Girls' Night Out - The Keg, Sephora and Yaletown

Vancity Girlfriends had a little hiatus with the busyness of life!  Thought it would be nice to share with our readers what we've been up to including our Girl's Night Out dates.  

I had a gift card for the Keg so we decided to meet at The Keg on Alberni Street downtown Vancouver which Carolyn also describes as the Shangrila Keg.  This was the first time I went to this location and I loved the atmosphere.  First we met at the bottom of staircase that led up to the front doors of the restaurant.  The staircase was lined with bamboo on both sides creating a natural and beautiful entrance.  I had made Open Table reservations for 5pm and that's also when the dining room and outdoor patio opened.  It was a beautiful sunny evening so we asked to sit in the elegant patio and dine outdoors.  

Happy Hour was from 3-6pm so we had time to indulge in $6 glasses of wine.  I had the white on tap and Carolyn had the red on tap.  Both were lovely blends that I would return to have again.  It was worth going for an early dinner just to be able to have $6 glass of wine.  

For our meals, we didn't order from the Happy Hour menu but instead had the Keg classic dinners which start with a caesar salad and the steak of your choice comes with grilled vegetables and a side of your choice.  I chose the Top Sirloin (8oz) steak with bernaise sauce and a twice baked potato.  The Keg Classic dinners did not disappoint.  We were both completely satisfied with our meals and the ambiance at The Keg on Alberni in Vancouver.  

After our meal, we walked down Robson Street and stopped at our favorite beauty store, Sephora.  I was looking for a new cleanser and moisturizer and found the Ole Henriksen A Brighter Truth skincare kit with the cleaner, serum, and moisturizer.  The brighter truth has vitamin c to help with the sun spots and age spots which I need so I bought the reasonably priced kit at $42.  It has a light fruity scent that is refreshing so we'll see how I feel after I test it for a month.

Then we continued our journey down Robson Street past the Vancouver Art Gallery where there was a busker playing music on the street.  We were both completely full from dinner so the evening stroll downtown was a way to walk off our dinner.  Since Carolyn needed to travel by the Canada Skytrain Line, we decided to walk to the Roundhouse Yaletown skytrain station.  Just outside the skytrain station we were pleasantly surprised with the Underbrella art exhibit.  Umbrellas in the sky.  It was the perfect way to end our girl's night out.  

NaBloPoMo Day 6 - Janzen Tea and Pho Hoa Restaurant

Janzen Tea and Pho Hoa Restaurant

NaBloPoMo 2017 Day 6 

I was first introduced to Janzen Tea in the summer and happened to go for a late lunch during happy hour.  Happy Hour is a perfect time to try different types of food and drinks because the fruit tea and smoothies, salad rolls, and spring rolls are all on sale.  It's hard not to try a little bit of everything.

We went to the location in Coquitlam 3025 Lougheed Hwy #750 closest to Coquitlam Central Skytrain Station.  On Mondays they have Meatless Monday specials with their Vegetarian Pho.  There are other locations in Vancouver, but I've only visited the location in Coquitlam.  

The hardest part is deciding what you want to try.  Janzen tea is the Taiwanese tea part of the restaurant that serves fruit, milk, smooth or snow sips.  So many different types to choose from.  The Pineapology is pictured below with a shrimp salad roll and peanut sauce.  In the other picture is the vegetarian pho.  I've tried the delicious popcorn chicken as well and spring rolls.  Even just writing this blog is making me long to return to Janzen Tea and Pho Hoa to treat myself to Taiwanese teas and Vietnamese appetizers and pho.  That sounds like a winning combination for the winter.  Time to plan my next trip!

Thrifty Tuesday - Bow Bow Cafe Taiwanese Restaurant

Bow Bow Cafe is at 4611 Kingsway in Burnaby and if you aren't looking for it or are looking for it but aren't paying attention, it is very easy to miss.  That's what I did, but my girlfriend who I was meeting found me on the street, turned me around, and led me to the hole-in-the-wall kind of place.

Bow Bow Cafe is a small restaurant serving Taiwanese noodles.  That's what it's famous for.  This is a no frills kind of place.  The menu is written on a chalkboard on the wall.  Read it and order.  It's that simple.  If you are a place that specializes in noodles, then you order the Taiwanese Beef Noodle.

