Hummingbird604.com » cheap eats

Beaver tails in Montréal

Raul — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 06:40:18 +0000

Beaver tails. I did not realize that was the name of this delicious quickly-fried dough, which in Mexico we probably would call “suela” (sole). In the Mexican version, you cover the dough with salty/savoury stuff, like refried beans, ground meat, chili, etc. In the Canadian version (at least the ones I saw in Montréal) you cover them with sweet stuff. I ordered a beaver tail with banana and nutella in my most recent trip to Montréal, and I absolutely loved it. Crepes? Who remembers crepes when you have beaver tails? And apparently, this dessert is very “Canadiana”.

I found a recipe for Beaver Tails. Have you ever tried beaver tails? If so, what’s your favorite?

JapaDog (Waterfront Station, Downtown Vancouver)

Raul — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 04:33:43 +0000

I finally ate a JapaDog. Well, truth be told, I ate JapaDog before, twice. Once with JT (on our way to see Wicked, so basically we inhaled it), and once with Lorraine (but I didn’t blog about it). This past weekend I had JapaDog at Waterfront Canada Line/Skytrain station and many TBEX-ers joined me. There’s not much to write about in regards to the hotdog itself. I ordered a beef terimayo, which had a beef sausage, mayonnaise and shavings of Japanese seaweed.

While I can completely understand the obsession with the idea of JapaDog, I don’t necessarily think that JapaDog is the most amazing thing ever. It’s a hot dog stand. With lovely folks who are some of the nicest customer service people, but still. It’s a hot dog stand. Not sure how that makes it so exciting.

Maybe it’s the blending of Japanese and Western culture. Maybe it’s the variety of hot dogs. Regardless, it’s fun to eat at JapaDog, and I’m glad I did it.

Disclosure: I paid for my JapaDog on my own dime.

The Frugal Princess Guide to Living on the Cheap

Raul — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 00:24:53 +0000

Photo credit: Carissa Rogers on Flickr (Good N Crazy)

I am not rich, by any means. Thanks to my student debt (yes, I did a PhD, an MBA/MEng and thus I have student debt), I live a relatively modest and budgeted life. Despite the fact that I love going out (heck, I write about lifestyle, so I do often eat out, attend performing arts and sometimes I splurge on things), I recognized this year that I needed to be more budgeted.

I remember when I told JT last year that I needed to write “The Frugal Princess Guide to Living on the Cheap” (‘princess’ being a bit of a self-mockery as some people seem to think I’m rather ‘princessy’ at times). If I had the time, I totally would. But there’s a number of folks who write locally about living frugally, like Dianne Chow (Fabulously Frugal), the folks at CheapCouver and in Victoria, Scrimp or Splurge.

Do you know any other websites that focus on living great, but modestly and on a budget? If so, please share. Or if not, please share your tips “to living on the cheap”. I can tell you right now that packing a lunch and bringing it with me to UBC on the days I teach and to The Network Hub on the days I work at my consultancy, has led me to a substantial (and dramatic) reduction in expenses!

I do plan to continue eating out, travelling and doing art, but I am hoping to maintain a strong grip on my budget.

Au Petit Cafe (South Main)

Raul — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 16:00:52 +0000

I would have never been to Au Petit Cafe if Minna hadn’t ever brought me here. Even though it is located in South Main (and therefore, pretty close by to this cute little Vietnamese restaurant). I went here for dinner/lunch with Minna and Erica Lam (Minna, as you may know, is the co-founder of The Network Hub and Erica writes The Style Spy and is also a social media strategist for Cossette West).

Au Petit Cafe is tiny, but always busy from what I hear. And the food is really good, but more than anything pretty inexpensive. I ordered a French bread sub with shredded chicken, vegetables and hot peppers, which I do not remember the price but I would say it was in the range of, at the most, $6.50.

Inexpensive food, great service, very nice people (the owner spoke to me in French, which I found extremely sweet). Overall, a great experience shared with awesome friends.

