Oru - Fairmont Hotel Pacific Rim

(Picture taken from the VancouverSun.com)

My parents and I went to Oru Restaurant a couple of days ago, wanting to check out the new Fairmont Pacific Rim hotel. The design of the hotel and the restaurant was simplistic/minimalistic, but still quite comfortable. To the people who doesn't like the more modern designs, like my mom, the restaurant looks cold, and in her words, "a well designed canteen." I don't know if I agree entirely, but the place is definitely nothing romantic or formal by any standards. So don't try to bring your girlfriend there on a romantic date or anything, but it's a nice environment for a buddies/girls' night out.

Unfortunately, I'll have to report that the food was disappointingly average. The restaurant serves Pan Asian cuisine using local ingredients. Not a very interesting concept if you ask me. Although not with local ingredients, there are too many good Asian restaurants in town to compare to. Although, David Wong, the executive chef of the hotel and restaurant have won many awards in the past, the menu was disappointingly boring. Nothing really stood out screaming, "Order Me!!!"

My mom ordered Lettuce and Pineapple Salad with apple-miso vinaigrette, which was ok, to start and a Lobster Tom Kha Talay with coconut broth. Nothing special about the broth except it's like a mild version of the Tom Kha Gai with a lobster tail dumped in it. My dad had Palm and Grapefruit Salad with coconut vinaigrette, which tasted a little weird, and Nasi Goreng, Indonesian Fried Rice, with Shrimps, that tasted an average-I-can-get-better-elsewhere. I had a little better luck with the Pork Belly Gyoza and Roasted Duck Breast. Both were a little above average, but nothing special to talk about.

I haven't studied their wine list, but it looks decent from the quick glance, and many tables ordered wine, so I'm guessing if you're a drinker, Oru might be a nice place to go to. But then right down the grand staircase, which is going to be oh-so-perfect for weddings, is a very comfy looking lobby lounge. So if drinks is what I'm going for, I'd rather go there than the restaurant.

So all-in-all, I don't recommend going to the Oru Restaurant in the Fairmont Pacific Rim, but would definitely try out the lobby lounge. And if anyone is getting married and wants a grand staircase, this new Fairmont is where to go, because the Four Seasons got rid of theirs after the renovation a couple years ago. Shame on them... But I think the Yew Restaurant in the Four Seasons is much better though. The lobby lounge is also very comfy...

Speaking of the lobby lounge... no wonder I thought the one in the new Fairmont looks familiar. It has that fireplace closely resembling the one in the Four Seasons!!! Sneaky sneaky~~

Oru Restaurant Fairmont Pacific Rim 1038 Canada Place Vancouver, B.C. Tel: 604.695.5500

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Winter Olympics 2010 - Market by Jean Georges

Wow, it's been months since I've posted anything here. Not that I haven't been eating out, but I've just been so busy to write reviews. I just came across an interesting article about the restaurant Market by Jean Georges in the Shangri-La Hotel in Downtown Vancouver.

Apparently, from Feb. 15 - 17th, celebrity chef Jean George will be in town, joining his team at his restaurant. Hours of operations will be from 11:30 am - 1:00 am with a heated, tented patio.

Read more about the article at Scout Magazine here.

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Miku Restaurant

With Japanese food being my absolute favorite cuisine, it's only natural for me to go try pretty much everything new out there. I had the opportunity to dine at the Miku Restaurant a little while ago, and it was definitely one of the best sushi restaurants in the Downtown area.

Unlike the more traditional Japanese restaurants, Miku features the aburi sushi, which is nigiri sushi dipped in various sauces, then slightly seared. To be honest, as a Japanese food lover, I'm a little ashamed to say that I've never heard of this type of sushi prior to going to Miku. But nonetheless, the experience was more than a positive one.

So since it was the first time for us to try this type of sushi, we decided to order the Premium Aburi Sushi for $18, which has small a selection of different aburi sushi, to see what it's like. In addition, we also ordered a couple of the aburi rolls, which averages to be about $12 each. I must say though, although the food was all delicious, many of the rolls were similar to the ones present in the Premium Aburi Sushi dish. So, we did felt a redundancy. But then, it's our fault for ordering unwisely.