We decided to also order the chicken noodle dish below.  However, I admit, I loved the Beef Noodle better.  The advantage of Bow Bow Cafe is that it's pretty simple and fast food and there's not much fuss.  The disadvantage other than trying to find it beside an adult sex shop, is that it is a cash only type of place.  I don't mind this as the dishes were reasonably priced at around $10-$12 each.  My friend treated me so I don't quite remember but it's a good place to try again now that fall is here for the beef noodle in a soup.  
  

Vancouver Restaurant - Harambe Ethiopian Restaurant

I love trying new food so I was happy when friends invited me for Ethiopian food.  We went to Harambe Ethiopian Restaurant on Commercial Drive in Vancouver, BC.

It was a quaint restaurant and it's great when others know what to order and could order for us.  We ordered a combination platter and a lamb wot dish that perfectly fit in the middle of the plate.  Ethiopian food is eaten without utensils.  Yes, that's right, we eat with our hands.  They serve the food with and on injera, which is a flatbread that you pick up the food with.  Now I think there is a talent for eating with your hands.  Even with the injera my fingers were covered with juices and I must have used ten napkins.  Ahh, the fun of eating with friends.  

Vancouver Cheap Eats - Dosa Factory

Everyone has talked about the Monday Dosa specials and I missed going with the large group of colleagues.  So I asked my Indian friend if she wanted to go again and bring me there.  Of course she said "Yes" as it's hard to resist a meal for $5.99.  That's the Monday special where you can order a dosa for $5.99.  At that price she basically told us to order one to go so we all would have lunch the next day.  Initially I wasn't going to but then I really thought about it and figured out that $5.99 is cheaper than a McDonald's Big Mac combo.  I might have offended my friend at that time for comparing authentic South Indian Food to McDonalds.  That justification won me over and I ordered one dosa to eat-in and one dosa to go.

Mondays at the Dosa Factory on Kingsway in Vancouver is a big deal so it's natural that you have to put your name down on the wait list and wait.  With a smaller group of 4 people it was easier than with a group of 10 people.  I did notice that they had many tables of 2 so a dynamic duo is a good number.  

It was worth the wait.  When we were seated there were bottles of water on the table for us.  The Monday menu was simple and we ordered one dosa to eat in and one order to go.  They were able to keep track of our order.  Even though it was busy and cheap, they still take the time to provide good customer service which I appreciate.  

I ordered a prawn dosa to eat in and the lamb dosa to go.  A dosa is pictured below and it's hard to see but inside it has the delicous filling of vegetables, potato, and the "prawn" or "lamb" or "menu option" of your choice.  What was more surprising is that it was filling and I was stuffed after eating one dosa.  I would definitely return to the Dosa Factory.  Everyday they have specials but Mondays are the cheapest.  I'll return again for another Dosa Day.  

Find out more about their daily specials here:  http://dosafactoryvancouver.com/dailyspecials.html

Vancouver Restaurant: Ramen Butcher

R is for Ramen Butcher which is a Japanese comfort food restaurant in Chinatown on Georgia Street.  It is a lovely gem admist the hustle and bustle of the streets.  

The Ramen Butcher has its specialty menu which focuses on as the name suggest "ramen".  Since this Japanese Ramen restaurant makes fresh noodles and provides extra noodles as a part of their service.  This is a great way to ensure that people leave with happy with a full belly.  

I've tried ramen before but had never heard of Tsukemen so I had to give it a try.  Tsukemen is a dish where the noodles are served separately from the soup concentrate and instead of drinking the soup, it is enjoyed by dipping the noodles in the soup concentrate.  It's flavorful and fun to be dipping noodles.  After the plate of noodles, they provide "soup wari" which dilutes the conentrate so it can be consumed.  Those who wish may ask for rice to combine in the soup.  It was a fun experience and I was full without the rice.  

This might be because we started with Karrage and they were plump pieces of fried chicken served with sauce and is meant for sharing. 

One friend had the classic Tonkatsu (Pork Broth) Ramen with the marinated egg and thin noodles.

