Saturday, September 24 - End of Summer Fish Tacos with Low Fat Avocado Lime Crema and Pica de Gallo

End of Summer Fish Tacos with Low Fat Avocado Lime Crema and Pica de Gallo

I could have sworn we used to change the clocks around this weekend when I was growing up.  I was shocked to find on the internet that it isn't until November.  We had planned on a Taco Night a few days ago while it was chilly out.  We do Veggie Tacos on a regular basis with Soy Ground Round but since it was surprisingly warm out today and after watching Eat St on FoodTV, D had a sudden about face and had a craving for Fish Tacos.  We had been up on the North Shore at our friend R's secret Chanterelle stash and we decided to stop at the local megastore for some white fish and Low Fat Greek Yogurt.  Our local shop doesn't carry it but any of the PC branded supermarkets have a great one.  Anyhoo, we asked the fishmonger's opinion on which fish might hold up best on the Q.  I knew Snapper would be D didn't seem keen.  She recommended Tilapia but I don't know if it was because they seemed to have a surfeit of it.  We decided on Cod and Haddock filets so we could test which we liked best.

As toppings on our fresher lighter tacos, we decided to keep things light as well and make a Low Fat Avocado Lime Crema and a Pica de Gallo (fresh Red Salsa).  We also picked up the PC Branded Green Salsa.  We've tried a few brands that we could get on board with since making the roasted Tomatillos is a bit of a chore.  It is definitely tastier to make your own but if we could find a brand we liked enough, then all the better since Tomatillos in our area are quite expensive.  Anyhoo, we have dismissed the Goya and the Herdez brands as being too watery, bland and tart.  The PC Brand looked promising.  You could see the nicely charred chunky Tomatillos in the jar.  It was quite nice and in a pinch, is what we will use now.

To season our fish, I mixed my own All Purpose Mexican Seasoning because if you take 30 s to read the labels of the store bought one you will see they are loaded with Salt, fillers and preservatives.  I make ours with no Salt and season as needed.   Plus it's cheaper!  For the shells, we buy the fresh, soft Corn Tortillas.  We buy them in packs of 10 here.  We have a smaller hispanic community here so you are not likely to find the stacks of 100 like we do in California in the corner drugstore for like 3 bucks (jealous).  Simply heat these up for 30 s on each side in a hot cast iron skillet or microwave as instructed.  We use the skillet to get a nice toasty rather than soggy experience.

Mexican All Purpose Seasoning

4 t Chili Powder
1 t Cayenne
1/2 t Paprika
1/2 t Ground Cumin
1/2 t Ground Coriander
1/2 t Oregano
1/4 t Thyme
1/2 t Onion Powder
1/2 t Garlic Powder
1/2 t Red Chili Flakes
1/2 t Black Pepper

Shake and keep tightly lidded.

Pica de Gallo (Red Salsa)

2 large Tomatoes, room temp
1 1/2 - 2 Jalapeños, minced (remove seeds and veins if too spicy)
1/2 Lime, Zest and Juice
1/2 medium Red Onion, finely diced
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1/2 c fresh Cilantro, chopped
1/2 t dry Oregano
2 T Olive Oil
1 t Salt
Black Pepper

Mix and let stand at room temperature until dinner. With the acid, it is fine for hours. If you refrigerate, you'll lose some of the tomato goodness. I keep all the Tomato guts. If that is too watery, leave the Tomato seeds out.

Avocado Lime Crema

1 medium Avocado
1 Jalapeño (or Serrano)
1/2 c Low Fat Greek Yogurt (about the same amount as the Avocado you're using)
1 Lime, Zested and Juiced
1/2 c fresh Cilantro
Salt and Pepper

Puree all ingredients in a mini processor or with a handblender. It is very thick so you will have to stir a few times. Very addictive.

Fish Tacos

1 lb firm White Fish, (we used Haddock and Cod)
1/2 c Pica de Gallo, mainly the liquid
2-3 t AP Mexican Seasoning
1/4 - 1/2 t Salt
Olive Oil

Cut the fish into pickle sized fingers. Let the Fish marinade in the Pica de Gallo liquid for half an hour at least in the fridge. Drain off the Fish. Season and drizzle with Oil.

Grill for 1-2 minutes on all sides. Do not over cook. Serve on soft Corn Tortillas with fresh greens of your choice, Salsa and Crema. Mmmmmmm

Saturday, Jan 8th - Off the Wagon, Travelling Tacos - a Warm-up at Winter Farmer's Market

Off the Wagon Travelling Taco Truck

D and I headed out to the weekend Winter Farmer's Market for some of our Veg and Eggs.  It's in a new location a bit further out by Nat Bailey stadium and it's also every weekend.  It's nice that it's every weekend now but the outdoorness of it is a bit risky for Vancouver this time of year.  Luckily, it wasn't raining today, but it was quite chilly. 

After wandering through all the booths at the lovely ingredients for food we would eventually make (sadly except for Parsnips), D had a hankering for food he could enjoy nowish.

D spent over 7 years living in the Bay Area and is a bit of a discerning Mexican food eater.  He'd sooner eat a Taco from a quasi-dodgy trailer on streets of a Mexican village than eat at a Taco Bell or Hernando's in Toronto :^/.  It's not hard, just like any cuisine: use fresh ingredients, cook to order, and stay authentic to the flavours.

Chipotle Pulled Pork Taco and Homemade Chorizo Taco

It started off on a good foot with soft, double wrap Corn Tortillas.  These were approximately the size of a tea cup saucer.  The filling was generous and very fresh.  The Chorizo was slightly too salty but it was scratch made and not at all fatty.  D really liked the Pulled Pork.  It was well seasoned, well cooked and a good portion.  They give you the option to add extra sauces but D wanted to taste the meat for the first visit.  We normally hit the Farmer's every other week if we're not Skiing/Snowboarding and he'd go back.

It started to rain as we walked back to the car. 

Cost: $-$$

Service: Friendly

Off the Wagon, Travelling Tacos

Locations Vary: We caught up at Winter Weekend Farmer's Market by Nat Bailey Stadium
(604) 376-0602
Vancouver, BC
www.offthewagon.ca 

D's rating - Food Truck

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Tuesday, December 21th - Lunch Hernando's on Wellington Street

Sad Shrimp Fajitas at Hernando's Hideaway on Wellington

If you fancy a nice Mexican fix while roaming downtown Toronto, I'd recommend Taco Bell before Hernando's Hideaway.  It's places like this that give Mexican food a bad profile.  For this price range of 15-20$ mains, I'd expect a great deal better than this of any cuisine.  So when I pay 20$ for a meal I could have purchased in a foodcourt, I am not only disappointed but offended for my Mexican friends.  As well for this range, I was rather disappointed not to be served chips for table.