What I love the most about the aburi sushi in Miku is their sauces. It's not difficult to make sushi and then sear it, but it's difficult to make a different sauce to match each different fish and each different roll. And Miku does an excellent job at it. One thing though, just be be picky, it would be even better if the servers could warn the guest when they are ordering things of too similar taste. That would definitely avoid their guest getting "bored" if they weren't the best at picking out what to order.

Now talking about service, the people there were excellent people. Very nice, helpful and friendly. Unfortunately, the time when I went, they were understaffed, so there was a delay in service. But then I believe that they've hired more people, as I haven't been hearing anything bad about the restaurant from the other people who went there.

Other than food and service I heard that they serve a very nice mojito too, but I haven't had the chance to try. But I definitely love their patio. On a nice day, they actually do get some sun, as opposed to some other restaurants in the Downtown area that has a patio but no sun shining on it. However, their ambiance was only ok though, chic, but nothing unforgettable.

I would definitely recommend anyone who likes sushi to give this excellent restaurant a try. After all, it did snatch the Best Formal Japanese Restaurant Bronze Prize after only a few months of their opening. If you don't mind a later dinner, I'd say go after 8PM. It's because the meter parkings are EXPENSIVE just outside of the building, but after 8PM, it's free!

Miku Restaurant #2 – 1055 West Hastings St (at the Guinness Tower) Vancouver, B.C. Tel: 604.568.3900

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Toratatsu Japanese Tapas Bistro

Walking down Denman Street one evening during the summer, I noticed a, relatively new, restaurant close to the intersection of Denman and Alberni. The restaurant was small with contemporary design and a lively atmosphere. I've always love Izakaya-type restaurants, and when I looked at their menu, I immediately knew I had to come try the place. Toratatsu Japanese Tapas Bistro is the relocation of Shiru-Bay Chopstick Cafe that was used to be in the Yaletown area. I've always loved Shiru-Bay's tapas, and have missed it much. I finally had the chance to go on Friday, and was overjoyed that they still serve my favorite dishes at the same high quality that I loved so much.

One of the good things about ordering at Toratatsu is that you don't necessarily have to be good at ordering to make sure you get the best dishes. They have a list of their most popular items, and all of them are great. My favorite had to be the Negitoro with Garlic Toast. I love Negitoro to begin with, but I've never imagined it with Garlic Toast until I had it in Shiru-Bay. It was great being able to have this dish again, and Toratatsu does even a better job at it than before.

Many of the tapas are quite innovative, and tasty at the same time. Their Cheese Tofu is definitely a dish I would call "weird but delicious." The dish is of cream mascarpone, mixed with a touch of honey, and served with baguette. It sure does look like tofu, but without the texture that a lot of Western people are not used to. The only thing about this dish is that, at Toratatsu, it's served with some strawberries on top, which overpowers the cheese tofu a little too much. If you eat it without the strawberries, it's much better tasting.

The other dishes that we've ordered that are excellent were Yakiniku Lettuce Wrap, which is like Korean barbecue pork served with a little bit of rice, kimchi, lettuce and korean hot sauce, and Sashimi Salad with a wasabi soy vinaigrette. The Foie Gras terrine with yuzu miso was ok, and the Musashi Roll was average. Of what we remember from Shiru-Bay, their sushi items are only average, so we probably won't be ordering them again next time we go. But otherwise, everything else is great.

Now one thing, which is not their fault, and I blame stupid Safeway for it, is that it's super difficult to find a parking spot in that area. I drove around and around for at least 15 minutes, and was only able to get a spot because we have a Handicapped sign for my father. I really hated Safeway for taking out that parking lot on Robson and Denman when they build the new Public Market thingy a couple years back. But again, that's really not the restaurant, or any restaurant in the area's fault.

Toratatsu Japanese Tapas Bistro 735 Denman St. Vancouver, B.C. Tel: 604.685.9399

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Azia

Somehow my dad heard about the Azia Restaurant in Downtown, and he's been wanting to go ever since. I never expected it to be very good, and it wasn't. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't worth going back to. I mean, what can you ask for when a restaurant serves Chinese, Japanese, Malaysian and Thai cuisine all at once? If a business is just everywhere trying to do everything at the same time, it's just impossible to be good at it.

