I have never had hand-pulled noodles before and finally had the opportunity to try them here at Fuqing Lanzhou Noodles(10824 97 Street). I was the only customer in the restaurant, as I went at an off-hour. The very friendly woman serving made sure I understood that I was in a noodle house, and kept checking to see if I was okay using chopsticks (I indeed am). I ordered a bowl of beef soup, and loved the rich bone broth and tender chunks of beef, but the noodles were definitely the star of the bowl. They are much thicker and chewier than other noodles I have had. The beef literally melted in my mouth. It was filling, reasonably-priced, and I would definitely come back.
Tuesday, September 26, 2017
Beef Noodle Soup at Fuqing Lanzhou Noodles
Breakfast for Lunch: Unforgettable Bowl at Friends and Neighbours
Friends and Neighbours (10834 82 Avenue) is one of my go-to places for brunch, and this past weekend I tried the Unforgettable Bowl, one of the cafes unique creations. Three large chicken fingers were served with scrambled eggs, sauteed peppers and onions, fresh tomatoes, and a base of cubed potatoes. The menu said avocados, but those were not there. The eggs and chicken paired surprisingly well, and the chicken was actually my favourite part of the dish. The potatoes, however, were a disappointment. They were greasy and some had a sweet off-taste as though the oil had not been changed in a while. The result was less than appetizing, and I was unable to finish - a pity, because the portion was more than ample. This is one of those dishes that seemed like a good idea at the time, but the execution does not work because there was nothing tying the dish together, like a sauce. Or, the eggs could have been sunny side up or over-easy, the yolk creating the sauce. I would order the chicken fingers by themselves (or with fries) at a later time, because those were really good.
Italian Sandwich at Tony's Pizza
I was at Tony's Pizza last week for an event with an organization I work with, and decided to try something on the menu I had never had before. I noticed an Italian sandwich made up of a stir fry of one's choice of chicken, veal, or Italian sausage, with peppers and onions, served on a torpedo bun with mozzarella and topped with fresh tomatoes and seasonings. I chose the chicken and skipped the cheese. The filling was incredible, as the peppers and onions were brought to a point of tenderness and sweetness that resonated on my palate. The bread was fresh and crispy, lightly toasted. And, it was HUGE. I want this again, and I want it soon!
Brisket and Vegetable Chow Mein at Garden Bakery
A business lunch last week brought me to the Chinatown location of Garden Bakery. The noodles were crispy, but gave way to softness under the tender brisket and bok choy - which was the only vegetable. The amount of food was enormous and my server was amazed at how much I actually ate. Well, I *was* hungry!
Smoked Salmon Biscuit Sandwich at Lock Stock Coffee
I discovered Lock Stock Coffee while on Jasper Avenue looking for a place to grab a cup of coffee and maybe a quick bite, on a Saturday afternoon. Thanks to the signage, I headed down, looked at the small menu, and ordered an Americano and one of the biscuit sandwiches. My Americano was brought to me first, and it was very good. Deep, rich flavour. The sandwich had lox, arugula, pickled scallions, and dill cream cheese on an herb and cheddar biscuit. I normally don't like cream cheese, so if it is flavoured it had better taste strongly from the flavour - and indeed it did. The richness of the cream cheese paired perfectly with the fresh lox and bitterness of the arugula. I also normally don't go for cheese biscuits, but this one was so fresh and flaky, with little crispy hints of cheddar. I thought at first $8.50 was a lot to pay for a small sandwich, but it was deceptively rich and filling. The staff were very friendly and I liked the vibe of the place. I am definitely coming back!
Superfood Soup at Freshii
I needed something fast and healthy after being at an event, which rn well past the lunch hour one Saturday. I headed to Freshii at 103 and Jasper, and had the Superfood Soup. The soup was served in a plastic container, and the contents were very layered. This meant I ate one element of the soup at a time, until I got closer to the bottom when the quinoa started to rise. The flavour was very mellow, with a sweetness to the tofu. The soup was very hot and filling, and I knew I was eating something healthy.
BBQ Chicken Flatbread at Metro Billiards
Metro Billiards was conveniently located next to Latitude 53 gallery where I was taking pictures at an event a few weeks ago, and I had The BBQ, a flatbread (which is essentially a pizza) with bbq chicken, roasted peppers, cilantro, an onions, on a base of mozzarella and tomato sauce. The sauce was more of a bbq sauce which was fine, because I expect that on such a bbq flatbread, and wasn't too spicy. There was plenty of topping, and the price was right ($9). Definitely a win.
Thursday, September 14, 2017
Chicken Vermicelli at Spring Roll Kitchen
I was in the Century Park area for a conference a couple of week ago, so went to Spring Roll Kitchen (2395 111 Street) when I got off the LRT for a quick lunch. I ordered the chicken vermicelli. The chicken was diced and did not have the deep, grilled flavour to which I am accustomed at other places. Also, some pineapple seemed to have made its way into the bowl. There was a lot of chicken though, and two large spring rolls that were sliced. It was good value, although I find the pho to be better.
Breakfast for Lunch: Morning Grill at Albert's
I had a Morning Grill for lunch at Alberta's Family Restaurant, even though it was already the afternoon. It consisted of two pancakes, two pieces of French toast, and a choice of bacon or sausage. They were kind enough to substitute beef sausage for pork. The pancakes were light and fluffy and as large as the plate upon which they were served. The pieces of French toast were rather mighty as well. It turned out I did not care for the taste of the beef sausage, but they were also quite big. I did not finish. I will remember this for when I am really, really hungry.
Pickle Dog at Wild Wing
I like the hot dogs at Wild Wing as much, if not more, than the wings. For lunch one Sunday I had the pickle dog, which is topped with a dill sauce, shoestring pickles, and a fried pickle (what they call a "Pickled Willy"). The bun was literally impossible to pick up, and the pickle flavour was intense. For my side, I opted for the chippers with the pickle seasoning instead of the usual fries - I was going for the full pickle experience. The freshly made chips were excellent, but the seasoning was unevenly distributed, making some chips almost impossible to eat because so much seasoning had adhered to them. Next time, I would ask for the kitchen to go easy on the seasoning.
Just Desserts: Blueberry Bread Pudding at Brewsters
A late evening trip to Brewsters a couple of weeks ago had me ordering a dessert instead of a meal. I had been wanting to try the blueberry bread pudding for a while, but am always too full after meal to even entertain the thought of dessert. The pudding was served warm in a skillet, with vanilla gelato offsetting the heat. Very dense and rich, the blueberries were not overwhelming but added colour and texture in addition to flavour.
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