Wednesday, April 27th - Firewood Cafe - Hunt for decent Pizza in Vancouver goes on

Cardboard Crusted Salty Vegetarian

Today was one of those days, we had no idea what to make for dinner.  We had originally thought my folks were going to be in tonight but they decided to spend the whole day and evening being proper tourists.  They started by taking the free shuttle to the Capilano Suspension Bridge and then eating dinner in some random ramen house on Robson.  So we were thrown off since we had a dinner planned but we post poned it.  Then as it happened, my friend K was visiting from Calgary for work and she was able to pop by for dinner.  We decided to keep it simple and order pizza.

Let me be clear, though exposing myself to some unpopular rebuttal, Vancouver has NO GOOD TAKE OUT PIZZA and the restaurant pizza is not much better.  In the last couple months, we've heard a new place opened up in Gastown by a gent who went to Italy for Neopolitan certification. We are dying to try it.  Before then, the place everyone told us to try when we moved here was Lombardo's on Commercial.  Yeah, I'd give it a miss.  It was thick, bready, greasy and not much better than the large franchise pizzas. :^( Then when the regular winners of eater polls include the large chains, I have a despair deja vu.

We purposefully searched for a nearby pizza restaurant we hadn't tried that sounded right. I mean they had a wood burning oven so it was a step in the right direction, we thought.  Other reviews claimed it was different than the other bad pizza in Vancouver.  Though, I think many of us are numbed to the mediocrity.  Luckily we travel enough to Seattle and San Francisco and make our own to still have a taste and expectation for GOOD pizza.  Firewood Cafe was NOT.

I chose the Grilled Vegetarian and D ordered the Special of the month with Italian Sausage.  They were both very greasy and salty.  The crust was tough and bready, they type you eat around and leave piled up like firewood in the box.  The Vegetarian was the least vegetarian pizza I have ever seen.  Eggplant would usually thrill me but the combination on this one was VERY heavy and salty.  Next time, if we order in when expecting a friend, I'll play it 'safe' and go for Panago.  :^( Chain franchises makes yummo sigh.

They are about 10 minute drive from us and it took nearly an hour for delivery!!!

Cost: $$-$$$
Service: Delivery SLOOOOOW!
Crust: Thick, dry, bready and cardboardy

The Firewood Cafe

Fairview
3004 Cambie St
Vancouver, BC V5Z
www.thefirewoodcafe.ca
(604) 873-0001

Cardboard crust & SLOW delivery

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Sunday, March 27th - Dan Sung Sa - Korean secret in the West End

Dansungsa - Seafood Soon Dubu Chigae

I used to live near the West End a couple of years ago.  I used to pass this place all the time.  It is a tiny standalong building with a snazzy looking exterior.  That, oddly, turned me off trying it.  I'm used to Korean restaurants being much more homey and ... well, dumpy.  That and I was a little suspect of the one random Korean restaurant in the West End.  You see, there are so many Korean joints all over town it's really hard to find a good one.  I've tried a few very disappointing ones.  I really do mean disappointing. i.e. the Seoul House on Broadway. 

I longed for one 'best kept' secret without my having to go out to Lougheed where all the Koreans cluster.  During my few weeks of being tied to St. Paul's Hospital, I finally find a ready reason to pop in to Dung Sung Sa after having exhausted the sushi and sandwich places. :^D.

It is a cozy little place with heavy wooden tables.  Surprisingly, chic humble.  It smelled right though the prices were higher than I would have expected for Korean AND the West End.  Anyhoo, we were already through the door and I was not yet too too mobile.  I was happy to be siting even though I had only really walked two blocks :^P

We ordered one Hot Stone Bowl rice Dish and a Squid Chigae (stew).  I was doubtful yet hopeful.  When doing Korean food properly, it's important to get the base right.  It's rather simple, perhaps considered time consuming in a restaurant environment so alot of them will use instant broth.  The thing is you can usually pick up the MSG immediately. Blech, like at the Royal Seoul House on Broadway.  Well, pleasant surprise, the broth was not instant or at the very least not clouded with the lingering taste of MSG.  It was loaded with Squid and Soon Dubu (fresh Tofu or Silken).  It is served with a bowl of steamed Rice.

Dansungsa - Squid Stone Bowl

We also ordered a Hot Stone bowl.  A very popular restaurant Korean dish.  Rice, vegetables and protein are served in a searing hot stone bowl.  They're variations of Bibimbap.  This one was a spicy Seafood bowl.  There was quite alot of Seafood and the dish was sufficiently spicy so as not to scare off non Koreans and not to bore the Koreans.   It was served with a bowl of Kong Namel Guk aka clear Mung Bean Soup.  I hadn't had that since I was a kid.  It is the simplest of clear Milchee broths with cooked Mung Beans and Green Onions.  I always thought of it as a 'home' dish. Yum.

They have some oddly included non Korean dishes which are probably good but I would recommend you stick to Korean.  I never understood why most Korean restaurants served Japanese dishes while I was growing up.  I guess Korean food had less mass appeal back then.  Anyhoo, I don't order fries at a Pizza place and I don't order Nasi Goreng in a Korean place. 

The service is a bit airy fairy but nice enough.  The decor reminded me of small hole in the wall restaurants in my home town in Korea.  Nothing spectacular and not why I go to eat somewhere so long as it's clean and, for Korean, 'smells right' when you walk in.:^D  It is slightly more than other popular regular joints on Davie but as far as taste and quality, well worth it. So get out of that stupid line at Stephos fried food emporium and mushy sushi at Samurai and take a peek down Thurlow.