Restaurant review – Argo Cafe

Raul — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 11:30:39 +0000

I used to have a category for small restaurants (e.g. eateries) but since I don’t make the distinction anymore, it’ll be ok if I categorize this as a restaurant. Tanya took me there for lunch as her office is in the neighbourhood (Mount Pleasant) and I live close by. We had talked about meeting at the Argo Cafe for lunch sometime, but we had never gotten around to it, but luckily we got a chance to do so this week.

There are many reasons why I enjoyed this lunch so much. The first one, without a doubt, was having the company of Tanya, and having a chance to catch up IRL (in real life). The second one was being in the Mount Pleasant neighbourhood, close to the False Creek Olympic Village. I admit it, I am still an industry-oriented guy. Heck, if you read the post that Rebecca kindly invited me to write for Miss604.com, you’ll see how much I love this neighbourhood.

I am a chemical engineer, and that’s one of the reasons why I love this area so much, it still maintains a lot of its industrial flavor. Anyways, back to the Argo Cafe. It’s a very neat, clean, hole-in-the-wall kind of place that caters mostly to the people who work around the neighbourhood. It’s always packed, and the prices are really inexpensive. You can have a really hearty meal for around $9 to $10 dollars.

I ordered a burger without cheese (obviously) and with bacon, and it was big! I didn’t order the fries as Tanya ordered fish and chips and she shared some with me. I think it is a really cool place, and I look forward to coming down there again for lunch with Tanya (and I heard that Travis works close by, as I think does John Bollwitt!) … GeekCamp!

Restaurant review – Delicados (Downtown)

Raul — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:25:00 +0000

To continue with our Mexican food rampage, Rebecca and I went to Delicados for dinner just before attending Third Tuesday. I headed down there early, and since we both were starving we figured we’d order right away. I ordered enchiladas, but committed the mistake of going SUPER HOT. She ordered a wrap.

I was slightly surprised with the sunflower sprouts, but they were very tasty. The food is good for what it is (e.g. comfort food for lunch/early dinner). We were shocked to find out that Delicados closes at 6pm but I’m somehow not too surprised since it seems to cater to the lunch business crowd. The food is tasty and not all that expensive.

We had the pleasure of having Colleen and Ianiv join us for a bit, and afterwards we had a quick pint at Century. Which reminds me that I should have asked Ianiv and Arieanna to guest-blog-post their dinner experience at Century. The staff at Century have always been super, super nice, so I would figure that maybe the food is just as good.

Overall, Delicados is quick, inexpensive, Tex-Mex, filling and sort of a cheap bite. Not bad for what it is, definitely. But closing at 6pm? Not good in my books!

Restaurant review: Splitz (Main Street)

Raul — Tue, 13 May 2008 18:45:25 +0000

There are many reasons why I love the Main Street area (from 2nd Avenue to 41st is the area I know best). You can find almost anything you want, you can do anything you want (although outdoorsy activities are somewhat limited to the pocket parks). One of the best assets that Main Street has is its restaurant scene.

You can find almost anything you want (Ethiopian, with Nyala – Indian, with East is East, Chinese – with Sun Sui Wah). In my case, I was craving burgers. Hat tips to Matt Collinge who pointed me to Splitz Grill. I *needed* another solid, reliable burger joint, since the demise of Sodas Diner. Plus, The Red Onion is not precisely very close to me.

Located almost at 28th Avenue and Main St., Splitz offers what I would say are the best if not some of the best (competing with The Red Onion) burgers in town. Inexpensive, large burgers, great service, the Splitz sauce is to-die-for, family-friendly. My only complaint is that you get to order in line, so it becomes slightly fast-food-ish. But the food is OUTSTANDING. I would definitely go back! And next time I do so, I’ll be very happy if I’m joined by fellow readers/bloggers.

I have scheduled this post around lunch time so that people can get hungry, hehehe.

PS – Hat tips to Michael Kwan for spotting typo!

Restaurant review – Cafe Deux Soleils

Raul — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 18:06:16 +0000

(SIDE NOTE – I was looking for a photo to showcase Cafe Deux Soleils and ghastly, I didn’t get any on Flickr. So you’ll have to just be happy to see a photo of some food on here to make the post pretty, hehehe – I’ll have a full-blown rant about Flickr a bit later).

