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.

Babylon Cafe

When it comes to shawarmas (similar to a donair or gyro), the place to be is Babylon Cafe on Robson just off Granville. Its easy to miss considering the entire place is about the size of a small den. I guess it can literally be called 'a hole in the wall' but what this place lacks in size they definitely make up for in taste and value.

A chicken shawarma will cost you about $6 and is the size of a thick burrito. Its fresh and made to order right in front of you... like a Middle Eastern Subway restaurant. You can omit any ingredients you don't like but I usually get "everything on it" including tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, pickles and a mystery mixture that I think has mostly parsley and a little cilantro. Meat is shaved off of the giant skewer and placed on top of the vegetables and topped with garlic and hot sauce. All of this is tightly contained in a pita and cleverly wrapped with foil so you can peel it off as you eat to avoid any mess.

Next time you want something quick and healthy, stop by Babylon Cafe to grab a bite.