Another friend had the Tori Ramen (Chicken Ramen) served with medium thick noodles and after he finished the extra noodle ball with his leftover soup, that was enough to keep him full.

The Ramen Butcher was a great place to catch up with friends and enjoy the Japanese comfort food.  Everything on the menu was delicious!  They have monthly specials and at $10-$15 per bowl, this makes the Ramen Butcher worth returning for. 

Brunch at White Spot Restaurant

White Spot is a family restaurant that serves brunch until 3pm.  So if you skipped breakfast or woke up late or just prefer brunch type foods, White Spot is a good place to go.  Brunch menu options are affordable and under $15.  Our favorite is the Steelhead Eggs Benedict with salmon and a poached eggs topped with hollandaise sauce.  It is served with has browns and a salsa.  The Steelhead Benedict above was from when we visited Squamish, BC and I have to admit that the taste is very consistent across the restaurants.  

If you're intrigued, you can check out the Brunch menu at the following link:  http://whitespot.ca/menu/bc/brunch

White Spot is one of our regular breakfast joints (other than eating at home).  They are open in the morning and have good customer service for those everyday kinda days.  

Want to see more food pics of White Spot?  Take a look at how I celebrated my birthday at White Spot with a birthday brownie.  All you have to do is ask. http://vancitygirlfriends.blogspot.ca/2017/01/thrifty-tuesday-white-spot-restaurant.html

Vancouver Restaurant - Rogue Ktichen and Wetbar Convention Center

Vancity Girlfriend's girl's night out can be impromptu and unplanned.  It was a surprisingly sunny afternoon so I ventured out to see Vancity Girlfriend Carolyn.  We went for a walk to enjoy the afternoon sunshine and got a bus to go to the heart of downtown Vancouver.  We couldn't wait to get off the bus and walk about.  Of course there are stores all around so we went to Payless Shoes on Granville Street to see how to use Carolyn's 20% off coupon.  She found a couple pairs of shoes for her family and got a good deal.  Then we walked down Robson Street to the large Sephora store.  I keep forgetting about that one.  It is huge.  I browsed and was in awe at how much selection the store had.  Carolyn, the beauty expert, found what she was looking for.  Then we continued on our adventure for a place to eat.  

Our plan was to go to AllStar Wings and Ribs and from the outside the stars and stripes were there, but we could also see that it was dark and empty.  There was no need to go any further.  That restaurant was closed.  

We were thinking of Red Robin, but I didn't have any coupons so then we decided to continue walking to the Convention Center.  There we landed at Rogue Kitchen and Wetbar Convention Center.  It was great because after all that walking we were ready for a drink and dinner.  Unfortunately we missed Happy Hour, but we didn't miss the drink special which was Bellinis for $5.49.

Rogue Ktichen and Wetbar Bellinis

  
For dinner we decided to share the fries x 3 (who can resist poutine, bacon and gorgonzola, and truffle oil with parmesan) and the Tempesta pizza with chili prawns.  What a winning combination!  I was impressed that Rogue Kitchen and Wetbar was able to split our bill to share the food and my portion with 1 bellini and dinner came out to $25 (including 15% tip) so I'm going to be taking note of this and going out with Vancity Girlfriend Carolyn more often!  It was a great night catching up!  

Rogue Kitchen and Wetbar Temptesta Pizza

This wasn't our first time at Rogue Kitchen and Wetbar, check out our Vancity Girlfriend Art Gallery and Rogue Date Night from 2015:  http://vancitygirlfriends.blogspot.ca/2015/07/girls-night-out-vancouver-art-gallery.html

Thrifty Tuesday - Ebisu Richmond

Ebisu Richmond is within walking distance of the Lansdowne Skytrain Station on the Canada Line.  I've been to Ebisu Vancouver on Robson Street.  This was my first time to Ebisu Richmond.  

Ebisu Richmond is where my brother likes to go for lunch when he is in town and now I understand why.   Lunch at Ebisu Richmond is a real bargain.  We arrived at 1:30pm and were told we had 25 minutes until the last call and only 50 minutes to eat since they close at 2:30pm.  That was not a problem for us.  The benefit of arriving late is that we didn't have to wait for a table.  

