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Saturday, June 9, 2012

Izumi Sushi Yokozuna Restaurant Review


Assorted Sashimi
Izumi Sushi was formerly Tokyo Gardens, my beloved lunch sushi spot that closed down after being sold. The new owners renamed it Izumi Sushi Yokozuna and made some changes to the interior decor as well as the menu.

Friday, June 1, 2012

Haru Sushi & Grill Restaurant Review



Grilled Squid
Haru is nestled in the strip mall on the McKenzie Towne side of 52 Ave. The decor is very modern & upscale, in comparison to the more traditional, homey look of nearby Ichizen. 

Their menu has most of the traditional sashimi and nigiri sushi staples like salmon & california rolls but I did notice some items that were not so typical. 

Monday, May 28, 2012

Roast Pork (Lechon)



Mmm...Roast Pig!

What can I say about Lechon. It's not the healthiest for you but taste so good! I decided to make this at home and it was surprisingly easy & very delicious!

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Party Pansit Recipe

Pansit

An old Filipino saying states that eating noodles extend one's life. This is because noodles are a lot longer than rice, another Filipino staple. Right, well don't ask me the logic behind it. All I know is pansit is good.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

A Taste of Saigon Restaurant Review

Satay Beef Pho

About 2 years ago, our family doctor took a sabbatical and moved to Vancouver with her daughter. Last month, I got a call from her office advising that she is back and would like to know if we wanted to be her patients again. 

Monday, May 21, 2012

Sea Fish & Chips Restaurant Review

Fish & Chips

When you feel like good ol' fish & chips, this hidden gem in McKenzie Towne won't let you down. This is pretty much the only place I will eat battered seafood and fries. We've been going here since they first opened and they are still putting out a fantastic meal to satisfy our cravings. 

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Fajita Pizza Recipe

Fajita Pizza
One of my favourite food is pizza. When I was little, growing up in an Asian household, anything that isn't rice or goes with rice is a treat. Ordering delivery pizza was back then, in my eyes a special occasion. 

Now, not so much. Delivery pizza nowadays is a sign that me or Jesse are either too lazy or too tired to make something for dinner. But nothing taste as good as homemade. I find that making pizza out of left overs is simple, delicious, & easy, having most of the ingredients I need already on hand.

We had fajitas the night before and I wanted to re-imagine the leftovers into another dish. What better way to do this than to make it into a pizza!

I don't really cook using exact measurements except when I'm baking.

This being said, I don't really have exact amounts of each ingredient for this recipe but it's pretty hard to screw it up. I suggest just eyeballing each ingredient until you think your pizza is to your liking. 


You'll need:
  • baking sheet or pan
  • pita bread
  • salsa
  • leftover grilled chicken &/or beef
  • leftover grilled veggies (optional)
  • chopped pickled jalapenos (optional)
  • shredded mozza & cheddar cheese 
  • whole sour cream (optional)
  • chopped cilantro (optional)

Pre-heat the oven to 400°F. Layer all ingredients in the order listed on the baking sheet, except the sour cream & cilantro. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until cheese is golden brown & melted. Cut into 4s. Spoon dollops of sour cream & sprinkle cilantro.  

Enjoy!!!

Saturday, May 19, 2012

Seoul Country Korean Restaurant Review

View from the back entrance

We went here for a big family lunch right after the gondola ride. This restaurant is pretty hidden if you're strolling down Banff avenue without knowing exactly where it is. It's tucked behind the same building as my favourite candy store in town, The Fudgery. 

There's a parking lot in the back but during peak times, it's pretty busy. We had to aggressively stalk for empty stalls. My dad finally got tired of it and scooped a spot across the street as soon as we saw someone leaving.

The restaurant decor is pretty standard for a Korean resto. It wasn't too big and was not too busy at 1:00 pm during a long weekend.

Another view from the back entrance
For a party of over 10, which we had, be prepared to pay an automatic gratuity of 20%. I'm a big believer of tipping based on service so this didn't sit too good with me. Luckily, our server was very friendly and attentive so I did not have an issue with it when it was time to pay the bill.

This whole section filled up shortly after we arrived
Each table is set up with a gas burner for  either a hot pot or cook yourself bbq. I was a little concerned with the fact that there were no exhaust vents for each table which was typical of K restos since cook yourself bbq tend to get a bit smoky. We were not planning on ordering bbq this time around so it was a moot point.

We had 16 in our party and we were spread out over 3 tables.

Seafood Hot Pot
We ordered seafood hot pot for each table, which came brimming with crab, scallops, salmon, mussels, tofu, udon noodles, & assorted veggies. It also came with a side of red hot kimchee paste to mix with the broth to taste.

Seafood Hot Pot and side dishes
Each meal is served with an assortment of side dishes. Ours came with bean sprouts, pickled daikon, kim chi, spinach, & of course, rice.

Side dishes
My mom's favourite dish is the seafood pancake. I absolutely loved this dish as well. It's a Korean pancake with squid, scallops, shrimp and green onions. It comes with a bean paste dip that is absolutely fantastic with the little bit of the hot kimchee paste.

Seafood Pancake
To round out our order, we ordered jap chae or glass noodles, and some grilled beef ribs that was served on a hot plate with mushrooms and 2 kinds of onions.

The jap chae was tasty and had a good ratio of noodles to veggies. I found the meat a little tough & chewy, especially the way it was cut which did not look like it was against the grain but the flavour was delicious especially wrapped in lettuce with some bean sauce & kimchi.

Beef Ribs
My parents being creatures of habit love going here every time they visit Banff. I would certainly go back and try their K bbq as well as order the seafood pancake again.

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