I'm not being a snoot either.  I have had Mexican street food in small villages and on the beaches of old Puerto Vallarta or the most awesome burritos in San Fran's Mission district.  I have also had lovely, autentico homecooked Mexican food made by an old flatmate.  He'd be disgusted and insulted by our lunch.

We hadn't planned on Hernando's obviously.  We were some of the few saddos in the office a few days before Christmas so we decided to step out for a nice lunch.  We were turned away from full full restaurants in and around the Old Town of Toronto. We even hit pubs where there'd be a questionable selection of meaty stews, and fried foods that now, I'd sooner have sat down to.

You walk into a gaudy painted and loud dining area that reminded me of bars I used to frequent university.  I wouldn't have been surprised if my feet had stuck to the floor.  Strange, given the area.

Two of us ordered the Fajitas and N ordered the Black Bean Soup and Chicken Nachos.  We were asked for our order a couple of times by different servers.  I was surprised and disappointed that I couldn't request a Seafood Burrito.  They had a Seafood option for most of their menu items but not the Burrito.  I reckoned they'd be somewhat accomodating and simply replace the strips of chicken with the sad little shrimp I later saw on my Fajitas.

They would not give me the sub.  Fine.  So I ordered the Fajitas.  I hate ordering bad Fajitas with work colleagues at lunch.  Bad Fajitas are normally all  socially challenging semi-raw Onions, as these were.  As well, they're terribly messy to eat which renders polite work convo/gossip pretty impossible or padded with dozens of extra napkins.   The sizzling pan came with that predictable, unseasoned, flavourless heap of Green Bell Peppers and Onions topped with 5 sad looking, small, shrimp.  They did not come with any refried beans so I ordered a side.  The Beans were bland and as loose as soup.   The other sides on the plate like the Guacamole was also bland and without personality.

Speaking of soup, N's Black Bean soup was closer to a Bean dip than a soup.  It had a gloopy and sloppy texture.  It was bland, under seasoned and under spiced.  Then she received her Nachos.  Her Nachos .... seriously, how can you get Nacho's wrong in a Mexican restaurant.  I've seen better Nacho's in TGIF's.  These looked like the type someone might do poorly at home.  They were sparsely topped with a few Tomatoes, a few dried pieces of Grilled Chicken and lots of greasy Cheese.  It did not come with any sauces or salsas.  We were not revisited by servers despite the half empty dining room so that she could order some.   It will not be seeing a repeat visit from any of us and I would not recommend a first for you.

Ambiance: Dive, loud
Service: Spotty, slow
Cost: $-$$

Hernando's Hideaway on Wellington

52 Wellington St E
Toronto, ON M5E
(416) 366-6394
www.hernandoshideaway.com

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Saturday, Oct 9th - Agave & Salsa Yaletown - Blah Burritos

Blah Shrimp Burrito from Agave & Salsa, Yaletown

We're prepping the house for alot of visitors so D is going, well, completely overboard on the clean up.  He polished all the bottles in our 'essentials' tray by the stove: Pepper grinder, Salt, Olive Oil.... I mean I did go out of my way to take a rag to the stainless steel  timer but D went back over it with stainless steel polish.  I was exhausted just watching him.  He ran out to run some last minute errands and finished up the cleaning to what I thought were reasonable standards, while watching recordings on the PVR since there is a dearth of good TV on Saturday mornings.  Even the cartoons suck nowadays let alone the reruns on Food.

I hadn't thought too much about lunch.  I had planned on running out for a quick sandwich since we did not want to make a mess of the kitchen before people showed up.  So it was a relief when D came back with the last bits and pieces carrying some take-away burritos from Agave & Salsa from Yaletown.  Normally, I would have preferred he asked me for my order but I was grateful not to have to think at all and just eat.

He ordered me the Shrimp Buritto and he had the Carnitas aka Steak.  D eats lunch there quite often as it's around the corner from his office.  I think he misses the plethora of Burrito offerings in the Bay Area and like me with Sushi has done the rounds for a decent option.  He's settled on Agave as a walking distance option.  He does not care enough for the one on Davie to consider it worth the five block walk.  Believe me, he would make the trek regularly if he did think it yummo enough.  Don't get him started on how much he dislikes Steamers.

I honestly did not see what he thought so praise worthy.  My Shrimp Burrito was not so hot.  He took away little pots of Sourcream and Green Salsa.  The Green Salsa was, well green but had no flavour.  I took out our own store bought green salsa from the fridge.  It still only helped a touch.  The Shrimp Burrito was all Rice and Shrimp.  Granted there was enough Shrimp for there to be Shrimp in nearly every bite but with all that rice, it felt heavy and dry.  Toward the end, there were 3 tiny pieces of diced Tomato but as there were only 3 tiny pieces it seemed as though they had gotten there by accident rather than a deliberate ingredient.  I added loads of Green Sauce to compensate.  I would never order a Burrito there unless I had no other option.  I think given the situation where I wanted a Burrito, I'd go out of my way to go to Budgees.

D on the other hand, insists I write that his Carnitas was as good as any day he goes there for lunch.  His Burrito, as I could see and as he states, was full of Beans, Meat, Rice and other toppings.  He said that he did not order anything specific or different for the two and that that was probably the way they came.  All the more reason never to order a Shrimp Burrito there again. 

