A Taste of Cambodian... Phnom Penh

A great find...

Hubby's new favourite spot to eat.

* Phnom Penh

* Awards for the restaurant

* Beef Luc Luc with Fried Egg

* Deep Fried Chicken Wings

* Butter Beef

* Happy Customers :)

* * * * *

PHNOM PENH

Vancouver, B.C.

Fridate with the Gals

A few hours away from the hustle bustle of being with the kids and into a normal dinner with the adults in a nice place with a little adventure afterwards...

* Love this Jap Bar... YUMMY!

* Thanks to Kate for the recommendation on both the place and what to order...+++

* New Sets of Friends... :)

* This was pure torture... in a good way. 

Love the Chocolate Decadent.. Soo Moist and rich!

* * * * *

SUIKA/ DEATH BY CHOCOLATE

West Broadway

Vancouver, B.C.

Tropika Lunch @ Richmond

Sundays are our traditional family day. 

We go for lunch after church and we try to do something for the kids especially when the sun comes out but when it doesn't, we go indoors and try to have fun as a family just as well.

We went Asian once again with Aberdeen's Tropika and with coupon in hand, we got a dish almost free :)

* From top down: Satay, Otak Fish, Sambal Clams

* Kimi loves any picture opportunity

* After a tiresome but enjoyable family bonding :)

* * * * *

TROPIKA MALAYSIAN 

AND THAI CUISINE

Aberdeen Centre

Richmond, B.C.

Behind the Red Velvet Cake

It was a day to celebrate a new Canadian, my sister in law, Sabrina.

She came for a short visit for her oath taking which will officially make her a Canadian Citizen.

...and because of that, I decided to try my hand once again in making a cake to commemorate the event.

Despite the kids running circles around me as I mix the cake batter and do the frosting while the cake was in the oven. I kept my fingers crossed because this is the second time I am attempting to do a two layer cake and with almost no practice in between, I wish that I will be able to pull off a cake that will be presentable and edible.

* Red (for Canada) Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frostings

I decided to run a short shower while Kenzo was still engrossed in his TV show, I was wondering why there was a long stretch of silence while I was drying up and found him cleaning up the beater.

* Portable Dishwasher

Celebration is never complete with a short meetup with friends over a meal. We chose Hanwoori Korean Restaurant for practical reasons. Sabrina's a busy gal and we had to meet her after the oath taking, before her flight for that same night!

* The Original Mommies- now complete

* After the meal... 

*...and before we separate and said our goodbyes

* * * * *

HANWOORI RESTAURANT

Burnaby, B.C.

again,

CONGRATULATIONS SAB :)

Hamilton Street Grill

I scored another nice deal to another restaurant in Yaletown.

I saw the pictures and the reviews and decided to get the deal. I wasn't able to use it up until this April. With 2 kids in tow, hubby and our couple friends, Twinny and Stone. We headed for Hamilton Street Grill.

* Nice Patio for Summer 

* This sign screams meat and steak!!!

* Travelzoo Menu 2 for $49 deal

I didn't post the pictures because of the lighting but we weren't expecting a full size meal because of the deal but it was really big and we agreed that it was really worth the price for the price we paid especially.

Shared Appetizer

Mussels with chipotle and bacon in cream sauce

-Unanimous decision: YUMMY!

One Entree Each

Hubby: 12 oz Blackened NY Strip Steak with Garlic Sauteed Mushrooms (Medium Well)

-It was good and a big size too!

Mel: Red-wine Braised Lamb Shank with caramelized onions and herb mashed potatoes 

- First time to try lamb and it was good. I just keep thinking "lamb' every time I take a bite

Shared Dessert

No option for this: Gingerbread pudding with warm caramel sauce

-So full but had room for this yummy dessert. Ice cream in ginger sounds weird but it was surprisingly good as well. Time Out Vancouver calls this dessert "famously spectacular"

...afterwards, some photo op

* My Little Fashionista

* ... and My Little Guy

* * * * *

HAMILTON STREET GRILL

1009 Hamilton Street

Vancouver, B.C.

Saboten Japanese Cutlet

I love Aberdeen's Food court. It is just way different from the usual fares being offered at the other mall's food courts.

A new one has just popped up and I endured the long line and even though my food was the last to arrive...

* Saboten Sign

* Loooong Line

* A bit of info about Saboten

* Tenderloin Katsudon

...it was really well worth the wait

*  * * *  *

SABOTEN JAPANESE CUTLET

Aberdeen Centre

Richmond, B.C.

