Chewies Steam and Oyster Bar

Ladies and gents, I always had an inkling that Chewies was a fun placed based on what I've seen walking by, but I had no idea it was the Rodney's of Kits...totally made my day!!!  Kick butt caesars, great drinks, amazing oysters, laid back service, and an interesting Southern-inspired menu.  Add to that that they have a nice patio and what looks like a rocking bar...I definitely plan on frequenting this establishment more in the future!  Especially if I can go with as great of company as I did this time.

My oh-so-scrumptious big girl Caesar!  Vodka, fresh horseradish, dill juice, hot sauce, Lee & Perin, pepper, lemon.  Who doesn't love a Caesar that comes with a shrimp?  ($9.50)

My dining companion's Bourbon Sour.  This looked like one heck of a drink!  ($9.50)

A dozen freshly shucked oysters on the half shell.  I'm not going to lie, I can't remember what type we ordered for the life of me...but they were amazing!  (MP) 

BBQ Shrimp and Grits: New Orleans style beer & rosemary BBQ sauce, parmesan cheese grits.  I have always wanted to try shrimp and grits but have never had the chance, so I was super excited to try it out!  The shrimp were delicious, the sauce mouth-watering and the grits smooth and creamy goodness.  ($15)

http://chewiesoysterbar.com/

@chewiesoysters

A Looneyspoons Brunch

I recently had a lovely family brunch and visit at my Aunt and Uncle's.  There's nothing like catching up over a yummy meal!  When I discovered that two of the yummy in my tummy recipes came from the Looneyspoons cookbook, I couldn't resist including them here.  Since I didn't make them myself, I don't have a "my version" of the recipes, but have included links to the recipes below.

The spread!  Oh so yummy.  Interesting fact: orange juice mixed with a bit of Perrier makes one heck of a non-alcoholic mimosa for all of you DD's and preggers out there.

Looneyspoons' Erik Eggstrata.  Delicious!  I'd definitely make this one for guests in the future.  For the recipe, see this link: http://www.foodnetwork.ca/recipes/recipe.html?dishid=9078.

 

Looneyspoons' Banaberry Bombs.  I was so busy eating these yummy goodies that I forgot to take a photo but, trust me, these puppies are worth trying.  Imagine the yummy goodness of banana bread crossed with a blueberry muffin.  Greatest surprise ever when you bite into them!  http://janetandgreta.com/recipe/bananaberry-bombs/

One heck of a fruit plate...complete with figs fresh off the tree!

http://janetandgreta.com/cookbooks/

@janetpodleski

@gretapodleski

Romer's Burger Bar

A fabulously fun group of ladies, sunshine and a patio...lunch doesn't get much better than that...except for when there's a plethora of mouth-watering burgers on the menu!  Enter Romer's Burger Bar in Yaletown.  Great patio, and a scrumptious burger for every burger lover.  So, next time you're having a burger craving, make sure Romer's is on your short list.

Things to note: Romer's adds a twist to the normal burger bun...pick your own bun!  Now, unfortunately, I'm not talking about the buns of your server...but you do have an option of the standard fresh-baked brioche bun, skinny bun, make it green bun (lettuce + $0.75) or gluten-free bun (+$0.75).  Literally an option for everyone.

The "I'm ready to pop" Mom's Man's Man Burger (a.k.a. the best damn burger to ever hit your lips): thick applewood bacon, amber ale cheddar, onion strings, smoked alder salts, vine-ripened tomato and whole-grain mustard, no bun.  ($12.25)  I think the male baby hormones were talking to this mom-to-be when she ordered this puppy!  It looked amazing, as did her Roasted Organic Beet Salad (sweet onion, wild baby arugula, and local goat cheese).  ($4.50)

My and the Girl You Want in Your Corner if You Ever Get Sued's Ocean-wise Halibut Tacos: crisp slaw, mango salsa, roti bread and served with fresh cut fries.  ($14.75)  The Girl You Want in Your Corner if You Ever Get Sued ordered the appetizer version ($12.75) and then ordered a Roasted Organic Beet Salad ($4.75) to go with them...great idea.  As for the tacos, they were good.  Flavourful and a solid fish taco.  The roti instead of tortilla was interesting and a bit more greasy, and I wish the mango salsa had been a fresh salsa instead of a sauce...but let's be honest, I was just having buyer's remorse over not ordering the Man's Man Burger!

The Super Spinner's Wild Baja Shrimp salad: leafy greens, vine-ripened tomatoes, avocado, applewood bacon, roasted beets, chopped egg, lemon vinaigrette and house ranch drizzle.  ($15.50)  This looked super fresh and very yummy.

 

The Most Excited Gluten-Free Person's So Cal Free-Range Turkey Burger with Gluten-Free Bun: fresh avocado, soleggiatti tomatoes, red onion, organic watercress and chipotle aioli.  ($10.50 + $0.75)  Who knew that someone with coeliac disease could have a burger?  Awesomeness!

