Mother's Bistro and Bar

Michael and I did some brainstorming Portland's tourism map and found a list of restaurants that were highly recommended. We noticed that many of the restaurants were very overpriced, but I came across one restaurant called Mother's Bistro and Bar and found numerous good reviews online.

Welcome to Mother's!

Mother's is located at 212 SW Stark St in Portland downtown. The restaurant was gorgeous and gave me the feeling of having tea at grandma's house. The place had such a cozy home environment - with beautiful chandiliers hanging down from the ceiling - and a theme of featuring a different local mother's dishes on the menu each month. Michael and I think it was so clever, and of course we knew a lot of thought and effort was put in to this.

The restaurant

Mother's menu offer a wide of range of classic comfort food that a mother would cook. To play off their mothers' theme, you'll also notice witty typical-mom quotes scattered around on the menu like, "Have you had your greens today?"

$15,000 crab cake

For appetizers, Michael ordered the $15,000 crab cake ($6.95). Our waiter was ever so kind and explained to us on just why they're so expensively titled. Turns out, the Mother's executive chef went to culinary school and spent $30,000 on tuition, but out of that she only learned two dishes, one of them the crab cakes. Our waiter even joked the crab cakes have diamonds on them. Michael thought that these were the best crab cakes ever. They were crispy on the outside but filled with crab and what seemed like bacon bits. Just a punch of flavour.

Matzo Ball soup

 

For myself, I'd heard from a pal of mine to try Matzo Ball soup when I get the chance and this was my first tine coming across the traditional soup. The soup tasted very fresh and light with little bits of carrots and celery. The Matzo ball was something different though, there wasn't much taste to it, but the soft texture went well with the soup. 

Mac and cheese du jour

For entree I had the macaroni and cheese du jour (13.95). Friday's mac and cheese, instead of having the classic macaroni pasta, the Mac and cheese du jour was served on bow tie pasta with bacon bits, chopped onions, sour cream and of course lots of cheese. The taste reminded me of eating food court fries with the works. But of course, this tasted much better. The cheese wasn't as thick as regular mac and cheese would be, kind of runny but the sour cream held the texture together well and added a distinctive flavour. The chopped onions helped counter the creaminess, with the bacon adding a nice crunch and meat element to the dish.

Beef pot roast

Michael ordered the "Cascade Natural" Beef Pot Roast ($18.95), boneless short rib that braised for four hours and served with rich gravy. It arrived with mashed red potatoes and seasonal vegetables on the side, and Michael was happy to see it was served in a very generous portion and fell apart easily to the fork. The mashed potatoes came with bits of onions and tasted very homemade. The corn and zucchini tasted light and simple, and seemed to be just lightly drizzled with olive oil. Simple yet creative.

Cookies!

After this fantastic meal, Michael and I were both really full and was ready to walk back to Canada. When we asked for the bill, instead of having the usual mint it came with two homemade cookies, a oatmeal cookie and a ginger snap cookie. I thought this was just pure genius, this idea was so mother-esque this concept was just brilliant.

Michael and I simply cannot wait to return to Mother's, the staff is great and the food is fantastic, their menu is creative and there is so much more we must try.

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Portland Food Carts

After discovering my love-hate relationship with street carts, Michael and the Food Network have convinced me Portland's where the food party is at. After spending a shopping date in downtown Portland, we looked up where the food cart district was, and let me say, Portland's street food scene blows Vancouver's out of the water. They have more selections, the food tastes great and most importantly, you really get your bang for the buck.

The whole street is filled with food carts

I was not a happy camper during my last experience with a Vancouver street cart, and it still boils my blood till this day that I had to pay $8 for a salad. I feel Vancouver's street scene is a complete rip-off.

Portland has three large areas surrounded by street food, basically whole square blocks of them with dozens at each location. After shopping, Michael and I walked over to the largest location at SW Washington and SW 10th Street. There were so many we made a full circle around the block until we decided.

Touchdown's BBQ

First up Michael came across a sweet lady who poked out her window asking if he wanted to try a sample of barbeque pulled pork. He had a look at several other places before deciding to stick with the sweet lady's Touchdown's BBQ shop. This little cart served classic Southern food and her approach really showed the meaning of Southern hospitality.

