Drat. The restaurant we were looking for in the guidebook was no longer in business. After making a 3rd turn around the corner we had to think quickly before our 3 year old would have had enough. We decided to head down Broadway, just south of the downtown where there is a diverse selection of restaurants. There the big yellow awning stood out to us – Banana Leaf. ” Banana Leaf ” is the most popular name for a Malaysian restaurant. Most are not affiliated with each other.

The Banana Leaf in Vancouver has 3 locations. We were at the 820 West Broadway location. The other locations serve mostly the same menu – with some variations, so if you are going there for a specialty, call first to inquire if it’s available that day. If you drive to the restaurant park around back; there are about 10 spaces. The restaurant is decorated in vibrant yellows and reds with cloth and paper accents on the wall and hanging from the ceiling. There are different souvenirs and posters from Malaysia as decoration. We started out with the usual roti canai, which is a flat Indian bread served with a small bowl of curry sauce for dipping. It was good. Still to date the best roti canai I’ve had has been at “Banana Leaf”  in Daly City (just south of San Francisco) California where it is prepared and stretched by hands when you order. The Daly City Banana Leaf is one of the few Malaysian restaurants in the States with Chicken Rendang.

Chicken Satay

The satay was done correctly – the first bite is crispy, then tender and juicy underneath. They were was seasoned well with turmeric, coriander, lemon grass. We decided to go with the lunch specials; each is served with rice and vegetables in a slightly sweet coconut curry. We chose beef rendang and curry chicken. We asked for each to be very spicy since we knew that a 10* spice level in Vancouver is about a 5*-6* back home. Neither came out spicy, however the rendang was still enjoyable.

Next time I will try the chili prawns or a crab dish, since fresh seafood is one of Vancouver’s greatest strengths. Note that if you are visiting during lunch time, it’s best to narrow your choices down to a few before calling your server over.

Beef Rendnag

Technorati Tags: malaysian

Located in Yaletown in Vancouver, BC, the cool modern interior is fronted by a large awning covered patio where you can dine al fresco – which is usually fine in Vancouver’s great weather. Opt for the outdoor seating if you are visiting from out of town. The restaurant features yakitoris of various types. They have kobe beef meatball, wild salmon, ginger glazed chicken, Louisiana fried oyster, tempura mushroom, scallops, short ribs , 7 spice rare ahi  tuna, and rosemary lamb. Each is served with accompaniment of Asian slaw marinated in a sesame and ginger vinaigrette atop a crispy papadum. We ordered two yakitoris in the bar area and received double the slaw. This was fantastic since the slaw is light and plenty enough to serve as a salad when dining.

Once we were seated we were given fresh in house maid cinnamon sugar donuts – more like donettes since they were very small. This was a great alternative to bread and butter. But be careful, they are delicious and crispy, so I could imagine myself grabbing a handful and  throwing them into my mouth. My wife was not quite ready to order so she asked me to order first. I  ordered 5 different yakitoris. Individually they are priced from 1.85 to 3.50 CAD; you can get a selection of 10 for 24.00 which is shareable.  The waiter responded with thank you and left. He had seemed a little rushed earlier so I figured he was going grab something and would be right back. While the waiter was gone my wife and I discussed that possibly he thought the order was large enough for the 2 of us – thus the reason he rushed off without taking her order.  When the food arrived I was a little shocked. I did not think it would feed even me. I asked the waiter to come back over. I told him that my rife would like to order now. She decided on a Caesar salad – which I recommend anyone passing on; it was nothing special with big cut of romaine and a pretty generic Caesar dressing.

Various Yakitoris

There’s a lack of starches on the menu so we placed an order for the home fries. You may just consider going starchless and then after your meal crossing the street to the bakery to grab a slice of bread. The short rib yakitori  was tender and beefy as slow cooked short ribs should be. I also enjoyed the 7 spice rare ahi tuna and panko crusted oyster. Pass on the Kobe beef meatball; the marinara and herbs in the meatball mask any thoughts you would have that the beef was Kobe – the tenderness could have just as well come from the plenitude of breadcrumbs. The oyster is fried in a panko breading and lightly seasoned with Cajun spices. Its like a small hush-puppy with an oyster inside. After finishing the yakitori and  salad we ordered another oyster and chicken; the chicken varies in quality depending on whether you are given a wider or longer piece. The longer pieces are grilled better and have less fat.

Your best bet is to go to Glowbal at night and order yakitoris along with a drink. After our meal, my wife and I looked around and noticed that most tables were eating brunch – eggs, bacon, and home fries. We left wondering if we should have done the same. – M.G.

Yakitori Menu - at the Time We Visited

Technorati Tags: glowbal, yakitori

I had noticed the Beard Papa’s in San Francisco on a recent trip, but with a hungry 3 year old at 7pm it’s no time to stop for cream puffs. So when when were  in Vancouver a few weeks ago I thought the store sign looked familiar. Since our daughter was sleep in the car and my wife was getting coffee I asked her to grab me a cream puff. I figured, it’s worth a try -  at least once. So she grabbed a few and we headed over to Stanley Park to sit in the car next to water. It was sunny and in the mid 60’s – so gotta love it.

The bread was light and airy, but substantial. It didn’t collapse after I bit into it. The cream puffs are made daily with no preservatives, which was great to hear. Sure, if you can make pate a choux you won’t be impressed, but for most of us, you will appreciate this home made tasting puff pastry without going through all the work. Each cream puff is filled with a custard and whipped cream filling.

We tried both the vanilla bean and chocolate filled puffs. We both agreed the vanilla was the better of the 2. If you’re in the mood you can purchase their cream puffs by the dozens for a party or tea. And they all come in a handy yellow carrying case. I’d just wish their bag was not so bright yellow so that everyone wouldn’t know what I’m carrying – delicious cream puffs!

Beard Papas
http://beardpapascanada.com/

Okonomi - Not the best of Pics

I’ve just eaten the best hotdog ever – at Japadog in Vancouver, B.C. I ordered a Terimayo (all beef hotdog with teriyaki sauce, nori seaweed, Japanese mayonnaise, and fried onions and a Okonomi (kurobuta pork sausage, fried cabbage, bonito flakes and a special sauce, which is similar to tonkatsu sauce but lighter and with less vinegar. The Okonomi was my favourite, but both were delicious. All these are tastes are very common in Japan but I had never thought to combine them atop a hotdog. From looking at the other hot dog stands surrounding the Burrad shopping areas it is easier to see that Japa Dog is king; they have 3 locations in Vancouver – all on the west side of town.

There are 2 lines at the Japadog stand. I figured I get into the longer one to place my order. To my surprise, the longer line is to pickup and shorter one is to order, however the wait was well worth it. These hotdogs are a little on the pricery side, but compared to everything else in Vancouver, where a small bottle of water can be $2.00, I say the price is fare.

You should not have a problem finding the Japa Dog cart; it will be the one with a long line of Japanese students hanging out around it. I am already planning to try to recreate these delicious hot dogs at home. Wish me luck finding a kurobuta pork sausage..hmmm.

Japa Dog

http://www.japadog.com/en/