Ambience: Lunch counter type place with some cafeteria style seating
Cost: $$-$$$ for lunch

Salsa and Agave Mexican Grill

1223 Pacific Blvd
(604) 408-4228
Vancouver, BC V6Z

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Wednesday, Sep 8th - Quesadillas and Super Slaw on a busy 'School Night'

Quesadilla Ingredients

I really felt like pizza's tonight.  It was D go at cooking but I really felt like pizzas.  More accurately, I wanted cheese!  We had an engagement later in the evening so we had to be able to have dinner pretty quick so Pizza was probably not in scope.  I opted for the next best thing, Quesadillas.  Not to sound like a sound bite from Heathly Living or something but if you do alot of Mexican cuisine right, and by right I mean NOT the 99c value meal at Taco Bell, it can be incredibly healthy.  I do not like the idea that because of that Pepsi run behemoth it tends to be categorised in the mass market as junk food.  In some ways that's great right?  For parents I mean.  Kids love things like Tacos and Nachos, there's not alot of work in convincing them to be excited about dinner.  We don't have Taco Bell in Vancouver anyway so it's not really an options.   There is a quiosk in the large Cineplex on Burrard but that's it and you know that those smaller quiosks are even less fresh than a full restaurant, if that's even possible.  Their Guacamole looks like the Wasabi paste in those tubes.

We often have Soft Flour wraps in the house after a camping weekend when we've had the Smoked Salmon.  The Smoked Salmon in the foil packs is normally a full Salmon so we do not eat or take it all.  There is a lot of sandwhich filler left.  I told D I fancied Quesadillas and that I would use some of the Salmon.  D bought a bit of a Skirt Steak home to pan fry for his Quesadillas.    I think traditionally Mexican Quesadillas are much much simpler, like just cheese.  Perhaps it is an evolution or North American adaptation.  I am not sure.  I had a Mexican flat mate in Spain and he liked my Quesadillas :^).  He taught me how to do a proper Salsa as well, but that's another post.

When D arrived home and I had chopped most of the veg, he was carrying a random assortment of vegetables J, from his office sent home with him.  She shares an Organic vegetable home delivery box with her neighbours and since they are away she was faced with more than she could eat through.  Since she reads my blog, she offered us some of her surplus. How lovely.  She gave us a few Cucumbers, Fennel, big Carrot and Cabbage.  D went into a massive slaw making fury.  I made half the dressing from our Super Slaw recipe.  We did not have the Purple Cabbage but it was yummo nonetheless. 

Using the 8" Soft Flour Tortillas, we find that 1 and a half is more than a filling meal. 

Quesadillas

6 Soft Flour Tortillas
1 1/2 c grated Cheddar, Mozzarella or Monterey Jack (use proper Mexican cheese if you can find it)
2 Jalapenos, minced
2 T fresh Parsley, chopped
2 T fresh Cilantro, chopped
1 Avocado, sliced
1/4 c thinly sliced Red Onion
2 Red Bell Peppers (Capsicum), sliced
1/3 large Yellow Zucchini, sliced
2-3 oz Protein of your choice, Shrimp, Fish, Tofu, Beef or nothing....
1 Tomato diced
Salt and Pepper

1/2 c Salsa, garnish
1/2 c Sour Cream, garnish

In a small skillet, I pan fried the peppers to soften them up and set them aside.  D cut his Steak into 1 cm inch wide strips and cooked them Medium Rare and set them aside for filling.

Heat a large non stick pan on Medium heat.  Now I build the bottom on a plate and slide it in.  D builds it in the pan.  Up to you.  Do not oil the pan.

Place a thin layer of Cheese on the first flour Tortilla.  Think of it more as glue than a topping so do not use too much.  Add the other vegetables as per your taste.  Do not over load.  Finish with another thin layer of Cheese and place the other Tortilla on top and press down.   Check the bottom.  After 5 minutes the bottom should be starting to brown.  Place a plate on top of your Quesadilla that is smaller than the pan.  Flip the whole pan over while holding on to the Plate. You should now have the plate right side up in your hand with the Quesadilla sitting on it with the bottom cooked side up.  Slide that back into the Pan and cook for another few minutes.
 

Use a Pizza slicer to cut into wedges.  Garnish with the Hot Sauces or Condiments of your choice.

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July 10th - Red Hot Chili Peppers - Quito, Ecuador - Gringo Mexican

Nachos at Red Hot Chili Peppers

We landed in a downpour in Quito from the Galapagos.  We tried to make the best of it and visited the amazing Quito Museum in the large mirrored Banco Central building.  The Banco Central houses a theatre and the Music Museum as well.  You NEED to know that despite what the guide books say, the Museums are closed on Mondays. We made that mistake on the front end of our trip.  We only saw the Quito Museum for about half an hour as we spent too much time watching the World Cup.... or at least one of us did. Anyhoo, it was a beautiful museum and the layout was fantastic.  The entrance is only 2$ but as we only had about half an hour they let us in for free.  We decided we'd have to come back if we could.  The first room is a historic timeline with artifacts of Ecuador from the Paleolithic era.  Very informative.

We spent the rest of the day walking about town when we could but we eventually had to find refuge in the hotel from the hailstorm.  We were staying the modest with character Hotel Cartuja in what appeared to be an embassy district.  Well, many of the old colonial houses were maintained and converted.  There were some occupied by hotels, embassies and music associations.  Ours used to be the British consulate.  It is very reasonably priced and the staff are IMMENSELY helpful. We ran into confusion on our booking via our agent but they helped even the night we arrived at 1am.  Their English is fair. There is a pleasant courtyard and most rooms face the courtyard.  Breakfast is included.  It is a short walking distance from the Mariscal aka Gringolandia and across the road from the Banco Central building.

Pitcher of Margueritas at Red Hot Chili Peppers

 We went for dinner in the Mariscal.  I know the guidebooks advise you to be very careful and that is probably a safe thing at all times.  I think this depends on your travel profile and so it is generally safer for novice travellers or young partiers to be careful in that area.  I have been in countries where it is safer to not appear lost or vulnerable.  I did not feel this in the Mariscal.  That said, we were not in there partying very late.  It does get dark by 6pm year round because of it's position on the equator. We were normally going for dinner around 7-8, which is on the late side for locals.  You might want to go for 6.  We were usually back at the hotel for 10 since we always had plans starting early the next day.  I felt safe, even when we popped out at 11 in search of Diet Coke.

Tonight, we went to Red Hot Chili Peppers mexican restaurant.  Funny, when we found it was on the corner with 2 other Mexican restuarants.  RHC is listed in a couple of travel books and probably saw a fair bit of traffic as a result. I am guessing someone else so an opportunity to meet any unsatified Mexican food demand :)  The one next door had an unfortunate bloke dressed as a matador and a cape luring people in .  He almost got me but D insisted we stick to the plan.

