An appy and one main will do tonight.

Merilynn is a bit of a sucker for Crab Cakes whenever she sees them.

Crab and prawns with Jalapeno and red peppers In a light, though somewhat dry, but nicely fried cake. The jalapeno could definitely be more present, I did not get much heat on my palate.. The mustard aioli is a pleasant accompaniment, adding some creaminess and acidity tonhelp.cut through the richness.

I decided on something different tonight, not the usual pasta that I have when I come here.

Gnocchi Cardinale

Made in house, the gnocchi were light and pillowy and came smothered in a delicious Vodka Rose sauce. There was a generous portion of grilled chicken along with tomatoes and peas coming together to make one of Piva’s better choices. Definitely a must try next time your here.

Oncw again Piva did not disappoint.

8/10

The post Piva Modern Italian appeared first on Gregs Food Blog.

Until tonight.

I noticed this spot while killing time waiting for the train the other morning and figured we should probably check it out.

I consulted with our resident Korea expert, Merilynn (she taught English there for two years) I settled on Bibimbap, which is a dish of rice, veggies, beef, egg and gogujang, a chili paste.

The idea here is to mix all the ingredients up, it’s how the dish gets its name. I really enjoyed it. It’s full of flavour and is very nutritious. The egg is a perfect touch. One actually isn’t enough, we could have used two.

And Merilynn approved as well. She said it reminded her of eating in Korea.

And like almost every other country on earth I’d imagine, Korea also has its own dumpling, Mandu.

Which were really brilliant. Probably pork, honestly we gobbled them up so quickly I didn’t pay any attention to the ingredients of the filling. 5 were not enough. 10 probably wouldn’t be either. Honestly I could have just these for dinner. And Merilynn agreed.

So color me surprised. Korean food I actually like. I’ll have to explore the cuisine a bit more.

8/10

The post Picnic K-street food appeared first on Gregs Food Blog.

I probably should take her places more often. When you can’t see well, you miss things like the sitting area they have in a shop right next door to where you get your pizza

As it was a completely separate unit in the building, I can’t be faulted for not necessarily putting two and two together and realizing it was meant to be the seating area for Steveston Pizza. But her 26-year-old eyes managed to see other people with pizza boxes sitting in there.

It was too nice a day, though, so we sat on the boardwalk overlooking the harbor, enjoying an incredible pizza that only confirms this is, in my opinion, the best pizza in Vancouver.

I think what makes it so good is not only the quality of the ingredients but the amount of them.

Yeah, okay, the pizza is $35. It’s not cheap, and I’m not sure driving to Steveston regularly to pick up this pizza is worth it.

But certainly once in a while it is. I took a bus ride out here for almost 2 hours just to get one, once. And if you’re ever in the area, you definitely should pick one up. They do pretty well heated up as leftovers.

One bite, you know the rules…

9.5

The post Steveston Pizza appeared first on Gregs Food Blog.

Well typically I do not. You won’t find me eating it very often.

Yes I know. What about all the gelato you ate in Italy?

Well you know the saying, when in Rome…

Besides, that was for science

But throw some of that ice cream, milk, and flavours into a blender? I’ll have a milkshake every day of my life.

So when I heard Holy Shakes was opening up a location in North Delta I knew I had to go.

We actually came here last week at 7:00 p.m. on a weeknight. It was lined up out the door. Literally. Like 20 people in line. I don’t care how good your milkshake is, I’m not waiting 40 minutes for one. Though a good omen the lineup is.

On this Sunday afternoon, however, we arrive to find nary a soul in the place.

Holy Shakes is a Canadian company that started in Toronto as pop-up spots. It now has multiple locations across the country, including three in the greater Vancouver area.

They have lots of flavours when it comes to milkshakes and some good looking food and dessert options as well.

But we are only here for the shakes.

I’m going to give the Red Velvet Rihanna a try.

I don’t know the exact breakdown, but it tastes like ice cream, chocolate cake, and cream cheese blended into one scrumptious shake.

But is it worth $14?

Honestly, no. Yeah, it’s good. But $14?

