YVR Cookie – Strawberry Cheesecake and S’more

By in Eateries No Comments Tags: , , ,

lZoQrLtY

YVR Cookie is the best cookie company in town.  If you haven’t tried them out yet, what are you waiting for?!  They have the most creative flavors that I have tried for cookies – ever, anywhere.  Just when you think they can’t top what they have already done – they do it all over again.  How do they come up with these ideas?

Their summer launch has delivered once again with their Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies.  They use actual freeze dried strawberries in the cookie and it shows – no artificial strawberry tastes here!  We recently went to a farm and had fresh farm strawberries that were delicious.  My husband’s first comment after trying these cookies was that they tasted like they had the farm strawberries in them.

These cookies are loaded with white chocolate chunks and graham crackers and filled with the most delicious strawberry cheesecake filling.  Soo good!  I”m not even a cheesecake person and this had me oohing and aahing.

They’ve also brought back a classic summer flavor – S’more.  I’ve reviewed this one for you guys before.  If you missed it the first time around, here is the link:  sprinkled.ca/yvr-cookie,  It’s still just as delicious as I remember it being.

YVR Cookie delivers huge, delicious stuffed cookies right to your door.  How cool is that?

https://yvrcookie.com

Thank you YVR Cookie and Monique for sending me these cookies to try.

Goat Yoga and Strawberry Cloud Ice Cream at Maan Farms

By in Eateries, Health and Wellness No Comments Tags: , , ,

mBM2gMLc

For my husband’s birthday this year we went over to Maan Farms in Abbotsford for Goat Yoga.

I pre-purchased tickets on their website.  There were different options such as a wine and goat yoga or full moon goat yoga.  I opted for the goat yoga with strawberry cloud ice cream.

Upon arrival, we walked in to the shop to check in.  We were asked to scan a barcode to fill out a waiver online.  After I scanned it in I was asked (in not a friendly manner) to move.  There was a problem with the waiver so I tried to explain to the two girls manning the register, but they seemed confused as well.  They called to another staff member who came up to me and repeated instructions on how to fill out the form. I explained again that it wasn’t working.  There was no real response, just confusion and blank stares.  My husband suggested maybe we sign a paper waiver and they said they would ask the owners.  They never came back to us and we didn’t end up signing a waiver.

The service here wasn’t the best.  The staff is all quite young. It gives me “teen summer job” vibes.  Nothing wrong with that, but for our first impression, it felt like they weren’t really into helping much. They were just doing the bare minimum.  That being said, it didn’t take away from the rest of the experience for us.

The owner came to greet us and led us to a grassy fenced off area.  Tons of cute little baby goats were waiting in the area for us to join them.  We set up our mats and were told some background on the farm.  The owner explained that they were having a pretty busy day with lots happening including a wedding – that could be another reason why the service upon our arrival was so frazzled.  There was a “goat whisperer” that watched over the goats or came over if someone was struggling with a goat trying to chew through their things, etc.  He put down some food in front of everyone’s mats so the goats would come for a visit.

We were then introduced to Lindsay, our yoga instructor for the class.  Lindsay led us through a great yoga class.  The class was for all levels – suitable for beginners.  It was very relaxing.  The goats came and visited us during the class.  There was one that took a great liking to Chris and I and spent about a full half of the class with us.  They are soooo cute!  You really get to bond with the goats.  They are pretty inquisitive creatures chewing your clothes, your fingers, etc.  We got tons of pictures and videos.

I did have moments where I wondered if we were being annoying or disrespectful to the instructor when your attention is more on the goats than the yoga, but I’m sure they’re used to it.

It was a scorcher of a day while we were out there.  I would highly recommend that you bring lots of water and a towel.  Also, expect to get dirty.

The goats were pretty quiet during the class, but when we were leaving they actually started shouting like they were sad we were leaving.  It was heartbreaking.

Our experience included a free strawberry cloud ice cream – the perfect ending on this super hot day.  It is something else – so Instagrammable!  Strawberry soft serve in a cone with a fresh strawberry served with a cloud of cotton candy illuminating it.

You could tell that the strawberries were fresh!  Sooo good and rich.  Perhaps the best strawberry ice cream I’d ever had.

Overall, we had a wonderful time.  We’re both still talking about our experience.

https://www.maanfarms.com/

Bella Gelateria

By in Uncategorized No Comments Tags: , , ,

czisTPvY

A favorite of mine in Vancouver, Bella Gelateria.

I recently went back with a friend of mine on a super hot day.  There was a line up outside the door, which is norm here, but it moved quite quickly.  Service is fast and friendly.  There is a vast variety of flavors to choose from.