Since this was my brother's favourite lunch place in Vancouver, he knew exactly what to order.  We ordered a BBQ Eel sushi boat, Sashimi bento box and an assortment of 3 items from the lunch special which included a dynamite roll, tuna tataki salad, and spicy salmon don.  Each order was less than $15 which included a miso soup.  All of the dishes were elegantly displayed and tasted delicious.  Now I'm a big fan of Ebisu Richmond and hopefully my brother's trips will fall on a weekend when I can go out and enjoy this fabulous lunch menu with him.  

Ebisu Richmond - Tuna Tataki Salad

Ebisu Richmond - Sashimi Bento Box

Ebisu Richmond - BBQ Eel Boat

Check out Ebisu Richmond Lunch Menu - http://www.ebisu.ca/richmond/menu.html

Throwback Thursday - Cheesecake Factory in Boca Raton, Florida

The Cheesecake Factory is an American chain restaurant and that's why it was a great restaurant to visit on my trip to Boca Raton Florida.  The Cheesecake Factory had 35 different types of cheesecakes, the hardest part is deciding on which one of the cheesecakes in the display to order.

A friend recommended that I eat at The Cheesecake Factory and it was conveniently located within walking distance of the Wyndham Resort in Boca Raton where I was staying.  It was a nice change from the fast food that I had been eating.  It was nice to sit down to eat instead of eating on the go, and as a single diner they seated me right away.  There are benefits of dining solo.  

I ordered the Steak Diane and a White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cheesecake for dessert.  The steak diane was smothered with a mushroom gravy and served with mashed potatoes.  It was delicious!  Of course I managed to save room for dessert because that is what The Cheesecake Factory is famous for.  I'm so glad I did.  It was an amazing cheesecake.  After my meal I was completely satisfied and stuffed. Enjoy the pictures of my dinner at The Cheesecake Factory in Boca Raton, Florida.  

Cheesecake Factory - Steak Diane with Mashed Potatoes

White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake

Vancouver Restaurant - The Keg on Dunsmuir

Time flies.  After a few weeks of being on hiatus, Vancity girlfriends spontaneously decided to go for a girl's night out!  We missed Dine Out Vancouver so this was a way to go out to wine and dine and catch up on old times.  

Originally we wanted to go to The Keg on Alberni at the Shangri-La Hotel but apparently Family Day long weekend is a popular time to celebrate.  It was fully booked except for 5pm or 8:30pm which are not the ideal dinner time.  So instead we made reservations at The Keg on Dunsmuir.  It's easy to make reservation on Open Table which will give you 100 points for each reservation.  When you have 2,000 points, that is equal to a dining cheque for $26 Cdn ($20 US) or you can keep collecting to the next level.  Guess it rewards all of those organizers and planners out there who plan ahead and make reservations.

When we arrived, we were so glad we had reservations.  There was a line out the door.  We were able to get seated at a table in the bar and lounge.  We ordered our glasses of wine.  I tried a 6oz glass of the Knotted Vine on tap white wine specifically made for The Keg by local Okanagan winery Inniskillin. 

For dinner I ordered the Keg Classic Filet Mignon which is wrapped in bacon.  The classic means that it comes with a caesar salad and vegetables and one additional side dish which I choose mashed potatoes.  The steak is the main attraction at The Keg.  

I haven't had a meal like this is ages.  So since we were already out, Vancity Girlfriends is going to celebrate the girl's night out by sharing a Billy Miner Pie.  The whole evening was definitely a treat!  I loved it so much that I'll be coming back in March for Vancity Girlfriend Carolyn's birthday bash and I'll plan ahead so can go to The Keg Alberni!  Thanks The Keg Dunsmuir for a memorable night!  

Vancouver Restaurant - Hon Sushi Korean Japanese Restaurant in Burnaby

I can't believe that the last time I blogged about Hon Sushi a Korean Japanese restaurant in Burnaby it was a year ago.  In my post I had tried the Japanese food at Hon Sushi:  http://vancitygirlfriends.blogspot.ca/2016/02/vancouver-restaurant-hon-sushi-korean.html

Well we have tried the Korean food at Hon Sushi and love it!  I'm thankful my husband discovered this on his own with friends and loved it.  I'll always love Korean food as it brings back memories of when I taught English in Korea for two years when I was in my 20s.  The flavours, spiciness and taste.  

