I’m preparing myself to embark on a journey making what is widely considered to be one of the most difficult pastries in the world to make.

I have been working tirelessly perfecting my croissant dough with some amazing results.

I have successfully made the Canalé from Bordeau on more than a few occasions.

I have even undertaken the precise and finicky French macaron successfully, though I do need to make some improvements. The macaronage is still my nemesis.

Even the daunting puff pastry is just another walk in the park for me now.

One pastry though scares me to the point of nah, it’s just easier to buy one. But if I hope to be an instructor in the art of baking when I retire from my current job I must improve my skills. I can do that with the challenge of the sfogliatelle.

This is a “lobster tail” from Gastromia Italia here in New Westminster.

It’s a great little shop selling Italian products. The selection isn’t as big or as varied as Ciofi’s or Bosa but it’s only a 5 minute walk down the street for me so I go there when I know they have something I need.

It’s a good opportunity to start my research before I attempt to make sfogliatelle myself. I’ll be in Italy in a few weeks and will do lots more research there.

I’m not sure if they make them here from scratch. But based on the crispiness of the layers I am pretty sure they bake them here. They put different fillings in, today it’s a chocolate cream. It sure was tasty.

However that’s not the traditional filling you’ll find in Italy. That’s a semolina/ricotta filling flavored with citrus. I’ll have an opportunity to try that in Italy I’m sure.

And then when we return I’m going to give making them a go.

Unitl I am more familiar with the Sfogliatelle though I am sure happy with this version.

Hopefully the ones in Italy don’t spoil it for me.

8/10

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Josh Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon is a fantastic wine that doesn’t cost a fortune, making it a great pick for anyone who loves a good glass of red.

With you first smell, you’ll notice a rich, fruity aromas like blackberries and plums, along with a touch of vanilla and spice. As you take a sip, those fruity flavors come through, balanced nicely with smooth tannins, giving it a really pleasant finish.

What’s really great about this wine is how easy it is to drink. It goes well with all sorts of foods, from steak to pasta, making it perfect for any meal or gathering.

Whether you’re a wine expert or just enjoy a good glass now and then, you’ll find Josh Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon to be a reliable and enjoyable choice.For the price, this wine offers a lot. It’s got the kind of quality and taste that you might expect from a more expensive bottle, making it a smart buy if you want to enjoy something special without spending too much.

7/10

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I’ve come close to ordering take out from Wild Thyme a few times over the last couple years but when perusing the menu I did not find myself all that excited about what I saw.

Don’t get me wrong. I really like middle eastern food. It is full of bold and aromatic flavours and is as varied as the people that make it. But whenever I considered it it I had some other ethnic cuisine on my mind.

But as we were returning from a Costco run in Bellingham Sunday Merilynn mentioned she wanted to try it this weekend as she had heard good things. And as it happened they are open for lunch so we decided today was the day.

Unfortunately I did not realize she had no idea this was Lebanese food.

The restaurant has an interesting atmosphere. Spread over three units in an older building, the interior is terraced over three levels. Its larger than it looks, according more privacy than if it were one big room.

As neither of us are huge eaters, we often share an appetizer and a meal and that does us nicely.

Well whoops. We ordered way too much food.

Merilymn ordered Kaaek and dips.

The top 4 dishes on the left, hummus, baba ghanouj, house made yogurt and garlic.

The hummus was very good. The baba ghanouj I didn’t care for, but thats my dislike of eggplant, nothing to do with the quality I’m sure. The homemade yogurt was a bit funny, but had great flavour. The garlic was my favourite. Great garlic flavour with lots of wonderful EVOO.

The Kaaek, or Lebanese purse bread, is a common street food that is crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside. This version has sumac and sesame seeds on the exterior and is hollow on the inside. That’s why it looks so big. It was the perfect vessel to scoop up those delicious dips with.

The other condiments you see on the table were to compliment my Lebanese style fried eggs with Sujuk sausage.

The sausage is made in house and is very fragrant. There’s a lot going on here, the flavours were complex. They were delicious. I did inquire as to what spices make up the flavors in this beef sausage and the answer I got was there’s too many to list. The eggs were done really well, soft,fried in olive oil for even more flavour. My breakfast also included a Kaaek, so we had three total.

I decided to give Lebanese coffee a try. It’s similar to Turkish, but infused with Cardamom.

The coffee was very strong, with the Cardamom flavour very present. Thus was the first time I’ve tried a coffee like this and I loved it.

As for the service, it did seem a bit slow. Other patrons who sat down after us were getting there food before us. I might have to chalk that up to them having to make the bread fresh for us though. The servers were certainly pleasant and attentive enough. They even moved us from our original two person table to a four-person table to accommodate all the dishes we were getting.