Cost: $$-$$$ (more than you'd pay on Davie but worth it)
Service: Friendly
Ambiance: Typical Korean diner: dark wood with random cheesy Korean alcohol ad posters

Dan Sung Sa

Robson Street/West End
1221 Thurlow St
Vancouver, BC V6E
(604) 609-7095

Good authetic food &acceptable service

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Tuesday, April 26th - Seng Che Bibimbap with Myuk Guk - Comfort in Spicy Ruffage

Seng Che Bibimbap (Raw Vegetable Bibimbap)

Mom is in town.  She came packing with several ice packs of freezer goodies for D and I.  D is set with Kalbi (Korean Shortribs) until Christmas and I have enough Seafood Mandu (Korean Dumplings)  to sate my craving that's lingered since I ran out last fall.

Mom is funny.  She sends me home with tubs full of Gochu jang and other Banchan which could only realistically be got through if we ate Korean everyday.  We do not.  D certainly couldn't handle the lack of diversity nor the copious amount of Sesame Oil that is used.  I have tried for years to explain this.  That said, I still have 80% of a tub of base Gochu jang and yet she brought a new large tub of Deng Jang Gochu Jang 'for dipping'.  Deng Jang Gochu Jang is the base Chili Paste with Deng Jang mixed in with a dash of Sesame Oil.  Deng Jang is Korean Soy Bean Paste (aka Miso)

I had to tell her that whilst she is visiting that we won't be eating Korean every night.  We did allow her to cook a few things that she likes to make for D and one traditionally specialty for Mom's.  Tonight was Seng Che Bibimbap and Myuk Guk.

Seng Che Bibimbap is a lighter and fresher version of the traditional Korean Bibimbap.  Seng Che means Raw Vegetables.  I do not know for sure if this is anything you would find on a menu but it is something mom has been making for years to contend with the sweltering, humid summers in Toronto.  We would normally make this with sliced cooked Squid but we were out for the day shopping so I did not want to have to worry about the Squid going off.  D and my mom tried to convince me that it would be fine since it was frozen but it's my little 'thing'.  I need to be home right away if carrying a perishable.  Instead, mom substituted Lox.  It added a little smoke which was a bit odd.  I think next time I would use a Salmon Filet.  Everyone liked it though.

The Bibimbap was served with Myuk Guk.  This is definitely a dish you will not find on a restaurant menu.  I have tried.  I asked and servers will tell you it is a 'home dish'.  Guk is Korean for Soup.  Myuk is a variety of Seaweed.  It's the flat long variety you'll sometimes see chopped up in Japanese Miso.  In Myuk Guk, the pieces are much larger almost like Papardelle.  It is a traditional soup for breastfeeding mom's.  It is meant to help with 'bringing your milk'.  Therefore, it also symbolises what you mom has done for you and is eaten on your birthday and Mother's Day.  Mom is not in town next week though.

Myuk Guk

We have a pretty decent Asian pantry but we don't have some of the essentials for making a Korean Soup base since they are expensive and persishable.  Mom had to improvise.  Normally, you would have a Beef bone broth.  But for nearly my whole life, when my sister V and I went veg, she has been making the 'fish base' or Milchee Mul aka Anchovie Water.  You buy the Milchee dried and salted.  As a subsitute, you could use Fish Stock, Mussel Broth or Shrimp Broth (shrimp shells). You can buy the Myuk dried in most Asian food stores and ALL Korean food shops It is somewhat acquired I guess.  I've always liked it.  The long pieces of Myuk can be quite slimey if you're not used to the texture.  You could chop it up finer.  It is VERY garlicky, or at least mom's is.  Dad does not like Myuk Guk.  When I said that at the table, D felt better about not finishing his.  :^D  I finished it for him.

Seng Che Bibim Bap

Serves 4

1 Heart of Romaine Lettuce, shredded
1 bunch raw Kenyip Leaves (Perilla Leaves), chiffonade (ribbons)
4-5 Radishes, match sticks
1 English Cucumber, seeded and sliced
1 package Pea Shoots or Mung Bean Sprouts
1/2 Red Onion, frenched
400 g (1lb) Salmon (or 1 large Squid boiled, sliced, cooled)
 1-2 T Sesame Oil

Sauce (Be aware you should mix by taste.  You may want it tangier or less.)
1/2 c Gochu Jang
1 T Rice Wine Vinagre (or plain white)
1 T Red Wine Vinagre
1/2 T Sesame Oil
1/2 T Sesame Seeds, toasted
1 T Honey (or Brown Sugar)

3-4 c cooked Rice, cooled to room temperature

Whisk the Sauce well and set aside.

Cook the rice and set aside.

Chop the Vegetables.

In a large bowl, (We have two Asian noodle bowls but we had to improvise with two more mixing bowls for my parents. :^P), place a drizzle of Sesame Oil.  Add 3/4 c of Rice in a small mound in the bowl.

Add the Vegetables in little mounds all the way round the clock.  Add a good dollop of the Sauce in the middle.  Serve the extra on the table for people to adjust their spice level.  Mix well a spoon and chopsticks or a fork and spoon.  Must eat cold.

Wicked!

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