Regular Toronto Thai Noodle Craving - Salad King - Downtown Toronto

Very Oily Spring Rolls - Salad King - Toronto

When I am living outside Toronto and come back to visit the folks, there is slate of cravings I need to sate while I'm home apart from mom's awesome Korean food.  Whilst living in Vancouver, the foremost is good Thai food.  Vancouver is not very good for Thai food.  Sushi yes.  Quite a few years ago, I went to the Salad King with a friend who chose it, confused by why she would drag me to a Salad Bar for lunch.  That was at the previous address down the street from Ryerson before the dodgy fire allegedly set by the landlord.  As I read the menu salivating, I saw a lovely coconutty noodle dish heaped with Tofu and Vegetables.  I asked the diners what that was.  They told me it was the Islamic Noodle.  I scoured the menu for it because I still like to read the description even if I've seen the dish.  They stopped me and told me it was not on the menu.  How odd.  I simply ordered it without a secret password or hand signal.

Disappointing Cold Islamic Noodle - Salad King - Toronto

It was wonderful.  Luscious, piping hot and a wonderful portion with lots of Veg and Tofu.  It's not the fanciest of Thai restaurants in Toronto but it's a, dare I say, trendy place that sort of reminds me of Wagamama in London.  I make a point of going there at least once a year when I'm back, if not every other year.  I've managed to do that for almost ten years now except the year of the fire whilst I was preggers and dying for an Islamic noodle, waah.  Over all those years, I get the same dish and in all those years, they have not put it on the menu.  Funny.

Bangkok Stir Fry - Salad King Toronto

I went recently with my cousin and our friend A after work at the new location right on Yonge.  I ordered the usual without hesitation and added a Spring Roll.  If I had written a review on any other occaison, it would have been a glowing one.  Always prompt service though not the friendliest and the food has always been hot and generous but not stupid.  This time, the food was lack lustre.  Everything came in odd succession.  The Spring Rolls were very very oily.   My beloved Islamic Noodle was room temperature and not at all luscious and coconutty.  I was rather disappointed and for the first time in nearly a decade, I left quite a bit on the plate. My cousin had the Bangkok Stir Fry with Bean Thread Noodle.  She rarely complains but I'll note for you she left at least half her plate.  I tried it and it was okay but again, rather cold.  I'm actually hesitating going back if the change in location has also changed their cost structure and staff enough to result in what I had that night.

Ambiance: chaotic buzzy, modern, loud
Service: usually prompt but indifferent, tonight, slow, inattentive and indifferent
Cost: $$-$$$
Family friendly: There were kids, high chairs available but place is loud for dinner and lunch.


Salad King
(416) 593-0333
Downtown/University of Toronto
340 Yonge St
Toronto, ON M5G1H1
http://saladking.com

Room Temperature entree

#Toronto, #Thai
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Hanging out in our potential new hood - Roncey - The Friendly Thai

Spicy Noodles with Chicken (Pad Kee Mao) - the Friendly Thai

D was not thrilled at the prospect of moving to Toronto though it was his job moving us!  We are insistent that we want to live in a part of the big city that still offers that 'village' feel.  Green tree-lined streets, variety of people, grocery stores, restaurants, specialty stores all withing walking distance.  The idea of weekends driving from box store to box store in some cookie cutter suburb or in some glassed up condo makes me cringe.  Roncey sort of reminds of Commercial in Vancouver.  EXCEPT! you will not find a Starbucks on it.  The area has strived quite hard to avoid the big chains opening up, thankfully.

So, woefully as we miss the Wet Coast and the fresh fish, I am glad that Toronto is great for Thai food .  IT's everywhere and has a decent range of price and quality.  That's been my perception anyway as I've been visiting in and out for the last decade visiting the folks.  Vancouver was not so good with the Thai food.  We settled on a couple of places as our go-to but, yeah, no where I'd be recommending visiting friends to try as a point of their visit.  You'd sooner recommend they try seafood or sushi.

There we were after a disappointing round of househunting and we were strolling down Roncey.  I popped in and out of cute shops like the Mercantile while D patiently waited on the sidewalk, since we were on a lunch run after all.  What was I craving he asked?  I said sushi.  I am always craving sushi as a default.  We walked past one that didn't feel inviting.  IT was dark and smelled of old tempura oil... or was it the deli next door grilling Kielbasa on their doorstep.  Anyhoo, we walked on.  I saw a lunch special sign outside the Friendly Thai for a Shrimp Curry Phad Thai, I was set and so was D.

Oddly enough, he didn't order the special... I grumbled as I thought of all the big houses in High Park we couldn't afford and there goes another 5 bucks :^P.  He ordered the Phad Kee Mao or Spicy Noodle.  That was odd to me.  Though Vancouver isn't great at Thai food, they put the proper names next to the dishes.  They didn't have D's preferred dish of Phad See Ew, nor did our server know what it was.  I suggest the Kee Mao cuz that is normally my favourite because I love the Thai Basil. 

Shrimp Curried Pad Thai - the Friendly Thai - Roncey

They both came out reasonably quickly and piping hot.  The portions were on the generous side for lunch which pleased me.  It wasn't a skimpy lunch special portion.  Mine was a luscious coconut based curry Phad Thai heaped with Tofu and Shrimp.  The sauce was tasty and just on the right edge of not too rich.  D's was really good as well.  They grilled all the veg and chicken before stir frying it so it had a nice smokey grilled flavour that went quite well with the sauce.  The portions did in the end beat us.  Of course we had bought some wasabi edamame at the Mercantile and some baked goods from the girls soccer team having a bake sale up the street.

The design is clean and modern without being pretentious.  They have a lovely folding door in the front to let the spring in now that days are sunny and blue.

Ambiance: Modern, clean
Cost: $-$$
Service: friendly and prompt
Family friendly: space for a stroller is very tight and the toilets are downstairs
The Friendly Thai
(416) 535-0111
 Roncesvalles Village
223 Roncesvalles
Toronto, ON
M6R2L6
http://www.myfriendlythai.com/

for Casual Thai Food





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Saturday, Jan 29th - Asian Breeze - Seattle Center - so-so Pre Opera Dinner

Coconut Prawn Pad Thai - too sweet

I bought tickets for D's birthday to Barber of Seville at the Seattle Opera.  We like the drive and visiting a bit of a bigger city vibe.  As well, the Seattle Opera has a much better venue, acoustically, than QE.  It is pricey though but luckily we were saving loads flying from there to our trip to San Fran.  It's really shocking how much cheaper those flights were actually.  That said, I will NEVER fly Alaska Airlines again.  We had a really questionable security experience, but that's for another post but ask if you like.