Sizzling Beef Fajitas at Red Hot Chili Peppers

It is a funky, dark, bohemian-esque place.  There was a wall covered in messages and graffiti and another flat screen TV playing local futbol.  There wasn't a Mexican in site but that isn't surprising as it ws the same in the Chifas (Chinese restaurants).  There are surprisingly few visible minorities in Ecuador. The food was good and served piping hot but I would put it on the Gringo scale of authenticity. 


We started with Nachos and pitcher of Margueritas.  The Nachos were piled high with toppings but they were all canned. The Guacamole was good but could have been more seasoned or garlicky.  The Cheese was abundant and a nice Black Bean puree on the bottom.  D was surprised I wanted the nachos as I am not big on big starters but I was sooo hungry after all that walking. 

Fajita Sides at Red Hot Chili Peppers

 The Margueritas were pretty good.  They were blended, I suspect from a mix as well, they were not terribly strong.  I after polishing off nearly the whole large pitcher between us, I could have walked a tight rope. 

Wrapped Fajitas at Red Hot Chili Peppers

 We both had Fajitas, I the Roasted Veg and D the Beef.  The sizzling skillets came heaped to the table with the sides of Guacamole, Black Bean puree, Rice and Cheese.  The Tortillas sitting in a little warmer basket were handmade and fresh.  The Rice and Cheese were very 'tacobell'.  The sizzling veg were great though, as always with Fajitas, there were too many Onions. They beat us both. 

Vegetarian Fajitas at Red Hot Chili Peppers and Tortilla Holder in the Back

It was par for the coarse on cost for the area; higher than the local joints but cheaper than the poshier places.  Quito is generally less expensive than Galapagos.  Remember, places automatically charge you 10% Service and 12% Tax.  As well, you should check whether a restaurant will charge you 10% for using a credit card.  The majority will.

Cost: $$
Ambience: Bohemian cafe
Staff: Friendly in a dark mysterious way

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Foch 713
La Mariscal
Quito, Ecuado

April 8th - Soft Veggie Taco night with Manny's Corn Tortillas

Taco night, as the TV commercial goes is not as easy as the actor in the white panama hat would have you believe. See all those little bowls of condiments you dress your tacos with are alot of work. It is not complex but its work. We mix it up and quite alot depending what we have in the fridge. D, as usual would probably accuse me of egging the pudding with all the extras I put out. I definitely had two tacos that I could not really close last night. :^D I do the same thing when we make Rice Noodle rolls.

Instead of buying the taco shells or even the hard/soft combo, I bought the closer to authentic soft cornshells. I see them all the time in the States where there is a larger Mexican people and cuisine adoption. It is all about sushi for us here. You see them in stacks of 50-100 for a couple of bucks in the bread section. I got 10 for that price. They are flexible but not soft and doughy like the soft tortillas you use for wraps or sandwiches. They are slightly thicker and look like thick tortilla chips. You need to heat them up in the oven or microwave. When you do, the become even softer and more flexible and look like the fajita wraps you get in Mexican restaurants in those red plastic 'pots' you are given to keep your tortillas warm. You know.

Soft Veggie Taco Night

8 Manny's Soft Corn Tortillas, heated as package in oven

1 package Mexican seasoned Yves Soy Ground
1/4 Onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic
1 c Water or the water drained from the Corn
1 Serrano Chili halved and seeded, so you can avoid it if you want

Toppings
2 Green Onions, minced
1 small Can of Corn
2 c chopped Lettuce
10 Cherry tomatoes, quartered and seasoned
2 Serrano Chilies minced
1 c Salsa or Hot sauce
1 c Refried Beans
1 c Shredded Mozzarella

Preheat the oven to 350F. Wrap the Tortillas in a foil packet or a oven proof dish with a lid. Wet your hands, not soak and spritz the tortillas and put them in the oven.

Heat a large skillet and 1/2 T olive oil. Soften the onions for a few minutes. Add the Soy Ground. Break up with a wooden spoon. Add some water. Since it is Soy, it will absorb alot of water and I find, it gives it better softer texture. Add the garlic and chili. Continue to sautee and add water as needed until well heated through. Season to taste. Bring to the table in a large bowl with a lid to keep it warm and to prevent drying.

I like to start with a schmear of Refried beans then the rest. Do not over stuff like me. D only used 2-3 T of the Ground Soy. I used quite a bit more. It was a bit ridiculous. I may as well have left it open. I quite liked the Corn Tortillas. We'll definitely be using those again. I am going to look into whether they freeze well and if so I will pick up a 'stack' in the States :^D

Mar 12th - Deuce Bungalow and India Gate Reviews - Vancouver

Tonight is Fuse at the Vancouver Art Gallery. Once a month, the Gallery stays open all night with performance art all over the building. We left after work to have a drink and snack before heading over to the Gallery. We walked up and down Granville since we wanted to be near the gallery. Deuce Bungalow is on Granville near Smithe. We pass it all the time and walk on by because it seems so loungey and meat-markety. Well, in daylight and their door wide open, it seemed more welcoming. That said, its decor is very very bachelor pad. Dark leather banquettes and booths surround the perimeter. The walls are dark and decorated with back lit Mexican themed posters. Strange.

The music is VERY VERY LOUD and we were there during happy hour or 5-6 and it was virtually empty. Why was the music so loud? Oddly, there was no Happy Hour offer here and the server tried to convince us that Canada doesn't do Happy Hour specials. I still am not sure if she was being funny or trying to put one over on us assuming we were Olympic tourists. Either way, I was put off by the comment.

The wine list is good. Good variety on the bottles and by the glass. I had a Liberty School CabSav and D had a Grolsch. We ordered their Deuce Bungalow Killer Nachos. They were yum. Fresh made chips and by that I mean not from a bag. You can tell by the lack of graininess and crispiness that is almost like a wonton. Enough cheese with a bit of pineapple and pickled onions and scallions on top. On the side a very cream guacamole and a fresh tomato salsa.

I may return for the nachos but not the ambience or the staff.

Cost: $$-$$$
Ambiance: Loungey, VERY LOUD, not conducive for a meal
Staff: Nice enough but strange "No Happy Hour in Canada" put me off
Location: Vancouver Bar district

Deuce Bungalow

980 Granville Street

Vancouver, BC

Get Directions

(604) 688-2969





After Fuse, we needed dinner. We actually left early because we were getting up early for snowboarding. We went across the road for a noodle bowl at this new place but they are having plumbing issues so we landed back on a comfort selection, India Gate.