The flavour was great. I just wasn’t a big fan of the texture. It was almost gritty from the small chocolate cake pieces.

Amanda had the Strawberry Samba, a little more basic but it had a more reasonable price of $9.99. It was wonderful, the fresh strawberries giving it a really great flavour.

They also have extreme milkshakes that are in the $19 range. If I’m struggling with the $14.99 price tag, I’m not sure how I feel about $19.

With at least 37 shakes on the menu to choose from, I’m certain I’ll eventually find an awesome Holy Shake. The question is, will I go broke first?

Amanda’s score: 8.5
Greg’s score: 7.5

The post Holy Shakes appeared first on Gregs Food Blog.

Kozak actually does have a location here in New West, however for dine in it’s a little cramped. Take out is the way to go here, and I have popped in for Pierogi or borscht a number of times. The food has always been good.

The location in Walnut Grove is a full sit-down restaurant, pretty new by the looks of it.

The restaurant is clean, modern and comfortable. Doesn’t seem particularly Ukrainian to me but as I’ve never been I won’t complain. There’s a bakery section up front for take out and a dine in area in the back.

The food does though.

Pierogi, cabbage roll and borscht are just some of the typical dishes you’d find on any Ukrainian’s dinner table. And tonight we are trying two of those. (I’ve tried their borscht before, it’s very good.)

Merilynn’s having the cabbage rolls.

Cabbage rolls have never been my thing, and while these didn’t offend my taste buds, I can’t say I loved them either. Both Merilynn and John said they were pretty good. Not as good as his mother’s though.

I spent a few minutes trying to decide between the wild boar Pierogi and the duck Pierogi, neither of which I have ever seen in a Pierogi before. In the end I went with the wild boar, which was a great choice.

Alberta wild boar with caramelized onions, sour cream and a strawberry-wine reduction.

Tender with lots of flavour, the glaze added a nice sweetness. The onions, a mandatory accompaniment to Pierogi, added yet more depth. Top them with some sour cream and those are likely the best Pierogi I’ve ever eaten.

Overall it was a very good experience. We had excellent service from a young lady who recently moved here from Ukraine. We all enjoyed the food, and the prices are pretty reasonable for the quality.

If you’re Ukrainian, or just wanting to try Ukrainian food, Kozak would be a great choice for you to try out.

8/10

The post Kozak appeared first on Gregs Food Blog.

Now going downtown Vancouver can be a little sketchy. If you’re not aware the progressive left has done their absolute best to turn the city into an outdoor insane asylum.

But have you been downtown this summer?

What a difference hosting the World Cup has made. The politicians have actually done their job a little and cleaned the city up a bit.

I guess when the province is on the world stage for a few weeks you realize you actually need to do something about all the drug addiction, drug paraphernalia, homelessness, begging, street poop and awful smells.

I’d really like to know how they got this past the woke idiots who think it’s “kind” to allow open air drug use and the streets to be used as toilets? I can’t remember the last time I walked down Granville Street and didn’t get overwhelmed by the smell of stale urine and the body odour of vagrants who haven’t bathed in 6 months.

We better enjoy it while we can. I’m sure Eby and his clown brigade will have us back to “normal” by the end of the summer.

I walked up Robson and wasn’t accosted even once by beggars.

I walked up Granville with only the smell of fun and food hitting my olfactory senses.

I walked around Yaletown and didn’t see any addicts shooting up in doorways.

I didn’t see human feces anywhere on my travels. They have now instituted “Poop Fairies” to clean the streets up and they seem to be doing a pretty good job. Only 18000 poops a year cleaned up off of our streets. (don’t kid yourself, it’s not all from dogs)

Then, as I strolled the sea wall on the north side of False Creek, with only the smell of sea air in my nostrils, I came across Provence Marinaside.

It’s not quite on the water — it’s just across the street from the sea wall — but it has a great view and the atmosphere of the whole area is great. Is it so posh around here the authorities make sure to keep the degenerates away?

The restaurant has a modern, airy feel with large windows that open right up in the summer with colors that feel like the south of France. I was fortunate enough though to get a seat on the patio with great views of False Creek.