We had planned on going to Bizzaro Cafe for scratch made pasta but we were running late and thought it would be easier to check in and walk around the Queen Anne neighbourhood for dinner.  I was nearly turned off by over conceptualised decor but D was done walking and didn't look keen on going back to the first place I stopped in front of. :^)  Wish we had.

We were alone in the restaurant except for a single gentleman and yet, the server tried to seat us right next to him.  Other diners trickled in, all pre-opera diners.  Service was slow given the emptiness and rather inattentive.  The table next to us, seated a good spell after us, had their order taken and drinks served well before us.

Coconut Tempura Prawn - Greasy and not Coconutty

We started with the Coconut Tempura Prawn with Wasabi Mayo.  They looked and tasted like the types of prawn you might find in the frozen food section of Costco.  Butterflied and perfectly breaded but too manufactured in appearance.  Then there was the Coconut, or rather, there wasn't.  We had to concentrate like we were reading computer manuals to find the Coconut flavour.  We even called the server over to ask if there had been a mistake.  She claimed that the prawn had been marinated in coconut milk before breading and frying.  There was a very very slight perfume of Coconut, not worthy of marquee billing.  I still suspect, the prawn were store bought.  They were very greasy as well.

For a main, I ordered the Coconut Prawn Pad Thai.  The way the dish was described, I had thought the coconut milk and prawn would have been incorporated into the dish.  I was mistaken.  It was a standard Pad Thai with Coconut Tempura Prawn sat on top.  The server did not even have the courtesy to tell me that they were duplicate to the appetiser.  Very very unhappy about that.  The Pad Thai itself was far too sweet, and cloying.

7 Spice Pork Chop

D ordered the Seven Spice Pork Chop with Veg and Mash.  The Chop was rather dry and over cooked.  The mash was good.  Next time we go down, I think we may look up the road.

Cost: $$$-$$$$
Ambiance: Slick Asian, slightly too many visits to Pier 1
Service: not informative nor helpful

Asian Breeze
Queen Anne
366 Roy St
Seattle, WA 98109
(206) 285-6713

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Tuesday, Sep 7th - Sunny Thai Green Curry with Prawn

I have tried to take a cue from D about simplifying my cooking.  I am sure that if I were on Top Chef, I'd be the cook that they told needs 'more editting'.  In soups, omlettes, pizzas, quesadillas, what have you, I always try to add too much.  I suffered as a child when mom put out too many 'Ban Chan' (Korean condiments) try to put as many as I could in my mouth with each spoonful of rice.  :^P 

D likes to limit veg contributions to 1 or 2.  Less confusion and cleaner flavour, I guess.  I tried to do that with today's Thai Curry except I went thematic.  On busy days and on a regular basis because of the simplicity and yummoness, we make Thai Curries.  You're assured of fresh Veg, great flavour and a good kick if you do it right.  We were still pretty knackered after our camping so dinner after work needed to be as effortless as possible.  Tonights thematic Thai Green Curry was Sunshine.

Start Rice or in our case tonight, Quinoa now.

Sunny Thai Green Curry with Prawn
(Serves two with 1-2 lunches depending on seconds)

1 medium Orange Sweet Potato, cubed
1/3 large Yellow Zucchini (~2/3 - 1 c), cubed
1 Orange Bell Pepper (Capsicum), chopped
1/2 small Onion, sliced
1/2 tin Chick Peas (Garbanzo Beans)
16 Prawns, shelled
3-4 T Green Thai Chili Paste (We use Mae Ploy and keep it in the freezer. Lasts over a year)
1 Chili minced
1 inch Ginger, sliced
2-3 cloves Garlic, chopped
1 tin Coconut Milk
1-2 c Vegetable Broth/Water
1/2 c chopped fresh Cilantro

Microwave the Sweet Potato for 3 minutes on high.  Or steam them for 4-5 minutes.  Depends on the amount of dishes you want to use.  I use one of the dinner plates in the microwave.  If I am on a Microwave aversion day, I will steam them over the rice.

Have the vegetables all chopped and ready.  Open the tin of Coconut milk and have it ready.  Have the additional water or broth in a measuring cup there too.

Heat a large Wok on medium High.  Add 1 T of Peanut Oil or Canola Oil.  Add the Vegetables in this order about 1-2 minutes apart: Onion, Zucchini, Bell Pepper, Ginger, Chili. 

Add the Green Thai Curry Paste and smash down and break up the bigger lumps.  It will smoke so turn your fan and try not to breath directly over the wok.  Add the Garlic for less than a minute.  I do not like burned garlic.  Add the Coconut Milk stir and mix up the Curry Paste well.  I add the water to the tin of Coconut milk to swirl around and add to the wok.  You may not need a full 2 cups but at least 1 c.  More if you're using Rice as the bed because while it is piping hot, it will get dry on the plate. Add the Fish sauce now.  Taste before adding too much.  I add it here because if you add it to the dry wok, it will vapourize and disappear leaving a very fishy smell in your kitchen and not alot more. :^P Add the Sweet Potatoes and Chick Peas. Let simmer. 

Add the Prawn about 5-10 minutes before serving so they don't go too rubbery.  Serve on Quinoa and garnish with Cilantro. MMMMM


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Tuesday, Aug 10th - Green Basil - Thai Food with a Rice-free Noodle option

Thai Spring Roll with Lunch Special

I met up with my University friend J for Lunch.  We've both found ourselves working out in Burnaby again.  Well, she's changed to a new exciting job with the Housing Authority and I am leading a new portfolio with a team out here.  While she is lucky to be across the road from Metrotown, I am in a bit of a desert of culinary options nearer Collingwood. I only get to see J every few months.  She has two kids and a commensurate hectic schedule but we try. 

I have known her for ages back to our over indulgent Engineering school days.  Right after University though, J decided to visit an allergist on a hunch and family history.  I guess we can all identify with gaining he Freshman 15 but J thought it could be more than that.  She discovered she was allergic to Rice, Cheese and all things Fermented.  That meant she could no longer have Wine or Beer, Beer!  I mean we were in Engineering.  And with her partial Italian heritage, it was sad to have to bid adieu to Risotto.  It was a very brief grieving period when she lost well over the Freshman 15 after adjusting her diet.  Yay!