We eat here about 2-3 times a year. If you are looking for good quality authetic curry, India Gate would be the place I would recommend. There are other indian/curry joints further west down Robson but they are your typical Westernised curries with the all too often mixed frozen veg mix of cubed carrots and peas. India Gate reminds of some of the simple yet reliably yummy curry places in London's Brick Lane.

What I do love is that all the curries come with rice. It is annoying to me to have to pay a few bucks for steamed rice. I am Asian and we are both frugal and fussy about our rice. That said, their dinner prices just absorb this. Their lunch prices are more reasonable for the fayre on offer. The mains for dinner are 20ish and lunch they are 12ish and that is simply a function of the position of the sun in the sky. Of course, the rice that comes with is a bit old by this time of day and oily. It is seasoned with cardammon seeds and some peas so that they can call them a Pilau. Put the rice aside if you want because the curries are great. Hot, full of flavour and the heat is to your selection. "Mild, Medium, Hot, Extra Hot". MMMMM

Their Naan is nice too but we did not get it today because of the nachos earlier. You are served fresh Poppadom as you are seated as well so we were good. Their naan is good though. Their rice is the only down side.

I had the Prawn Korma which is a nut based curry with sliced almonds on top. All prawn and curry. If there are veg in a dish like this, other than onion, and it is not a vegetable curry, then it is a western affectation. I was very nearly going to get their Bartha or the Eggplant curry. I have had it alot and it is awesome. D had the Chicken Vindaloo. He got medium but he was sniffling throughout his meal. It came with potatoes. I was surprised. I do not think I have ever seen a vindaloo come with potatoes. D did like it though and we both fully completed our dishes. If you do not want to splurge on Vij or want a more traditional simple curry, come here. Set aside the tired 80s decor and dodgy carpet. This place has a steady flow of clientele all day and most days of the week. I will return for the Korma.

Cost: $-$
Ambiance: Tired and the carpet is a bit dodgy
Staff: Indifferent to cold but nice to regulars. We are sadly not regular enough.
Location: Central downtown.

India Gate
616 Robson Street
Vancouver, BC
V6B 2B9‎
(604) 684-4617‎

Feb 9th - Tofu OR Pork Tacos

Tofu Tacos

Pork Taco

We do tacos or fajitas occasionally. It's fairly easy and if you have all the ingredients kicking about, pretty quick. As well, I like to be able to stuff them with my own fillings and mix of vegetables. Where we part ways, D and I, are the shells. D prefers soft shell and I like hard. Tonight was a compromise night :^P. I bought a half half pack of shells from the El Paso line.

Generally, their hardshells are pretty good. Their soft shells have never been. Once they all stuck together in the heating. They were quite small, which is fine but they were rather doughy. We had planned on getting the stack of corn ones that we're always seeing the specialty markets. We've never bought them because they normally come in these bread bags of 100. What are we going to do with a 100 masa shells when we only do Mexican once a month at most? Too bad, we were both craving them and didn't have time to go to that shop. The other thing about the El Paso kits that are a bit lacking is their 'taco sauce'. It's basically a spicy tomato ketchupy sauce. It reminds of the stuff that comes in the foil packs you get at Taco Bell. We didn't use it. We did use the spice pack to cook the tofu and the pork.

All D needed to do was reheat the pork in the oven, covered in foil at 350 for 20 minutes. Chop it up and toss with the spice mix. Or if you're less patient, chop it and sautee it in a small pan with the spice mix.

Tomato Salsa

3 tomatoes, seeded and diced

1/4 red onion, finely diced

1 jalapeno pepper finely diced

1/2 c chopped fresh cilantro

1 clove garlic minced

1/2 lime, juiced

salt and pepper (barely a pinch)

1 t olive oil

Mix the ingredients in a bowl and let souse. The longer the better. I just threw this on top of the salsa I already made for Superbowl.

Tofu Taco Filling

200 g tofu cut in strips (or mashed, depends how you like it)

1/4 onion finely sliced

1/2 c red wine

1/2 taco spice pack

In a large non stick pan, on medium high heat, sautee the onions and tofu until the onions are soft and the tofu starts to brown. Don't stir too much or you'll break up the tofu. Tossing is better. But as well, if you let it sit, it will brown better. Add spice mix and stir gently. Add the wine by circling the pan. You can add some more wine or water if it gets too sticky. Serve in a bowl with the other toppings. I use a good helping per shell. Lettuce is filler! I had a good 4 taco's from this. It could make 6 normal human sized ones.

Taco Toppings Suggestions

1 carrot, shredded

1-2 cups chopped savoy and purple cabbage (because we had it) otherwise use arugula or curly endive. Something meaty with flavour. I am not a fan of iceberg.

1 c shredded cheddar or monterey jack or mexican cheese if you can get it.

Salsa

Hot sauce of your choice....nothing smoky.

Diced avocado

Sour cream, low fat

Jan 5th - BlackBean Quesadillas and Parsnip Soup

I wasn't originally going to post this one because it was a leftover night. I had to decide which I was going to 'give up' given my workload. Parsnip soup was a re-run from NYE. Very tasty rerun though. One thing I did though was add a 2inch squeeze of Wasabi paste from a tube. I think it was about 1/2 T. The dried stuff D had was old and had a slightly odd aftertaste. The fresh stuff got rid of that. I don't know why we keep that tub kicking around. D bought years ago in San Fransico at Trader Joe's. I'm going to toss it and see if he notices.

There were two portions left so I just put the whole pot on the stove. Otherwise you can ladel a bowl and microwave on high for 3 minutes.
http://365vancouvereats.blogspot.com/2009/12/new-years-eve-dinner-2009.html

The other half of our quick meal was Quesadillas. It was the other reason for not wanting to post because, quesadilla pictures are lame. I should really take them as we construct them but I never remember.

BlackBean Quesadillas

Tonight was simple:

1 tin Blackbeans drained and shook dry
2 c shredded cheddar (yes cheddar not mozzarella though I do alternate)
1 chili chopped
1/2 white onion sliced thin
2 roma tomatoes halved and sliced
1-2T chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
whole wheat soft tortillas /wraps

1 jar of fresh salsa on the side.

Depending on how quick you are, you can build in the pan or on a plate and then slide in.

Put a large, non stick pan on medium heat.

