The Hog Shack Cookhouse

It's been a while since Michael and I has gone out to eat. Out of a random thought today, Michael suggested we go to The Hog Shack Cookhouse on 160-3900 Bayview St. in Steveston Village.

Fish Tacos

The ambiance was like a classic country style steakhouse. I have always passed the place but never thought I would give it a try. The menu was the usual steakhouse affair. I try to not eat beef too much and try to cut that out of my diet, so I ordered the Fish Taco, $12, that arrived with a light salsa on it and a mixed green salad on the side. It was a decent taco, but the tortilla wrap tasted kind of stale and the fish was a little too crunchy to my liking - to the point that the fish was a little dry. But other then that, it wasn't bad. The sweetness of the salsa balanced out the dryness. I didn't pay too much attention to my mixed green salad, it was a little overdressed, so I had just eaten the bits of cucumber and nibbled on Michael's side dishes.

Hog Shack Baby Back Ribs

As for Michael, he likes meat as much as the next guy. Beef, lamb, pork, you name it Michael will eat it. This time, Michael ordered the Hog Shack Baby Back Rib, $17. He said his ribs were very filling and very meaty. He enjoyed  his side dishes, and told me the mashed potatoes were filled with herbs and tasted good. As for the yam fries, they tasted like any other yam fries with chipotle dipping sauce. 


The total of the bill came to $35.56 with one glass of coke including tip,  we haven't decided if we would return to this restaurant any time soon though. Maybe not too soon?

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Jethros Fine Grub

No secret Guy Fieri was here.

As seen on the Food Network, we bring you Jethros Fine Grub.

Located in the outskirts of Vancouver's posh Point Grey neighbourhood at 3420 Dunbar St., we were first attracted to try out the small "dive" through its feature on Guy Fieri's November airing of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. As the first restaurant he introduced in our home city, it seemed like it couldn't possibly disappoint.

First, the place is small. Barely capable of handling 20 seats, it should have been no surprise that we faced a 40 minute wait on a regular Friday afternoon. But don't make the mistake of letting that push you away, the food is worth it.

Pulled Pork Sandwich

With menu prices ranging from $10 to $20, this little comfort food shack is affordable and generous, considering the unforgiving portions served. I ordered the Pulled Pork Sandwich ($10), which came with fresh greens or fries, and Allison had the Chicken Fried Steak ($12), served with gravy, hash browns and toast.

Fried Chicken Steak

My sandwich arrived separated on two bun halves, with BBQ sauce, apple fennel slaw, the piles of juicy, tender pork and a large sharing of caesar salad that covered the plate. The food wasn't the usual greasy affair I'd expect with comfort food, either. It was easy to digest, delicious and while very filling - I didn't feel stuffed afterward, and actually wanted more.

Allison had a hard time choosing. Her dish arrived as a breaded chicken breast topped with home-styled country gravy and garlic bits. On the side, two slices of whole-wheat toast with a thin trimming of butter and a serving of perfectly cooked egg whites. Add hash browns - really just cubed potatos - and the rest of the plate is filled.

In total with two sodas and tip, the bill came to $32. We're eager to return for more. 

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The Salmon House up on the Hill

Upscale and boasting a magnificent view of the Burrard Inlet, The Salmon House is an unforgettable West Coast experience. Located in the luxurious West Vancouver at 2229 Folkestone Way, it's not exactly easy to find in the hilly North Shore of the Lower Mainland. But, it was Allison's birthday and I wasn't going to let some hills ruin that.

Grilled Tostadas with Dungeness Crab

For starters, we had the house sampler, $17.50, the Manhattan-style seafood chowder, $8, and two freshly-shucked Fanny Bay oysters on the half-shell, $6, which came with salmon caviar and vodka jelly - delicious.

The house sampler included scallops wrapped with smoked wild salmon, smoked Fanny Bay oysters and a prawn and salmon spring roll, each decorated with a variety of garnishes and edible veggies.