Normally, they let you try three flavors, but with covid restrictions this is no longer an option.

That being said, it won’t matter.  Every flavor I’ve ever tried is beyond amazing.  The ice cream here is sooo goood!

This last time I went with a scoop of the nutella and another of the salted caramel.  My friend went with the chocolate brownie and she was as elated as I was.  The gelato is rich and creamy and the flavors are spot on.

https://www.myhomeandlife.com/oldbella/gelato/

Beach House

By in Eateries No Comments Tags: , , ,

IMG_2629

It was my hubby’s birthday and I wanted to take him somewhere special.  I had seen Beach House post their Sunday special seafood tower on their Instagram and thought it would be perfect.  We live downtown and are surrounded by wonderful restaurants, but I wanted to do something special and take us out of our usual comfort zone.  We jumped in a taxi and ventured over to West Vancouver.

Unfortunately, we were pretty disappointed with our experience.

I made us reservations for a sunny Sunday at 2 pm and we were not given patio seating (we were told there was a wait).  We  chose to celebrate on a Sunday specifically to take advantage of their Sunday special seafood tower.  At 2 p.m. they were already out of it.  We tried to make our own little variation of the tower by ordering dishes a la carte, but they didn’t have most of the items listed on the menu that we had our hearts set on (no oysters, no crab).

My husband wanted to order a non alcoholic beer and they didn’t have any. At one point our drinks were empty on the table and no one asked if we wanted more.

I felt like my attempt to do something different and special failed.

That being said, the food that we did get was delicious. We got the:

  • Ahi Tuna Poke
  • Yuzu Crab Roll
  • Filet and Lobster Tail

All of it was great.  It was just that it was our norm – meals we eat in our neighborhood often.  Not worth the extra taxi fare to get more of our usual.

Our server was sweet and lovely – I’m sure it’s difficult telling someone no for every request they make. They comped some of our appetizers so they definitely did their best to make things right, but it really didn’t feel like enough to make up for the sour experience that we had for a special occasion.

Seems like they have a few details to iron out here.

https://www.thebeachhouserestaurant.ca/

Disclaimer:  This review was written in the summer of 2020.

Yolk’s – East Hastings

By in Eateries No Comments Tags: , , , ,

Te2Iuxxs

A couple girlfriends and I met up for a Sunday Brunch.  We opted for the East Hastings location of Yolk’s.

They have a waitlist that you can join on their website.  We did just that on our drive over and got a seat as soon as we arrived.  The place was pretty packed and throughout our meal there were line-ups outside.  The waitlist is a great way to go.

This was my first time trying this spot out.  I recall having seen their food truck back in the day and I was always so curious about them.  I’m not sure if the truck is still around or not, but I know that they have two brick and mortar locations now – this one on East Hastings and another on Broadway.

Yolk’s menu is quite extensive.  I was so excited that they had so many options.  Everything sounded so great that it was difficult to choose.  I wanted it all, lol.  In the end, I went with:

  • Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate – so decadent and delicious!  This was better than I imagined it to be.  I usually sip warm drinks like this throughout my meal, but I had drank it all before our food hit the table.
  • Buttermilk Fried Chicken Benny with truffle lemon potatoes – a super unique benny option.  It’s served on a waffle instead of an English muffin with perfectly poached eggs, hollandaise sauce and pickled jalapenos.  Okay, possibly unpopular opinion because I hear this is one of their popular dishes, but I wasn’t too blown away by this dish.  I thought that the chicken was fried to perfection, but for me I didn’t like the eggs and fried chicken combo.  I missed the sweetness of the maple syrup and I felt the hollandaise just didn’t belong.  I found myself wishing that I had ordered chicken and waffles instead.  The truffle lemon potatoes were pretty good.
  • Lemon Berry Crispy French Toast – My friend insisted that the french toast here is a must try.  We got one to share.  It had fresh berries, lemon curd and vanilla whipped cream.  I normally wouldn’t select lemon curd anything on my own – not that I don’t like it, I just have other flavors that I prefer.  However, this is to die for!  Ohh ehmm gee, so good!  I am going to go as far as saying that this is the best french toast I’ve ever had.  Just wow.  I saw that they have a banana nut variation on the menu which sounds amazing.  I am definitely going to be trying that next time.

The service was fine.  It wasn’t particularly memorable, but it wasn’t bad either.  I do remember my water glass being empty for much too long, but our server was polite enough.

Looking forward to trying their Broadway location next.

https://www.yolks.ca/

Pigot’s Burger Club

By in Eateries No Comments Tags: , , , ,

GikCgatE

I heard about a new pop up in my neighborhood for the summer, Pigot’s Burger Club.

