Basil Pasta Bar Review

FN and I were looking for a convenient place to have lunch while in Yaletown and I remembered that I wanted to try Basil Pasta Bar for a while. So we headed off in search of a cheap and tasty lunch.

 When we got here, it looked like a very simple cafe where you order and look for a spot to sit. They then make your order and take it to your table when it is ready. The wallpaper was comprised of a variety of interesting pasta-related pictures so we decided to take a seat close to the wall. =P

They allow for customization of meat, vegetables, sauces, and pasta, and also combos with garlic bread or pop. However, since neither of us were quite adventurous that day, we stuck with their provided choices.

Spaghetti Carbonara
Although this originally came with spaghetti, FN wanted to change it for penne since she claims it is easier to eat. She thought her pasta was well made and very fresh but when I had a taste, I felt it was a little underseasoned, since I feel that spaghetti carbonara should be creamy, and smoky and salty for the bacon.
 

Pesto Shrimp Linguine
Because my pasta diet at home is generally limited to either tomato or cream based sauces, I decided to try the pesto since it sounded tasty. The pesto cream had a nice balanced flavor and wasn't too creamy or pungent with herbs. Surprisingly, the parmesan cheese was not the typical grated cheese sprinkled on top but was actual slices, which I felt greatly enhanced the overall flavor.

The portions here are very big and we were pretty full when we finished. Basil Pesto Bar is an affordable place to just grab a bite and I definitely will visit again to customize my own pasta.

Food: 3.5/5

Service: N/A

Cost: $

Ganache Patisserie Review

When we were around the neighbourhood after lunch at The Flying Pig, both Essy and I remembered that we wanted to try Ganache Patisserie. They have a few tables here for people who want to buy and eat their cakes here, but I decided to buy some home instead.

A picture of their beautiful wedding cakes =)

Matcha-Exotique

Matcha is normally one of my favourite flavors for many different foods or drinks but this cake wasn't especially strong, but it was nicely fruity since it was paired with both lychee and passionfruit gelee. It's almost like drinking fruit teas were you don't get much of the tea flavor but the fruit flavor really stands out.

3.75/5

Chocolat-Banane

Although this is one of their most well-known products, I found this was my least favourite out of all four. Since chocolate and banana seem to be a good match in many things such as crepes or muffins, so I expected this to be a great combination. The banana portion was weirdly textured as it wasn't thoroughly mashed but they weren't completely solid either. Also, this was a little sweeter than I expected the cake to be.

3.5/5

Opéra à la Noisette

This cake is not overly sweet and contains a perfect combination of the creamy buttercream, crunchy praline and soft biscuit. It had a coffee taste that wasn't too strong and didn't overpower the chocolate. The only downside of the cake of the lack of layers as I envisioned an opera cake having multiple layers and I wish they had more layers in the cake. ( I forgot to take a picture before it was too late =P)

4/5

Passion et Chocolat

When the cashier recommended this when I asked for a "fruitier" choice, I originally thought it would be overly sweet since passion fruit is known for being very sweet. When I tried this, the passion fruit cream inside was not overly sweet and was nicely complimented by the chocolate cake. The glaze really enhanced the flavor of passion fruit as it contained a nice contrast of sweetness and tartness.

4.25/5

Since there are so many cakes that I have no tried yet, this definitely deserves another visit and possibly even for birthday cakes for friends as they sell both 6 inch and 8 inch cakes.                

Food: 4/5

Service: N/A

Cost: $$

Flying Pig Review

Since both Essy and A-me had their midterm ending at 12, it seemed appropriate to go out to lunch with them to help relieve their stress. Somehow miscommunication between us ended up leaving us without a reservation before heading there, but there were a few empty seats when we got there so it ended up not being a problem. They have an open kitchen which makes the whole atmosphere more comfortable and homely.

Because we were really hungry by the time we got there, we ate all the bread without taking a picture. (T_T ). Their bread is warm (something I always appreciate) and chewy, a nice start to a meal.

Lobster and Prawn Risotto

Despite its small size, this was a really filling side and with lots of lobster and shrimp. The ricotta is nicely seasoned and the right texture. The mascarpone added nicely complimented the creaminess of the ricotta. All three of us liked this very much.