That is all well and good but we both love good food and particularly catching up over it.  That can be difficult in such multicultural city as Vancouver and Greater Vancouver to be restricted from consuming Rice.  Not many asian restaurants have the Egg Noodle option anymore.  Perhaps it's gone out of fashion.  Chinese restaurants are definitely easier for her with Egg and Wheat Noodle options.  Thai is virtually impossible.  All the Thai dishes, Curries or Noodle dishes are Rice based or accompanied.  Therefore, J was clearly thrilled when she followed her new boss into Green Basil to discover that she did not have to sheepishly order something 'safe' to be polite.  On the bottom of the menu, it read Egg Noodle option as well as Vegetarian. 

We both ordered the Jumbo Prawn Phad Thai.  I had the classic Rice Stick noodle and J ordered Egg Noodle.  The lunch specials all come with Soup and Cold Spring Rolls.  I don't eat Chicken and J is allergic so we both passed on the soup and they did not have an alternative.  The Spring Rolls were definitely Rice based and filled with Rice Vermicelli and Basil.  It had a very nice Peanut Dipping sauce and a little fresh vegetable pickle salad on the side.  It would have been nice to be offered a Salad alternative for dietary restrictions for the Soup at least.

Prawn Phad Thai with Rice Noodle or Egg Noodle in the back

The Phad Thai was a bit heavy on the Tamarind paste and therefore a bit too sweet.  Though, I would prefer that to the orangy-ketchup alternative you too too often see in  Thai restaurants that have either substituted Tamarind with the cheaper Ketchup alternative or have just adopted that recipe as a matter of preference.   For lunch, it was a decent portion.  I would have like more vegetables in the mix but there were at least a good number of prawn.  It is a very good Lunch deal and the service was quick enough that you could be back at the office (if you're nearby) in an hour.

Service: Quick
Ambiance: Pleasant, unassuming Thai accents
Lunch: Good list and variety of specials

Green Basil
4623 Kingsway
Burnaby, BC V5H
(604) 439-1919
http://www.greenbasilthai.com/

Food

Lunch Service

Jul 20th - Eggplant and Tofu Red Thai Coconut Curry

[JUMP to the PRESENT but more GALAPAGOES memories to come]

Aaaah coconutty goodness.  Three weeks without it and it is super easy to do on a busy week.  We are madly trying to catch up at work, photos, blog, and housework; therefore, we needed something we could sit down to after getting home quite late.  Spicy food is alsy counterintuitively good for hot weather. 

Eggplant and Tofu Red Thai Coconut Curry

1/2 Onion, chopped
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 inch Fresh Ginger, matchsticks (big enough for D to pull out)
1 Serrano or Birdseye Chili, chopped (big enough for D to pull out)
4 Baby Asian Eggplants, 150% bigger than a Golf Ball, cut into 8ths along the long side (halved, quartered then again)
1/2 large Zucchini, chopped
200g Extra Firm Tofu, cubed
2-3 T Red Thai Curry Paste
1/2 c Cilantro, chopped (garnish, optional) [I went a bit heavy but I had missed it]
Lime wedges, (garnish, optional)

The instructions are from a previous Thai Curry.  The vegetables are different but the method, well my method is the same.  As I have written before, D starts with the paste and I start with the aromatics.  This was my method for a Thai Curry. 

We had a wonderful Trimbach Riesling. Bright, and balanced.  Very good with spicy food.

June 18th - Local Organic Strawberries IN SEASON! and Jumbo Prawn and Eggplant Green Thai Curry

Woohoo! I did not even notice but it's local Strawberry season.  It's like when sandal weather comes back.  I don't even realise but they're everywhere and I cannot imagine my life before my toes where out there.  Local Strawberries are REAL Strawberries.  I mean that.  The rest that are imported from far away or grown in little houses and imported from far away are almost real, but they are either too tart or flavourless sponges.  Most Strawberries in England were like that because there was no such thing as a good haul of local strawberries.  They had little tiny Wild Strawberries which are great but the kind you see smothered in Cream and Suger at Wimbledon are smothered for a reason.  I remember an episode of Nigella talking about how she 'preps' Strawberries you buy in England.  She souses them in a bit of Sugar and Orange Flower Water because she has to.  Well, you know how Strawberries taste when you add that Sugar taste? or the dried berries in Cereals or Strawberry Candy?  Well good Local Strawberries taste that good without any fuss.  I eat them rinsed and dehulled right there over the sink.... and for breakfast too :)

Jumbo Prawn Broccoli Thai Green Curry

10 Jumbo Prawns, Shells-on for flavour (you can deshell them if you like)
1 large Asian Eggplant, 1 inch slices then halved
1 c Broccoli, florets
5 small New Potatoes (ping pong ball sized), halved
1/4 c Onions, chopped
3 cloves Garlic
1 inch fresh Ginger, matchsticks
3 T Green Thai Curry paste (must read like a grocery list and NOT like a chemistry text! all of it!)
2 hot Chilies, seeded and chopped
1 can Coconut Milk
1 can Water
I par roasted the Eggplant. You're probably used to this routine but worth repeating.  I toss Eggplant and the Potatoes in 1 T of slightly heated Vegetable Oil in the wok I will use later. I spread out in a lined baking sheet in a single layer and turn the oven to Bake at 425.  Rapid Preheat if the option is there.  Turn off when it comes to temperature or 15 minutes, whichever comes first.  Don't clean out the wok.  You'll use it and the oil soon.

Heat the wok on Medium High.  Add 1/2 T Vegetable Oil.  Add the Onion.  Toss for 1-2 minutes.  Add the Broccoli stems if you kept them. Add the Ginger, Garlic, and Chilies.  Toss for 1-2 minutes.  You may want to turn the heat down to Medium to avoid burning the Garlic.  Move constantly.

Add the Curry Paste.  Smoosh around so you spread it through the aromatics.  1 minute.

Add the Broccoli.  Scoop and toss, scoop and toss.  1 minute.  Add the Eggplant and Potatoes. Toss, scoop and toss, scoop and toss.  1 minute.

Add the Coconut Milk.  Fill the Can with water and add that too.  You can play it cautious and add half first.  I always end up adding the whole can.   Add the Prawn.  Stir and then cover to simmer for 5 minutes.

Serve on rice topped with Chopped Scallions or Chopped fresh Cilantro (Coriander).

Yummmo!

