Noshwellmenu

[rating: 3] :

Neighbours Restaurant & Pizza House has been a haven for down-home, Italian fare in the Southeast Vancouver neighborhood for years. They serve simply prepared pasta and pizza. Located on Victoria Drive, just east of 49th Avenue, this pasta house is a favourite haunt of locals looking to settle with a nice, comforting meal.

[rating:5] :

This snack is just as weird as it sounds, but it kicks ass. Salty thin pretzel sticks that taste exactly like the popular Chinese dish–spicy Ma Po Tofu. Pretz is an Asian version of a pretzel stick that comes in many flavors, sweet or salty. A friend of ours had brought these from Shanghai for us to try. They are so good, I am devouring these like crazy. I’m not sure if it’s the MSG or the salty, spicy, garlic and onion mixed goodness that are in these, but whatever it is — it rocks! Even though we were told this particular flavor is sold only in Asia, we haven’t given up our search in the local Asian Markets. The Pretz makers of Ma Po Tofu sure have conjured up a weird flavour but strangely, it works. But I have to wonder… what’s up with the Panda?

The Details

Somewhere in Shanghai.

(Clockwise form Left to Right: 1. The unfortunately named Po King Seafood Restaurant. 2. Chicken Feet. 3. Pure chaos.)

Good Dim Sum is difficult to come by in Burnaby, so when we heard about Po King Seafood Restaurant through a relative, we thought we would check it out. Other restaurants occupied the space where Po King now stands, but I guess they didn’t make it. The owners did some renovations and the new space looked promising.   

[rating:4] :

(From Top to Bottom: 1. Mmmm, Biscotti. 2. Macchiato Espresso )

Bean & Beyond Cafe is one of the few reasons we head out to Richmond. It’s a great little coffee shop that serves a mean cup of deliciously made espresso. Located in picturesque Steveston Village, just a hop, skip and a jump away from the Fisherman’s Wharf –we stumbled upon Bean & Beyond Cafe because of the large Illy display in their front window. The beaded curtains hovering over the entrance and contemporary tables and seating, make this coffee shop seem out of sorts in the area. It’s quite tiny inside, not much room to maneuver, but it’s one of friendliest coffee shops we’ve been in.

Three Lions Cafe is a modern take on the classic English pub. It sits on the East-West border along the Broadway corridor in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood. British food generally gets a pretty bad rap, often being described as bland, boring and unimaginative. Three Lions Cafe appears to be a part of a growing trend in Vancouver that’s showcasing the best parts of what our cousins across the pond can conjure up in the kitchen.