Crispy Brussels Sprouts

Normally, I am not a brussels sprouts lover. However, these were cooked nicely and the lemon really help take away the bitter taste from the brusslels sprouts. However, A-me did claim to taste a little of the bitterness coming through towards the end. However, I really do like this preparation. 

Wild Seafood Pappardelle

Generally, pasta dishes do not impress me very much as they seem very common and boring, taste wise. However, the pasta was very al-dente (which is how I like my pasta) and the spicy rose sauce gave the dish the little kick it needed. The seafood were a nice compliment to the pasta. 

Feature Mussels: Quadra Island Honey Mussels and Clams, Tomato Broth with Fries

The first thing we all focused on when this dish arrived was definitely the fries. The shoestring fries were very crunchy and reminded of the chips, Hickory Sticks, but less salty. The tomato broth was a little spicy, but the mussels and clams were very fresh and meaty. 

I definitely would be interested in coming back again for dinner since the menu is slightly different. Essy, on the other hand, wants to try their brunch menu which also features some interesting dishes.

Food: 4.5/5

Service: 4/5

Cost: $$

Sawasdee Thai Review

I haven't had dinner with CC in a long time so we decided to go out to dinner together and try something new. Since it felt like I haven't had a chance to have Thai food in a while, we decided to try Sawasdee Thai on Main St. We arrived for an early dinner so we weren't particularly hungry. 

Both CC and I are not spicy food lovers so we opted for a sweeter and mild curry and the waiter recommended we try the red curry. Chicken, beef, pork, fish and prawns curry can be chosen but we decided to stick to chicken curry since it seems more comfortable and authentic. The curry was a perfect combination of fragrance, sweetness and spiciness. Because it seemed weird to have curry without rice, we ordered some rice to go with the curry and it was a nice combination. I definitely recommend ordering a curry item when coming here. 

Red Curry with Chicken and Rice 

CC picked Pad Kra Prao, a stirfry of seafood with peppers, onions and basil. Although I wasn't thrilled by this dish when it arrived, a taste of the basil leaves definitely changed my opinion. The strong scent of the basil compliments the seafood but also very tasty on its own. It's possible to customize this to contain certain types of seafood, but we didn't have any problems with assorted seafood. However, we did find this dish a little on the salty side.

  Pad Kra Prao

Overall, I really do like the Thai food at this restaurant and will definitely venture here again although transportation here is slightly more troublesome.

Food: 4/5

Service: 4/5

Cost: $$

Wild Rice Review

My family was invited to dine here with some family friends and it was a nice surprise. Wild Rice is definitely not the place to go if you're looking for Asian cuisine, but they offered a more unique 'twist' on Asian inspired ingredients or cooking methods incorporated into their menu items. Since we came with a bigger group, which is something I strongly recommend, we were able to sample more dishes.

The setting is more of a relaxing bar sort of atmosphere where snacks or small meals are also offered.

Curried Lamb Potstickers with Pea and Cilantro Puree

Not knowing they were curried, I was expecting a normal gyoza made with lamb instead of pork. However, the curry flavor worked really well with the lamb, and it created a samosa-like filling. The pea and cilantro puree added a bit of sweetness to the gyoza, but the cilantro flavor didn't come through and the sauce tasted just like a pea puree. 

Smoked Tofu and Shitake Mushrooms, Turnip Cakes and Pickled Salad

This dish looked very nice coming to table, and it also provided a nice taste contrast. Because the turnip cakes were fried, the picked salad and pea sprouts on the bottom really helped cut through the greasiness and was a refreshing contrast and nice balance to the fried turnip cake. 

Sidestripe Shrimp and Pork Siu Mai

These siu mai were more flavorful than the normal siu mai in dim sum restaurants but the shrimp became lost in translation. The shrimp were chopped in the mix but didn't add anything in that form and it might have been better put to use as a whole shrimp topped on the siu mai. Although this dish was nice, it wasn't especially unique or exciting. 

Char Siu Bao

This is another typical dish that is offered at many if not all dim sum restaurants. The biggest difference, however, was the texture of the bun. These buns were less fluffy than normal buns but was more 'al dente' and was quite interesting. 

 

Seared Albacore Tuna, ginger shallot daikon, black vinegar reduction

For this dish, I actually found the ginger, shallot and daikon mixture to be much more exciting than the tuna on the top. The tuna was seared nicely but didn't have much flavor and really required on the ginger mixture to give it flavor. Out of the dishes, this was my least favourite. 

