Hubbub Sandwiches

Sandwiches that make you go hubba bubba, indeed...

Food:

Meat and Bread. The Dirty Apron.  Hubbub. Big Lou's. And the list continues.  For the fellow lover of food and all things related, you would have to have been living under a rock if you had not realized that yes, there has indeed been a recent sandwich craze in Vancouver.  Sure, anybody can slap on two slices of bread, fill with desired ingredients, engulf and engorge.  But who would want to go to such great lengths (with the preparation, purchasing process, and all) especially when you're only looking to satisfy that, hopefully, one-time pulled pork sandwich craving?

Everybody loves a sandwich, although everybody loves a gourmet sandwich even more.  On this fine Monday afternoon, my dining companion and I decided to continue our gourmet sandwich quest with a visit to Hubbub (thank you Groupon, once again!)

My beloved Pulled Pork sandwich, Ginger Beer and Coleslaw

 ** I apologize for the absence of shots of the sandwich interior. My hands were really full and the sandwich was really oily. Plus, it didn't look that great on the inside, lol.

At first, we were both quite sound in our selection.  Hands down, we both wanted the Pork.  After a bit of contemplation and what not, we decided on the Pork and the Veggie.  We each also added a "sidekick". I opted for the Clean Slaw, while she chose the Quinoa Salad.  Our orders were ready in a jiffy!  As for the inital thought upon receiving the sandwiches: "Wow, these babies are heavy!"

Veggie sandwich with Quinoa Salad

 Sure, the sandwiches were messy but that doesn't stop me from enjoying every litle (big) bite.  What I loved most were the base ingredients added to every 'wich:  pickled jalapenos, creamy garlic sauce, romaine lettuce, cilantro, and caramelized onions.

Though the baguette lacked a soft interior, it still was very fresh, chewy on the exterior and was served warm and toasty.  The 24 hr-marinated and slow roasted pork was spicy and tender. I really liked the spices inherent in the pulled pork - it really gave the sandwich that zing!  The Veggie sandwich comprised of diced red peppers, eggplant and squash in a chili-lime marinade.  It was good, though not outstanding.  

The side salads were a real standout, especially the Clean Slaw.  It was extremely refreshing with the finely chopped cabbage.  Really enjoyed the coconutty-minty-cilantroey vinaigrette dressing as well.  The Quinoa Salad came with black beans, corn and peppers - tasty and definitely a high protein "superfood"!

Service:

Speedy!

Value:


Prices may seem a bit steep at first but fear not, once you have the actual sandwich in your hand and allow gravity to take hold, one will mostly think: "Hey, 10 bucks for this sandwich isn't so bad after all..."


Ambience:

It sure can get very busy during peak lunch periods.  It was also quite bumpppin' with louder-than-usual music (for a sandwich joint!)

Overall: 8/10

Yay: Definitely a 'sandwich bliss' haven. Good value.  Nice "sidekicks". Nice slaw. They also serve beer here :) Had myself a nice ginger beer.


Nay: Downtown - parking. May be a bit too 'heavy' for some. You will also need to have several napkins handy - it can get realllly messy with those hubba bubbas!

 

Burgoo

Burgoo is burrrrgggGREAT! (in the voice of 'Tony the tiger')

Food:

As famous as Vancouver is for its beautiful scenery, people and attractions, our lovely city is also known for its incessant amount of...yes, you guessed it, rain.  Rain is definitely one of my personal dreads.  I am usually not in the mood for anything and typically just wanna stay at home and do nothing (cue: Bruno Mars - The Lazy Song).  By "nothing", of course I mean, do nothing but snuggle on the couch in my comfiest pair of sweatpants and oversized tee-shirt, while savouring a nice bowl of tomato soup (can of Wolfgang Puck's, preferably) with a side of a homemade grilled cheese sandwich...

Burgoo - the answer to your rainy day woes

 Of course if you can bring yourself to put on a (decent) pair of sweatpants and shirt, one should definitely venture out to one of the 3 (soon, 4!) Burgoo locations.  Burgoo (or should I say, Burgreat!) offers some of the best 'comfort' classics including mac'n'cheese, soups, stews...and yes, even a Kentucky burgoo!