May 19th - Tofu Thai Green Curry Vermicelli Noodle Bowl

Nice big comforting bowl of noodles on a chilly day cannot be beat.  For D, a noodle soup is a good change from Rice whereas I could probably have rice everyday and not tire of it.  Funny thing is that D does not consider Risotto rice like rice underneath a Curry.  Weird.  D suggested I try this with Buckwheat soba noodles next time but I have tried that in the past and find the taste of the noodle too strong and overpowering for this particular dish but if you like the flavour alot, have at it.  Also the chunky Udon noodles would work well.

Tofu Thai Green Curry Vermicelli Noodle Bowl

1/2 Onion, sliced
1 small head of Broccoli Florets only, chopped
1/2 large Zucchini, sliced
1 small Sweet Potato, cubed
1 Chili, seeded and chopped
1 inch fresh Ginger, sliced
2 cloves Garlic
3-4 T Green Curry Paste (Read the label, there should be nothing you could not buy in the veg section of the market)
1 can Coconut Milk
1 t Fish Sauce
1 can water
2 c Kelp broth (Instant Japanese or Korean, w NO MSG)
150 g Extra Firm Tofu
4-5 fresh Basil Leaves, torn up

2 small bunches of Bean Thread Noodle (the packages mostly come in pre-portioned sections about the size of a fat cell phone)

Soak the Bean Thread Noodle in some boiled Water and set aside.  I like to cut up the noodles with scissors when they are a bit softened otherwise you may end up with a gianormous single endless noodle.

In a large Wok, heat 1 T peanut oil.  Add the Onion and the Zucchini.  Sautee for 2-3 minutes.  Add the other veg in order of listing 1 minute apart.  Make sure your fan is on before you get to the Chili!

When you get to the paste, make sure to try to smash it down and spread it around.  Do not let it burn. 

Add the Coconut Milk and Water from the same can.  Stir and bring down to a simmer.  Partially cover and let gently simmer for 5-8 minutes.   Add the Broth.  Bring back to a simmer then add the Tofu stir briefly for 1-2 minutes.  Turn the heat off and get ready to serve.  You do not need to cook the Tofu long. Add more water/broth if too thick. You want it closer to Soup than Sauce.

Drain the Vermicelli.  Place in the bottom of two large Noodle soup Bowls.  Ladel the Curry over the Noodles.  Garnish with the fresh Basil (or Cilantro)

May 4th - Sunny Thai Green Curry

Missed my Thai Curry while I was away so tonight was a no brainer.  D bought some of the Pollock/Crab meat from the market yesterday which was a bit shocking.  He never buys that stuff.  I bought it once and he was puzzled as to why it was in the fridge. I had told him I used to use it in stirfries when I was younger.  He said he was looking for protein and picked this and tofu up for a couple of easy mid week meals.

I am still a bit blue that my holiday is over so I wanted to make this dish really bright and sunny so there are alot of vegetables with loads of Beta Carotene.  I thought it would brighten my spirits aesthetically and nutritionally.

Sunny Thai Green Curry

200-300 g 'Crab' meat, bite sized
1 medium Carrot, sliced
1 medium Orange Sweet Potato, diced
1/2 large Yellow Bell Pepper, chopped 1" squares
1 c Broccoli florets
1/2 White Onion, sliced
3 cloves Garlic, minced
1 inch Ginger, julienned
1-2 Hot Chilies, julienned, large so D can pick them out (I used Jalapenos because that is what our local had)
3-4 T of Green Thai Curry Paste, use fresh i.e. needs refridgeration. (Read the ingredients! All should be stuff you can find yourself)
1 tin Coconut Milk
1 empty Coconut Milk tin of water
1 T Peanut Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
Cilantro for garnish

Make the brown rice ahead while you are chopping.  Do no do what I did and walk away to look at vacation photos and burn the bottom and have to start over.  I have never burned rice in my life until today!

Remember, I do my backwards from D.  He adds the paste and the Milk first.  WEIRD.

I steam the Sweet Potato cubes for 3 minutes.  I did it over the rice with an all metal seive over the boiling rice with a lid on top. You want them par cooked and cook the rest in the curry.  Alternatively, you can spread them out on a plate and nuke them for 3 minutes.

In a large Wok or Skillet, heat 1 T of Peanut Oil or Canola Oil on high..  Toss in the Onions and Carrots.  Stir fry for 2-3 minutes until the Onions are soft. Add the Peppers and stir for another minute. 

Turn the heat down to medium.  Add the Curry Paste.  Try to smash the paste down to the bottom of the wok so it spreads and gets cooked but not burned.  Add the Garlic, Ginger and Chilies.  Stir for 1 minute.

Add the Coconut Milk and Water.  Stir to mix thoroughly.  Let simmer for 2-3 minutes.  Add the Broccoli and the Sweet Potato and stir to mix.  Cover and let simmer for 5 minutes.  Add the Crab meat and simmer for 3-5 minutes more cover on.  Add more water if it thickens too much.

Serve on Rice with a garnish of Cilantro. MMMMMM

We drank an Australian Sauvignon Blanc which will go un-named because even though it was nice gave us both headaches the next day.  Dodgy!

April 6th - Maenam Thai Restaurant - Kitsilano - Vancouver - A Westcoast-Chic Thai Experience

 Cloudy Hot and Sour Prawn Soup

I like to catch up with the girls from my first job in Vancouver every few months.  They were fun to work with and continue to be fun catch up an gossip with. We could not be more different in backgrounds and history but we get along really well.  We like to choose new and well reputed places whenever we do go out.  That is definitely something we have as a foundation. We are all foodies who love good wine.  Funny that.  J, she left work a few years ago to purse a dream of cooking professionally which was really her passion anyway.  She is quite close to the word in the industry on the new places and the places that insiders like to eat which is great.

We chose Maenam tonight as one of the latest 'it' places in Vancouver.  It won the award for best New Restaurant as voted by readers in the Georgia Strait this month.  That in and of itself would not necessarily tell you alot.  I would not agree with alot of the winners like: Best Imported Wine list, Best Imported Wines, Best Pizza, Best Coffee,... to name a few.  Yellowtail for best imported white wine!!!??? Seriously?  I am not a wine snob.  I like, no love good wine and Yellowtail is not it.  It is a bargain, I will agree, but that is all.  Well, it is a free news paper after all.  One, that I admit I pick up frequently for music and theatre listings but I would not say that I would live and eat by their reader restaurant choices.  So, that was not why we chose Maenam.  Actually, J and K had said that they had probably eaten most of their meals out in the last few months on the three blocks around Maenam.  :^)  J had heard great things about Angus and his training and approach to cooking. Done deal for us to try it out.