We ordered a variety of items including sushi, Peking Duck Spring Rolls, Satay, Ebi Mayo, Velvet Cream of Corn Soup, and Hokkien Mee (stir fried noodles). The only dish that was relatively good was the Ebi Mayo, but still, it was nothing compared to the ones you can get in Japanese izakaya restaurants. The spring rolls were super oily, evident of the oil not being hot enough, and they didn't try to get rid of the oil after cooking it. The soup was ok, but it's easy to get the same result with instant soup. The Hokkien Mee was nothing like it's supposed to be, and tasted simply like stir fried noodles with soya sauce, plus some seafood.

Portions are small considering the quality and the pricing. Appetizers are anywhere from $3.95 - $9.95, curry dishes averages at about $13, rice and noodle dishes at about $12, and seafood dishes are even higher.

I won't recommend this restaurant unless your party can't decide on what to eat and would like to have a variety of different things on the menu. As much as the ambiance was good, and the service was average, the food and price really didn't make up for it. I know I certainly won't be going back.

Azia Restaurant 990 Smithe St. Vancouver, B.C. Tel: 604.682.8622

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C Restaurant

On my parent's anniversary this year, we decided to give the C Restaurant a try. Not that we've never been there for the many years we've been living in Vancouver, but it was just that we were not "wow-ed" the last time we were there many years ago. But after reading all the praises for the restaurant throughout this year, we'd decided to give it another try, hoping we'd be more impressed this time around. Unfortunately, it was again a disappointment.

C Restaurant proud themselves in purchasing directly from farmers and fishermen, rather than suppliers, for their ingredients. This is definitely evident in their fresh, high quality ingredients for their food. Problem, at least for us, lies in the taste of the dishes. Don't get me wrong, it doesn't taste bad, exactly. It was just that there was nothing special about it. There was nothing that screams C Restaurant at you, nothing that you couldn't replicate elsewhere, nothing that you just have to have again.

We ordered a variety of dishes, the taster Scallop Tataki and Salmon Ribs, the appetizer Lobster Bisque, the main course Smoke Duck Breast and Twice Cooked Sable Fish. But, like I said, nothing special. They were good, but not good enough that any particular dish pops up in my head when I think about the restaurant. Dessert though, was a much better experience. The Dark Chocolate Ganache was very rich and tasty. If I could, I would love to just go there for the dessert itself. The portions were also not too big or too small, considering if you have a three course meal.

The thing that I like about C Restaurant is their taster dishes. They're small, bite-sized, so it's wonderful for those who has smaller appetite. They are a little pricy for their size though, ranging from $8-$11 each. Appetizers are also quite pricy, averaging at around $17, and the main courses are mostly just under $40.

One thing about C Restaurant, though, is that they are right in front of the water, so you get a nice view of the Granville Island. It certainly can be quite romantic dining there, and the service is great. From what I've heard from my friend, the wine selection there is also excellent. They also have valet parking at $7, so it doesn't matter if you're on high heels and didn't want to walk from your parking spot, if you're running late and can't find a parking spot, or if you are just too lazy to walk.

All in all, for C Restaurant, I will, unfortunately, have to disagree with the food critics out there that gave them numerous awards. I really don't think they're that good. They are not bad, but for all the hype and the awards they've received, I can only say: At that price, I've had better.

C Restaurant 2-1600 Howe St. Vancouver, B.C. Tel: 604.681.1164

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Market by Jean Georges Restaurant

I've been to the Market by Jean Georges for lunch twice now, and have yet to try dinner there. The restaurant is fine dining, but does have a casual cafe atmosphere to it with a terrace opened throughout the day for drinks and meals. Unfortunately, though, both of my lunch experiences with them were only above average, and sadly, it was only because the service wasn't up to par.

One of the best thing about lunch at Market by Jean Georges is the price. You can get a 3 course menu at only $28, without beverages, and there is a very good selection of dishes you can choose from. All their ingredients are seasonal and regional, so you can be sure that everything is fresh. And being a restaurant of a celebrity chef, the quality of the dishes are, as expected, high.

