Teaopia

For many years, like many others, I was addicted to Starbucks. That is until I found Teaopia in Richmond Centre. Like many other coffee shops, they offer a variety of beverages made to order. Of course the major difference is that everything is made from tea... premium quality tea. No bag teas are used, only loose leaf. Not only can you order drinks but they have a wall with several dozens of tea varieties available for purchase. Any type or blend of tea can be found and you are able to specify how many grams you would like to purchase. Most range from $5-10 for 50 grams which is enough to make 15-20 cups of tea.

If you're looking to try a beverage I would recommend the London Fog. I have never tried another London Fog that has even come close to the one at Teaopia. Perhaps just as important as the taste is the fact that the quality is consistently great. If you prefer something cold then almost any Fruit Blend or Flavored Green Iced Tea is great. I have yet to try one I didn't like.

If you purchase some of their loose leaf teas to try at home and need something to steep it in then you're also covered. One half of the store is dedicated to a wide variety of tea cups, pots, travel vessels and even natural sweeteners such as Rock Sugar and Agave Nectar.

I could honestly go on raving more about Teaopia but I'll spare you a long posting. Currently they have a store in Metrotown Centre in addition to the one in Richmond. From what I heard by talking to the manager, they are looking at opening nine additional stores throughout British Columbia in the near future. You can also join the Teaopia group on Facebook to receive special savings coupons from time to time. I think it goes without saying that I highly recommend Teaopia, not just for the quality and consistency but also the friendly service they provide. Next time you're looking for a sip, walk right past your usual coffee joint and try Teaopia... I guarantee you won't be disappointed!

Strawberry Cones

I don't often blog about food court spots but I had such a bad experience that I feel obligated to share. Last weekend my fiance and I visited Aberdeen Centre and after picking up a couple things we wanted to get a small snack before we went home. We visited the food court on the third level and I was heading to the Triple O's for a burger when another place had caught my eye.

The place was Strawberry Cones, a pizza and pasta place with a Japanese twist (I guess this should have been my first hint). We ordered a slice of the teriyaki chicken pizza and a teriyaki chicken sandwich. My pizza was warmed up first but by the time we got the sandwich it was cold. Speaking of the sandwich... the girl had begun to make it and I could see that she looked clueless and was going very slowly. I noticed that her bottle of teriyaki sauce had ran out and for some reason she left the store with the empty bottle. I assumed she would return shortly but five minutes later when she didn't return, we ask another one of the girls who grabbed another full bottle of sauce that was sitting right next to the sandwich station to finish our order. We honestly waited ten minutes from the time we ordered to the time we actually got our food. This was reason enough to be a little upset but that's the least of it.

What really angered me was the fact I could see the other two girls both wearing gloves but handling other customer's food and money without changing gloves. I saw this happen numerous times but I knew that it would not have made a difference if I said anything. I can't believe that any food establishment in such a busy mall could possibly have such poorly trained staff that can't even follow basic food safety guidelines. I could seriously go on about how angry I was but I'll save you the grief.

For the first time ever, we not only considered, but we wrote to Vancouver Coastal Health to file a complaint. While visiting the site we also noticed that an inspector noted that the staff were lacking FoodSafe Certification... no surprise. I just can't believe that after this was pointed out, nothing was done to remedy it. I didn't plan on this posting being as long as it is but I really want to urge you to avoid this place. If you're ever in Aberdeen Centre, do not stop at Strawberry Cones for a sip or a bite!!!

Salsa & Agave

Recently, two of our friends took us to a great 

Mexican place in Yaletown. It was funny because when we arrived at the restaurant there was a long line-up of people waiting to be seated or for take-out. I figured it would be quiet a few minutes before we got our food until my friend mentioned just two doors away they have another location and there were just a few people waiting. I'm not sure why they would have two locations so close but it worked out well. They have a large variety of dishes on their menu but I was there specifically to try their tacos.

I have to say that I was very impressed. It was mucho authentico and reminded me of past experiences at street vendors in Mexico. Jamie and I ordered four different kinds to try; Pollo (chicken), Chorizo (Mexican sausage), Pastor (pork) and my surprising favorite... Lengua (beef tongue)! I can appreciate that each was served on a corn tortilla... not a flour tortilla that's common in North America. It also came with diced onion, cilantro, lime and a special sauce for drizzling.

I figured it would be best to wash it down with a Coronita.. so I did. There are few things better than some authentic tacos and Mexican beer. Next time you're looking for an authentic Mexican experience, head over to Salsa & Agave Mexican Grill at 1223 Pacific Boulevard for a sip and a bite.