It was a Tuesday night but you would not know it.  Maenam was nearly full with regular turns on the tables, except ours :^D.  We like to talk.  But we like to eat and we did order enough wine and food to keep our table, though you would not know it from our pushy waitress.  The hostess was lovely but our server was really odd on the verge of rude.  It was like Maenam could not decide if it was a high end Kits restaurant or a high turn Thai joint.  Sorry, your prices tell me the former and I am quite happy with my 13$ (incl tax+tip) glass of prosecco.

Roti

Anyhoo, we ordered some Roti with our starter drinks to shut her up.  It was hot and tasty, slightly under seasoned but nice.  We decided to share a couple of starters because many of their 'Smaller' dishes, as they are described, are for 2.  That could be a bit cumbersome if one or the other is allergic or is averse to certain meats. We ordered Cloudy Hot and Sour Prawn Soup and some Mussels with Thai Basil and Lemongrass.  The Mussels came with a side sauce that was tart with lots of lemongrass which came in handy later.  The Cloudy Hot and Sour soup came in a little Chinese hot pot soup pot that was kept hot with a chafing heating type of thing with a small ladle.  My advice would be to let it sit for a bit because it only got hotter and it was nicer when it was piping hot.  The broth was flavourful but there was not much in the way of mushrooms or prawn.  We had several helpings of just broth.   We did finish just about all of it though. 

The Mussels came in a tiny little bowl so access to the broth underneath was impossible.  I was glad to have the extra broth from our soup.  It came with a small bowl of Nam Jim Sauce a hot, sour, spicy Thai vinagrette.  It did not compliment the Mussels at all but it came in handy later.  That said the mussels were cooked perfectly, the were all consistently plump and flavourful.  Very nice.

For mains, I ordered the 8 Spice Fish - a Crispy Lingcod served with carmelised tamarind with fried herbs and spices.  J orderd the Aromatic Duck Curry which was a type of confit.  K ordered the Jungle Curry of Sable Fish from Northern Thailand. 

To accompany our mains, we went for a bottle of a neutral Pinot Noir.  Sadly, they only had one.  Very strange for an Asian restaurant.  There are not many dishes on the menu that would stand up to some of the big reds on their list.  Luckily the Pinot Noir was a nice one, the Therapy Vineyards 2008.  Very elegant without being intrusive on the complex flavours in the food.

The 8 Spice Fish was dry.  Very Very Dry.  It was also under seasoned so it lacked flavour which was really odd given its name.  Luckily I used some of the Nam Jim sauce that came with the Mussels as a condiment.  As well, took cheeky spoonfuls of K's Jungle Curry sauce to pour on my rice.  The fish itself was cooked perfectly.  The crispiness was nice but with the added dried tamarind on top, I was left parched.

The Jungle Curry was very nice.  Both curries came in little Thai brass bowls with brass serving spoons.  Nice touch.  The sauce was flavourful and had many different notes of flavour.  The fish looked well cooked and K enjoyed it. One thing I would note is that the portions were rather small.  The mains do not come with rice so I thought it was funny that the mains section was called 'Bigger' when they were actually smaller than the 'Smaller', starters.

The Aromatic Duck smelled lovely but looked incredibly greaZZZZy.  Yes, confit is an oilbased cooking but you do not normally expect the lot to come out to your plate.  The little brass bowl was full of oil or duck fat and the sauce was a good half inch beneath that.  She ate the duck but left the potatoes.  I could see why.  They had sopped up much of the oil.  She did say she liked the dish.

Overall I would say that there is a bit of hype around the new hit.  The food was nice but not the super star above your average Thai place other than the decor.  That was definitely refreshing.  It is a clean, sleek, Westcoast meets Bamboo-Asian chic without the obligatory Thai scarves hanging on the walls or wooden elephants or other trinkets.  So the feel of the restaurant felt posh but the food did not as much.  What I should have done, I was telling J and K, was order the Pad Thai as the benchmark.  Rather than trying the original dishes to get a sense of the elevated status of the place, I should have ordered a staple.  You know, the way they say you can tell a great sushi chef from his Egg (Tamago) Sushi roll.  Still it was an enjoyable experience and I would say it is worth a try.  I insist, however, that you not be intimidated by your pushy server if you get the same one we did.  You are a paying guest and this aint the Noodle Box.

Cost: $$$
Ambiance: Sleek, clean, bustely but not deafening. (Wooden floors are slippery if you are in heels!)
Staff: Our server was pushy to the point of rude.  Like we had overstayed our welcome :^(
Location: Kits restaurant central
Wine list: Fantastic!

Maenam Thai Restaurant
1938 West 4th Avenue
Vancouver, BC
(604) 730-5579

March 29th - Purple Kale, Sweet Potato and Tofu Red Thai Curry on Black Quinoa

I skipped lunch today because it was too busy at work. So the meal I am describing below as being for 1 serving plus 1 lunch serving was eaten in one go. I was so hungry after my run I just could not do it. Like I said, when D is away I lose all sense of portion control.  I go all Korean on my dinner. 

Black Quinoa as we have done many times. 1/4 c Quinoa to 3/4c-1c water. Simmer for 15-20 minutes. 

Purple Kale and Sweet Potato Vegetarian Red Thai Curry

(Serves 1 plus 1 lunch)

1/2 bunch Purple Kale
1 small Sweet Potato (100-150 g)
1/2 Orange Bell Pepper, chopped
1/4 Onion
1 inch fresh Ginger
2 cloves Garlic
1/2 T Fish Sauce
1 T Red Thai Curry Paste
1/2 can Coconut Milk
1 can water
1 t dried chili flakes

Wash the Kale leaves. Fold each leaf along the spine and cut the stem away. You can keep them on if you feel like exercising your jaw and need the ruffage. I would not. Then chop them into 1 inch strips.

Peel and slice the ginger. Chop the Garlic roughly.  Slice the onion.  Peel and cube the Sweet Potato.

5 minutes from the end of the Quinoa, add an additional 1/4 c water. Lower in a steamer tray with the Sweet Potato right on top of the the Quinoa. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.  Pull off the heat and leave covered.  As you proceed with other stuff.

In a hot wok, eat 1/2 T vegetable oil.  Sautee the onions for 1-2 minutes.  Start adding the kale in small handfuls.  Keep the contents moving as you add.  When you have most of the kale in, add the Curry paste and make sure you spread it around with the back of your spatula. Add the Garlic, Ginger, Chili and Bell Pepper.  Toss briskly and with purpose.  Make sure to scrape the bottom of the wok.