On this gloomy July afternoon, my d.c and I decided to make use of another very value-worthy voucher that we had purchased (thanks, Groupon!).  I definitely knew I wanted the Dos Diablos (a killer grilled cheese sammy BUT with a 'spicy' flair) and decided upon a bowl of their Manhattan Clam Chowder.  My d.c was unsure of what she wanted.  After seeing the arrival of the Jambalaya to our neighbouring table, we both agreed upon that!


 My Dos Diablos - described as 'two grilled angle cut filone sandwiches with melted spicy cheddar, chunks of chorizo sausage and roasted red pepper' - was deeeelicious! Though a tad greasy (but who doesn't love a bit of grease? :)), it was buttery, crispy (love the burnt pieces dangling off the crust) and definitely satisfying to the tastebuds.  I heart a good grilled cheese sandwich, but when it's kicked up a notch with the pairing of melted spicy cheese, sausage and red peppers...it really makes you wonder...how life can be so grand :)

The 'Dos Diablos' - up close and personal :)

The Manhattan Clam Chowder arrived steaming hot, hot, hot! I generally don't really care for things to arrive super hot (of course, I wouldn't like my dishes arriving warm either).  But when it comes to soup, a hot soup is a must.  This concoction was pretty bang-on with a fine amount of vegetables and clams.  I believe this was my first time having a Manhattan Clam Chowder and quite enjoyed it for its striking similarity to a tomato soup.

The Jambalaya certainly did not disappoint, as well.  It bore quite a resemblance to the one that is offered at Cactus Club - taste and appearance-wise.  It, too, arrived steaming hot and with a generous amount of chorizo sausage to boot.  Great choices all around!

Service:

Friendly

Value:


Soup & sandwich combo: $15. Jambalaya: $17.  A tad overpriced but with several groupons, it's not so bad :)

Ambience:

Cozy and comfy with wooden chairs, high tables, stools...and a fireplace in the midst of it all.  The bar by the front entrance adds to the 'coziness' factor ;)

Overall: 7.8/10

Yay:  Perfect lunch spot on a rainy day. Fantastic grilled cheese sandwiches, soups, and stews

Nay: Prices are a littttle high and unreasonable for certain dishes ($17 for a bowl of laksa? No thanks!)

Cafe Regalade

                                       Voulez-vous manger une superbe brunch aujourd'hui?

                         (translation: Do you want to eat a superb brunch today? lol!

                                       Just wanted to throw some French in there!)

Food:

Pork Confit Sandwich:  This was one of the specials of the day.  While waiting, I saw that someone had ordered it and it looked too darn good to pass up.  Luckily, I had persuayed one of my d.c's to order it and boy, did it not disappoint! The sandwich was beautifully presented - thick slices of tender seasoned pork laid diagonally atop a bed of cooked sauteed creamed spinach (?)  and garnished with finely-chopped cilantro.  The baguette was perfectly toasted and very fresh.  It was also served with a side of nicely-dressed salad and house-made (?) potato chips.

Basque Breakfast: 2 sunnyside up eggs, piperade, chorizo, aioli sauce.  A rather heavy, but flavourful and decadent breakfast.  What I loved most was that 2 (of the 5) accompanying slices of baguette were spread generously with a (seemingly yolk-based) aioli sauce.  The sauce and bread went so well together and though it is not the healthiest thing one can eat, it paired superbly well with the eggs, choirzo and piperade.  This was also served with salad and wonderfully-seasoned potatoes on the side.

Lyon Breakfast: 2 poached eggs, mushrooms, bacon, pearl onions, spinach, potatoes, red wine sauce.  Another well-executed breakfast entree.  I had only sampled a bit of this but I loved dipping and soaking the baguette in the sauce.