De Dutch

This afternoon I felt like having a nice hearty brunch so I headed to De Dutch in New Westminster. I recently noticed that they opened this location in Columbia Square at the end of the main strip of Columbia Street. The restaurant was fairly big so I didn't think there would be a wait but when we arrived the place was packed. We only had to wait about ten minutes to get a table but I figured it would be worth it simply judging by the number of people waiting.

As soon as we began to look at the menu I couldn't believe the amount of items they offered. From Platters, Scrambles and Benedicts to Omelettes and French Toast. They even had burgers and of course their specialty...Pannekoeken. Its basically a Dutch pancake that's thicker than a crepe and thinner than a traditional pancake. I considered having this but I couldn't pass up the BC Bene with smoked salmon topped with the most perfect hollandaise sauce. It was served with hash browns and garden salad. We also ordered the Sausage Scramble which was served with toast, hash browns and a bowl of fruit. Both dishes were well prepared and tasted great. I'd recommend trying a glass of their freshly squeezed orange juice with your brunch too. 

I don't often go out for breakfast food but I'm glad I did this time. Even if you're not a big breakfast person like myself there's surely something at De Dutch worth having a sip and a bite.

Las Margaritas

There aren't alot of great, well-known Mexican restaurants around but one of the favorites for Vancouverites would have to be Las Margaritas. I went there on a Saturday night and as I expected, the waiting area was full. We were told the wait may be up to thirty minutes but since most of the other groups waiting were larger, we only waited for about five minutes before a small table came open.

Once we were seated it didn't take long to order. On a trip to Cabo San Lucas, Jamie and I had fallen in love with Enchiladas Verde so we have to order that. It's made from shredded chicken wrapped in two overlapping corn tortillas and covered in a green tomatillo sauce and cheese. It was served with beans and Mexican-style rice. We also wanted to try something new so we ordered the Pollo Chipotle. It was made from two boneless chicken breasts that were marinated in lime juice, cilantro, triple sec and of course tequila! It was grilled and topped with a chipotle cream sauce, mushrooms and feta cheese and served with black beans and house salad.You can probably guess what we ordered to drink... you can't go to Las Margaritas and not order a margarita! We had a "Monster" blended lime margarita that contained fresh lemon and lime juice and their house brand; Sauza Gold Tequila. If you don't like lime, they also offer a variety of flavors made with real juice and nectar including banana, coconut and pineapple to name a few.
When it comes to Mexican food in Vancouver, this is the place to be. The atmosphere is always buzzing with energy and the food and drinks are consistently great quality. Next time you're in the mood for Mexican head to Las Margaritas in Kitsilano for a sip and a bite.

Lemongrass

I've been wanting to try Lemongrass Vietnamese Restaurant for a while, and last week I finally did. It was a dark and rainy day, which to me calls for pho! There are other places that I would usually choose for Vietnamese food but one of my colleagues suggested I try Lemongrass.

I ordered the 'House Special' pho with rare beef, tendon, flank, beef balls and tripe. I must say that it wasn't anything special... just average. It didn't have the same flavour as my two favorite pho places in Richmond (Thai Son & Pho Cao Van). I would usually be satisfied with a bowl of pho but this time I decided to try a Vietnamese sub, and I'm so glad I did. It comes with either chicken, beef or pork... I chose the pork. The meat was well marinated and had an aromatic lemongrass flavour typical of Vietnamese cuisine. The sandwich also had pickled daikon, carrot, cucumber, cilantro and "Vietnamese Mayo". This was all packed inside a fresh crusty roll and together formed perhaps one of the best sandwiches I've had in awhile. 

I have to admit that there was one thing that turned me off a little at Lemongrass. The place didn't seem well maintained and was actually a little dirty around the entrance area. I don't know what it is but I find this typical of many Vietnamese restaurants. Regardless, I still enjoyed the sub and would suggest you stop by to have a bite... just maybe get takeout.

Posh

I recently went to Posh Restaurant in Richmond for Japanese hotpot. This is definitely one of those unique dining experiences and a change from the usual restaurant routine. I understand that not everyone who goes out to eat wants to have to cook their own meal but you're able to control not only the ingredients but also the portion. At Posh, the hotpot is "all you can eat" and the list of items contains a great variety. There are several types of mushrooms, tofu, vegetables and noodles. They also offer premium Alberta beef and superior quality pork shoulder.

They have a surprisingly large selection of cocktails but I opted for a pot of the house sake, which I chose to have cold. If you prefer some Japanese beer to go with your hotpot, they have three types. With a wide variety of virgin drinks as well, theres something for everyone's taste.

Aside from the Richmond location, theres a Posh on Broadway and one on Kingsway. Their dinner menu is around $16 per person. Next time you're looking for something a little different and don't mind doing a little work, book a table at Posh hotpot for a sip and a bite.