I am a fan of Commercial Drive, anybody who knows me even a little will know this for sure. I am, after all, an East Van boy. Since my groups of friends span all areas of the Greater Vancouver area, I decided on a relatively central spot to say farewell to my friends H, I and their newborn L. They are flying back to Europe this weekend and we wanted to say goodbye before they left. Unfortunately A couldn’t make it, but M, H, C and I went to meet them, and since H is a vegetarian AND a Mom, I suggested the most family-friendly place I could find that would serve vegetarian dishes: Cafe Deux Soleils.

Now, since I speak French, it’s not difficult for me to know the difference between Deux and Du. The problem is that sometimes I get confused on which one is the right one. So, for all of you who have the same problem – Cafe Du Soleil is near Hastings on Commercial, so in the Northern part of The Drive, and Cafe Deux Soleils is in the Southern part, closer to the post office and the Skytrain. The vegetarian one is Deux Soleils. The little hidden gem is Du Soleil. Confused enough? Ok, good.

Since they seem to offer a fairly good selection of vegetarian burgers, most of us tried different versions. I tried their basic burger and I have to say that while the burger itself was tasty, I was pretty disappointed with the fries. The fries were cut in a strange manner, and they were also under-cooked. Although I have to say, the staff were VERY friendly and VERY patient.

NOTE TO SELF – Don’t organize an intimate friends’ dinner on Open Mic night at Cafe Deux Soleils – it gets LOUD. But on the other hand, another NOTE TO SELF – Lots of eye-candy on Open Mic Night. So, I’ll have to organize a Vancouver Bloggers Meetup here or a simple gathering on a Thursday

While we all had a really great time, and I am grateful that I got to see little L and H and I, I found myself again seeing close friends of mine going away. This has become a recurring pattern, which of course has nothing to do with me, and everything to do with this city’s multicultural, transient population. Last night, as J was driving L and me home from dinner with C and B, we were talking about how much we dislike the fact that this city doesn’t provide stability. Your friends can just as easily move to another country or city or region in a whim. This doesn’t allow us to create long-lasting bonds that easily.

So, back to the restaurant review – I have been a devout patron of Cafe Deux Soleils even though I’m not strictly a vegetarian (I do eat organic meat), and their brunch menu is also really good. I do have some minor negative associations with the fact that my ex was a vegetarian and a fan of this place so we came here for brunch all the time, but that’s why I always organize new gatherings with close friends, to erase whatever minor reminiscences I have from past lives.

I would seriously recommend Cafe Deux Soleils for a laid-back, family-friendly (or singleton-friendly) brunch or dinner with friends. I for one will make sure to organize a meeting with a few local bloggers here for dinner sometime.

Eatery review – La Grotta Del Fromaggio

Raul — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 00:32:30 +0000

I never know how to call these, since La Grotta Del Fromaggio (literally, the cavern of cheese) is more than just a deli. It is a small little piece of heaven tucked in the heart of Commercial Drive, kitty corner from my favorite coffee place, Continental. It is kind of obvious (as those of you who have read my About page) that I shouldn’t really know about La Grotta Del Fromaggio, simply because I don’t eat cheese. But today I met with my good friends H and I, who flew in from the Netherlands, and we went there for lunch.

OH MY GOD. BEST-SANDWICHES-EVER! I had a small bun Montreal smoked meat sandwich ($ 5.00) and it was so filling I am still feeling full. I’m headed over to Uva Wine Bar for a Tweetup, and I still don’t feel the need to eat, because I am SO full. I’m glad that I and H brought me there, not only because it gave me an opportunity to try a new place to eat (inexpensive as well!) but also because I could practice my Italian. Of course, I ended up throwing some Portuguese and Spanish here and there, but overall, it sounded really good.

I’ll post more about the reasons why I am so happy I saw H and I, but I have to head to Uva for the Tweetup. So I’ll talk to you guys later.

