Joe Fortes Seafood & Chop House (Happy Hour)

So… I thought it would be a good idea to start writing this blogpost after school today but the wifi at Starbucks is down and shaw open isn’t working so i guess i have to use Notes… Oh well, I’m 10 blogs behind so.....yeah......

Anyways, remember my Joe Fortes experience on my parent’s anniversary? It left great memories but the food didn’t impress me. (especially the steak) But I never judge a restaurant till I have had around 2-3, sometimes 4 different experiences with it so I decided to revisit with my bff E.W.

The intentions were to visit Fortes’ patio since they recently opened and it would be amazing if we get to enjoy their Happy Hour menu (everyday from 4-6pm). Unfortunately the patio was closed due to the rain… (Of course Raincouver decided to rain only on the day I visited that week…)

I was going to make a reservation but Happy Hour is only served at the bar plus it's first come first serve so make sure you don't bring a huge group of people! We were seated right away. 

Happy Hour Menu

Once again, the restaurant was packed with people on a Friday afternoon, it had a more relaxing vibe than the last time I went since the whole space was bright and we were seated at the main area rather than the "elegant little corner". (I liked it there though, but for lunch/brunch it would be kind of dark.) 

We were greeted by the nicest gentlemen (As far as I remember, he was probably one of the best servers that I've ever had). Since we already "investigated" the menu before we came, we quickly ordered 2 dishes to share, and 1 dish for each. 

We decided to share the 

Truffle Parmesan Fries ($4.95 3.5/5*)

grana padano, herbs, sea salt

I had this with my steak last time and it was seasoned so well that I had to order it again and it's also half off! But unfortunately the fries were kind of soggy this time and the flavours weren't strong enough. But it was discounted so for around $5 it was still alright. 

*Explains why I gave it a 3.5, if they tasted exactly like last time's than I would definitely rate it  5 out of 5

Mini Lobster & Shrimp Rolls shrimp ($8.95 4.5/5)

Atlantic lobster meat, classic remoulade 

Can you believe that this seafood dish is only $8.95? The cheapest lobster dish that i've had was at Red Lobster in the states and I'm so glad to have lobster under $10 in Vancouver as well. They may look mini, but the portions were actually quite large (goes to every single dish). Coleslaw side was a nice addition. The lobster and shrimp meat were fresh, but I couldn't really distinguish the difference between lobster meat and shrimp meat because they were mashed together with the sauce. (Not a big problem for me though, and plus I'm not a seafood expert so maybe it was just me). Good eats to start, but I think it'd taste better if served hot. 

Oyster Rockefeller ($11.95 3.5/5)

local oysters, spinach, pernod, hollandaise

The oysters were at least 2 times bigger than what I expected! they were for sure fresh, but a little under cooked. I usually don't like seafood because if the sauce/cream was not added to the meat, the seafood itself would have the weird fishy flavour that I don't like. (A lot of people actually like it though, but it's too strong for me). This one had some too, but thank god the sauce was rich and creamy enough to cover it. I would probably not order it again. Will try fried oyster though! 

Beef Carpaccio ($8.95 5/5)

grainy mustard, roasted garlic, grana padano, crispy capers

Last but not least, E.W's Beef Carpaccio was the highlight of our visit! I was scared to try raw beef or beef tataki because my parents had a friend that died from mad cow disease and beef is way harder to sanitize than sashimi! But as an adventurous foodie, I know i had to try it at some point. The side ingredients lightly act as an embellishment for the beef. I suggest you to get every parts in one bite and slowly enjoy the mixture of the flavours. (Wuduppp, Party in the mouth!) The only regret was that I didn't order this dish so I only had a few bites from E.W...Thankfully, Fortes serves Happy Hour everyday so I can totally see myself order it countless times in the future. 

Overall Experience:

Food quality was some what better than my last visit. (Although a few dishes were quite on point last time). The service was amazing too; I ordered hot water, and the server was constantly pouring water in my cup and asking if i wanted extra lemons. Once again, loved the vibe there. I definitely need to visit their beautiful patio next time!!! with beef carpaccio by my side of course! 

Hokkaido Ramen Santouka 山頭火

Back in the summer when I wasn't such a big foodie, I had no idea how famous Ramen Santouka is world wide. My first experience here was literally because I was attracted by the huge line ups and the window displays of the noodle bowls, and luckily a friend that was with me had been and she told me that it's worth the line up. So Ta-da, my ramen adventure had begun.

This review will be based on 2 visits!

First Experience:

Since I love creamy broths, I decided to order the Ikura combo with Shio Ramen,  Ikura Gohan (fish roe on rice) and half a boiled egg. (Since Santouka is always so busy, I never got the chance to remember the price, but it's in the range of $15-$16 4/5) I recommend getting a combo, it's a nice portion for guys that eat alot or for 2 girls to share.

However, the ramen was quite disappointing. I hated the broth, It was EXTREMELY salty, thus it overpowered all the good flavours that was suppose to come out. The noodle was mediocre, the 2 pieces of cha shu was the only good part, tender and well marinated. Thankfully, the rice bowl saved me, the fish roe was SO fresh and juicy, they mixed very well with the rice and the tamago strips. The boiled egg was just a soy marinated egg, I still prefer the oilier ones. 