And sticking with the seaside theme I am having seafood tonight.

Lobster Bisque

Compared to other lobster bisques I’ve had, this was not as creamy and I was unable to taste the brandy. There were multiple huge chunks of lobster in it though, way more lobster pieces than most bisques I’ve ever had. The crème fraîche may have been a touch heavy-handed. Nevertheless, it’s lobster bisque and I’m not going to complain too much.

Hokkaido Scallops

Hokkaido scallops have a natural sweetness and the chef nailed the cook. You could come here just for this appetizer and be happy.

I enjoyed two glasses of Sauvignon Blanc with my meal, both were fine but not good enough to bother remembering where they were from.

I decided on the fish trio for my entree.

Salmon, halibut and tuna with peas, peppers, quinoa and arugula.

Admittedly not the finest looking plate ever presented to me, but it’s mostly about the taste.

Of the three fish the halibut was the best. There was a really nice char on it giving it lots of flavour. The tuna was cooked very well, rare as it should be, and the salmon was perfect too, even down to the pepper’s perfect crunch. Nice dish overall.

I’m having a lemon tart for a dessert.

They really nailed the crust on that and the lemon Curry was delicious. Light and refreshing. I think the lemon tart is just the perfect dessert. It really helps clean up your palate after a fine meal.

Provence Marinaside would be an excellent choice next time you are looking for something to eat and you’re near False Creek. Great food, very good service and a nice view made for a really nice summer meal

And even though I was sitting right by the sidewalk, I managed to enjoy an entire meal without being accosted by one crazy person the whole night.

Is Vancouver changing for the better?

I suspect not. Not as long as the left wing nuts are in charge.

8/10

The post Provence Marinaside appeared first on Gregs Food Blog.

We are stepping away from drinking Italy only, as we have almost exclusively for the last few months, and I picked up the 2019 Château Recougne Bordeaux to have with our Filet Mignon yesterday evening.

It’s a Merlot-dominant blend out of Bordeaux Supérieur, and 2019 was a good vintage for the region, so there’s real substance here.

Plum and blackberry up front, the tannins are smooth, and there’s a subtle earthy, savory edge underneath that keeps it interesting.

It went very well with our steak, but it would go nicely with just about whatever you’re serving.

It’s not trying to impress anyone — it just delivers, glass after glass.

At $29 it’s a little pricey to be an everyday wine but it won’t break the bank if you’re looking for something a little bit nicer.

8/10

The post Chateau Recougne – Bordeaux Superieur appeared first on Gregs Food Blog.

It’s the perfect temperature outside, not too hot. But as I pass by Steel and Oak I’m suddenly parched. And look at that — there’s just enough time to pop in for some refreshments before it gets dark.

Steel and Oak is our mini version of the awesome brewery row you’ll find in Port Moody. There’s great beer and decent burgers in the food truck parked out front.

I do lean towards a beer with fruit in it during the warmer weather, and tonight I decided on the Fruit Salad Sour.

Dragon fruit, passion fruit, prickly pear and lime form the base of this light, refreshing beer. It’s just tart enough to offset the sweetness. Perfect to quench the thirst I built up over the last 30 minutes.

Now only 4,000 steps back home.

The post Steel and Oak appeared first on Gregs Food Blog.

It’s date night and it’s summer. That means some patio time.

El Santo has a patio but it’s right on Columbia.

Same with Piva.

On the other end of Columbia you’ll find Bruncheria, but their patio is still just a few steps from the street.

The Terminal has a patio on Columbia as well. Right next to a busy truck route.

The Grey Fox’s patio is actually good. But you’re looking into private backyards of the townhouse complex surrounding the building.

You’ll find a few patios sprinkled around uptown too.

But one thing all these patios share is the view. Or rather the lack of one. And unless you like looking at, listening to, and breathing in the exhaust fumes of all those cars going by while you’re eating you don’t have very many options.