Eatery review – Sushi Sky (West End)

Raul — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 08:48:00 +0000

Given that my budget for dining out has shrunk considerably, and that my friends and I are trying to be more conscious about that (I’m glad they are, because I am pretty broke right now!), it was nice to find yet another place with good sushi for less than what I would have paid at Tanpopo or one of those other restaurants.

Sushi Sky is a little hole-in-the-wall kind of place on Bute Street, near Davie. If you know the Jupiter Cafe, it’s pretty much right beside it. I have to say that it’s such a strategic location. Three of my closest friends live within three blocks of this place. I went there with J for a quick dinner before watching “Brothers and Sisters” at his place a couple of Sundays ago.

The sushi is really good, and for less than $ 6.00 you got yourself dinner. I think the total for two with tip was $ 15.00. I mean, there are times when I pay that much at brunch! So, I’m pretty happy with this little place. Inexpensive and tasty. I’ll be coming back again, for sure.

Restaurant review – Seto Cafe (Commercial Drive)

Raul — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 08:40:00 +0000

I write this review as I am listening again and again to the song “Who Knows” by Natasha Bedingfield (by the way, I just found out that the song is not included in the soundtrack, which totally sucks – this song would be the sole reason why I’d buy the soundtrack). Anyhow, this afternoon (just before meeting J for dinner and a movie), I had brunch with L, M and A after our volleyball game at a nice little cafe that has one of the cheapest brunches in town ($3.50 for breakfast is hard to beat).

Cafe Seto (on Commercial Drive) is located pretty close to JJ Beans and near 6th and Commercial (if I’m not mistaken). It only takes cash and debit, so that’s a bit of a problem for those like me, who totally love plastic (e.g. credit cards). But the price is almost unbeatable. And the food is REALLY good.

It was very nice to spend some time with L and M (two of my best volleyball players) outside our customary environment (e.g. a volleyball court). I have to say that I am pretty damn proud. My volleyball team this term is super solid, and we get along famously. As S put it very truthfully, “we are freakishly laid-back”.

Back to the review. I had their All Day Breakfast (actually I ordered the ADB but they gave me the 2-2-2, 2 eggs, 2 sausages, 2 pancakes). Awesome, very filling. I think that the only issue I am having with brunch at the moment is that I do need coffee with my toast and a soft drink (e.g. Pepsi) with my eggs. Call me weird, but I can’t really fathom a brunch without those two drinks. Anyhow, I highly recommend Cafe Seto. Cheap brunch – almost unbeatable!

Eatery review – Uncle Fatih’s Pizza (Commercial and Broadway)

Raul — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 00:26:00 +0000

Since I got back to Vancouver, I’ve been working at the office and doing lots of errands. Thus, by the time I head back home, I’m totally exhausted. As it often happens to me when I take the 99 B-Line home, I ended up sleeping and missing my stop. So I had to go back from Commercial and Broadway (good thing the 99 B-Line wasn’t one of those ‘Boundary’ ones or else I would’ve been royally in trouble).

On my way back, a nagging feeling and a slight headache started to bug me. Having just shopped at Safeway, I figured that it was nothing, but by the time I crossed the street west over to Commercial and Broadway, the lion inside me woke up and started to demand food. Being the case that pizza is the only thing with cheese that I allow myself to consume (just because I can’t even taste the cheese with all those toppings), I stopped at Uncle Fatih’s Pizza.

Since I started hanging out on Commercial Drive, I had promised myself that one day, I’d make a quick stop at Uncle Fatih’s. The line-up is always long and there’s all sorts of people (from men in suits to young guys in rags) consuming pizza. Determined not to let this opportunity pass, I stopped and ordered a full dinner (2 slices and a pop for a whooping $ 3.50, even cheaper than a latte at Starbucks).

Admittedly, my definition of cheap eats is substantially different to that of Andrew Morrison from Urban Diner (I just read his weekly West Ender column on cheap eats, and he suggested that he could do dinner for $20 or so – my definition of cheap eats is dinner for less than 7 bucks). This is most definitely a place for cheap, affordable, tasty and satisfying pizza. I’ll be back, for sure!