Fried chicken wings

Michael got Friday's special - fried chicken wings with one choices of sides ($8.95). He chose collard greens, and the dish arrived with a complimentary corn and garlic bread with ranch dressing. He thought the chicken wings were quite good, crispy, lightly breaded and extremely juicy on the inside. It was a bonus that they were full chicken wings, with drum and tip.

Eurotrash

My turn, I saw a cart named Eurotrash and recalled this Euro devil on the Food Network on Eat St. I had to try it! Their chef went to visit Europe and brought their tastes back to America.

Piri Piri chicken

I got the Piri Piri chicken ($9), served with bacon, capers cheese and horseradish slaw. The bun was soft and the chicken and bacon had a barbeque smokey flavour. The cheese was a great addition to all the meats. The slaw tasted different and added a unique kick because of the horseradish but it wasn't overwhelming at all.

I am so in love with Portland's street food now! It's such a new take on the meaning of street food - almost like a festival every day - and their setup seems like something Vancouver is trying to recreate. But for a mere $9 I was stuffed. Portland's street scene is so intense, I simply cannot wait to try the rest.

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Screen Door

Open up your Screen Door because they're ready for business! Michael and I are in Portland right now, the kind boyfriend he is, he thought he would take me there on a mini-trip as a birthday treat.

Screen Door restaurant and bar

Michael did some digging around to see where the local hotspots to eat were, and he found a little place called Screen Door, serving many Southern classics, such as creamy grits and jambalaya. I always see Paula Deen from Food Network making Southern food and I had always wondered when I'd be able to try it out.

Screen Door is  located at 2337 East Burnside St. in Portland, near the community of Kern. Michael and I were stuck in traffic tonight and by the time we got to the restaurant we were starving. It wasn't too packed when we arrived, but we did have to wait a little.

We got to sit beside the kitchen :)

I would say the ambiance of the restaurant was hipster-grungy, it was like the restaurant was operated out of a garage which I thought was a really cool, and is something we would rarely get to experience back home. We sat right beside the kitchen and got a really good view of where the magic happens.

Pimiento Cheese

 
I needed to get an appetizer to just stabilize my hunger, and since I had a cheese craving I ordered the Pimiento Cheese ($6.50), a cheese spread that had a Southern smokey Tex-Mex taste with a hint of chipotle taste. We spread the delicious cheese on crackers with sesame seeds sprinkled on top.

Fried chicken plate

For entrees, Screen Door really know how to pull out the big guns. And of course, with Southern food I have to get the fried chicken. The order of crispy fried buttermilk battered chicken ($15.75) was served with mashed potatoes, ham gravy and collards. It was my first time eating collards and it reminded me of a type of Chinese spinach. I liked the first few bites of the collards because of the sourness, but afterwards I thought it was a little much. The mashed potatoes, however, were creamy like a pureed heaven. The chicken didn't disappoint either, it had a spicy taste and the chicken was extremely tender and juicy.

Screen Door plate

Michael got the Screen Door Plate ($13.95) where he got a choice of three house sides with a slice of corn bread. His choices were fried catfish, buttery mashed potatoes, and the smoked chicken jambalaya. He didn't realize how heavy his choices were when his plate came, but he thought the catfish was done very well, made similar to fish and chips but it seemed like the dish was cooked longer, though the fish wasn't tough, and the batter had spices added to it. Their tartar sauce also tasted unique and was a lot thicker than he expected. He thought the jambalaya tasted like Thai fried rice, which was nice. But the mashed potatoes tasted very chickeny so he assumes it's from the gravy.

My Hot Lips Cherry Soda

Michael washed his meal down with a pale ale beer and I got the Hot Lips Cheery Soda. I have never tried this before and it tasted much different other soda around - it wasn't sweet at all and tasted very refreshing.

We definitely weren't the only ones who couldn't finish

After our attempt to devour this never-ending meal, Michael thinks for the amount you pay for the food is totally worth the trip. Almost everyone we saw leave the restaurant left with a doggy bag in their hands.

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CRAFT Beer Market opening in Vancouver

The folks at CRAFT Beer Market are advertising 140 taps - apparently to be Canada's largest - at their new location at Vancouver's Olympic Village. They'll be occupying a large, historic building at the centre of one of the city's most modern and attractive communities.

