604: Cafe Eggstatic 雷亭 (Burnaby)

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/20e9c4_90529f35303841a389b76f472586709f/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

You'd be surprised, but I find that the average quality in the bubble waffle productions here actually exceeds the majority of the waffles I've had in HK. I remember having them occasionally when I was a child. My mom would buy me bubble waffles whenever we pass by a hawker stand (street food vendor). I can't remember if it tasted extra good because (a) they made better waffles or (b) I was less picky or (c) extra brownie points were given because of the experience, or possibly all of the above.

I was referred to this cafe for their amazing waffles. I can tell that they are extremely serious about their productions. Their batter is chilled in the fridge and then stored in an ice bucket of water.

Here, I ordered the classic flavor. It's pretty darn good and I am pretty confident to say that it's better than most bubble waffles in HK. It's made fresh and it's ultra crispy but you have to consume it quickly because the magic disappears at a rapid rate... I would prefer mine a little sweeter but I think most of my Asian friends may like this. Finally, I feel that there could be more fluff inside the bubbles. In my opinion, this is a great waffle but I actually prefer the waffles from bubble waffle cafe in Richmond (except for the Steveston location - it's never fresh; and I haven't tried other branches from other cities). it's a bit greasier but there are more substances, more fluff, and their crispiness holds a little longer. Also, the custard flavor is much stronger, making it tastier.

Btw, they also sell matcha bubble waffles with mochi filling. Can't comment on this one as I was pretty stuffed from the original waffle...

Location: Here

Price: $4.25 per waffle

Taste: 3.8 / 5

atmosphere: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

seating: NA

Price Performance ratio: 4/5

604: Bonjour Banh Mi (updated)

As per your request, here I am at this newly opened Vietnamese Banh Mi Store - Bonjour Bahn Mi. I ordered their special Sub and I liked it enough to go back to grab another order of their grilled pork Banh Mi. Just look at the ratio guys! Please stop going to Banh Mi Saigon if the price is the major consideration for you guys. For an extra dollar, you get so much more filling. Mind you, meat is not cheap. If you are a meat lover then you would definitely love this place!

They are generous with their mayo, which is mixed in with a little bit of pate. I'd prefer a bit more pate in it but it's acceptable.

On the other hand, the grilled pork sub really threw me off. It reminded me of spam with a touch of honey...hmm.. this is not my type of grill meat but it might be yours. The grilled pork or chicken that I usually get are marinated with lemongrass and have a good char. On the bright note, they also added the mayo pate in this, so it made it more flavorful.

Now Obahnmi or Bonjour Banh Mi? Obahnmi has a marginally better baguette that's more buttery and the inside is slightly fluffier. Their vegetables are also more pickled, but everything else is on the milder side. Again, I'm Cantonese so I prefer things that are saucier and stronger, so I prefer Bonjour Bahn Mi in terms of the taste. I also like their meat ratio! In my opinion, I think Bonjour Bahn Mi is just a tad better than Obahnmi, but Obahnmi is still listed in my top picks!

By the way, they also have a loyalty program where for every 10 subs you purchased, you get a free Bahn Mi. So if you purchased enough Bahn Mis, your sub comes down to $6.50. For an extra 50 cents per sub, will you still be going to Saigon for a harder baguette with two thinly sliced cold cuts but with more cilantro and vegetables? Not I. Saigon is actually more expensive considering how they cheaped out on the fillings.

Update: So I came back here to try their lemon grass chicken because the staff recommended it last time. I was slightly disappointed with this because the chicken was on the chewier side and the lemongrass flavor was totally lacking. Why do restaurants cheap out on lemongrass and garlic is a mystery to me... it's so cheap... Overall, it's not a bad sub but I wouldn't say it's very authentic. I still like the generous amount of mayo they add though!

Bottom line: just go with the classic here. I wouldn't want to be adventurous with the other flavours at this store any more.

Price: $6.50 - $7

Taste:

Special (Cold Cut): 4.8/5

Lemongrass Sub: 3.6/5

Grilled pork sub: 3.5/5

Atmosphere: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐

seating: NA

Price Performance ratio: 4.9 / 5

Location: Here

Menu: Here

604: Anar (Richmond)

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/20e9c4_8c8db2d3e1a54b8baf1dfa6922734dfd/720p/mp4/file.mp4

Anar, a family-owned Iranian restaurant, is situated in Steveston Village, where a lot of Hollywood movies were filmed. The restaurant is so cute and it was so nicely decorated. You could smell Christmas is in the air before stepping into the restaurant. When we entered the restaurant, we were served right away by the boss, who is extremely friendly and enthusiastic. He took the time to explain all their famous dishes.

With our big eyes and small stomachs, we ordered the lamb shank and Loghmeh Kabob (a mixture of beef and lamb kabob). Perhaps I had a pretty high expectation from the reviews online, I was a little disappointed with these items. From experience, I was never disappointed with any lamb dishes from any Mediterranean restaurants I've been to. Lamb seems to be their signature dish. Though the lamb shank was very saucy, it still tasted bland and dry. The kabob was a lot better but could improve with some more seasoning.

We immediately lowered our expectations after the main, but nevertheless, we still wanted to give their dessert a try. We ordered the Baklava with little expectations, and Anar gave us a surprise again! This was THE best Baklava I've ever had. The texture was multilayered with a flaky top with a filling that is syrupy and moist. The fragrant was soaked with richly flavored butter, nut, cinnamon, honey, and spices. It was heavenly!

I really appreciated their Baklava because I know how difficult it is to keep it crispy, and Anar's Baklava was ultra crunchy (play the video above with the sound on).

Honey syrup is poured over the Baklava after it's baked, so in theory, it's really hard for it to stay crispy when it's soaked and cooled. They also added rose water to it so it has a very unique aroma to it! This is on the sweeter side but it's how it should be. I'd definitely come back for their Bakalava and may even give their other desserts a try. The Bastani (their Persian ice cream) is currently on my radar.

Apparently, the dessert is made by the sister, which explains why there's a huge gap in the quality of the two courses.

Loghmeh Kabob:

Price: $17.99

Taste: 3.8 / 5

Price Performance ratio: 3.9 / 5

Lambshank:

Price: $23.99

Taste: 2 / 5

Price Performance ratio: 3 / 5

Baklava:

Price: $6.99 for 3 pieces

Taste: 4.8/ 5

Price Performance ratio: 5 / 5

atmosphere: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

seating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Location: Here

Menu: Here