So yes, that’s way too much food for us.

And while I certainly enjoyed it, once was enough for Merilynn.

8/10

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Isle of Harris Gin is a delightful spirit that truly captures the essence of the Isle of Harris through its unique blend of botanicals. This gin is crafted with a careful selection of local ingredients, starting with the signature juniper berries, which provide a distinctive, slightly sweet, and piney flavor that’s the heart of any great gin.

What sets Isle of Harris Gin apart is the inclusion of local heather, which adds a delicate, floral note to the gin. This botanical is a true reflection of the island’s wild, heather-covered landscapes, bringing a touch of nature to every sip. Another standout ingredient is sugar kelp, a type of seaweed that grows abundantly in the island’s clear waters. The sugar kelp contributes a subtle marine undertone, evoking the fresh, salty air of the coastline.

The combination of these botanicals creates a gin that is both complex and balanced. The juniper provides the classic gin base, while the heather and sugar kelp add layers of depth and intrigue. This unique flavor profile makes Isle of Harris Gin a fantastic choice for those who appreciate a gin with a story and a taste that’s a little different from the norm.

Whether you’re enjoying it in a cocktail or savoring it neat, the botanicals in Isle of Harris Gin come together to offer a sensory experience that truly reflects the beauty and character of the Isle of Harris. It’s a gin that not only tastes great but also tells a story of place and tradition, making it a must-try for any gin enthusiast.

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Our last visit to Patsara wasn’t the best. The food did not live up to the high expectations we have come to expect here. So it was with a little trepidation we decided on dinner here tonight.

Have you ever wondered why every Thai food restaurant you’ve been in seems to have the same food? If you don’t know anything about the government in Thailand’s “gastrodiplomacy” program that financed thousands of Thai restaurants around the world it really is an interesting read.

As I often like to do, my goal tonight is to try at least one dish we haven’t had before. Tonight we are trying two new ones.

First up, Tod Mun Pla, or fish cakes.

When we ordered this we had something akin to crab cakes on our brain. Ya we weren’t even close.

The flavour was good. But the texture was another story. Spongy. Rubbery even. The texture, to be honest, was a bit unsettling. Add the peanut chili sauce and then we have something more pleasant. The crunchy peanuts helped hide the squishinous, but did not completely mask it. Perhaps Thai fish cakes are an acquired taste? One which tonight we did not acquire.

My usual, my benchmark for Thai restaurants, Crispy shrimp wontons.

Really good as usual. But you have to eat them hot. Served with a sweet chili sauce, these are deep fried, crunchy goodness.

The Pandanus chicken also looks really good.

Chicken cooked in pandus leaves, with garlic, cilantro, soy sauce, coconut milk and ginger.

Moist Chicken thighs with all those amazing southeast Asian flavours were enhanced by the smokey pandus leaves.

I haven’t been to Thailand, but Pandanus Chicken gives me an idea of what eating there might really be like.

Ok, so I doubt very much we will ever order Thai fish cakes again. Otherwise a very nice meal.

8/10

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We are being a bit tarded today and gambling a few bucks on the slots at the Starlight. But we need a snack.

There’s the Match place but hat doesn’t interest us. Some other Asian joint that looks closed. And Noodles ToGo

I told Merilynn to order whatever she fancied and Beef Pho was her choice.

I’ll be up front, I don’t have a ton of experience with Pho, so I don’t have a big reference pool to compare to. According to Merilynn this wasn’t very good Pho.

A bit heavy on the Cilantro,, rather flavourless broth, a mystery meat sausage and one measly piece of low quality, fatty beef.

But the noodles and sprouts were good.

Not sure we will ever be back here. But if we are, it won’t be for the Pho.

4/10

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It’s Dine Out Vancouver time. Today I plan to get out there and give one of the special menus a try.

When I looked through the restaurant list it looked like there’s around 400 different establishments offering special deals on their lunch and dinner menus.

It did not take me long to choose today. Once I saw Hawksworth on the list it was a done deal

I had dinner here in September to celebrate a birthday and it was fantastic. Read that review here.

My daughter Amanda is joining me today. I suspect this is the first time she will have been in a Michelin quality restaurant. Hopefully her palate can handle the more complex dishes she will experience today.

As we are here for Dine Out Vancouver there is a set menu with fewer choices than the usual lunch menu.

My comments follow, I asked Amanda to give me her thoughts on her first fine dining experience. I will add them at the end of my review.

On first glance of the menu I was mildly disappointed. None of the options offered were anything I was too excited about.