The last time I went inside the Salt Building, not surprisingly a former salt plant, had been a few months ago during the ceremonial sendoff for B.C. Olympic athletes to London 2012. I recall a high, wooden beam ceiling within the 1930s-era building, with a spacious main area large enough to fit hundreds.

CRAFT says their kitchen will be "open concept" with private rooms for special events. Among other things, they've got a $500,000 draft system with three kilometres of draft lines and 250 kegs to hold the product.

Foodies can expect locally sourced produce and meats, vegetarian and gluten-free options, signature items such as fast food sushi, beer can chicken and Bier-A-Misu, and a Saturday/Sunday brunch to boot.

"These are timeless comfort dishes and traditional pub favourites mixed with modern fare and innovative combinations," said Paul McGreevy, executive chef.

CRAFT will have an open house on Saturday, Oct. 27 between noon and 4 p.m. The address is 85 W. 1st, Vancouver.

Seasons in the Park

We're a little late for our Thanksgiving post, but we hope everyone has had a wonderful holiday and plenty of time to spend with friends and family. Michael and I decided to spend a quiet and simple night together, without the hassle of cooking, and Seasons had a set menu for this thankful holiday at just $32 per person!

The entrance is a little hidden behind trees, but well-lit at night

Seasons in the Park - literally smack centre in Vancouver's large Queen Elizabeth park - is one of my favourite places to dine. Especially during the night when there is a spectacular view of the city, and the lights are especially bright in contrast to the barely lit park all around us. I love driving there, it feels like I'm driving through a forest, a bit of a Twilight feeling, no?

A memorable view from the inside

Seasons is one of several restaurants in the Sequoia Company. We've been to just about all of them and both agree Seasons is our favourite for its price, location and quality of food. It's such a cozy environment to be in, the interior is very West Coast, with a dome shaped restaurant with wooden paneling. During the cold winter days, you can still enjoy the patio with heated lamps and chow down while enjoying the incredible city view.

Harvest salad

Our meal started off with a Harvest Salad, roasted beets with bits of crumbled goat cheese and dried cranberries mixed in with the greens, dressed with a honey mustard vinaigrette. I was hesitant about the salad because there were dried cranberries and I'm not the biggest fan when it comes to beets. But the salad turned out to be a delightful appetizer. The goat cheese added a creamy element to the salad which went well with the sour vinaigrette, and the cranberries balanced everything out with their crunch.  I absolutely loved the dressing.

Turkey entree

Thanksgiving turkey was the star of dinner, the classic bird with all the fixings. Slices of turkey, served with mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, steamed vegetables and stuffing. I felt that the turkey was pretty good with the gravy drizzled on top. But later on my gravy supply fell short, and my turkey ended up tasting very dry. There is never ever enough gravy in my books. Michael agrees.

The mashed potatoes were very creamy. I would describe it as a delight so delicious that even when  my jeans were about to burst, I forced myself to finish it because it was that good. Unfortunately I was so full that I wouldn't dare try more than a few bites of the stuffing, but it was just staring back at me whispering my name. Tons of flavour from the few bites I had, very well seasoned and I loved the strong aroma of fresh herbs.

Pumpkin brulee

Moving on to dessert, we were served with pumpkin brulee accompanied with little biscottis. Brulee is one of my favourite desserts to finish off a fabulous dinner. It was, however, my first time trying the pumpkin version. I thought it tasted different, not good but not bad. I liked there was a lot of spice taste from the cinnamon and pumpkin, perfect for the taste of fall. As for the biscotti, it had a very nutty taste with cranberries mixed in, almost like a fancy granola bar.

Although I felt this Thanksgiving menu that Seasons had to offer wasn't too creative, it doesn't change the love I have for the place. I believe Seasons have a lot more to offer on their regular menu.

P.S. - Another reason to love Seasons even more is they make a killer arctic char, it'll melt in your mouth and is delicious.

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Thai House

Michael and I aren't the biggest fans when it comes to franchise restaurants, but we both agree that at times, you just have to settle with what's close by. We decided to go to Thai House in Richmond at 4940 No.3 Road.

Despite the Buddhist decor, the restaurant has a Western feel

Neither Michael and I tried the restaurant before. We were keen on looking at the online menu beforehand and saw that their menu looked pretty tasty. When we arrived the restuarant looked very big and had many Thai Buddhist decorations. It seemed targeted more to the Western culture than Asian diners, the staff spoke excellent English and had Western styled service. That was a first for us among Asian restaurants in Richmond.