Place the whole tortilla on a plate
Sprinkle cheese....it's your glue
Chilis
Onions
Tomatoes
A little more cheese
Black beans
Parsley
Top with cheese

Slide the tortilla carefully into the pan. No oil needed.
Cover with another tortilla.
Let sit about 5 minutes until the bottom browns slightly and the cheese melts.
Next step is a tricky one and depends on the structure of your pan and your dexterity :-)
If your pan has sloped edges you can slide it out onto a plate and turn. Mine is square and great for this quesadillas. Truthfully, it's why I bought it. (I may post a photo)
This is what I do:
I place a dinner plate right on top of the quesadilla in the pan. I lift the pan and turn it over while holding onto the plate like a waiter. You should now see the underside. Slide that back into the pan. I suppose you could try a slide, then turn. Either way, cook for another 5 minutes.

Plate and slice with a pizza cutter. I've seen people use clean food only kitchen scissors.

Top with Salsa or Guacamole. I had bought an avocado at Apple Hill on the way home but it was all brown on the inside. Sadness.

Jan 3rd - Cranberry and Walnut Bran Bud Muffins

I just woke up and made muffins. D was just saying the other day that I don't make muffins. Funny thing is that I used to be the Muffin Gal. I loved making muffins. He made the point while reading the new Gordon Ramsay book I bought him for Christmas. There is a Flaxseed muffin recipe I'll have to try. Today it was simple. Bran muffins but as I've not made muffins in a while, I didn't have any whole bran in the house except for some Post Bran Bud cereal. Buds are expensive as far as cereal goes so given the option, I'd have preferred to use Bran Flakes or Fibre thread cereal... any variety can be substituted but I'd crush the flakes before measuring because you won't get the same amount to volume.

Bran Bud Cranberry and Walnut Muffins

(Cranberry and Walnut Bran Bud Muffins)

(six muffins)

1 cup Bran Buds

2/3 cup hot water

In a large mixing bowl, soak the Buds in the hot water and set aside.

Don't worry if the buds don't melt away the water. They'll stay in these sort of soggy bud forms all the way through mixing but that's okay. They'll bake up fine and you'll have a nice texture on top because of them and they'll disappear in the middle.

Pre heat oven to 400F

Lightly oil or butter muffin tins by rubbing with fingers or wax paper. I like to use the paper butter comes wrapped in.

In a separate bowl, medium, measure out:

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 t baking powder

1/8 t baking soda (if you don't have 1/8 t measure it out with a 1/4 teaspoon in half)

1/8 - 1/4 t each cinnamon, ground ginger and fresh nutmeg

1/4 t salt (use fine or if you have course crush it a bit because you don't want chunks of saltiness)

Whisk the dry stuff together.

In the larger bowl with the buds add:

1 medium egg (or half a large)

1/4 c packed light brown sugar

1/3 c milk

2 T oil

Mix well. Then add:

1/4 c dried cranberries (or apricots chopped or dried fruit of choice)

1/2 c chopped walnuts

Sprinkle the dry in while stirring. You only want to mix to bring the mix together. Don't mix more because you'll get rubbery muffins....oh you know. Portion out into your oiled tins. This actually made 7 probably because I hadn't accounted for the fruit and nuts.

Bake for 22 minutes in the middle of the oven. Take out and cool on a rack. Take out of the tin immediately to avoid mushing. Loosen with a rubber spatula or simply flip over.

Yum. VERY light and fluffy.

We were out running from Home Depot to Salvation Army drop offs to recycling depots... we just drop off milk cartons, not for the money but because the city won't take them. So we popped by a veggie place I've been meaning to try for ages. It's vegan and reknown for their delectable combinations. They are definitely more autentico than Steamrollers. Blech. What is with the steaming? Did you know there are more calories in the healthy steamer than a big mac?! Anyhoo, I've been to California alot, particularly Mission in San Francisco where the best North American burritos are. These could stand a few rounds with them. Definitely not as good as the Papalote in SFO! http://365vancouvereats.blogspot.com/2009/01/friday-january-16th-on-road.html but pretty good. The 12" is huge but for 1$ up from the 10" seemed stupid to turn down. I should have turned it down.

I had the Henry which was a Tofurkey with Blackbeans, Mexican cheese, lettuce and tomatillo sauce. You have the choice of blackbean/refried beans and you can chose hot sauce, fresh salsa or tomatillo green salsa. I should have gone with either of the other two. The tomatillo was fairly flavourless. The cheese was crazy good and rich! The tofurkey was just okay. It was a chopped up tofurkey dog.

D had the Blair Stanley which was Tofu marinated in red pepper sauce. Much more flavour. We had the same blackbeans and tomatillo. We took home which was good because we have several hot sauces to add as well, it got messy.

Of course as luck would have it, our friend DL invited us for dinner at his for Korean after we had place the order. It was a late lunch as it was and he was doing an early dinner. Oof, the new year regime starts today (the next day) . I was realistic about the weekend new year start. ;-)

Budgies Burritos

44 Kingsway

Vancouver, BC

V5T 3H9

(604) 874-5408 (photos pending)

Friday, April 10th - Good Friday - Ceviche and Veggie Soft Tacos

Breakfast was cereal even though we had the time. It was sunny today and the forecast was rain so we wanted to get outside. D did stop to have this cappucino's though while reading his book "Expresso Coffee, Professional Techniques". Seriously. We've both tried again and again to make latte art, to no avail. I cheated once and used a chopstick to draw a face but that's it.

We're having veggie taco's with the St. Ives' Veggie Mexican ground. I used to use just tofu and a seasoning pack but I tried this faux ground round last fall and it was great! So in preparation, several hours before, I'm making simple Ceviche. mmmm I luves ceviche.

Ceviche is 'cooking' fish or seafood with 'acid'. In this case, lime juice. The spanish will often use wine vinegar and small smelts or fresh anchovies. So good! You'll definitely see the small white fleshed fish in tapa bars all over Spain. For the Peruvian or Mexican, with the citrus, best to stick to firm flesh, white fish, scallops or shrimp. I don't like to do the latter at home. If you search for recipies you'll notice that there seem to be loads of ingredients in the Mexican ones but that's because they'll tell you how to make the complete dish served. This recipe here that I use that is based on watching some people on TV and other recipies online is for the fish prep alone. With it you can serve fresh tomato salsa, cilantro or avocado salad. The peruvian recipes will often tell you the naked recipes. Just use mine and use the fish in which ever way you want, wraps, salads, tacos, tapas...