Fresh Pancake with Blueberries:  First five words that were overheard after a bite was taken out of this pancake: "Omg, TRY THIS!"  At first, we were a bit puzzled by the seemingly lack of blueberries; but low and behold, they were all nestled in the middle of the pancake.  This was the most delicious pancake any of us had ever experienced.  First off, not only was the thing as ginormous as a pancake can be, but it was thick. And dense...and moist...and simply irresistable.

just a fraction of the (most delicious) pancake (ever)

Service:

We arrived to a full house on a Wednesday at about 1 pm only to be greeted with a rather rude welcome (and this was after us having to flag down a server/host).  After telling the server that we had been standing at the front entrance for quite a while (with no greeting or acknowledgement), the server replied with, "well, we're full" in quite an unpleasant, standoffish manner.  Well, one of my dining companions is certainly one to not take any of this rubbish, so to speak. She immediately turned around to inform me of the server's blunt dismeanor.  We later suspected that the server had overheard us, for her attitude and demeanor had changed 180 degrees!

All in all, we didnt' receive (or expect) the best service but it was satisfactory.

Value:

Unbelievably reasonable - $3.95 for the pancake, brunch entrees range from $10-14

Ambience:

Loved the colorful hog statues and masks dispersed throughout the cafe, limited seating

Add caption

Overall:  9/10

Yay: Where (I mean, WHERE?) else, in Vancouver, can you find a place that serves an excellently-executed (key words) French breakfast, brunch (...lunch and dinner?) Prices are also ridiculously reasonable

Nay:  Not the greatest service, and I can envision the place being super busy come prime brunch and dinner periods

**Interesting fact: Sibling bistro to the ever-so-loved La Regalade in West Van.  No words necessary. Both bistros are two peas in a (perfect gastronomical) pod. Yup, I said it!

Romer's Burger Bar (Kitsilano)

nuts, donuts and a hunk of beef in between...

Food:



a half-consumed Mango Mint Iced Tea, an 'old-fashioned' root beer
 with pickles and nuts to boot

We started our gluttony-filled meal with a side of their Spicy Kosher Dill Pickles as well as a side of their warm, lightly spiced assorted Nuts (cashews, hazelnuts).  At $2 a pot, the pickles and nuts served as great munchies as we patiently awaited the arrival of our burgers.

Onions Rings & Poutine

For my main, it was a bit of a toss-up between the Wicked Deadly Cheeseburger and the Rodeo Star.  In the end, I opted for the latter: compelled by the immediate conjured senses produced by the tastes and smell of horseradish jack cheese and the applewood bacon.  Served on a warm and soft Brioche bun, the burger did not disappoint (though extra bbq sauce on the side would've been 10x better).  The beef was cooked just right and the patty itself was quite a hunk of a serving.  All in all, definitely an enjoyable burger.  For my next visit, I'm already thinking of tackling the  $20 Ultimate Kobe Classic, hehehe...

my 'Rodeo Star'

The one prominent limitation of Romer's is probably the fact that sides are not included with the burger.  Thus, it can be quite costly.  Regardless, I was happy that I had two dining companions with me on this night.  We shared the Onion Rings Dusted with Reggiano and the Poutine.  The onion rings were pleasurable for its extra crispy and crunchy exterior, accompanied with a tzaziki-like sauce.  Although they were quite skimpy on the portion (7 onions rings for $7? Not cool!) The poutine was satisfying, though I don't think I would order it again.  There was definitely a lack of cheese curds, the gravy was forgiveable but the hand-cut fries were good.

Drunken donuts...*drool...

A meal at Romer's would definitely not be complete without an order of their popular Drunken Donuts! Donuts are probably one of my most favourite sweets/desserts/guilty indulgences (if you must...) and to have them served with a trio of dipping sauces? Score! I strongly enjoyed all 3 sauces: kahlua nutella, limoncello and the maple whiskey.  In comparison to the famous mini donuts from the PNE (although the ones at Roger's Arena are pretty good too), the donuts at Romer's were crunchier and similar to a cake donut texture, as opposed to the softer and flufflier texture of the ones sold at the PNE.  I love both.  Afterall, a donut is a donut...is a donut.  Any donut is a good donut in my opinion (hehe!)

Service:

Friendly and attentive

Value:

Not the greatest, but keep in mind that you are paying for quality ingredients (burger-wise), not sure about the other items offered.

Ambience:

Pretty darn busy on a Tuesday night with an occupancy of about 80%.  They've got multiple tvs and a bar situated in the mid-front of the restaurant.  We were seated in a nice, spacious booth.  They've also got a pretty fancy vault downstairs for big parties and such!

