Dilettante Mocha Cafe & Chocolate Martini Bar

Price: $$
Thoughts: ☆☆☆½
Dilettante Mocha Cafe & Chocolate Martini Bar: Menu

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Their cake of the day: Mint Ice Cream Cake (slightly to the left of the center)

After burning our stomach with the spicy and salty Laotian food we needed something cold and sweet to finish off the night. I opted to try someplace else rather than going for the "easy win" with B & O Espresso's Chocolate Pot.

Broadway always has lots of places to try and almost has a similar feel to Robson Street up in Vancouver (except not as large). Chocolate was still the target theme and a mocha cafe is as close as it gets.


Our little booth

We seated ourselves inside a cozy little booth and hunted for what would best suit our cravings. I got a quick glance at their hot chocolate section and felt compelled to get one (next best thing to chocolate soy milk).

We were torn between several options between the Strawberry Chantilly and Chocolate Rendezvous from their Patisseries as well as their Dilettante Coupe and their special Mint Chocolate Brownie from their Ice Cream section (the menu provided in the link appears to be out of season as Huckleberry was not available but instead Salted Caramel was). We settled for the Rendezvous and Coupe in the end.


Hot Dark Chocolate with whipped cream


Dilettante Coupe served with mint, strawberry, and salted caramel ice cream


Chocolate Rendezvous

This is probably the thickest whipped cream I have ever had in my life. It definitely helped cool down the hot chocolate which had a nice very light bitter taste (I like my chocolate dark). I will probably pass on the whipped cream next time or ask for half the portion of it. The rendezvous was fluffy with a nice layer of frosting that tasted sweet but not exceeding my low level of tolerance to sweets. The coupe however was the highlight of the three items. The ice cream showed little resistance to my casual prodding with my fork and the salted caramel ice cream was simply sublime.

Sometimes our eyes are bigger than our stomachs, as in this case we definitely over-ordered but we agreed to finish the coupe and hot chocolate and just box up the rest of the cake.

The atmosphere makes it a great place to spend time with someone without worries of distractions or feeling rushed at all.

Viengthong

Price: $$
Thoughts: ☆☆☆
(Website and Menu not available)

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I have never really explored much for varying Asian ethnic dishes aside from the usual Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Chinese food. When Laotian food was mentioned I could only make a very loose assumption that it would be similar to Filipino food. The mention of a papaya salad also intrigued me deeply and my curiosity was creating fantastic images of what it could look like.


a basket full of sticky rice + som tum + sien savanh

This was also when I realized what a papaya really looks like in this salad. Which was a white pale look that had a similar texture to daikon. Without much thought we got the Som Tum (papaya salad) with three stars (typically recognized in Thai restaurants when the waiter/waitress will ask you how many stars out of four or five in how spicy you would like your meal to be) out of three.

Along with this we got the Sien Savanh (Lao Beef Jerky) with a basket of their sticky rice. Another thing that surprised me was how dry the sticky rice was compared to what I had imagined in my head (that being the kinds you find wrapped in leaves from dim sum carts). We ate everything with our bare hands. It felt a little odd at first, but I grew comfortable with it and let the rest of my fingers join in (rather than just using my thumb and index only).

Now I may love spicy food. But when you ask for three stars here, keep in mind that you will be eating something beyond your capability unless you are completely impervious to peppers. Expect a pitcher of water to be drained as well as frequent breaks to breathe in through your mouth and out through your nose. The salad was still great, just a bit too much on the spicy side.

The sien savanh was very good. At a glance I was expecting it to be very tough to chew like what most beef jerky tends to be. But it's rigid exterior hid it's deceptively soft and tender inside. I could've eaten another whole plate of this.

The service was what I kind of expected from the moment I walked in the door. The waitress seated us, and left us on our own for a good length of time. The occasional checkup with us would happen once every 15 or so minutes and she would plant herself back in front of the television. However the time from when we placed our order to receiving the cooked goods was astoundingly fast.

If you want a good helping of what I would label as Asian 'soul' food, this would definitely be it. Get their papaya salad with one star or two. Three if you're really looking to sniffle and sweat. Also, this is a cash only establishment so make sure you have some before you come in! Each dish is about $10.

Shawarma King

Price: $
Thoughts: ☆☆☆☆
(Website and Menu not available)

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Hummus and Pita Bread

This was a suggested restaurant from pictures that were spotted on someone's Facebook. After a little looking around and with no luck on seeing their website I had no choice but to rely solely on the reviews of fellow Yelpers.

A very casual restaurant with a homely feel. The walls were adorned with many Egyptian plates and statues and had very vivid tapestries draped along the walls. Their menu was angled downwards from the ceiling so you had to crane your neck as if you were sitting in the front row of the movie theater, an awkward angle for all heights. The first thing we ordered were two beef/lamb shawarmas which we later added a side of hummus and pita as well.


Lamb/Beef Shawarma

Prior to ever trying a shawarma, I have always been confused as to what the differences between a shawarma and a gyro were. A shawarma seems to resemble a burrito stuffed with extremely tender slow-cooked meats that you would typically find in your gyro, except it is rolled in a similar fashion to a burrito. The meat is also diced rather than laid down in strips as seen in many gyros I've had. On the topic of the meat in the shawarma. I found it difficult to actually distinguish the taste of the meat itself, as it was completely overwhelmed with the flavors from the rest of the ingredients inside (which is not entirely a bad thing).

The service was quick and humble, but the food is definitely good. We gazed at another dish being served to another table which looked very appetizing as well (we were unsure of the dish but I will take a picture of their menu next time).

I will definitely suggest coming here if you are craving for some great tasting Egyptian food. Don't expect a single shawarma and hummus to fill you up though. But it will curb your cravings.