Overall Experience (1):

I was honestly a little upset that day because I lined up for more than 45 minutes and it was not what I expected, not even close.  But I would still come back (which i did) to try out 1 or 2 more broths. They are famous for a reason, and I wanted to find out. 

I came back once again for 2 reasons, One to give Santouka another chance and Two, to bring a friend since he really wanted to try it. 

They just reopened recently so they are currently offering HALF PRICED GYOZAS ($2.98/5 pcs 4.5/5) till March.9th!  I had to order them, 5 pieces for under $3 is an amazing deal.  Their gyozas are always on point, skin is pan fried perfectly, and meat is juicy and flavourful! I would think they are a little too expensive if they weren't half priced, but nonetheless, try one if you've never ordered gyoza at Santouka before. 

Due to my love and obsession with milky and creamy broths, I still wanted to order Shio, but this time I learned my lesson. I asked for Shio Cha Shu Ramen and requested less salt. ($12.?5 4.5/5) 

I ordered cha shu because I remembered how good their cha shu slices were so naturally I wanted more! The broth is SO much better with less salt, I can actually drink the broth and enjoy its real flavours.  The noodles were cooked much better as well, chewy and al dente. 

Overall Experience (2):

I was so happy that I finally got to discover the magic of Santouka, and I'm eager to try more ramen joints for comparisons! The service was so much better as well, maybe it was just bad luck the first time I came! Since they just re opened less than a month ago, hurry up before the long line ups and full priced gyozas come back again!

Joe Fortes Seafood & Chop House

My parents asked me to to choose a fine dining restaurant prior to their 20th anniversary, and I really didn't know where to go. I know ... one of those foodie fail moments, but it was an important event so I didn't want to mess things up. Thankfully, my foodie friend Michael suggested us to go to Joe Fortes! and apparently if you live in Vancouver, you have to go to JF at least once since it's such a classic restaurant in town.

With high hopes, we arrived at Joe Fortes, and were instantly amazed by the restaurant vibe. A fine dining restaurant/cafe can't just make good food, if the atmosphere feels weird, then it's a major fail for them! In terms of Joe Fortes, the environment is still busy and lively, some what like Chambar's, but with an elegant feel to it. Loved the live piano by the way!

We were seated at a classy and some what isolated area with nice vintage decors and wine filled wall! (too cute!) It was the perfect area to celebrate an anniversary! and guess what appeared when we opened our menu?

When I made my reservation online, I told them that it's for my parents' anniversary, so they printed out our special menu! Such a simple yet sweet thing they did to enhance our dining experience!! (and good marketing strategy too!)

First off, We decided to order some appetizers to share!
*Forgot to take a photo of our complimentary bread, it was typical. The lobster oil + balsamic vinegar tasted quite unique though.

Fresh Oysters,  Left we had Gem from Read Island, ($2.60/each 3.5/5) and right, Kusshi from Baynes Sound ($3.60 3.5/5)  *Not a big fan of seafood, especially raw seafood, so they all tasted okay to me! My judgement here probably doesn't apply to most people! But thankfully, Joe Fortes offers Happy Hour with $1 oysters from 4-6pm EVERYDAY! If you are a big fan of oysters, I strongly encourage you to try the variety of oysters they offer!

Then we shared the daily trio of fresh fish. ($41.95 4.5/5)
The portion looked minimal, but it was actually quite filling. Since each of our entree was so huge, we could't even finish the mashed potato. Each fish/prawn was cooked perfectly, and paired up well with their sauces. I strongly recommend this dish! but it's prepared with different seafood daily, so I hope their other fishes are consistent!

I ordered the 10oz Flat Iron Steak with chimichurri, truffle parmesan fries and market vegetables. ($36.95 3.5/5) 

The veggies were undercooked in a good way, they were seasoned very well, and the truffle fries were amazing. (Must Order!) The steak was not as good as I expected. Prepared Medium Rare, the steak itself was juicy and flavourful, but most pieces had gristles and tendons attached and they were extremely hard to chew on. I had a hard time chewing and swallowing. My jaw was hurting... 

* Sorry for the blurry photos! We were starving so I couldn't take steady pictures of other people's food. 

My dad had the Manhattan Steak (8 oz.) bacon horseradish mashed potatoes, market vegetables ($37.95 4/5)

I had a piece of this steak, it was more tender than mine. But once again, hard to chew on due to the gristles and stuff. 

My aunt ordered the Fish & Chips pacific cod, classic tartar sauce, coleslaw. ($19.95 4/5)

Decent cod with huge pieces. But Pajo still make the best fish&chips in Vancouver! 

*My mom had the Arctic char (Chef's creation of the day, Market Price) and I couldn't take a photo since she was sitting across from me! (round tables make it harder to take pictures of food across from you.)

According to her, the fish was too dry and she didn't really like it.

*Sister had the $38 special, didn't sample any of her food!

DESSERT TIME! 

Our server brought us lava cake with a cute candle to celebrate my parents' anniversary! Common thing to do for restaurants, but it never gets old! plus who doesn't like free desserts?