Add the Coconut Milk and Water.  Keep scraping from the bottom a few times.  Add the Sweet Potato and Tofu.  Toss Gently a few times.  Simmer uncovered or partially covered for 10 minutes until the Tofu is hot.

Serve over Quinoa. Garnish with sliced Green Onion or Cilantro.  I was going to also garnish with a Lime Wedge but it is sitting sadly in the fridge because I forgot it.

It was delicious nonetheless.  I am going to use Kale in curries more often.  Though, D is not a big fan of Kale either.  He prefers Swiss Chard when looking for a meaty green but I do not know that it would stand up in a Curry.  D will learn to love Kale, I am confident. :-D

Mar 24th - Thai Green Curry Spinach Vermicelli Noodle bowl

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D is away for work so when he reads this he will undoubtedly chuckle. I have a very poor sense of portion control. I blame my mom and her giant noodle bowls. :^P. I thought I was being so good by only using half a tin of Coconut Milk and half a tin of Garbanzo beans. If we were making a dinner for the two of us, we would have used the whole of both. Though, we probably would have had some lunch left. I knew full well that a bunch of Spinach for one person was way way too much but it's Spinach. What is the harm right? Well, I thought the recipe I worked out in my head would be good for one person but really it ended up being a good portion for 2 people, no leftover. That does not mean I did not give it a go on my own. D is laughing now. I did manage the save about a lunch portion but I had to add the other half of the Garbanzo beans.

Thai Green Curry Spinach Vermicelli Noodle Bowl

1 bunch fresh Spinach, washed thoroughly and destemmed
1/4 Onion, sliced
3 cloves Garlic
1 inch fresh Ginger
1/2 Red Bell Pepper
1 small Sweet Potato (<100g)>

Mar 4th - Thai Green Curry with Brussels Sprouts

Finished Brussels Sprout and Tofu Thai Green Curry.

The Browned Tofu and Brussels Sprouts set aside before adding to curry.

Oh yeah, you read right, Brussels Sprouts in a Thai Green Curry. D's away and I get my sprouts. I was tempted to have eggs tonight but I feel like rice and coconut, quite specifically. I would normally use an eggplant too but I have to get my Brussels sprouts in at some point. D has grown used to if not fond of Dubu (aka Tofu) on occasion to lighten up his diet. He will probably never change his taste on Brussels Sprouts though. I think it is the last of his childhood 'poison' memories that he refuses to grow out of.

It is understood, generally, that we have a limited recollection of pain but an indelible recollection for 'poison'. It goes back in human history to our hunter gatherer days where we imprinted upon ourselves those foods that were harmful. As a result, there are certain bitter vegetables that have compounds that trigger a similar reflex. Broccoli for example. Oddly enough, I read somewhere recently that often, even if, as a small infant, a child will eat these foods that when they hit the age when they start walking or crawling, they develop an aversion. The aversion stems from their impulse to stay nearer where it is safe and their 'poison' memory kicks in when they are able to move. But come on D! we're not cavemen anymore and we know full well that there is nothing harmful about brussels sprouts.

I did not grow up with them in Korean cuisine. I specifically remember thinking that I should hate them because all the kids on TV hated them. I had a similar affected aversion to cottage cheese that is until I tried it and brussels sprouts. I loved them. Granted, I was a teenager by then and had well grown past developing any 'poison' memories borne of my DNA. You can develop new ones. In fact, we all probably have. Have you ever gotten ill after a bad bit of shellfish? My friend J was served Shepherd's Pie in the hospital while going through chemo and she cannot go near it anymore. My ex boss said that the nurses in the hospital where her son was being treated were always eating microwave popcorn and no she cannot touch the stuff.

Well, I have tried baking, roasting, frying, steaming them for D and he is really still just putting up with them. I think I'll have to skewer a couple this summer and put them on the BBQ! That has got to be a winner!

What do we do when we are making a Curry tha you are going to eat with rice? Start the rice now.

Thai Green Curry with Brussels Sprouts

(for 2 people and a lunch)

1 small sweet potato

1/2 lb brussels sprouts, trimmed and cut in half (or frozen and defrosted) about 10

1 green bell pepper cut up (you can use half but what are you going to do with the other half?)

1/2 onion, sliced

1/2 lb tofu cut in 1/2 cm slices then in half (Extra firm or Firm)

2 cloves garlic

1/2 inch ginger

2 local chilies, hot. Slimmer than a jalapeno and white hot.
1 1/2 T green curry paste

1 tin coconut milk (well you could use half but what are you going to do with the other half?)
1/2 T fish sauce

I want to brown my brussels sprouts and tofu. To do the pan fried browned brussels sprouts you need to steam them first. Luckily I was planning on par steaming the sweet potato first too. In a sauce pan put finger tip's depth of water. Place in a veggie steamer tray and bring the water to a boil. Cut the sweet potato into 1 cm cubes. Cut the brussels sprouts in half. Put the sweet potatoes in first. The brussels sprouts on top. Cover and steam for 5 minutes. Take off the heat.

In a large non stick pan, heat some olive oil or butter on medium high heat. Place all the steamed brussels sprout halves cut side down. Add the tofu slices. Let sit for a good 3 minutes until they start to brown. Start to turn the everything over. The brussels sprouts you can start to just stir but be more careful with the tofu until crispy on both sides. Season with fish sauce. Set aside.

Fry the onions, ginger, chilies and garlic on medium heat until soft. Add the paste and fry a bit. HAVE THE FAN ON! It will smell and it will make you sneeze. Add the green pepper and the potato. Stir for a few minutes until the green pepper turns a brighter green. Add the coconut milk. Stir and add the Brussels Sprouts. Simmer covered for 5 minutes. Add the tofu back at the last minute. You can add it earlier if you want but I don't want it to fall apart or reabsorb water.

Serve over rice. Garnish with cilantro or sliced spring onion.

I had a Township Merlot 2005 with it. I know not your typical Asian pairing but it was great! It was not a heavy Merlot. Fruit forward and not fussy. It went very well.

Feb 21st - Wimaan Thai Restaurant and a Golden Olympic encounter

You simply can't make plans in days like this. I like to make plans but I like to go with the flow. The way I navigate during festivals like this would make most people's heads spin. So when D said that I could go wonder in town while he finished the painting, I jumped. I did watch the Canadian Women's curling team kick British arse. That's not a curse word in Canada :-D.