Dead Easy Ceviche

1/2 lb fish (today I'm using 120 g of FRESH snapper and 124 g of FRESH halibut filet)
3 limes (have extra, you need to have enough to just cover the fish)
1t chopped chili
1t cumin (optional)
1T olive oil

Slice the fish across the grain into strips. Or any which way to make thin pieces. Arrange in one layer in a non-reactive dish, glass or pyrex. Mix the lime juice, oil, cumin and chili and pour over. Actually, I like to squeeze on lime into the dish first and put the fish on top. Cover the dish with plastic and put in the fridge. Turn every half hour or so. Now time depends on how thick you cut the fish. You want the fish opaque. It is best to go over night. Drain and serve. I am doing it for 3 hours because I didn't use that much fish and I've sliced the pieces 1/2 cm (1/4 ") thick. It was turning opaque before I was done squeezing the last lime. But that time is again based on the FRESHNESS of my fish, the thiness and the source of the fish. To be sure, please go over night but BE SURE to use good fish. It should not be smelly when you're handling it. Don't think of it as a way to get rid of dodgy fish.

Saturday, February 21 - French Toast...

Breakfast, I made french toast with the stale baguette.

Yummy French Toast

3 eggs
1T milk
1T flour
1t nutmeg
1t ginger, fresh grated or dry ground
1t cinnamon

Whisk vigorously in a shallow mixing bowl or even a baking dish.

Cut the baguette or whatever bread you've got. Slightly stale is better so if you have fresh. Leave it out overnight. You'll get a soggy mess with fresh.

Drop the slices in and let soak for a good few minutes. Push it in there. Flip and repeat. Spoon over the mixture. Since the bread is slightly stale, you'll get the right amount to make it soft without too soggy. But really work it in. Put a small about of butter and oil in a nonstick pan on medium heat. Turn the oven on to 325. Fry until golden on one side. Will only be a couple of minutes. Flip until golden on the other side. Now, if you aren't using a non-stick, put the whole pan into the oven (make sure the handle is not plastic or wooden) I use non-stick so I put them on a butter piece of foil onto a baking pan and into the oven for 10 minutes.

I had it with coffee and some sweet bean paste. You can have maple syrup.

Lunch, D had a pork and beef german sausage at Kaisereck in a egg hotdog bun, with onions. He always tries to get one if we are there around lunch. (photo pending). I had just had too much french toast and so I waited until we got back and I had a half cup, heated up, of brandade with crackers/tortilla chips.

Dinner, we had planned on going to this great Ethiopian restaurant on Commercial but D wasn't feeling very well. So we made quesadillas and shared a can of Wolfgang Puck's soup. It was the Tortilla, blackbean and corn soup. We added some more blackbeans.

My quesadilla had: cheese, adobo chili, onions, green onions, sardines (unflavoured in oil. mmmm I ate a couple right out of the tin.mmmm), marinaded italian eggplant, jalapeno.

D's qusadilla had: cheese, black beans, adobo sauce and onion. He wanted to keep his simple.

I opened a bottle of Isabel Riesling 2006. It was HORRIBLE. To make sure that we weren't unfortunate enough to have bought a corked bottle, we opened a second and they both smelled the same. We looked up the wine's reviews and it distinctly said that it should have a very fruity nose with grapefruit on top. It was like leather and flint. We left it to breath for a while and it didn't help. D didn't want to admit that two bottles from the same case could both be bad, he kept at it. But it wasn't like it had a strong nose. It was OFFENSIVE. Isabel Riesling 2006 from New Zealand... aka Butane lighter fuel. Blech.

Friday, February 6th - Quesadillas

Breakfast, I had lactose free milk and Nature's Path Slim again. D had the Kashi Meusli.

Lunch, D made those wraps again except on the Tapenade one, he added marinated roasted red peppers from a jar. I was thinking of making a wrap but I think I'll try to stick to yogurt for lunch. I feel like I'm carrying a 3 or 4 extra pounds at the moment.

Dinner, we made quesadillas. They're super easy and a great way to use veg left in your fridge. In reality, of course, they're a far cry from the simple cheese and tortilla ones. When I first started making them over ten years ago as a fresh out of uni Montrealer, I would use only cheese, mushroom and maybe peppers. A trick I used to do was spice the shredded cheese with the garlic or jalapenos so it was evenly spread and also since in the 'fat', more aromatic.

We used whole wheat tortilla and pre shredded Saputo mozzarella as a base. Normally, I would use white cheddar since it's the closest to Mexican. In TexMex cuisine, they'll use Monterey Jack. I think it's a bit salty and sharp but tasty in this type of cooking as well. Mexican cheese is stretchy but not too flavourful which is why I think mild white cheddar works best.


We made fresh salsa as a side:
- 4 fresh tomatoes diced
- 1/4- 1/2 c chopped cilantro (we added parsley too because we had it)
- 1 clove chopped garlic
- 1/4 c diced red onion
- 1T white vinegar (this is Dom's thing)
- 1-2 juiced limes
- dash chili peppers
- 1t cumin
- (added the leftover corn from the quesadillas)


D's:
- 1 spicy, fresh, italian sausage from the First Ravioli Store, sliced and fried
- cheese
- canned kernel corn
- cilantro
- sauce from Adobo peppers


D makes his by spread on one Tortilla and folding in half. He made two of these.

ADOBO means seasoning I think. We used canned, chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce. There are loads of brands. I bought this from the mexican market on Commercial last fall. It keeps open in a container in the fridge. It is very smokey and mild spicy. Smoked red jalapeño peppers in spices, vinegar, tomato sauce and ancho chiles. Great La Costena chipotle peppers! (pronounced "chee-POHT-lay"). Smoked red jalapeño peppers in spices, vinegar, tomato sauce and ancho chiles. Great La Costena chipotle peppers! (pronounced "chee-POHT-lay").



Mine:
- baby spinach leaves
- fresh thyme and cilantro
- 12 small shrimp lightly sauteed in chili olive oil
- one adobo ancho chili chopped and spread
- red onion sliced, a few T
- cheese
- Coppola crushed chili flakes
- corn

I spread my stuff all over one full tortilla and lid it with another tortilla.