We've had quite a few dishes there, including salads, scallops, raw oysters, pizza, fishes, steaks and hamburgers, and my favorite had to be their Black Truffle Pizza. Its crust is thin and crispy, and the pizza is very delicious. A little too big for an appetizer, but nonetheless, very delicious. Their raw oysters are decent. There are about 4 different oysters, a red wine vinegar sauce and a cocktail sauce to choose from. Unfortunately, neither the quality of the oysters nor the sauces are as good as the Blue Water Cafe, but for a 3 course lunch menu appetizer, it is worth a try. Their main courses are all quite good, although none stood out as the best in town.

Dessert-wise, I must say that they have quite good of a pastry chef. All of the desserts that I've tried there were excellent, although my favorite had to be the Chocolate Mousse... but then my favorites almost always have chocolate in it.

Now the thing that I didn't really like about Market by Jean Georges is the service. In generally, I am disappointed by the service by the Shangri-La Hotel in Vancouver. The first time I went for lunch, it was very busy, and the service speed was much too slow. Although the second time I was there, the speed of service has improved, the servers are still not as attentive as they should be in a luxury hotel restaurant. For example, I would finish my glass of water during main course, and never had it refilled throughout the rest of my meal, although the server came by several times to clear the table and serve us coffee and dessert. Now I didn't ask him to refill my water, but at a restaurant like that, I shouldn't have to ask.

Other than the service not being up to par for a luxury hotel restaurant, I think Market by Jean Georges is a pretty good choice for quality lunch in Downtown Vancouver. For $28, the portions are decent and filling, and the quality of the ingredients and the dishes are excellent.

Market by Jean Georges 1115 Alberni St. (3rd Floor in Shangri-La Hotel) Vancouver, B.C. Tel: 604.695.1115

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Fleuri Restaurant at Sutton Place Hotel for High Tea

My family, especially my mom, has always adored afternoon tea. And there is nothing, we find, better than a good cup of tea with some nice scones, finger sandwiches and small pastries. It's not difficult to find tea services, or high-teas, in Vancouver, but it's difficult to find good ones. Often, places that makes good scones didn't do very well with the sandwiches, and the places that did well with the sandwiches didn't do well with the pastries. Luckily, the Fleuri Restaurant at Sutton Place Hotel serves a excellent tea service that does well on all aspects.

The tea services at the Sutton Place is $24 per person and can certainly be shared, although everything is so good that one can easily finish a whole order by themselves. One of the things I really like about having high tea in the Sutton Place is the atmosphere and the service. Unlike the lobby lounge in Hotel Vancouver, the Fleuri Restaurant is a little tucked away from the main lobby area, providing a tranquil environment, and all my experiences with the services there have been excellent.

The tea service begins with the server bring over a box of teas for our selection. The box is a little too heavy to be passed around, but the loose teas are all in different glass jars for you to smell, so they can certainly be passed around the table. All of the teas, and there are about 12 kinds, there smell excellent, but my favorites are the Cassis and Vanilla Rooibos (I believe).

After you have chosen your tea, and it's served, the server will bring the 3 tiered High Tea. Each order will include 4 different sandwiches, 5 different sweet pastry items, a scone, and, of course, Devonshire Cream. All the items tastes great, but what I like most is that different breads are used for all the 4 sandwiches, so there's nothing repetitive about the set. Their sweets on the second tier are also excellent, although a little too sweet, but that is the way of desserts in North America. Their scone on the third tier is the highlight of the set, I believe they sometimes make it with white raisin and others with red, and their Devonshire Cream is definitely not to be missed when having the scone.

I'm quite surprised at the lack of people having tea at the Sutton Place Hotel when the quality is so high. Not that I'm complaining, because the less people go there, the less busy and quieter it is, the better atmosphere it is for me. But if you ask me where is the best High Tea in town, I'd have to say it's the Sutton Place. Although I understand that many like to go to the Shangri-La, but other than the nice teapots, cups and saucers, their quality of food and atmosphere is no match to the Sutton Place Hotel. Plus, the High Tea in Shangri-La is more expensive too.

Fleuri Restaurant at Sutton Place Hotel 845 Burrard St. Vancouver, B.C. Tel: 604.682.5511

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Kintaro Ramen

If you like good ramen with homemade noodles, tasty soup base and fatty Japanese BBQ pork, Kintaro Ramen on Denman Street in West End, Downtown Vancouver is definitely restaurant you should not miss.