So first things first, the name is pronounced “peejho”.  I completely butchered the name and was a bit embarrassed hearing just how off I was.  I called them “pig-ott”, ugh so off.

This is a ghost kitchen, so it’s not a sit down restaurant.  You can order it for pick-up or on food delivery services such as Uber Eats.  They work out of the Craft Beer Market English Bay kitchen.  Great option to pick up and take to the beach.

I recently learned that we could order it for dine in at Craft.  I was there with some friends so that’s what I did.  We ordered tons of things from Craft too so we just ordered two cheeseburgers to share between four of us (cut in half).  I regretted this decision.  The next morning I was so sad that I only got half of that delicious burger.  My husband felt the same way, so we ordered the burger again – one for each of us this time with a side of tots.

  • Single Cheese Burger – Pigot’s secret sauce, American cheese, brown sugar onions on a butter toasted potato roll.  I thought this burger was pretty damn good.  The bun, the patty, the sauce – all of it together is just yum.  We thought it was going to be pretty messy judging from the pictures on social media – and maybe that’s the case for the double and triple burgers.  For me, the single cheese burger was just right.  The ingredients used are of the best quality.  This was definitely a gourmet burger in my eyes.
  • Side Tots – so crisp on the outside.  These were good.

For all you vegetarians out there, they also offer plant based versions of the burgers.

From what I understand Pigot’s is only here for the summer months. Get em’ while they’re here.

https://pigotsburgerclub.com/

West Coast Candle Company

By in Beauty and Pampering No Comments Tags: , , , , ,

5muOXKlU

I came across West Coast Candle Company some time ago on Instagram and I fell in love with how gorgeous their crystal candles are.  I am a big crystal collector and this company puts crystals right into the candle wax.  I also love the look of the beautiful ceramic cups that the candles come in.  I was intrigued.  I went on the website with the intention of purchasing one of the crystal candles, but I saw that they offered a sample kit as well.  It includes 5 smaller candles in gold tins.  I thought what a great way to try out a variety of different scents.  I was sold.

The scents I received were:

  • sweet grapefruit
  • spiced vanilla
  • soft linen
  • sweater weather
  • rosemary lavender

I love these candles!  They are super cute and smell amazing!  They are so fragrant.  They smell fresh and clean.  They have clean burning, eco-friendly wooden wicks.  They’re handmade by a local company (support local!).  My hubby loves the sound they make when they’re burning – he calls it a “soothing hiss”.  I do too, but I would call it more of a soft crackle lol.  They last long too!  We’ve been burning them a lot and they’re still around.

I did have some confusion with the online ordering.  I guess I somehow selected pick-up, but I didn’t notice because the email I received confirming my order also said at the top “we’re getting your order ready to ship”.  I eventually got an email from them telling me my order was ready for pick-up.  I emailed them and they responded quite quickly and we got it all worked out.  Local delivery did have an extra charge of $10 that I paid.  I received the candles later than the estimated time I was originally told, but that being said, I wasn’t in any rush for candles anyhow.  I would just recommend giving yourself plenty of time if you’re purchasing to have them for a gift or event.  I found my interaction with this company pretty great – friendly and pleasant.

Most importantly, these candles are great quality.  I cannot wait to try the crystal ones out next.

https://westcoastcandlecompany.com/

Masala Boyz Indian Lounge and Bar

By in Eateries No Comments Tags: , ,

I4tM08zQ

I had come across Masala Boys Instagram account and they piqued my interest.  Once the indoor dining opened up again I brought my mom and sister here on a Sunday evening as a belated Mother’s Day celebration.

It’s a spacious, medium sized restaurant.  The decor is quite modern and simple.  It is divided into two sections.  Pretty cute place.

We came here ready to eat.  For our appetizers we tried:

  • Gol Gappe – this was my first time trying Gol Gappe.  My sister had had it before and recommended that we order two.  The presentation was pretty awesome.  They are crispy fried puff balls that are filled with potato and chickpeas.  They were served on top of shot glasses that were filled with tamarind water.  This wasn’t my favorite dish.  It wasn’t bad, but it was just fine.  My sister said that she’s tried it before where it’s been filled with more potatoes and she prefers that.  I didn’t care much for the flavored water.
  • Channa Bhatura – Perhaps my favorite dish of the evening.  This was my first time trying this and I devoured it.  This was so delicious.  The deep fried bread was quite large and the chickpeas were extremely flavorful.  They served it with a side of raita and pickled achar.  I have thought of this dish several times since my visit – sooo good.
  • Fish Pakora – Another winner!  Yum.  Every bite was perfection.
  • Butter Chicken – Of course we ordered butter chicken, a fan favorite.  My sister found this to be too sweet.  Personally, I enjoyed it.
  • Lamb Vindaloo – My mom didn’t like that it was tomato based, but I really enjoyed this dish.  The gravy was deliciously spiced with tender pieces of lamb and large pieces of potatoes.
  • Coconut Prawn – All of us enjoyed this dish.  Jumbo prawns in a delicious coconut sauce.
  • Assorted Bread Basket – Each of us wanted a different type of bread so we went for the assorted bread basket.  It has garlic naan, plain naan, lachha paratha.  There was a very large quantity in the bread basket.  I ended up bringing tons home and popping them in my freezer.
  • Raita – this is an essential add on for me when eating Indian food.  Yogurt with cucumber and carrots, coriander, cumin and spices.  Masala Boys does it well.

The entire menu is halal and all the mains come with a side of rice.

I was quite impressed with this spot.  I thought the food was great, portion sizes were large and service was awesome.  I would happily return to eat here again.

http://www.masalaboyz.ca/

Robba Da Matti – West End

By in Eateries No Comments Tags: , , ,

wN-ClS3w

A couple weekends ago my husband and I hit 5 years of marriage.  Our original idea was to be in Europe to celebrate. Since covid put a wrench in our plans, we made reservations at Robba Da Matti instead.

We had walked by several times and their quaint little garden patio always looked so enticing.  We decided it would be the perfect spot to commemorate the day.

When we arrived, pretty much every table was full.  The patio gives off European vibes to me which made me feel a teensy bit better about not being overseas.  For their version of plexi-glass dividers, they have old window panes between their seating.  There are heat lamps outside and foliage everywhere.  It’s so romantic.

Let’s get into the food – they start you off with some marinated olives instead of bread which I thought was cool.

For our dinner we opted to go with three dishes and share.  We went with:

  • Lobster and Crab Ravioli – I love, love, loved this dish – my favorite of the evening.  Each ravioli was filled with lobster and crab, and then topped with fresh tomatoes, arugula and prawns.  So delicious.
  • Parpadelle Rosche Rosche – parpadelle with short ribs.  The dish comes with italian sausages as well, but for people like me who don’t eat pork, they offered to remove or put the italian sausage on the side.  The parpadelle was perfectly al dente and the ragu had a bit of a kick.  This was my husband’s favorite dish of the night.
  • Risotto Alla Pescatora – I love seafood and risotto so I was super excited to try this dish.  It had calamari, tiger prawns, mussels and clams.  It was good, but I feel like there was just so much seafood in it that we didn’t get enough of the rice/risotto part.  It also had a lot of the seafood liquid in it.  I know that’s an odd complaint, but I felt it wasn’t as balanced as I would have liked.  It was still good, but I think next time we will opt for the mushroom risotto instead.

In our online reservation I noted that it was our anniversary.  After we had been seated a while, a couple came in and they were seated next to us.  We overheard them telling the server that it was their one year anniversary.  The staff brought out some champagne for them.  I found myself a bit bummed for a second, but when our server brought out our food my hubby mentioned that it was our anniversary too.  I also piped in that we included it in our reservation so they didn’t think we were just making it up.  Our server brought some champagne out for us too and that made me happy.

The service here was pretty great.  We were greeted so warmly when we arrived and our server was very personable and attentive.

I will absolutely be coming back here.  The food was delicious and I want to explore the menu further.  The patio was just gorgeous. I highly, highly recommend Robba Da Matti.

https://robbadamatti.com/

 

ChiMec

By in Eateries No Comments Tags: , ,

4iTnO7IU

I love me some fried chicken and was happy to discover ChiMec had opened so close to home.

The hubby and I decided to call in an order for take out.  We both went with the chicken burger – Chris with the original and I went with the spicy.  I also ordered one side of fries for us to share.

The order was ready in just 15 minutes.  Unfortunately, in error they accidentally put through two orders of fries for us.  We didn’t notice until we got home.

These burgers have a full fried chicken breast on a brioche bun with creamy coleslaw, pickled onions, sweet pickles and a mayo based sauce.  The chicken breast included in the sandwich is huge!  The fried chicken is perfectly crisp and full of flavor.  I can usually really handle (and love) heat, but I found my spicy burger to be a touch too spicy.  Although I loved every bite, my mouth was on fire so I think next time I’m going to go with the medium instead.  The french fries were yummy also!

I’m so, so, so happy this place is so close to home!  I absolutely will be back again (and again and again).  Can’t wait until my next visit.

https://chimec.ca/

 

1 2 3 4 5 >»