Chicken skewers

We weren't too hungry and decided to share, starting with four Thai satay chicken skewers with peanut sauce ($9). The chicken arrived looking slightly dry, but don't be fooled - they were moist, juicy and every bite was delicious. One of the reason I love dining at southeast Asian cuisines is that they serve many of their dishes with peanut sauce, and the peanut sauce just tasted divine. On the side there was also a little dish with diced cucumbers and a onions, it added a nice sweet flavour element from the onion and coolness of the cucumbers if you put a small spoonful on the skewer

Pineapple bowl

The entree was the kaeng phed pe ses ($15.50), or more simply, the pineapple bowl. Boneless chicken in a southeastern curry, contained in half a pineapple. I thought it had a hint of coconut flavor to the curry, another reason why I love southeastern dishes, their curry always tends to be more light and made with such tropical ingredients. The flavour of the curry itself tasted really nice, with the mixed tomatos adding a little colour to the dish, onions of course, pineapple chunks and  potatoes.

We both thought the chicken was a little overcooked in this case, though, which was ironic because the dish was presented with so much flair that we assumed the chicken would have been equally as impressive. But overall, I think we would return. It looked they have a lot to choose from and everything does look really tasty. 

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Dai Jang Kum

Sometimes figuring out where we want to eat is like pulling teeth. Finally, after deciding on an option where we didn't have to leave Richmond, Michael and I agreed we'd go for Korean barbecue at Dai Jang Kum, 3088 St. Edward Dr. Michael knew about this place from going with his family a while back, but I had yet to try it.

The hot plate grill

When we walked in it wasn't too busy, the restaurant looked quite big, and all the tables were arranged in booths with a stove each for diners to cook their meat. We decided on Combo A ($35.95), which had a combination of chicken, beef, short ribs and pork. Our waiter came and installed our stove for us, he then set up our first batch of meat on the stove, but the rest was up to us.

Our combo came with a rice and a soup each

The lightly marinated chicken and beef was very tender and juicy. We each got a small dish of something similar to a sweet soy sauce to dip the barbecue goodies. The best part was its sweetness had just the right amount, not strong enough to over power the taste of the marinating of the chicken and beef, but enough to add a new flavour.

A small salad each

Michael basically wolfed down everything else on the table. He especially loved the dipping sauce and said it just added a sweetness to the meats you don't usually taste. I know he liked cooking the meats himself too. The cooking plate does get a little charred during cooking, but the servers seem to be more than please to replace them when that happens.

Side dishes

One of the reasons Michael and I love coming to Korean barbecue restaurants is because they serve little side dishes. Dai Jang Kum did not fail. We both love the sweetened potatoes and I'd have to say the kimchi can't be beat either. Michael was really looking forward to the seaweed side dish Korean restaurants usually serve though, I guess they don't serve that at this restaurant.

We just wanted to say that we were both pleasantly surprised by the service at Dai Jang Kum, our waiter was very friendly and was quite attentive. For carnivores wanting to chow down on food that promises not to disappoint, Dai Jang Kum should definitely be a consideration.

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Taste of Yaletown back for 2012

 
Taste of Yaletown returns in 2012 with two new additions to the autumn prix-fixe dining experience, and we're certainly excited to go.

This year's event launches with the Premier Event on Oct. 17, for folks to drop in and sample offerings from more than 10 restaurants, followed by Shake Up Yaletown, a competition and sampling from some of the best local bar teams. Both are ticketed events.

Foodies can expect at least 18 restaurants to choose from between Oct. 17 to Oct. 25, so reserve early.
Below is a list of the restaurants sorted by menu pricing. See you there!

$25 menus:

 

Chinois

Hamilton Street Grill

killjoy

Milestone’s Grill & Bar

New Oxford

Society

Urban Fare

Urban Thai Bistro

Yaletown L’Antipasto

$35 menus:

Bistro Sakana

Caché Bistro & Lounge

Glowbal Grill Steaks & Satay

Hamilton Street Grill

Hurricane Grill

Minami Restaurant

Provence Marinaside

Simply Thai

Yaletown Brewing Company

$45 menus:

Minami Restaurant

Raw Canvas

Simply Thai


 






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