And apparently other reviewers agree with me

The good, the bad and the ugly of being a good cook

Raul — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 22:12:00 +0000

Not that I am tooting my own horn, but frankly, I cook a great curry chicken. This time I made it with mushrooms, onions, curry paste (red curry) and a bit of tomato sauce to reduce the heat, and boy is it tasty. The only problem now is that, since I cooked a lot of it, now I’ve had two helpings of rice with curry chicken since lunch (and I did eat a sandwich for lunch!). This is not going to do any wonders to my diet

UPDATE .– I found a recipe for tagliatelle and curry chicken. Yummy! I have always been a fan of pasta with curry. Paesano’s (in Richmond) has a mean chicken curry with penne. I am also a fan of Incendio’s (Burrard) curry with pasta. But today I’m cooking it with white rice.

Eatery review – Taco Loco

Raul — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 16:26:00 +0000

It’s really hard to find good, authentic Mexican food in Vancouver. The past couple of years we have witnessed a growth spurt of places that sell pseudo-Mexican food within the GVRD, particularly in the downtown area. There are a few, however, that are fairly authentic. Usually, these are holes-in-the-wall. That would be the case of Taco Loco. This is a small eatery located between 11th and 12th Avenue on Commercial Drive. The food is fairly authentic (with the exception that mole con pollo NEVER has sour cream drizzled and that the actual chicken should be a full breast instead of shredded chicken). For what I ate, I would say it was overpriced (mole con pollo for $7.00?). But we were hungry and needed food. Furthermore, considering that the mole was pretty authentic, I probably shouldn’t complain that much. If you need a quick meal that is fairly authentic, you could stop by Taco Loco. However, the service is nothing short of dreadful. At some point, I’ll have to compare it with other fairly solid places like Casablanca and Las Margaritas (yes, Las Margaritas has fairly decent Mexican food).

Restaurant review – Cafe Barney (South Granville)

Raul — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 05:37:00 +0000

Cafe Barney is the epitome of reliability. D, I, A, H and I went for burgers and fries recently since we do know that we can find excellent fries and burgers at this place. Cafe Barney always deliver. I happen to know one of the staff members since a few years ago because I used to live in the neighborhood (now known as South Granville, though I think the technical term would be Fairview Slopes).

The strip between Broadway and 16th Avenue on Granville has usually been touted as one of the nicest shopping districts. However, you can also find reliable good food in this area. If you want to go for pricey (albeit excellent food), you can do Star Anise or West, or you can do cheap eats (Cafe Crepe, Cafe Barney) or somewhere in between (The Red Room).

Now, the fact that the burgers aren’t expensive doesn’t mean that Cafe Barney is some sort of cheap joint. On the contrary. The ambiance is great and the service is top-notch. Their burger and fries are to die for. Their pasta (penne with chorizo) is definitely not bad, although I would say that Cafe Barney has more of a reputation for their burgers.

I have had brunch here before and it is consistently reliable. Definitely one of the best places if you want to eat fries, scrambled eggs, chorizo, and of course… burgers! They seem to have a good variety of beer (I am clueless here as I don’t drink beer). Their wine selection seems good albeit perhaps a bit pricey (their martinis seem a bit expensive too). But the rest of the food is quite affordable.

I would strongly endorse Cafe Barney for a night out Beware that the music can be a little loud and the atmosphere is relaxed. I read elsewhere some critiques to the servers, but I can’t agree. Any time I have been here the service has been really good. I am sorry to hear that other people have had bad experiences, but I’ve been to Cafe Barney enough times to actually say that it’s been consistently good.

Restaurant review – The Nice Cafe

Raul — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 17:59:00 +0000

While this could be categorized as “cheap eats” (the food is really inexpensive), I think I’d like to call The Nice Cafe one of the two best brunch places I’ve been to recently (Rhizome and Crave being the other two). Surprisingly enough, all these three are located within 5-10 minutes walking distance, around Main Street.

H and I had talked about trying The Nice Cafe since a couple of weeks ago so we finally made it. The only down side – the wait in line can be substantial (20-30 minutes) if you arrive during peak time. But, there are several upsides.