Getting my daily dose of Vitamin D.

http://romersburgerbar.com/

@romersburger

Salmon with Mediterranean Salsa

Now this is my kind of way to cook salmon!  Grilled salmon, tomatoes, kalamata olives, artichokes, capers, fresh basil and olive oil...scrumdidliumptious!  The original Grilled Salmon recipe came from my handy-dandy Earthbound Farm's Food to Live By cookbook, but I've included my version of it below.

Ingredients

• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1 handful fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 big handful of fresh basil, chopped
• Zest of 1 orange
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 2 plum/Italian tomatoes, chopped
• 1 handful sliced Kalamata olives
• 2 tbsp. capers
• 6-8 artichoke heart quarters (from the can...I like the marinated type)
• Couple grinds of pepper
• 1 glug of olive oil
• Salmon (enough to serve 3-4)

Place all of the ingredients, except for the salmon, in a bowl and mix gently to blend.  Grill the salmon to your liking.  At the same time, heat the Mediterranean salsa in a saucepan on the stove.  This is just to warm it, so it doesn't cool down the salmon.  You don't want to cook it until the point that it becomes a sauce.  Plate the salmon, scoop the Mediterranean salsa on top and enjoy! 

Note: I love this salsa, so I normally use this amount for 2 servings of salmon and then on top of 2 servings of green beans.  If you prefer less salsa, you could probably stretch this to work for 8 servings of salmon.

The Mediterranean salsa in its warming glory.

Dinner!  Grilled Salmon with Mediterranean Salsa, home-made pesto pasta and grilled veggies.

http://www.ebfarm.com/recipes/cookbook

@earthboundfarm

Noodlebox

Noodlebox...hands-down one of the greatest take-out options ever.  Yummy noodles, scrumptious sauces, fresh veggies and one of those Chinese take-out boxes is just oh so fun to carry home!  Just make sure you don't try to act like a hero when it comes to the heat factor...I'm normally a medium girl and I have a hard time handling their "1."

Things to note: (1) 6 locations in Victoria and 2 in Vancouver (4th Avenue and Robson).  (2) Orders are normally ready to pick up in 10-15 minutes.  (3) You can also enjoy your meal in their establishment...and (4) they have a liquor license!!!

My teriyaki box with tofu: Japanese soy and ginger sauce with fresh egg noodles, peppers and Asian greens.  Yummy in my tummy!  ($11.50)

 

http://noodlebox.net/

@NoodleBoxCanada

Grounds for Appeal Café

I was recently invited out on a food adventure with my long-legged friend and my faux-long legged friend.  I had no idea where we were going, but I had been promised scrumptious Indian food and knew that lawyers were somehow involved.  Turns out that we were going to the Grounds for Appeal Café.

This café is definitely not fancy (think two steps up from your school cafeteria), but the food is delicious, the service is efficient, the chairs are comfy, the space is large and bright, and the price is definitely right.  So, next time you're craving some yummy in your yummy Indian food, make your way down to the Grounds for Appeal Café.  Just make sure you do it before noon to beat the line!

My butter Chicken with rice and naan...super yummy in my tummy!  My faux long-legged friend also had the butter chicken and thoroughly agreed with my conclusion.  ($8.25, tax included)

My long-legged friend's Chicken Curry.  He swears that this is the best dish on the menu.  Guess I'll have to try it out next time!  ($8.25, tax included)

The X that marks the spot.

Prospect Point Café

When my parents came to town for a visit this summer, I was horrified to discover that I'd never taken them to Stanley Park!  What sort of a tour guide am I?  Nine years of visits and no Stanley Park tour...geeshkapeeshka!  Needless to say, we decided it was time for a trip to Stanley Park!  We drove in from the downtown Vancouver side, and took a leisurely drive to Prospect Point.  Here we got out and checked out some of the amazing views of West and North Van then took the Merilees Trail to Siwash Rock and Third Beach.  It was a really pretty walk and a neat viewpoint of Siwash Rock.  Last but not least, it was time to fill our hungry bellies! 

We decided on the Prospect Point Café since it was close and easy.  It was a neat little place, open air and right smack dab in the forest with a bit of a peekaboo view of Lion's Gate bridge.  Definitely an enjoyable setting and we were all pleasantly surprised by the food.  We were all expecting it to be a bit touristy, but the food was great!  I'd definitely eat there again.  On to the tantalizing photos!

The Lookout Burger: maple bacon, smoked cheddar, farm fresh fixing, house mayo and potato bun, served with sea salt fries.  This looked like one heck of a burger!  And my Dad said the sea salt fries were some of the best he's ever had....and I can vouch for that!  ($16)

The Caesar Salad: croutons, parmesan dressing, lemon.  This salad definitely didn't disappoint!  ($9)

The Grilled Portobello Wrap: quinoa, crisp vegetables, chickpea spread and sundried tomato tortilla served with local green salad.  Uber flavourful, fresh and filling.  I was definitely a happy camper!  ($14)

 

 http://www.prospectpoint.ca/Prospect_Point/Home.html

@ProspectPtCafe