It's great to have a Korean restaurant that can provide the side dishes and a few of the famous Korean dishes.  Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture of the Korean Tofu hotpot.  That was delicious and what my husband and I do is that we will order a few dishes to share.  So we shared the stew with a bowl of rice each and the spicy squid dish below.  The side dishes of kimchi, pickled radish and seaweed come with the meal.  Another one of our favorites is the Korean pancake.  One day I'll bring my girlfriend who loves Korean dramas and food there to try a different hot pot.  When I do, I'll be sure to write another post to share with you.  Enjoy the pics and it's time to be adventurous and start looking for a Korean restaurant new you!

Vancouver Restaurant: Medina Cafe

The best part about having visitors and family come visit, is being able to explore the city and spend time trying new places.  When my "sister" from London came for the new year, I took a day off work so I could spend time with her.  She wanted to go downtown Vancouver and suggested we try Medina Cafe.

I vaguely had heard of the name of the restaurant in passing but not much else.  Perhaps it was one of those brunch restaurants that would normally have a line up out the door.  Luckily for us since everyone was back to work, our wait was not very long, maybe 20 minutes instead of an hour.  That is the trick for those restaurants who do not take reservations and have a first come first serve policy.  Just go to them on your day off!  

The Medina Cafe Menu had such unique items with a Mediterrean or Middle Eastern flair.  It was a difficult decision as to what to try.  Everything on the menu looked tasty and I would definitely return.  I ended up going for the Harissa Burger with two fried eggs on top of a pita with beef, hummous, baba ganoush.  It was a gourmet breakfast and soo super flavorful!  

If you come to Vancouver and are staying downtown and want a unique brunch, check out Medina Cafe.  If you are in a rush, they also have waffles to order on the go.  #Yummy

Thrifty Tuesday: White Spot Restaurant Birthday Brownie

When I think of birthdays, I don't usually think of White Spot Restaurants.  However, after being given a free dessert when my friend mentioned my birthday, I was super impressed.  White Spot restaurants is a family friendly restaurant which has been a regular brunch or breakfast spot for us since it is open for breakfast before 11am.  It opens nice and early and has coffee and breakfast including eggs benedict that is made fresh.   

White Spot - Shrimp and Spinach Egg Benedict

One evening after a crazy day at work, we decided to go to White Spot for appetizers.  Then one decided it would be my "birthday" celebration, and mentioned it a few times in conversation especially at the end of the meal.  Then to our surprise the server offered a free birthday dessert with a candle.  I never knew that White Spot celebrated birthdays.  It was a sweet surprise!  

It was a fabulous evening of chatting, eating, and being surprised.  Our appetizers that we ordered consisted of a combination of zoo sticks (highly recommended), dry ribs (my favorite), and spinach and artichoke dip.  This made it a night to remember.  Unfortunately we missed out on Happy Hour which is from 2-5pm when appetizers are $6.  Appetizers were still worth it with a price range from $10 - $15 approximately depending on what you order.   White Spot Menu will show you more. 

White Spot - Birthday Hot Fudge Brownie

Vancouver Restaurant: Boiling Point Restaurant

Even with the busy city lifestyle, it is nice once in a while to catch up with old friends.  December and January are popular months when I have an opportunity to meet friends and spend a bit of quality time.  I have one girlfriend who is Taiwanese and an avid foodie.  The combination makes her a perfect date and one who chooses fabulous unique restaurants.

Boiling Point is a Taiwanese hot pot specialty chain restaurant.  They have three Boiling Point restaurants in the Lower Mainland.  There is one in Burnaby, BC, Richmond, BC and Surrey, BC.  We went to the one in Burnaby which was the closest.  The have restaurants in the USA in Southern and Northern California and Washington.  There is also one in China.  