All their ramen noodles are of a decent size, and are around $7-10 per a bowl. The main choices on the menu would be the kind of soup base desired. There are Shoyu, Shio and Miso Ramen. All their soups are made of pork bone stock and are all delicious, but my personal favorite is the Miso Ramen. After you chose the soup base type, you'd need to choose whether you would like a rich, medium, or light soup. I suggest doing medium for first-timers, as the rich soup, although very good, is very heavy. You'll also have to choose whether you would like lean or fat BBQ Pork. And this entirely depends on your preference. Personally, I like to order the fat BBQ Pork and just take the fat out when eating. It's just that the meat is tastier that way.

In addition to the 3 main ramen bowls, Kintaro Ramen also sells other types of ramen. I was told Cheese Ramen is excellent, and I am a sucker for the Cold Ramen that is available only in the summer months. The latter has a vinegary sauce to it, and does not come in soup form. But it's definitely a great option when it's available. In fact, during the summer months, I only order the Cold Ramen, because I know I can always order the soup ramen bowls in the winter.

Now Kintaro Ramen is almost always full of people, and if you go on a weekend, it's guaranteed that you will have to wait for a seat. They're just a very small restaurant, and they do not take reservations. But people are generally very good about it, and will leave as soon as they finish. On the occasion that they don't, just glare at them until they feel uncomfortable, and they'll get the heck out of there.

If you can't eat pork for any reason, there is no point of going to this restaurant as almost everything has pork in it. Even the Vegetarian Ramen isn't completely vegetarian, because the soup base is still made with pork bones. Your only bet is probably Cold Ramen, and make sure to tell them to not put the pork in.

So Kintaro Ramen is definitely a great place to go if you want to grab some good ramen at a reasonable price. But just make sure you bring some cash with you, because they only accept cash or debit.

Kintaro Ramen 788 Denman St. Vancouver, B.C. Tel: 604.682.7568

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Cupcakes

More than once in a while, I get a sweet tooth (hence my flabby belly, hehe), and one of the things that I crave for is cupcakes. And since I live in Vancouver, getting cupcakes is not a difficult thing. Especially when we have the Cupcakes store that specializes in them.

They a great variety of colorful cupcakes with a good selection of flavors. Their stores are usually small, but staffed with friendly people. I like the fact that they have signs on every cupcake that you don't need to ask the cashier about every single cupcake flavor, and it greatly reduces the time at the line up too. The only problem is that they have too many flavors to choose from it gets a little difficult to decide.

My favorite one is the Mint Condition, chocolate cake with mint butter cream and mini chocolate chips on top. My mom really like the Koo Koo, coconut cake with cream cheese frosting and shredded coconut. They're a little on the expensive side though, $2.95 for a cupcake. It gets close to $30 for a dozen. So only buy for your friends if you're feeling super generous.

If you're watching for calories though, there are Minis available for $1.25 each. A good treat for those who needs portion control or those who couldn't finish a regular sized cupcake. Or, if you're the opposite, and want more, they also have the Big Ones for $7.50 each. But just be aware, the icing on the cupcakes are really sweet, so unless you have a super sweet tooth, it's difficult to finish a Big One.

The store has multiple locations, but I've only been to the ones in English Bay and the one near Robson Street. They're both great, and I really don't think it makes a difference of which one you go to. I'm only listing the address for English Bay here, but do checkout their website for all their store locations.

Cupcakes 1168 Denman St. Vancouver, B.C. Tel: 604.974.1300

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Blue Water Cafe

The Blue Water Cafe is another one of my favorite restaurants in Downtown, Vancouver. Situated in the Yaletown area, where great restaurants and unique shops are abundant, the Blue Water Cafe is a lively seafood restaurant with a fantastic menu and an extensive wine list. If you're not in the mood for a big dinner, but would still like to enjoy some great seafood, the restaurant also has a raw bar serving an excellent selection of oysters, sushi, and sashimi.