I headed straight to CTV to see if I could get some pins but the line was too long so. I had decided to head to the #Olympic Aboriginal House. I bumped into Joe Sakic the hockey player who couldn't walk 10 ft without being stopped and all he wanted was to get to the Bay to buy some mitts. But, though I live in Vancouver and work downtown, I can't read those blasted Olympic tourist maps. I headed up Granville for a snack pitstop. Saw a LOOOOOOOONG 4-5 hour line for the Canadian Mint for folks to see real medals. 7 hours if you wanted your photo with them... comeon!

So I headed north but too far and ended up at the Northern House which I was still convinced was the Aboriginal House until I got inside. Lucky break really. It was fantastic. I was first put off by the long line but it moved in large chunks so I didn't wait more than 15 minutes. It was Nunavut Day yesterday so there were presentations I was really fortunate to have caught. I saw the Premier Eva Aariak, the Mayor of the Capitol and the Senator. As well, suddenly, John Furlong, CEO of VANOC appeared with a presentation for Eva. They had throat singers and a Northern traditional atheticism presentation. I was in there for nearly an hour! The artwork and information was just great. I had my picture taken with Eva, who is rumoured to possibly be the next Govenor General but my card reader blipped out and then I couldn't get near her again.

I headed to Livecity Vancouver to meet up with friends for the Hockey Game but the line was like an hour long. I couldn't find them in line so I got in line at the end. Then they decided to go elsewhere because even if you get inside, you need to line up for the beer garden as well. So I left to go find the real Aboriginal House. I got in line but then they cut the line off because it was too full. Nevermind, I headed toward Granville because I had a sushi craving. On the way, I saw a looooong line at a Cheerio booth. I thought, free Cheerios is cool but this line is ridonculous. So I snuck upto the top to see what was going on. Two Canadian atheletes and GOLD medalists, Warren Tanner and Maelle Ricker were signing autographs and taking pictures. I couldn't get past the security but that was okay. I really only wanted a photo. I was only a few feet away from where I was standing.

I then continued to the Granville street and got some great photos of folks getting pumped up for the Canada v USA Game. I bought my sushi and dashed over the bridge to meet up with D and family visiting from Montreal. After some sightseeing and failure to get a seat anywhere to see the game in doors, we decided to go home. We watched it at the open Francophonie stage for the first period but it was pretty chilly by then. All mention of the game stops here.

We were going to order Chinese but Chillies Szechuan was closed!! How odd. We went for Thai food up around the corner on Broadway. We'd taken away and eaten there in the past so we new it was good.

We ordered a few dishes and some rice: Yellow (coconut) Fish Curry, Spicy Asparagus and Shrimp,Tofu Pad See Eww, Sweet and sour chicken with vegetables Pork with mushrooms, Rice

I always get the Phad See Eww or Phad Kee Moew. I like the wide flat noodles and the basil. This was alright though very very dry this time. And not a basil leaf in sight. Still it was nicely savoury and the noodles where well cooked and there was lots of tofu.

I didn't have the Chicken or the Pork so can't really comment. We got them as fairly neutral dishes for some of our guests that we were worried wouldn't enjoy the really authentic thai dishes. D doesn't really care for the chicken because he doesn't like sweet and sour but he did say that both dishes were fresh and well cooked. For those a bit timid about straying from they chinese takeaway, try those.

The Asparagus in spicy sauce with Prawn was fantastic. Large fresh, delicately cooked prawns were numerous. The asparagus were cooked al dente and tasted very fresh. The sauce could have been spicier and it was a tad oily but you could avoid the oil. It was a very tasty dish.

The Yellow (coconut) Curry was a STAR! I believe the fish was sole and nicely cooked. The sauce was rich and flavourful. The fish was complimented with carrots and potatoes. I guess it was their migratory version of Korean and Japanese curry. Very nice. I will have this dish again and again.

We ordered two rice and it was enough for six people. Generally, if we're having asian takeaway, we make our own rice. Seems a bit of a waste to me to pay 2-3 dollars for rice if I eat at home. That's me though and D is kind enough to play along.

Price: $
Ambience: casual, dark, potential for intimate but can be loud
Location: central to Fairview
Staff: friendly

Wimaan Thai Food Restaurant
1063 West Broadway
Vancouver, BC
V6H 1E2‎
(604) 730-9963‎

Feb 14th - Breakfast Grits aka Polenta and Red Thai Asparagus and Prawn Coconut Curry

Breakfast Grits

1/2 T olive oil or butter
2 T finely diced red onion or shallot
2 T finely diced carrot (half a medium carrot)
1 minced jalapeno
2 T finely diced fennel bulb, about 1 layer

5 T fine yellow cornmeal
1.25 c water
1/4 t salt
1 T butter
1/2 all natural, no sodium veg stock powder
1/4 c shredded cheddar

Sautee the vegetables for 5 min on medium heat in a small saucepan, non stick if you have one. Add the water, stock powder and butter and bring to a boil. Season to taste.

Lower the heat to simmer. While constantly whisking with a small whisk, sprinkle in the cornmeal. Continue to whisk for 5 minutes. Season to taste. Stir for another few minutes. Add the cheddar. Cover and set aside for 10 minutes.

I was going to have this with a poached egg but we're out. Oh well. Still YUMMO.

We were supposed to go to Voya's for dinner for Valentine's but we hit a glitch so we visited the Olympic pavillons and stage at Granville Island instead. The Atlantic Provinces pavillon at the Arts club had some seafood goodies but like all the centres, there was a crazy line up. We bought some vegetables at the Public Market just as they were closing, assuming we didn't stand a chance of getting in to a restaurant.

D made the curry. We're using the Red Thai Paste I reviewed a few weeks ago. My Valentine's request that it be mouth searingly spicy. He accomplished that! I was surprised he could eat it. I topped it with some chili flakes and I REALLY didn't need to.

I think I've mentioned that D and I have two polar approaches to Thai curry methodology. I like to brown my veg before adding the paste. I call it an Indian approach. I don't know what to call D's method :P. He fries the paste first, adds the coconut milk and then the vegetables. Eitherway, it tastes fantastic. We've stopped telling eachother how to do it :)
D's Valentine's Red Asparagus and Prawn Coconut Curry
(serves 4 or two dinners with small seconds and two lunches)

1/2 T vegetable oil
3-4 T red curry paste
1 tin coconut milk
1 bunch asparagus spears, trimmed, chopped
1 c button mushrooms
1/2 white onion, sliced
2/3 c baby carrots
1 small orange yam cubed
20 large prawn, shelled
1 inch ginger sliced
2 cloves garlic minced
100 g of firm tofu, optional (I had it in the fridge from taco night)
1 tin water
1 lime, juiced on top of curry as serving.