First, the service is absolutely fantastic. Even though their place is packed and people keep ordering food, the staff will always have a smile in their faces and wish you “Good Day”.

Second, the food is really good (did I mention inexpensive too?) – I had ‘burger steak with eggs, hashbrown and toast’ (burger steak AKA ground meat patty), and it was enough to fill me until 7 pm.

Third, the location is almost unbeatable. Hidden on East 8th Avenue and almost Main Street, The Nice Cafe is technically “off the road”. However, you can still do a lot of shopping, art gallery viewing and walking around Main Street and you won’t be bored. And if you need a mall, there’s always Kingsgate Mall.

At the end of our meal, the lady who apparently owns the place came and talked to us and gave us pointers as to when to arrive next time (peak time 10am to 2 pm). Since my brain doesn’t start functioning until after 10.30am, I doubt I can get there any earlier.

I would strongly recommend The Nice Cafe for anyone who would like to come visit East Vancouver (Main Street) if they live in Kitsilano/Point Grey/Fairview Slopes. To those friends of mine who muster the strength and face a long commute to come join me for brunch around my neck of the woods, thank you sincerely from the bottom of my heart. You know who you are

Eatery review – Curry Point (UBC and Cambie)

Raul — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 05:01:00 +0000

Those of us who love Indian food and happen to be all the time on the go really appreciate having a place where you can go, consistently find good food, very filling and at a reasonable price. I have been a customer of Curry Point for perhaps a decade (not 100% sure on this one, but I am sure that I’ve eaten here at least since 2000).

The original Curry Point I knew is located in the basement of the University Village (often called the ‘Food Court’, although there are so many new restaurants in the village that I think they’ll need to actually name that area so that people can recognize it!). The owners must have been super successful because they recently opened another branch, located on Broadway between Cambie and Ash.

I have been to both locations. The downside of the UBC location is that it is ALWAYS packed. The line to order food sometimes blocks other establishments, which I find quite annoying. It’s almost impossible to find seating if you want to eat on site at lunch time. The downside of the Cambie location is that it is small and can make you feel a bit claustrophobic. The upside of both establishments is that the food is consistently good.

Their butter chicken, curry chicken, curry lamb and potatoes and onions are must-haves. Lunch can be around $ 7.00 if you order a combo with two meat items, pop and naan bread. The only things you need to keep in mind are: First, when you eat lunch at Curry Point, you have to forget about dinner. I have had lunch at 11.30am and still feel the need to continue processing food by midnight of the same day. Second, if you eat at Curry Point UBC, arrive early (or late) so that you can actually seat. The food is excellent! And they have plenty of vegetarian options.

Eatery review – The Papaya Hut

Raul — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 04:44:00 +0000

Strategically located on Burrard near Broadway, the Papaya Hut is a true gem of good Thai food. The place is small. Very small, although I am sure it is certainly bigger than some establishments in the downtown Vancouver area. The food is amazing and the service is quick and corteous.

A combination # 1 will be hovering around $ 11.00 (plus tax and tip) and you get to enjoy satay, salad, good quality rice and one menu item. I ordered the yellow curry, and quickly discovered that Thai food can be extremely hot even for my palate! My complaint is not with the actual quality of the food, but with the spice in it. Salads are not supposed to be hot. This salad was. So was the dip for my chicken Satay and I don’t even want to mention the yellow curry.

I got to the point where it was clearly inedible. I had to take my food to go and come home and mix it with coconut milk. So, if you happen to order at the Papaya Hut (they have delivery within reasonable distances) or eat in, I would recommend to make sure that your food can be eaten (mine was too hot).

Still, lots of people have praised it and I enjoyed the food (while I could eat it). I have seen that they have lunch for $ 5.95. Now, that’s what I call good food at a reasonable price!

Note to my readers: Please be informed that the next few restaurant reviews will discuss fast-food, cheap-eats. Not fast food in the way of McD or BK, or KFC, but local haunts with small places that provide sustenance in order to go on with our daily activities. I’ve decided to name these posts “Eatery review”, and the label for this type of post will be “cheap eats”.