King Oyster Mushrooms, cashew ricotta, polenta fries

The mushrooms were nicely sautéed and was nicely paired with the cashew ricotta, which was slightly sweet and not strongly cheese-tasting. The polenta fries were a nice surprise as they had a nice crunchy outside and fluffy inside but not too oily. 

Steamed ling cod, ginger threads, baby bok choy

For me, this was my favourite dish as it was showcased simplistic Asian cooking with simple ingredients and flavors. The cod was nicely seasoned and the vegetables were nicely prepared. It was a simple yet well-prepared dish. 

BBQ Duck Breast with bok choy and rice

I was looking forward to this dish the most when the waiter introduced this as the special, but it didn't live up to my expectations. Although the skin was nicely done and not too oily, the meat was a little dry and lacked flavor. 

Chocolate and Taro Spring rolls, vanilla icecream, rooibos syrup

This was my favourite dessert since it provided an interesting contrast in both heat and textures. The dark chocolate mousse interior was done quite nicely, but I was slightly disappointed to find little to none taro flavor. The crunchy exterior paired with the soft mousse interior and the hot spring rolls paired with the cold ice cream made this a very nice dessert. 

Frozen Chai Mousse, caramel sauce, apple slices

The Chai mousse was very cold and creamy and was nicely spiced and not overbearing. The caramel sauce does add more sweetness than needed to the dessert but the apple slices do help to contain the sweetness and add a bit of freshness to the dessert. 

Water chestnut Streusel

This was definitely my least favourite dessert and it also felt the least unique and least Asian-inspired.  It simply felt like a muffin baked with water chestnut instead of walnut or any other filling. The sauce was nice but wasn't very exciting as well. 

Food: 3.75/5

Service: 3.75/5

Cost: $$$

Gyo-O Review

Gyo-O is part of the Gyoza King family and therefore offers some  macarons that are made at Chicco, the dessert store of the family. I think I also spotted some of their own homemade beers that is also a signature part of the family but since I am not an alcohol enthusiast, I didn't pay much attention to it.

This restaurant is one of the few staple places I often come with either my parents or with my friends. The decor in the restaurant is quite unique as it has a painting on one side of the wall and has many wooden blocks with different Japanese phrases or seafood names on the other walls. My parents and I were in need of a quick dinner before my weekly ride back to UBC so we stopped by at Gyo-O for a bite. Since we arrived quite early, we were naturally the first people there but the store filled out soon after and was close to full by the time we left. 

Because of the hot weather these past days, I wanted to have something cold and I ordered the Spicy Salmon and Tuna Cold Udon. Normally, I try to avoid foods that are spicy because I don't handle heat too well, but this item offers a kick yet doesn't threaten to kill me with its heat. The onsen tamago made the spicy sauce more mild becomes the dipped sauce for both the sashimi and udon. The fish was okay and didn't really have any special to offer but the udon was really well done. It was very chewy but not undercooked. It is definitely one of the better udons I have had at restaurants. 

My mom ordered the Seafood Yukke Don and she really enjoyed it. It's basically a donburi with bits of salmon, tuna and wasabi squid topped with a onsen tamago and some sauce. She did claim her onsen tamago was a little overcooked as the yolk was slightly intact as opposed to mine, which was nicely done. Other than that, the sauce and other toppings were all fine. Normally, both my mother and I are averse to eating squid sashimi because of it's slimy and gummy texture but it was not a problem here since the squid pieces were cut up into small pieces. All in all, she did enjoy her donburi.

Although I tried to explain to my father that ramen should be saved for places like Kintaro or Sanpachi or other ramen joints, and that he should order something with raw fish here, he insisted on ordering ramen. After perusing through the few types of ramen they offer here, he settled for the Garlic Ramen with tonkotsu soup base. My father didn't have too much to comment about the ramen besides that fact that the noodles were ok al-dente and that the clams were pretty nice. He seemed to be fine with everything but didn't really seem to think there was anything "special" about it.

It ended up costing about $38 including taxes and tips for the three of us. Next time, I definitely want to try some of their snacks and possibly their dessert. This is definitely a place we come to often for reasonably priced and well made food.

Food: 3.5/5

Service: 3.5/5

Cost: $