A week in Vancouver
Recently, we took a two week vacation from our regular routine. The few weeks leading to it crescendoed into a flurry of activities: wrapping up current work, ensuring that everything would go smoothly for KJ's wedding, planning the trip and finding accomodations, and packing. And, what would a true wedding be without a few hiccups and last minute scrambles? It certainly made for a memorable one: many firsts, such as seeing a bride ask the officiating pastor if her and her groom could kiss now, and returning from the recession to sign the registry (oops). I was still able to squeeze in some meaningful conversations, connect with some familiar faces again at the wedding, and hearing sad news from the BAC family (prayers needed!).
While Fall would be my favourite time of the year in Ontario (because of the beautiful colours of the changing leaves), Spring is the perfect time of the year to visit Vancouver / the West Coast; daffodils and tulips are blooming, and the trees are blossoming everywhere! I took j.w to my two favourite spots when it's this time of the year: Burnaby Mountain and Queen Elizabeth Park.
And what is a trip to Vancouver without some good food? Tunger and Mich, the go-to couple for food, hehe. And of course, to get j.w's sushi fix! Our menu for the week consisted of the following:
- Wednesday
Late meal: some random restaurant to eat as I was hungry from the flight. It was a first from what I remember: perserved duck egg with lean pork congee, but with dried oysters, and it was good. - Thursday
Lunch: my mom took me to a (newish) Taiwanese restaurant that is conveniently close to home. Turns out, she was right about bumping into my uncle there; he often goes for lunch but which is no wonder, as their portion sizes are huge = great value! (and pretty good too). Had a McD's snack size $2 smoothie for dessert (took advantage of their promotion).
Dinner: a very fulfilling (and cleansing) wedding rehearsal dinner at Dai Tong (大同). We had a very lovely purple yam soup dessert that looked like dimetapp but tasted like the gingery 湯圓 soup - another first for me! - Friday
Lunch: Mich and Tunger told me about Hi Genki, a Japanese restaurant that serves home-style cooked dishes in a Japanese retirement home / cultural centre in Burnaby. Since my mom doesn't like raw fish, I suggested that we should try their dishes. However, I feel that you need to know what to order, as the dishes can be a hit or miss (one hit was a herbal broth like fish stew).
Dinner: My brother recommended Bamboo Grove, a Chinese restaurant that's not for the budget-friendly folks. In fact, they don't even list prices on some of their menu items, like the Pork Stomach and Gingko Long Boiled Soup" 老火 豬 肚 湯 (btw, the small is HUGE - more than enough to feed 4 of us). Okay, that doesn't sound very appealing, and it might taste pretty foul if some restaurants don't do a proper job of cleaning, quite offal, but there wasn't nothing off about this one. Actually, I was surprised to find that it was similar to some of the soups that my father-in-law makes! - Saturday
Lunch: I didn't really eat a lunch that day, but the Tai family generously fed me some of their delicious crispy pork (whole piglet) that the groom's family had delivered first thing in the morning. Then, Mich took us to Fausborg, a boulangerie bakery cafe that had prices of Paris, and had some good almond croissants and coffee! (though cafe in Italy still ranks higher in my mind).
Dinner: 10 course wedding banquet at Vancouver's famous Sun Sui Wah. Wasn't sure what it was (stress or overtired maybe?) that I couldn't stomach too much and by the time the evening came to a close, my stomach was burning up in pain. Alas.
While I was occupied, j.w had his fill of sushi for lunch, and crab poutine and some other delicious food at Stevenson for dinner and 豆腐花, one of his favourite desserts, in Richmond. I'm glad that She/R took him to Stevenson, as it was on my itinerary of taking him there someday (I personally don't remember what it looks like). - Sunday
Lunch: with Mich and Tunger, She, Becks and Cire, and Waiki's brother. I found it tremendously amusing to hear Cire comment about the likeness of mannerisms in my sister and I - that's probably why Tunger thought I was her to begin with once upon a time. Lunch was followed by a large mango tapoica drink at Crystal Mall for $3.75, but I think I like 8 Juice more at Aberdeen Centre for their mango pomelo drink.
Dinner: a home cooked meal with fresh salmon served two ways: cedar plank smoked BBQ and fried with black bean and garlic. and prawns, both from Stevenson. - Monday
Lunch: with my grandparents at Lin's, a place known for its 小籠包, steamed pork dumplings with its juice wrapped in thin, delicate skin. I also enjoyed their 紅油炒手 (but was thirsty after)
Dinner:$1 oysters at Monk McQueen's, along with a pick of fish tacos for my main. I'd say that it isn't really worth it at regular price without a BOGO free entertainment book coupon, but the $1 oysters were a deal at half price on Mondays and Tuesdays: not fishy or slimey. - Tuesday
Lunch: we treked to Deer Garden in Richmond (a return from Christmas) to have their u-pick soup noodle. This time I was a bit smarter and split a bowl with my mom, and was still plenty full after! We also certainly got our fill of 老婆餅 from Kam Do Bakery, but it was bought for later breakfasts at home.
Dinner: met up with friends at a Korean sushi restaurant, a old funeral home in the past and finished the evening with a giant deep-friend ice cream ball from Hi Genki (and bumped into Mich as well!) - A week later on Tuesday for dinner: large-portioned meals at the One, including super-sized slushies (found it still to be really sweet even at half sweet, and semi-artificial)
- Wednesday:
Breakfast: My brother recommended an "authentic" HK breakfast cafe in Richmond called Lido for their 菠蘿油 (pure slice of butter in between a freshly baked pineapple bun). I paired it with some 雪菜肉絲公仔麵.Turns out, it was the only breakfast place that I've been to in Richmond; Stephen Siu, a old CCFer had taken me there once when he was in town and had showed me the ACF office nearby, but I only had macaroni soup there that time.
It's no wonder why I am constantly hungry now.