The new Tiki Bar, where the Paddlewheeler used to be, does have something of a view, but I don’t particularly like the place. Nothing in that particular location has ever been great, though I know some of you will say the Paddlewheeler was good (I disagree) but the one time we visited the Tiki Bar the drinks were unbalanced and the place had a cheap, kitschy feel about it.

The other option, and the only option with a nice view in New Westminster is the Boathouse.

In our experience The Boathouse hasn’t been perfect either. But I will say of late it’s been better.

I’m starting with the Lobster Bisque. I’m hoping it will be good here. Since the Keg took it off the menu I have not had the opportunity to have my favorite soup much.

So I was extremely happy to discover it’s actually a very good lobster bisque. Rich lobster flavor with a smooth creamy base that had a bit of a kick. The only way I think you could improve this is to put some chunks of lobster in. I may be visiting more often this summer just for a bowl of soup.

Sticking with the seafood theme, we decided we’re going to try the seafood platter, for two.

Shrimp, lobster, mussels, oysters, crab and tuna poke.

So let’s just call it a platter as they had to put it on a metal stand to elevate it rather than the traditional two-tier serving tray. But whatever, it was pretty good, other than the oysters, which neither of us loved.

The poke has nice flavour. The lobster was perfectly cooked. The mussels were to die for. The prawns were subtly sweet and tender. And the pièce de résistance, the crab truly was the star of the show. And to my delight the biggest portion.

At $65 it’s not cheap, and I could quite easily polish that off myself. But with the soup it worked out pretty well for the two of us.

Now the next question was, could I resist dessert? And I will tell you I put up a pretty good fight. But then somebody walked by with a creme brulee and my willpower crumbled like a stage made from toothpicks at a Lizzo concert.

Not the best creme brulee I’ve ever had. The sugar was well burnt, and while the custard underneath tasted right, it was just a little bit too firm. Not quite panna cotta firm but pretty close. It made me think there might have been gelatin in that and there certainly shouldn’t be. That’s exactly why I don’t care for panna cotta. I didn’t hate it though.

Merilynn had a cocktail, a summary version of a Moscow Mule.

So other than the slight miss on the creme brulee, this was a really lovely evening. It was a great patio and the food was very good.
We will definitely be back this summer to spend some more time enjoying the view.

If I missed a good patio in New Westminster please let me know and I’ll go check it out.

9/10

The post The Boathouse appeared first on Gregs Food Blog.

And sure, there’s lots of good pizza around. But Steveston Pizza, the Hawaiian specifically, rises above all the others I have tried — anywhere.

It’s so good, I’ll get on a bus from New Westminster to go get one. And that’s no small feat.

So this past Monday, I suffered one and a half rather unpleasant hours on a train and two buses to get myself one of those pizzas.

I also had the opportunity to try a new fish and chips shop — read that review here. It also gave me the chance to explore the village of Steveston and Gary Point Park, so I made good use of my time.

The last time we picked up a pizza from SP, and you have to pick it up, there’s no delivery or Door Dash at all, we were actually quite dissatisfied with the pie. It didn’t quite live up to the standards we’ve come to expect.

This one though?

Right back to the best pizza in town.

This was meant to be our dinner. I’d already had halibut and chips not two hours earlier, but I found myself overwhelmed by the aroma as I waited for my bus to get to Merilynn’s work. So I dove into that box for not one, but three pieces in the few minutes before the bus came.

Then one more when I met Merilynn. By the time we got that pizza home for dinner, 3/4 of it was already done. (Fortunately I didn’t have to transit all the way home.)

I’m not entirely sure what makes it so good. There’s a plethora of pineapple on this pizza, and the ham is genuinely high quality. The tomato sauce tastes fresh, there isn’t too much cheese, and the crust hits a perfect thickness. Whatever the case, they’ve nailed the perfect balance for a Hawaiian pizza.

I can’t really speak to the other flavors — I honestly don’t see the point in trying them. But if you’re looking for something different, they have a pizza called Storm that costs $155.

If anyone tries it, I’d like to know what it’s like — let me know in the comments.

One bite, everyone knows the rules score;

9.2

The post Steveston Pizza appeared first on Gregs Food Blog.