Overall: 7.2/10

Yay: Come here for all-natural range-fed meats and their drunken donuts! Burger "pimpin" optional.

Nay: A little costly. Skimpy 'sides' portions.

**Interesting fact: Executive chef, Jim Romer (and owner, I presume) was formerly the exec. chef at Milestones for 20 years!

Guu Garden

a Guuuuuu'd lunch (box)!

Food:

Kobe beef burger bento

As the latest newcomer added to the ever-so-loved Guu chain of restaurants in Metro Vancouver, Guu Garden certainly did not disappoint.  Recently, I have read that they now offer very reasonable priced lunch specials including rice burger bento boxes priced at $10 each!

On this day, I opted for the Kobe Beef Rice Burger Bento while my dining companion went for the equally-as-sound-appealing Tuna Cutlet Rice Burger Bento.  Each bento box consisted of the following:

- shrimp and avocado Salad (lightly dressed in a light creamy, tangy, vinagarette dressing with a mild wasabi kick, spring greens) * i enjoyed this 'side' the most

-tempura green beans (green beans in a lightly coated tempura batter and deep fried) *could've been crispier and better accompanied with a side of mayo (doesn't come with it, I asked for it)

-miso soup (with pieces of tofu puff and seaweed) *second favourite side

Tuna Cutlet with tartar sauce bento

-sweet radish (white radish marinated in a semi-sweet soy sauce) *it was ok, a good palate cleanser perhaps? lol

As for the main events...*drum roll please*...lol the rice burgers were superb! They were both excellent and very filling! The Kobe beef was perfectly seasoned and cooked, topped with fine, shredded pieces of cabbage and teriyaki sauce.  The tuna cutlet was nicely battered and crispy, though a littttle bit dry.  Both rice buns were nicely executed and pan fried (?)

We also ordered a half order of their Salmon Oshi Sushi - 3 pieces of 'box' pressed sushi (very similar to the sushi they serve at Miku - can anybody say 'yum'?). The pieces here were a tad bigger but were equally as delicious.  The salmon was immaculately seared and seasoned, topped with a fine load of ponzu-sauced strands of daikon and topped with a thin wedge of lime. 

Strawberry Season ($5.50) - consisted of Cassis and strawberry puree. The ratio of each constituent was perfect and it served as a real nice refresher for a mid-day beverage :)

Happiness in a glass...

Service:

Polite and friendly - though it may be hard to convey your food/drink requests as there is a language barrier with most of the staff here

Value:

$10 for lunch box bentos - 2 thumbs up!

Ambience:

This location is definitely a lot more spacious than the Thurlow and Robson locations.  And as we all know, 'lunch time Guu' is a lot more different than 'dinnertime Guu' on the noise spectrum. 

Overall: 8.1/10

Yay: Great lunch specials, bigger dining space, salmon oshi sushi

Nay: Downtown - parking

La Grotta del Formaggio

fresh, hearty, and easy on the pockets...what more can you ask for?

Food:

I call this "the J special"

La Grotta del Formaggio is definitely unique in the sense that not only do they offer ginormous sized made-to-order Italian type sandwiches but I particularly love the fact that you can pick your own bread, meats, cheese, veggies, and sauces, as well. My usual go-to sandwich is a concoction of half a Focaccia with edam cheese, hot salami, hot capicollo and loaded with all the veggies.  I generally like an easy amount of regular mayo and regular mustard (though I should switch up the sauces from time to time (basil pesto mayo, anybody?).  I also like how they add in balsamic vinegar and olive oil prior to loading up the veggie, meats, sauce, etc. for it gives your sandwich just that tangy taste that zings things up! Also love the assortment of veggies they offer (including roasted red peppers, marinated artichokes, green olives) Lastly, I prefer it untoasted (though I should really try having it pressed and grilled for once)

Service:

Speedy and friendly

Value:

$6.50 for half a focaccia; $11.50 for a whole - easily the best value of all sandwiches (next to the cost of a Vietnamese sub (banh mi), of course ;) )

Ambience:

A grab and go Italian deli sort of a place, not much ambience nor is it expected

Overall: 8.5/10

Yay:  Come here for cheap, fresh, hearty, made-to-order monstrous sized sandwiches as well as other Italian deli pick-me-ups and other goodies (raincoast crackers, anybody?) Also a great place for those who like to "choose your own adventure" (and by adventure, I mean the sandwich-ingredient-selection process analogous to the kind of adventure one was out to seek in the "Choose Your Own Adventure" books from way back. Anybody remember that? Lol!)