For a starter I decided on the Celeriac soup. Celeriac, or its other name, celery root, is a root vegetable I am pretty familiar with, having had it a few times over the years in various dishes. I also use celeriac puree as mashed potato alternative occasionally or throw it in some soups. It’s quite versatile, with a mild celery like, earthy flavour. I’ve never had a Celeriac soup though.

The bowl arrives at your table with a few greens and roasted hazelnuts presented nicely in the bowl and the soup is poured in front of you.

The soup was excellent. The hazelnuts surprised me most, not only with the textural component, but their nuttiness enhanced the natural nutty flavour of the Celeriac.

I went with the Rockfish for my second course.

it was coconut crusted and fortunately wasn’t too coconut forward. It’s not my favorite flavor. It certainly raised a simple white fish to another level. The kitchen cooking it perfectly also made this an excellent choice. The crispy noodles added a nice crunch. There also was a few Enoki mushrooms in there too. Mild and slightly crunchy, it’s one of the few fungi I actually like.

Dessert wasn’t much of a choice. Carrot cake or sorbet.

Those little blobs are pineapple jelly, the quenelle is Mascarpone ice cream and the ribbon cream cheese icing.

The ice cream was perfect, the cake was light and the cream cheese icing not overly sweet. An amazing treat to end a lovely meal.

Now I’m typically of the opinion that carrots belong on your dinner plate, not your dessert plate.

But if it’s always Carrot Cake like this one I’ll have to change that opinion.

And so while at first I was a little disappointed with the dine out menu, in the end it turned out to be a delicious meal. And so well worth the measly $36 charged for such fine food.

10/10

Amanda’s comments

The celeriac soup was delicious—well balanced and a little salty, but in a good way. For my main I had the ricotta cavatelli (with no mushrooms) and loved it; the sauce was bright, lemony, and herby, and made the whole dish feel fresh and comforting at the same time. I finished with the carrot cake and mascarpone ice cream, which was excellent, and a Rum Jungle cocktail that tasted like banana and pineapple. Yum!

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I have been avoiding Cactus Club for a little while now. I think I overdid it

It’s a great vibe. But one can only eat the food at a particular establishment so much before your taste buds tire of it.

So while the boys are just drinking tonight, I’m sticking with Cranberry and Soda and eating instead. Food is always higher on my priority list than alcohol.

Thai Red Curry with Chicken.

Currently my favorite item on the menu, nicely grilled chicken in a red curry sauce with chili oil, veggies and Jasmine rice on the side.

The whole plate just works really well together. The red curry has a lovely South Asian flavor with a little kick from the peppers and enhanced with the fragrant Jasmine rice. Honestly this is a better red curry than a lot of the Thai restaurants I’ve been in.

London Fog Creme Brulee for dessert.

Flavoured Creme Brulees are not my first choice, most often due to the texture being off from a traditional custard. And it was in this case as well. Not as creamy as it should be.

They fired the top a little too long as well. The custard was too warm in spots underneath. It’s a tricky thing to get right though.

Nevertheless it was Creme Brulee, and it was still good.

One thing I can always count on at Cactus Club is good service. It’s Saturday night, it’s packed in here, and the food came quickly and my drink never sat empty for long.

Cactus Club isn’t the greatest restaurant around, but it’s always consistent.

8/10

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Phantom Creek’s Kobau Vineyard Syrah is a fantastic wine.

It’s expressive, well-made, and presents as a high end red.

Right away, you get juicy blackberries, plums, and cherries, mixed with a bit of black pepper, flowers, and smoky meat. There’s also some chocolate and spice from the barrel aging, but it doesn’t take over.

It’s big and rich in your mouth but not heavy, thanks to bright acidity that keeps it fresh. You taste dark fruit, black licorice, and spice, with smooth, grippy tannins that linger nicely on the finish.

It’s super balanced, not too sweet or harsh, with lots of flavors that change as it sits and breathes. The mouthfeel is smooth with a long aftertaste.

It’s a tad young right now, so it could get even better with a few years of cellaring.

If you like bold reds that are easy to enjoy but still impressive, grab this one.

Solid 9/10

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We are downtown celebrating Merilynn’s birthday and we are on our way to lose $100 at the casino but both of us need some caffeine first.

I try to avoid Starbucks whenever possible so we are on the lookout for a local coffee shop on our way.

We happened to walk by Rocanini Coffee Roasters just before they were closing.

When you’re in a good coffee place you don’t need to get anything put in your lattes. Not like Starbucks. A plain latte there is almost undrinkable nowadays.

But at a place like Rocanini you let the coffee shine.

Now that’s a good latte.

Smooth and creamy, not bitter at all. That’s as good as it gets.

Will definitely keep this in mind next time I’m in this part of town

10/10

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