Start the rice you're making to eat with the curry now.

Trim the bottom inch off the asparagus spears. An easy trick is to snap the spears near the bottom. They will break just above the woody point that is good to eat. Chop into 1 inch pieces.

Wash the mushrooms (this is okay because D is adding them to the liquid and not browning). Trim the bottom of the stems and cut in half.

Peel and cube the yam into 1 inch pieces. Microwave for 3 minutes. They won't but cooked through yet. They'll cook in the curry but they take longer than the other veg.

In a large skillet or pot, heat the vegetable oil. TURN ON YOUR oven fan. Add the paste and stir around. Add the coconut milk. Stir around. Add the onions, garlic and ginger. Add the yams. Simmer for a 5 minutes. Add the asparagus and mushrooms. Simmer for 5 minutes. If it gets too thick, add some of the water you're swishing around in the coconut milk tin. Add the carrots. D added the carrots toward the end and they stayed slightly crispy. They were really great that way. I am not a fan of mushy carrots. The texture also keeps the whole dish bright. Add the tofu at the end. You only need to heat through if you do it D's way.

Cover and simmer on low for a 5 more minutes until the yams are tender or until your rice is ready.

Garnish with cilantro if you have it. We didn't have any. We juiced some line wedges on top. YUMMO!

We had a Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc 2008. It is a fabulous, sexy star of a wine. My favourite at the moment.

Jan 25th - Red Coconut Cod & Shrimp curry

A staple in this house, coconut curry. We normally make Green but the Mae Ploy or Cock Brand tubs we bought also make red and yellow so we thought we'd try it out. It is definitely more spicy and sharp than the more lemon-grassy and herbal green counterpart. I like it! You don't have to use Mae Ploy but I insist you read the ingredients. If the green variety does not contain Lemon Grass, move on. If it has alot of filler move on. The version we use has the basics: garlic, chili, lemon grass as the foundation. I've read alot of labels to find the ones we use. This one currently is Cock Brand Red Curry Paste. It is a little 500ml plastic tub with a red label. You'll find it in the asian food section or spice section, not the fridge. But you'll need to refridgerate right away because it's all fresh stuff. We keep ours in the freezer since the tubs are a fair size and it keeps well in the freezer since inside the tub is a vacu-bag so you can still squeeze out a few tablespoons when you need it. YUMMO

Red Coconut Cod and Shrimp Coconut Curry
for 2 servings with a small seconds

1 small sweet potato
1 medium zucchini
1 small onion
1 inch fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic
1 orange bell pepper
2 T red curry paste
1 can coconut milk

300 g cod, cut into 1inch cubes
10 shelled shrimp

3 chopped scallions or 1 bunch cilantro chopped for garnish

In a large pot or wok, heat some vegetable oil, sautee the onions until soft. 2 minutes. Add the vegetables. Stir and brown the zucchini. Add the garlic, ginger and the red curry paste. stir briefly. 1 minute.

Chop the veg into bit sized pieces. Spread the sweet potato out on a plate and microwave for 2-3 minutes just soften a little. Otherwise you'll need to simmer longer in the curry.

Add the coconut milk and 1/2 tin of water or more if the tin contains alot of solids. Course, the more solids, in my opinion the better. I've had some watery coconut milk. This one today was 3/4's solids. Yay! Simmer covered for 5 min. Add the seafood. Stir. Cover for 5 minutes

Serve over jasmine or basmati rice and top with scallions, and a little squeeze of lime.

YUMMO. I love coconut curry and you can play with the different veg or protein as you like. If you're doing red meat or poultry, cook with onions or in a separate skillet before adding back to the curry.

Wednesday, May 27th - Elephant Walk Phad Thai

I used to live in England for a few years so I appreciate pubs as a source of good food. Yes, there's beer as well. I'm off beer right now. I'll take a sip occasionally but without unavoidable bloating...I mean I look 3 months preggers! Now wine, they are shite for, bar none! I've even been to a few Gastro pubs that shamefully don't pay enough attention to their winelist. Not really an issue in Vancouver though, or Canada in general. Gastro pubs will only garner a 'huh?' if uttered here. Too bad. The food is honest and wonderful if you find a good one. If you're planning a foodie trip to the uk, consider a Gastro Pub crawl. You can search for them online.

Well, Wednesday was a horribly annoying day with the beginning of a string of end of day calls that dragged on for 5 hours. I will confess, that I got changed for my Ultimate game with the game on speaker. I hadn't had a bite before going so I was starved after the game.

We went to the Elephant Walk pub on 41st. It was a car ride from the field and I don't see why we bothered. I tried to order wine and the nice girl's response was bewilderment.

me: What kind of wine do you have?

her: huh? What do you mean?

me: What kind of wine do you have?

her: well, we have both kinds.

me: What do you mean?

her: Red and White.

me: what kind of white?

her: house

me: what is on the bottle?

her: huh?

me: nevermind

So we all put in our food orders in. I ordered Elephant Walk Phad Thai. Pad Thai is oddly enough, a fixture in true english pubs along with the chips. Weird I know but true. Usually mountainous piles of noodles which are perfect for the starving over worked professional who is trapped in a cheesy neighborhood pub with no wine. Actually, I've had some Pad Thai at pubs that is better than the orange, ketchupy ones I've had in some Thai Restaurants. I.e. the Thai House on 6th near Burrard is like that. I mean really how hard is it for a proper thai place to have tamarind paste!!!

Anyhoo, this was not one of those favourable pad thai pub experiences. It was alright though, and definitely not ketchupy which is good but it wasn't stir fried enough and the noodles were underdone. The up side was they used the wide noodles which are usually in the Ho Fun. There were loads and loads of bell peppers. I felt like I was eating forever. So filling it was, veggeriffic, it was. Worth a trip back to 41st and Victoria? No.

I did end up ordering the 'house' white. It wasn't bad. If I am faced with the situation where I have to order blind wine in a place like that I will opt for the white. I find bad reds far worse that bad whites.

If you do want to go, their Yam Fries were good. I stole a couple from my friends' plates. The mini sliders looked alright as well as their chicken wings (not the BBQ). Oh and Thursday is musical bingo.

Elephant Walk Pub

1445 41st Avenue East

Vancouver, BC

V5P 1J8