While the dishes were a delight to see, they weren't exactly filling for what we paid. Allison filled up on appies and small plates like the Grilled Tostadas with Dungeness Crab, $13.50, I ordered the Folkestone Feast Bowl, a collection of seafood tossed into a rich and flavourful tomato broth, at $32.50. But wow did it taste good.

Folkestone Feast Bowl

Compared to a similar bowl I had in Stanley Park, this one really hit the spot. The broth was not only delicious, it had a nice, thick texture with enough punch to hit every single one of my taste buds. Definitely made the big price a lot easier to digest.

In the end, I wasn't entirely full after leaving the restaurant, but the excellent service, the delicious food, great decor and clear effort the chef puts into each and every plate made the experience an unforgettable one.

Just don't forget to visit the ATM on your way in.

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Lunchbox Laboratory

Care for a large, hand-made burger decked with all the goodies? Look no further. Lunchbox Laboratory is one of my favourite places to visit when I'm in Seattle with Michael. The Laboratory's a burger joint that is tucked inside a seedy-looking industrial area outside of the Seattle Downtown located at 1253 Thomas St., just before the Mercer Street I-5 on ramp. But don't let the exterior fool you. Unlike many other burger joints I have visited in my days, they serve tater tots. How can you resist tater tots?

The Burger of the Gods, with a side of taters.

I first discovered this cozy burger shack through browsing around Facebook, and what caught my attention was the amazing burgers. The ambiance of the restaurant is modern hippie with a retro twist. It had lava lamps and groovy lunch boxes sitting on top of shelves and a retro-style Coke machine that serves "Mexi-Coke." The music also suited nicely with the decor. While me and Michael were enjoying our burgers, we got to listen to the Seattle native band, Death Cab for Cutie.

It was fairly late when we arrived at the restaurant, but we were fortunate enough to try their happy hour menu. Parking was easy to find, however. Normally, I don't enjoy eating blue cheese because of the strong taste, but I took a leap of faith and tried the Burger of the Gods for $7.99. It was pimped out with bleu crumbles, balsamic onions, and Gorgonzola sauce - absolutely divine. The cheese was nice and consistent and balanced with the sour tanginess of the balsamic.

The Royal with Cheese, as plain Jane as it gets.

Michael had the Royal with Cheese for $6.99. He didn't want anything fancy on his burger, just a slap of the finest Kobe meat patty and a slap of chedder cheese, no knick knacks. He ordered that with a ceaser salad, which he said was crunchy but not entirely fresh. He loved it, however.

The bill, with two sodas, came to just around $20, a very affordable option for those who are looking for a full meal that doesn't hurt the wallet.

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Crab Pot

Crab Pot, a restaurant that's in itself a tourist attraction, specializes in a dirty grubbing, get-your-hands-dirty type of meal located at 1301 Alaskan Way by the Seattle waterfront. The Sea Feast says it all. Dungeness, king and snow crab, halibut, salmon, mussels, clams, oysters, shrimp, corn and sausages are all steamed and spiced to perfection and dumped in front of you on a thin slice of butchers' paper.

Before

We discovered this gem through Facebook last spring and visited earlier this summer. The server arms you with a wooden mallet, a plank of wood and a bib - off you go. Michael and I ordered the Pacific Clam Bake for $31.95 each and a starter of fresh shucked oysters on the half-shell.

Unfortunately, I was sick but the oysters were flavourful and had plenty of liqueur. The mussels are some of my favourites and the spices really bring out the texture of the shell fish. Michael tore through his crab legs like he hadn't eaten in years. The best part, however, was the corn accompanied with each feast. The corn was sweet, crunchy, dipped in their special spice and simply delicious, pairing very nicely with their redskin potatos and assorted seafood.

After, couldn't finish it :(

The server provided us with three dishes of warm, gooey butter on the side and a fresh loaf of bread to make sure you won't leave hungry. We couldn't even finish. With two drinks, an appy, the two feasts and tip, the bill came to just over $90, a price you can't beat for that much freshly made goodness.

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