Nay: It can be a bit of a wait come peak lunch hour times. They also lack some sort of a structured ordering system (no number tabs or anything) though I have never had a problem with this for there are a quite a few number of ladies working the deli counter! :)

Pigging out in PORTLAND :8)

Hi all!

To sum it up, the gastronomical adventures that we embarked upon in Portland were beyond spectacular.  And by spectacular, I mean the fact that til this day, I still dream of those wings from Pok Pok's.  Unfortunately, time and stomach constraints prevented us from trying more but a trip back to Portland this summer is definitely in the works!  I feel an immediate need to sample more of the food carts, especially the more popular ones, since Portland is practically a food cart haven. As well, if some of the joints listed below seem somewhat familiar to you, that's because they are! This trip was particularly Food Network-driven (specificially, Triple D's aka Diners, Drive-ins and Dives driven).  To say that the overzealous disposition that Guy Fieri exhibits is an understatement.  The dude can make anything look and taste good, lol!

Please fasten up your seatbelts as I take you on a (though, short but) whirlwind tour of just a fraction of Portland's culinary gems!

These should seriously be renamed as "THE wings"

Pok Pok:

-Southeast Asian cuisine
-Arguably the #1 "must-eat" spot in Portland
-No resos accepted - sibling resto-lounge located across the street where you are welcomed to have a drink while waiting for a table at Pok Pok's
-Absolutely cannot miss: Ike's Vietnamese Fish Sauce Wings - named one of the Top 10 Restaurant Dishes in America by Food & Wine Magazine in 2007 as well as the excellently-crafted cocktails

Overall: 9/10

Pork Belly Cubano

Bunk Sandwiches:

-Gourmet sandwiches

-Favourites: Pork Belly Cubano, Roast Beef

-very limited seating

-very busy during lunch hours though the line moves pretty fast!

-Overall: 7.8/10

Masu Sushi:

-modern setting in a very spacious room equipped with a bar housed in the centre

-Japanese fusion incl. innovative sushi rolls

-$$

Favourites: Mount St. Helen's roll, Japanista roll

-Overall: 7.9/10

Mount St. Helen roll

Voodoo Doughnuts:

-almost-guaranteed line-ups (we waited approx. 20 mins)
-the doughnuts themselves aren't the best in taste per se, but seriously, where else can you find Captain Crunch, Fruit Loops, bacon, etc. on a donut with names like ODB and other provocatively similar monikers...
-yes, there is a lot of hype about this place, that's why you need to come and see if it is worth all the hype! lol
-Overall: 7.6/10

Blue Plate Lunch Counter:

-Favourites: Northwest Sliders (Triple D-approved), Grilled Cheese Sandwich, Tomato Soup, House Sodas!!!
-I would call this place a definite gastro-diner (not your typical run-down, average-tasting diner)
-Overall: 7.8/10

Devoured and demolished! lol

 

Food Carts:


Aybla Grill:
-Mediterranean & Greek fare
-had a chicken gyro (didnt remember many specifics of it but remembered it tasted really good!!!)
-Overall: 7.8/10

Enchilada with beans & rice

Tito's Burritos:

-Mexican

-Enchilada Combo Plate (with rice and beans): less than $6
-authentic & delicious!!!

-AWESOME value!!!!!

-Overall: 8/10

The Dump Truck:



Mr. Ma's Special: pork, ginger, scallions
8 for $6 (not bad! I think we ended up getting 9)



-Delicious, homemade, generously-filled dumplings (more like potstickers!)
-Limited selection of dumplings

-Innovative ingredients: Bacon double cheese (yes! you read it right!), Portabellos, rice noodles and ginger

-Nice selection of accompanying sauces (always a 'plus' in my books!)

-Overall: 8.5/10

 

Posted by: J