Put a non-stick skillet on medium high heat. Slide the Quesadilla on to the pan. After 4 minutes, check the bottom to see that's browning. Place a small plate on top (you can use a full plate but it's too heavy for me to do the flipping). Flip the skillet and the plate over and then slide the uncooked side of the quesadilla back onto the skillet and cook until the other side is brown too.

Eat with the salsa and avocado's on the side.

D's are easier to flip since he puts his half moon ones in one at a time. (pictures to come)

Slice like a pizza with a big knife.

We had some dark Lindt chocolate as dessert. A couple of squares each.

Friday, January 16th - on the Road

Five grain bread bread from Safeway, mostly poppy seeds with Trader Joe's Almond butter, Kona safeway select coffee

Lunch, mmmm a Vegetarian Burrito from Papalote, Spinach tortilla, black beans and Soyrizo (a soy based, vegetarian chorizo). It of course comes dressed with sauce, and rice as well. They throw a bowl full of fresh chips in the paper bag that you take the burrito away in. I almost went to the more 'authentic' place down the road nearer Mission and 24th, I think it was called Taqueria Guadalajara. I ate there at 1 am once after going out with D and O. Had this enormous 1lb rice and been burrito I couldn't finish. They charge you 50c for chips though. But I didn't go in cuz these three guys were standing out front, right at the door, commenting on all the passing breasts. So I didn't even slow down. I walked past to the corner, crossed the road and walked back up 24th towards Guerrero to go to Papalote. You'll know it from this sign and their purple tiles on the exterior. It sticks out along that beige block.




3409 24th Street
(between Poplar St & Valencia St)

http://www.yelp.com/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.papalote-sf.com&src_bizid=jwb3vTh8rn3OsN9wlI56-Q

Dinner, cornbread and EatRight chili that O bought. Okay so it turns out that O bought two Meat veg. One had a green label because it was 'Laredo' style which, being the carnivore that she is, she assumed was vegetarian. She thinks lettuce is sufficient for vegetable intake.
I had a chinese mango pop for dessert.

Popped out for groceries and bought a Bolla Pino Grigio which cost 3X what I paid for it here in Vancouver. Bargain! I, being the classy number that I am, am drinking it with whole wheat Goldfish crackers. mmmm

Sunday, January 4th, 2009 - Leftovers

D is still sick. We were tempted to go to Cypress to ride but he then started to cough again and we stayed in.

An hour later he went to check out WebMD for cold remedies. Like my mother, he defers to the voice of experts than second hand. So when I told him he should steep some fresh ginger in boiling water, he agreed because WebMD concurred :0).

So for breakfast, we both drank copious amounts of ginger tea with a slice of lemon and a stick of cinnamon. Well not cinnamon really. Most of the cinnamon on the market in stick form is not really cinnamon. It's bark from the Cassia tree. Cinnamon bark actually comes in enormous towel sized rolls. Some sticks of real cinnamon can be had but most likely if the source is Vietnam or Cambodia. Read the pack. If it's from Indonesia or otherwise, you're probably getting Cassia.

I had my tea with some dry cereal. Natural Path Heritage O's and Flax Flakes. That way I could eat it as a snack on the couch with my book. D had it the normal way.

Around 11, I heated up a Spanakopita from yesterday. On high for 30 seconds is good for toasty. A litte longer for piping hot for TWO. Obviously reheating in the oven is better because the phyllo is soggy in the micro. But if you have a toaster oven that'd be perfect. I don't like turning on the oven for a reheat.

D busted out some souvenir mexican xocolate pucks we bought in Puerto Vallarta last year. It's called Kekua. I think they have a website. You 1 litre of water or milk... or rather just to the point of boiling. We did milk. Water?? who would do that? Then you bust up a puck and drop it in and whisk until frothy. If you have a molinillo to do it properly then all the better. They're usually made of wood and kind of look like those honey scoopers that are rounded. A whisk is just fine. You don't need to add anything else if it is a sweetened puck. Ours had Chocolat, Azucar (sugar) and Canela (cinnamon) already in it. D mis read the spanish instructions and used half the amount of milk. The resulting beverage was very sweet and pungent but very delicious. I couldn't finish the last bit at the bottom of my mug so D combined it with his and added more water.For lunch, we went for the egg yolks from last night soufflee, kale from a few nights ago and the half bunch of spinach. I love kale. I only discovered it a few years ago in England since it's been a peasant staple for ages, particularly in Ireland where it's often served in mashed potatoes. It's much heartier than spinach and even after a blanching is till chewy and substantial. Great as an easy side dish. You can buy it anywhere.

Oyster Mushroom and Eggplant Frittata with Kale

Frittatas are the italian version of an omelette. It usually contains vegetables, herbs and cheese. Unlike the french equivalent which is tossed rapidly and folded, it is set in the pan and finished off in the oven. The spanish equivalent would be flipped over with the aid of a plate and turned back into the pan to finish.

D braised the kale, one or two leaves chopped with the spinach, washed and chopped. Fry some garlic in a little olive oil add the leaves and toss until slightly wilted. Cover and set aside. They'll continue to cook on the element with the heat off.

In a pan, we fry some oyster mushrooms, perserved jarred eggplant you can buy at any italian grocery..mmmmm, shallot, leftover dill and garlic. Salt and Pepper to taste. Beat three eggs or four for two people but we beat three and then added the two yolks from yesterday. Pour over the veg and stir. Move the egg around gently pulling the cooked egg away with a wide rubber spatula to let the raw egg cook but don't scramble. When it's nearly set, put the broiler on high with a rack in the highest position. Cut on plum tomato in to slices and place strategically around in whatever pattern you like. Place under the broiler for a few minutes until set.

Now some people wouldn't dare put a non-stick pan under the broiler. First, if your handle is wood or plastic, wrap in tinfoil, no worries. As for the teflon, some studies have shown that under intense heat, teflon can be toxic. However, it will not be under the broiler for very long and it has food in it. Now, I would advise preheating an empty teflon pan on extremely high heat for very long.

You can top the frittata with grated parmesan (the real stuff) or guyere. mmm Cut the frittata into fourths and serve with the kale. It's enough for a light lunch for four but we ate the whole thing.

The evening was more tea and leftover souflee. If you have half of it left, reheat in the oven. Otherwise 45 secs on high in the microwave is good.