It is a quaint little restaurant and when I entered it was jam packed of people at the door.  Then I noticed a small little machine which was the ticket to let them know how many people were in your party.  It was easy enough to navigate and even though my girlfriend hadn't arrived, there were so many people standing at the door, I thought for sure it would be a 30 mins wait.  So I grabbed the ticket and found a standing spot inside to wait.  Less than 5 mins later the server came and called my number, I felt a bit embarrassed and told her my friend had not arrived yet so I could wait and she could seat the other guests.  She did that and returned and continued to seat others but at the same time was conscientious that I was first and kept checking to see when my friend would arrive.  Once I knew my girlfriend was looking for parking and told the server, she asked me to sit at the table first.  The tables are quite tightly packed and it is perfect if there are two people who are eating.  The menu was a one pager with great pictures of different types of hot pots and descriptions.  I decided to try the Korean style hot pot and my friend also ordered side dishes of stinky tofu and grilled pork, Taiwanese specialties.  

At Boiling Point everyone gets their own individual hot pot that is cooked in front of you.   I love restaurants where you can actively participate.  Even though it is a small space and jam packed, the hot pots were delicious and I can't wait to return so I can try a different hot pot.  

I would want to return for lunch since the lunch combo consists of hot pot, rice and a drink for $11.99.  The dinner combo is the hot pot and rice for $12.99.  Enjoy my pics below and feel free to check out their full menu:  Boiling Point.

Boiling Point Side Dish - Fermented Tofu (Stinky Tofu)

Boiling Point Side Dish - Sliced Pork

Boiling Point Hot Pot - Korean Bean Paste

Boiling Point Hot Pot - House Special

Throwback Thursday: The Breakfast Buffet at the River Rock Casino Resort

This week I'm going to share the good breakfast deal at The River Rock Casino Resort and that would be the breakfast buffet at The Buffet.  

Even if you are not a gambler it is a good idea to still get an Encore card because it can save you a few dollars at The Buffet.  Encore cards are free and you just need a piece of ID to register usually at the casino customer service.  I already had my Encore card and was ready to save.

The breakfast buffet is from 6:30am - 10:30am so it is a morning buffet.  It is also cheaper because of this and is only $19.95 or $17.96 with an Encore card.  At the breakfast buffet they have coffee or tea and the assortment of juices.  They had an omlette station and fresh egg station, sausages, bacon, hash browns and your traditional Canadian breakfast.  They also had the Asian style breakfast with dim sum, rice rolls, and congee.  That is truly what I liked best.  The variety of the breakfast food.  Normally you have to choose between one or the other.  In this case there was no fighting over what type of breakfast joint to go to.  Everyone wins.  Being Chinese Canadian I had two plates and ate the best of both worlds.  I had my Asian style breakfast and then the Canadian breakfast for dessert!  It is perfect for getting together with picky eaters because everyone can go back and have whatever they want and it spend time together.  

An added bonus is that the daytime view of The Buffet at the River Rock Casino Resort is quite beautiful even on a cloudy day it is possible to see the boats moored on the water.    

Thrifty Tuesday: McKenzie Cafe at Simon Fraser University

Happy New Year!  University students are preparing to return for another semester of studies.  At Simon Fraser University (SFU), McKenzie Cafe at the AQ is a great place to go when there is not have time for breakfast at home.  McKenzie Cafe opens at 7:30am before the classes start.  TheClassic Breakfast is a filling breakfast for a reasonable cost.  It consists of eggs of your choice (the chefs crack the eggs and cook it in front of you), choice of sausage or bacon, hash browns, and toast (your choice of white or whole wheat).  All of this is under $6.  Universities often have good deals and cheap eats because they are serving the students.  Poor students who have student loans and won't eat unless it's for cheap.  The rest of us can take advantage of that.  

  

Vancouver Restaurant: Gotham Steakhouse and Bar

Gotham Steakhouse is one of Vancouver's well known restaurants for steak.  They have won several awards and none of this would have enticed me to go.  Instead I could just wonder....until this Christmas.

The office decided to host the Christmas party at Gotham Steakhouse and Bar.  What a treat!  There are private rooms downstairs for company parties and a bar and servers.  It's the full service deal.  It was cozy to have this private Christmas party and even better that there was an open bar!  It's the company Christmas party when I can choose a signature cocktail to enjoy all night long.  I've learned my lesson not to mix drinks or play and drinking games.  I've grown into enjoying a cocktail and Gotham is the place for cocktails.