I'm a person who really enjoy seafood. Ask anyone who knows me, and they'll tell you that as long as it's a fish dish, I'll devour it all. But my favorite type of seafood is by far fresh oysters. I can't stand them cooked, but I can eat dozens of them when they're raw. And that's one of the reasons why I love the Blue Water Cafe. They have a wide selection of oysters, from sweet to salty, from mild to metallic taste, and the servers are very knowledgeable on the menu, and can recommend the types of oysters to order by your taste. The oysters ranges from about $2.75-$4.25 a piece, and obviously, the quality is excellent.

Although a little pricey, their 2 tiered Seafood on Ice platers are also excellent with a variety of fresh fish and shellfish. If you order the 3 tiered plater, you'll also get sushi and Dungeness Crab. And if you ever order Chill Prawns, the restaurant makes a very delicious homemade cocktail sauce.

My dad had the Bouillabaisse when we went there a couple of weeks ago and it was also exceptional. The only thing is, the portion is too small for a main course at $29. One of the more disappointing dishes would be the Organic Fraser Valley Greens salad. For an appetizer at about $15 dollars, neither the taste nor the quality really delivered.

We had the Raspberry Creme Brulee for dessert and it was certainly a very good choice. The creme brulee itself was just right in sweetness, and it's paired with white chocolate gelato and short bread. Definitely very delicious and refreshing.

The restaurant's wine list is huge, almost like a novel, which can be quite intimidating for a beginner like me, but would be great for the wine fanatics. But their wine collection is definitely an excellent one, as they have received multiple awards for their extensive wine list. If you're a novice or beginner like me, just look at the table of contents in the front, flip to the back where the open wines are, and order from there. The wines there wouldn't be overly pricey, but still a decent quality.

I don't believe valet parking is available, but parking are not too difficult to find on Hamilton street. If you really can't find a spot on the street, there is a public parking just a block or two down the road.

So if you like seafood, the Blue Water Cafe is certainly a restaurant you should go to. The restaurant is lively with their open kitchen and raw bar and the fresh seafood is always great quality. Be sure to make a reservation on weekends though, they book up easily.

Blue Water Cafe 1095 Hamilton St. Vancouver, B.C. Tel: 604.688.8078

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Gotham Steakhouse & Cocktail Bar

Although I've only been there once, Gotham Steakhouse & Cocktail Bar has, quickly, became one of my favorite restaurants in Vancouver. My dad and I are both foodies, you see. And we've been around town searching for good steaks for a long while. Unfortunately, we weren't able to find one until Gotham.

Their appetizers are around $15, and their entrees range from $30-$55 excluding side dishes, which are about $8 each. We tried 2 different cuts of steaks, the Prime Rib and the Filet, both, of which, were cooked to perfection and the meat itself was of extremely high quality. Not only are there steaks delicious, their other dishes were also excellent. My mother ordered the Calm Chowder, and boy were there a lot of calms in it, and her Garlic Shrimps were also very tasty. And their salad is actually chilled!! This is something you don't usually see outside of USA.

I haven't really had the chance to go through their wine list, and even if I had, I wouldn't really be able to tell if they had a good selection or not, because I rarely order anything by the bottle. But their selection of wine by the glass was good, and the quality was decent.

If there was anything to complain about this restaurant, it would be the service and their desserts. While neither of these two things are bad, they just didn't really live up to my expectations. They seemed a little under staff on the night I went, so it was difficult to locate my server, and it took a while for my glass of wine and my dad's salad to arrive. But their servers were very polite, so that made up for the delay in service a little bit. Now with the dessert, they're good, but not THAT good. With their appetizers and main dishes being so great, I expected to be equally wow-ed by my dessert. Unfortunately, I wasn't.

We went on a weeknight, but the restaurant was still very lively. They also have a patio for those of you who like to sit outside on a warm summer evening. Valet parking is available for about $7 for those of you who are too lazy to walk, but there are also street parking within 1-2 blocks from the restaurant and it will be free from 8 PM onwards. For those of you who are planning big parties, they also have a private room available if you book ahead of time.

If anyone was to ask me for a good steakhouse, it would be Gotham, hands down. Although many would compare the restaurant to Morton's, my family and I believe that Gotham is a MUCH better restaurant. Morton's is usually dead, much more expensive, with inferior meat quality.

Gotham Steakhouse & Cocktail Bar 615 Seymour St. Vancouver, B.C. Tel: 604.605.8282

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