. I finish packing my old room at about 7am, at which point I grab my camera and take some snaps of the place. Only now do I bother packing my suitcases to bring back to HK with me. As tired as I am, I don't want to sleep . . . only wanting to enjoy my house that much longer. In the check-in line at the airport, I talk on the phone with Yenny, who suggests I see if our other friend, Kevin, is working . Indeed, he is standing behind one of the business counters so of course I quickly ditch the economy line. Ahh, the perks of business class.