Palomino

Price: $$
Thoughts: ☆☆☆½
Palomino: Menu

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the Happy Hour menu

I have always been a fan of the thin crust pizzas over the typical rolled crusts. With that being said it is safe to assume that I have not ever ventured outside of Palomino's Happy Hour selection (namely their flat bread and pizzas) primarily due to the fact that $6.00 for a whole pizza is hard to pass on.


Incredible Pepperoni Pizza


Sicillian Meatball Flat bread

We started with two pizzas, their Incredible Pepperoni Pizza and the Sicilian Meatball flat bread. Both which we had them divide the cheese onto only half of each of them. There also was a miscommunication on the meatball order and we ended up with just their Sicilian Meatball appetizer. Which I deeply regret letting them take away.


Sicilian Meatball Appetizer

Between the two pizzas the Sicilian Meatballs won without a contest. Juicy and just the right amount of spiciness that left a pleasant feeling lingering after each bite. I'm surprised I had missed this one before. The pepperoni was just as you expected, your ordinary pepperoni pizza.


Rotisserie Chicken Flatbread, Watercress pesto + roasted peppers + romano cheese

We ended up sharing one more pizza, the Rotisserie Chicken Flatbread, which we could not finish. I initially had mistook the watercress for baby spinach but the taste was different. Very flavorful and almost looked like a salad, but the Sicilian pizza was still the winner for the night.

A great place for a quick fix after work or just to unwind with friends. The restaurant itself takes up the entire top floor (save for the restrooms) of the shopping plaza.

B & O Espresso

Price: $$
Thoughts: ☆☆☆☆☆
B & O Espresso: Dessert Menu

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THE Chocolate Pot

After dinner at Wann's I wanted to share this little cafe to end the night on the highest possible note (which it did!). I had discovered B & O Espresso many years ago as part of branching out and exploring. It had become the place for me to turn to when I needed a dessert fix. There is only one thing that I ever order here, and that is their chocolate pot. There is just simply no way to describe how addictive this small little almost-soufflé is.

Served in a large ramekin with a spoonful of house made whipped cream, it is just a simple combination that keeps itself from tasting too sweet, but enough to have people who do not care for desserts (such as myself) to come running to.


Strawberry Italian Soda

To add to this we also shared a strawberry Italian soda, which was a nice addition. This place also has it's good share of Middle Eastern food and fondues as well. But if this is your first visit, you must get the chocolate pot, no questions asked.

Wann Japanese Izakaya

Price: $$
Thoughts: ☆☆☆½
Wann Japanese Izakaya: Menu

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I wanted to surprise my girlfriend with Japanese food from a place that got pretty good recommendations from several friends. However, Seattle decided to drop a windstorm mixed with torrential rain.

We had arrived an hour too early (it opened at 4PM), so we took shelter at the Starbucks next door. I got my usual (Venti Chocolate Soy Milk) and found a $100 laying on the floor as well, this day is going well so far. After we warmed up a bit, the Starbucks closed at 4PM (pretty early if you ask me for a Sunday) which worked out fine since Wann would be open by then.


Miso Soup


Spicy Tuna Crunch Roll (back), Unagi Roll (left), Spider Roll (right)

To start off we went with two bowls of miso soup followed by a Spicy Tuna Crunch, Unagi, and Spider roll. It still boggles my mind to know that there are people who think that miso soup has a taste comparable to mud. Then again I have not had mud before, but if this were true I could just eat mud instead, that is cheaper.

I regret not taking a picture of their bar that we sat across from. It was well arranged and an art in it's own right.


Mecha Godzilla Roll, seared kobe beef tataki covered asparagus, cream cheese, cilantro with habanero teriyaki sauce, spicy aioli, wasabi mayo


Robata Grill sampler

About halfway through the rolls I ordered the Mecha Godzilla Roll and their sampler platter from the grilled meats portion of the menu. The roll was nowhere near as spicy as advertised (if you want a spicy roll Umi's Hotter than Hell roll will have you draining your water). It was still good, but I would have expected the beef to be hot, but it was warm (leaning towards the cool side) but still tasted very good.

The grill sampler had bacon-wrapped prawns, chicken yakitori, shiitake mushroom skewers, and a pork falafel of some sort. Of the lot, the chicken was the best, although the pork was also pretty good. There was an odd aftertaste in the beef too, which was pointed out to me. The shrimp wasn't bad, but a little on the salty side, maybe a little bit of mustard would have been a good compliment to it. Anyways, this place is definitely worth a visit.

For those who looked carefully did you see the "hand" she gave me with taking each of these pictures?

Park Chow

Price: $$
Thoughts: ☆☆☆½
Park Chow: Menu

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The Dinner Menu

After dinner at the Bistro 9 we went to Park Chow, which was only a few steps away. The entrance to the place sported a rather thick looking curtain which opened into their entrance which was well-heated with many heat lamps.

This place was very packed when we came in. Seating did not take long at all which was surprising, or convenient that a table just opened up as we came in. I was told that she only gets one thing here, which was a dessert. Their ginger cake. I was a bit scared since I am mildly allergic to ginger. I took the plunge and went along with it.


ginger cake with pumpkin ice cream and whipped cream

Thankfully there was not a lot of ginger inside the cake so I was able to enjoy the cake without any reaction that I could notice. I really enjoyed the unusual combination of a ginger cake coupled with pumpkin ice cream. Definitely a good pair. We split one order and it disappeared as quickly as it came.


fin

A great way to end the night with a non-heavy dessert. I would like to try their food sometime as well. There were lots of pleasant smells all over the air. I should have eaten more slowly to enjoy the atmosphere and good company. But habits are hard to break, especially when it comes to eating slower.