Pearl Castle, Richmond

First time to meet up some of these girls but it was a riot especially at the end of the night...

...wherein there was a surprise set up ;)

* Milk Seafood Hotpot

It was a first for me to do hotpot in milk. Weird at first but it got to me in the end... Kimi ate a lot

Till next time

* * * * *

PEARL CASTLE

Richmond, B.C.

Dine Out 2012: Bistro Sakana

After a bumpy start for year 2012, I decided to just focus on the goods and enjoy each weekend as it comes with a celebration...

...Dine Out comes just in time for us to enjoy food (hubby's favorite pastime) with an Asian twist.

Bistro Sakana was our Dine Out choice this week :)

Ratings online were good although the place was not so good with finding parking, we drive all the way with Kimi in tow for a Friday night out (A rare night to go out- Yey!)

The place was small but we were seated immediately because of a reservation I made weeks before

* Dine Out Menu

When I read the reviews for this restaurant, the rave about the selection of wines are pouring but then, I don't drink much so this doesn't apply to me...

* Sake as backdrop

We decided to get Kimi a Mini Sukiyaki Hotpot plus rice... Everything was really good but my only complaint is that all the food required a long wait that is not within reasonable time. 

* Yummy Sukiyaki

Hubby decided on the real appetizer while the rest of us settled on soups.

* Tai (New Zealand Red Snapper) Sashimi

with fresh ginger and ponzu sauce

* Atlantic Lobster Miso Bisque

NO PICTURE

* Sockeye Salmon Miso Chowder

* Additional Order: Tuna Tatami

* Additional Order: Crispy California Roll

* A Sampler of Signature Dishes

Wild Sockeye Jalapeno Aburi "Hakozushi": Scokeye Salmon layered with rice, box pressed, flame torched and topped with jalapeno slices

Toro Red Chili Abuir "Hakozushi"": Albacore Toro marinated in Junmai sake and miso, layered with rice, box pressed, flame torched, and topped with red chili and key lime slivers.

Yuzu Black Sesame Encrusted Tuna Tataki: Albacore sashimi tataki encrusted with roasted black sesame and drizzled with tangy yuzu miso sauce.

Ume-Shiso Smelt Tempura: Japanese butterfly smelt lightly fried in a delicate batter with Japanese plum paste and fresh "Shiso leaf"

Shiro Miso Black Cod: Grilled white miso marinated black cod with pickled ginger sprout garnish

* Hojicha Creme Brulee

...Creme brulee flavored with roasted green tea

I love the dessert a lot :)..

the real downer is the looooooong exagerated wait we had to endure to get these dishes...

* Little Date

* Real charmer :)

* * * * *

BISTRO SAKANA

DINE OUT 2012

Yaletown, B.C.

Fortune for the Year of the Water Dragon

We started this tradition (sort of) last Chinese New Year.

This year, it was just a casual meet up that turned into another lunch date, which end up as a full table lunch date for the mommies...and kids for this year's Chinese New Year...

With the Winter storm warning for Friday, we decided to reserve anyways and keep our fingers crossed that the roads are clear from Surrey, Vancouver and Richmond to Fortune House's Burnaby...

* Fortune House Facade

With Kimi off to school, I had to bring Kenzo as my plus one :)

* Kenzo eating his chinese  cookies made by Ninang Sarah

* The kids had their happy meals and 

were seated on one side to keep each other entertain

The dimsums were piled high on our table and we realized we ordered more than what we could handle...

Mommy G had to go earlier to fetch Kalen, so we decided to do a group picture...

* Mommies... well fed :)

* Kenzo trying to get his hands on some more

* Kiddos ranger

* My Kimi for the day... Thanks Sam :)

* Last Group picture from the entrance

*... and another one

Birthday at Sea World

It was actually a back to back birthday for our hubbies.

Karl on the 10th while Ver on the actual date that we were in Sea World.

We had Dine with Shamu planned for our lunch as a way to let the kids experience dining with a private show from Shamu. I decided to take my chance and ask if they do birthday song for a customer and they do for a fee. It was a nice touch to celebrate Ver's birthday... and Vince did the blowing with his dad at the end of the song too.

* Birthday Cake

...and the Birthday song

* Dy Family

* All of us

* * * * *

DINE WITH SHAMU

Sea World

San Diego, California

U.S.A.