I researched Gotham cocktail list so I would be prepared for the party.  I waited for others to order so I could admire the different types of drinks and then I ordered the "French 49" martini.  Such a beautiful drink!  

The servers are friendly that it wasn't until my 2nd order of this fancy martini cocktail that they corrected me and said it was a "French" martini.  I loved every sip of this drink.

When the food arrived it was just as impressive, the steak was flavorful and tender.  There was a set menu for us and we had options for our appetizer, entree, and dessert.  I choose a prawn cocktail as an appetizer.  It was served on ice and the prawns were large and delicious.  

The main course was a filet mignon tenderloin steak.  It was the perfect size and packed with flavour.  The side dishes of mashed potatoes, button mushrooms, and asparagus were in the middle of the table for all to share.  The mashed potatoes were light and fluffy and whipped with butter.  I couldn't get enough and had to finish all of the little plates of mushrooms and asparagus.  This was such an elegant tast of a steak.  I now know why Gotham Steakhouse is so well known for its steak.  

I have to admit that this was one of the most memorable Christmas parties!  I'd recommend others to look into Gotham Steakhouse next year for their holiday party but keep in mind that you have to book early.  

Thrifty Tuesday: Viet Sub on Robson Street

Downtown Vancouver have lots of restaurants that are almost like a food truck but instead of eating standing on the street you can eat at the bar stools at the window.  Viet Sub is a Vietnamese "restaurant", there is bar stool seating but not much else.  Don't let the decor stop you.  

It has a simple menu with salad rolls, spring rolls, Vietnamese subs, and a few other Vietnamese dishes.  But as their name suggests, it is famous for Vietnamese Subs.  I tried a "Special" sub and it was delicious!  The french bread was fresh and soft and the sauce soaked the meat and vegetables.  Yummy!  

Viet Sub is at 520 Robson Street and Yelp has given it 4 stars out of 5.  As this is Thrifty Tuesday, I've saved the best for last.  This Viet Special Sub pictured above was less than $5.  Just talking about it is making my mouth water.  Ahh, so happy for friends who know where to eat for cheap!  

Vancouver Restaurant: The Buffet at the River Rock Casino Resort

National Blog Posting Month

Blogging Almost Everyday in November

#NaBloPoMo Day 28 - The Buffet at the River Rock Casino

When we first planned the River Rock Casino Resort staycation, i did not have The Buffet on my list even though I had a casino card which means a small discount.  Instead I was thinking of fancy dinners at restaurants and it was Carolyn who said "I want to go eat at the buffet one night."  Of course I wasn't going to stop that idea because I do love all you can eat buffets.  

The best part was our timing for eating at The Buffet on a Saturday night.  We shopped at Richmond Centre all afternoon to work up an appetite.  I specifically starved myself knowing that the Surf and Turf at the Buffet was coming up!  Surf and Turf of sea and land and that is definitely what the Buffet had.  We returned to the hotel at 4:30pm, dropped off our packages and then went downstairs to the Buffet even though it didn't open until 5pm. 

Boy that was the best decision ever.  There was already a line up and large groups ahead of us.  We made it through the line and were brought into the dining area.  The Surf and Turf weekend buffet had such an assortment of food.  Now the maximum dining time is 90 minutes and believe me, you'll need it.  By the way when we were all done and left the Buffet the line up was even longer and along the hallway so who knows how long those folks had to wait.  

There was the Turf part with prime rib, turkey, chicken with roasted potatoes (I wouldn't dare try the mashed), gravy, toppings, and perogies.  There was an unexciting salad bar.  The Surf part had prawns withe seafood sauce, and the big ticket item were the crab legs!  They had a table filled with sushi rolls and sashimi and another area with hot items such as rice, vegetables, asian noodles.  If you prefer dessert, there was an entire dessert table and a freezer full of ice cream.  So many options, it was hard to choose and eat it all.  

Feel free to check out their prices at The Buffet at the River Rock website here:  http://www.riverrock.com/dining/buffet/