Love the combination of vanilla ice cream and chocolate lava cake, but the inside of the cake was not gooey at all, there was no lava!! (Even I can make lava cake with lava!)
*Joey make the best ones out of all the lava cakes I've had!
-Not worth it unless it's free!

Pavlova ($9.50 4.5/5) crisp meringue, fresh fruit, lemon curd, cream 

Really liked this one! Sweet and Sour Sensation! (Alliteration eh?) I don't think guys will like it? Cause you know it's a girly dessert when there are pink marshmallow, pink meringue and pink berries... but you never know!

Oh, Actually I lied earlier, I did have some of my sister's $38 dinner set. But only a bite of her tiramisu and I gave up. It was too bitter and stiff... the plating was nice but that's pretty much it..

Lastly! Lets talk about this Bailey infused coffee...

Damnit.. It's not listed on the online menu, but I believe it was around $7?

One word Bitter! Two words add sugar! Not bad, but it was too ordinary...and for $7 I could get better ones at corner cafes.

Overall Experience:

-The food could obviously improve, they don't match the price listed (at least the ones that we ordered).
-Saw a lot of people ordering sea food tower on ice and platters, so I'm guessing these are their better dishes. Seafood>Steak
-Was still a pleasant experience with lots of sweet surprises.
-The atmosphere was so nice that we just didn't want to leave.
-The pavlova was simply amazing and I got my girly sweets fix!
-Equal pros and cons! I will be back during happy hour to visit their patio!

Tropika 星馬印 on Robson

Hope everyone is enjoying their first days of 2015! So on NYE, my family and I decided to drive to downtown to get dinner, and after many suggestions, we settled with Tropika since it has been some what popular on instagram and among my friends. Personally, I really like Malaysian/Singaporean cuisine, especially its unique sweet and spicy taste (ex, laksa).

Sorry I forgot to take pictures of the restaurant, basically it's located beside cactus club,  and you will see its bright orange sign once you get there. The restaurant is usually busy, so be expected to wait  about 20-30 minutes if you go between 6:00pm-8:30pm.

(Pictures found on google)

First, we ordered 2 Roti Canai ($2.95/each 4.5/5) and 6 Satays ($1.30/each 6minimum) , I think these 2 appetizers would probably be Tropika's signature appetizers, and according to other Vancouver foodies, they are usually consistent. (depends on the location).

The Roti is good with the sauce (sweet&spicy, the kind that i like), it's oily but in a good way. The only reason why I didn't give it a 5 is because of its texture, I've had crispier rotis, this one is nice but it could've been flakier)

Satays are so on point, I think we ordered 2 lamb, 2 beef, 1 pork and 1 chicken. I only had the lamb and the pork. The meat tastes tender and juicy, and the sauce is very unique, it is once again, sweet and spicy, but they added chunks of peanuts to create its rich, creamy & nutty flavour. 

Overall, I was very happy with these 2 appetizers, but I've heard that the satays taste worse at its richmond location, and could be inconsistent, but not usually. 

Now on to the drinks! it's NYE,  We had to order some drinks to accompany the new years vibe, since my sister is allergic to alcohol, we ordered one cocktail and one mocktail.

Bahia ($7.50 4/5) is a drink that tastes ALOT like Pina Colada, it is rum blended with pineapple juice and coconut cream, so it's basically pina colada, but milder. 

Ice age ($5.00 4.5/5) is a mix of lychee slush and coconut juice, it has a unique tropical taste, I liked this one better than Bahia.

Chinese people like to order a lot of seafood for special occasions, so my dad ordered the K.L. crab (I think it is $62 or $22/lb) and Sambal Mussels ($14.95). But unfortunately, my sister and I are usually not a huge fan of seafood so we didn't really touch these 2 dishes. The crab didn't taste that well, and its shell got stuck between my teeth, so i wasn't very happy about it, and gave the rest of my crab legs to my dad. I had one mussel, it was okay, but my parents really liked it. 

Coconut Seafood Fried Rice ($14.95 3.5/5)

I was debating between this and the pineapple fried rice, but I chose this one instead because I have had the pineapple fried rice at Banana Leaf and wanted to try something new. sighhh, but it tastes bland, this dish is very plain and lacks ingredients, the coconut cream on top tastes nice though. 

Desserts

Most of their desserts can be served hot or cold, My mom ordered the hot Pulut Hitam (right)($4.50 4.5/5), if you like black/purple sticky rice, then you will probably like this dessert. I ordered cold Burbur Chacha (left) ($4.50 4.5/5), my dessert has a funny name that's why I ordered it, But it tastes flavourful with coconut milk, and a different variety of yams,  I didn't try my mom's dessert, but I have had the same ones before, they usually taste really good, My mom and my sister liked it as well. 

Ps. the Burbur Chacha is actually purple since it has purple yam, but the picture was taken before i mixed the dessert so it looks all white and milky. 

Overall Experience:

 It was a good dining experience at Tropika on Robson, the restaurant has a busy and loud atmosphere, but again, in a good way. The service was great for its category and I really liked our server. I would definitely revisit and use the $5 coupons that they gave us!