A bit over a year ago, when Tim Horton’s announced their English muffins, I jumped into the opportunity of comparing their sandwich against McDonald’s. In a funny reversal on things that have happened, recently, McDonald’s announced the return of my once-upon-a-time favourite: their buttermilk biscuits (OK, not really, more details in a moment). So, now that McD’s are back into this game, why not a second heads up battle? And, repeating what I wrote on that post over a year ago… (And borrowing that line from Iron Chef:) Whose cuisine reigns supreme?

Now, a couple of things before I go into my thoughts…

1. Unlike my first post, this time, I was a bit in a rush. SORRY!!! Usually, I do take my time taking pictures and what not. In fact, in my first “battle”, I took the sandwiches home, plated them, etc. etc. This time? Nope. It was a gray, raining morning and I was HUNGRY. I was in no mood of getting this back home and plate them and what not. As a result, I ended up going to Timmy’s, order one and then go to the nearest McD’s and get theirs. No fancy plating and, alas, crappy lightning. >_<
2. Before everybody jumps in, the McD’s biscuits (I will omit the word buttermilk from here on) is not a new item. As mentioned in my previous post, it was one of my favourites eons ago but they discontinued it for some odd reason. Now, it is not that it was removed completely from their menu. You could sort-of order it. How? Their Big Breakfast! See, in that one, you get eggs, sausage, biscuit and a hash brown. There were some catches, though: The egg was in the scrambled form, unlike the folded version or the “poached” version (from the Egg McMuffin), and, of course, it might be trickier to get bacon (you can always order it “on the side”).
3. To their PR people… For god’s sake, did you need to flood my email with this announcement? How many emails I got? 4!!! *shakes fist* At least I didn’t do what I did with certain other local Vancouver PR company: after pissing me off with their almost everyday announcement and choosing not to exclude my address from further spamming, I set up a server side filter where all emails from their domain would be send back to one of their email addresses.

However, on the positive side of this announcement: on February 9th and 10th, 2011, they are giving these free. So, if you want to try them, just go to your closest McD’s. Now, putting all these aside…

I will start off with Timmy’s. In a way, it has pretty much stayed quite “similar” to what I have tasted since it was originally released, except for one minor detail: It seems their “biscuit” is more in-line to bread than a biscuit. How so? I recall these used to crumble somewhat easily but, nowadays, it is closer to bread. Is it necessarily bad? In a way, it depends how you like yours. In this application, I didn’t mind it that much but, if you are a purist or have some (higher?) expectations, you might not let it go so easily. Here is the reason why I liked: It maintained its integrity and, as a result, the overall sandwich didn’t “break” down while I was eating it.

Moving past the biscuit, the egg didn’t have that non-egg taste I mentioned last time. This time, it was just that custard feeling to it. The sausage had a light pork taste but you had to try really hard. Not necessarily complaining here. Overall combined you have an interesting package of soft (egg), lightly crispy/crusty texture of the bread and some savouriness from the sausage.

As for McD’s, let’s start with the “key” component, the biscuit. First, buttermilk? Hmmmm… Maybe? But, past that, here lies the main difference compared to Timmy’s: this one was crumblier. In fact, you could “separate” the crusty portion from the crumblier portion, as if they were two distinct pieces. But, it had a slight odd secondary effect. Depending on how you hold your sandwich, there is a light chance part of the biscuit will “stick” to the contents of the sandwich. If I were to eat it by itself with jam or fruit preserve, there might be a slight chance it will break down. So, depending on your preference, this might or might not work.

As for the rest, once again, given it is a chain and standardization is key, it was pretty much the same as last time. The eggs felt overcooked and lacked a bit of taste; the sausage had more pork taste compared to Timmy’s. Well, McD’s is good at what they do…

So, overall, which one is better? It boils down to which one you prefer. Both works fine. However, there is one loser in the end: At over 500 calories each, my waist for eating one of each… >_<

Culina
6509 112 Avenue (Culina Highlands)
9914 89 Avenue (Culina Mill Creek)
9626 96A Street Northwest (Culina at the Muttart – Muttart conservatory, location visited)
Edmonton, AB

Before my trip to Edmonton, I checked with several people who lived there as well as natives for points of interests. Me being “me”, there were some usual “caveats”, one of them, for god’s sake, please, do NOT tell me West Edmonton Mall (WEM)! (And, yes, I indeed went there and, due to bad timing, I could skate in the rink at the Ice Palace). But, once they knew what I was looking for, i.e., walkable areas (with the warning Edmonton is not as walkable as Vancouver), something outdoors (yes, again, call me crazy…) and things that, because you are “local”, you tend to overlook it. One of such places ended up being the Muttart Conservatory. But, in addition to the flowers and plants, I knew there was a new location of Culina, a restaurant that seems to be well regarded. So, that’s how Dumbfries and I ended up having a brunch there.

Unlike the other days in my visit, this one was more on the lines of a typical winter day in Edmonton. Snow… Snow… Did I say snow? How so? Driving there was a bit of an adventure for Dumbfries (whom I will have to, once again, say thanks for driving me there on a day that would have otherwise stayed at home!) but we eventually made it. When we arrived, I will have to admit: I was quite underwhelmed by how the restaurant is set up. Hmmmmm… Let me take that back: It does NOT look like a restaurant in the straight sense of the word: it appeared more like a cafeteria. Of course, this might be due to the setting, after all, it is located in a conservatory, not Metrotown or WEM!

We were originally seated in a corner but, after some tables near the glass window cleared, we requested to be moved there. Hey, natural light! One thing I did observe during our meal: The other customers were families with toddlers in hand. Whether they were going to the conservatory later (don’t think they did, don’t recall them inside) or they are from the neighbourhood, it means the restaurant can cater to all type of customers.

Now, to the food! Because we were there for brunch (which, actually ended being more on the lines of lunch), I do not expect the food to be representative of a meal at Culina in their other locations. However, it would be the question of execution: If they are able to produce good eats in a more constrained environment, what would it be in their regular one? But, let’s not jump ahead and first the dishes we ordered:

Dumbfries went for something “light” in the form of smoked salmon and egg salad on croissant with fruit salad. The dish is as described. Nothing more, nothing less, almost down to a T. OK, probably aside from the greens in the croissant. First, the bad: the croissant. Now, it wasn’t “bad”, except it could have been better had it, as Dumbfries pointed out, been warm. It wasn’t crispy (compared to Panda Bakery) but that soft airy texture worked fine. The salmon wasn’t really strong but you could tell it was salmon. And the temperature of the egg salad (room temperature) didn’t take away from the rest. So, in a way, it felt Zen-like, i.e., a bit sweet (from the croissant), a bit savoury (from the salmon), extremely light acidity (from the mayo) and a bit bitter from the greens (but, similar to the acidic tones, it was really light). Not difficult to make but it was well done. As for the fruit salad, it was a mix of fruits and a dollop of mascarpone cream (which I might have it confused as vanilla yogurt, as it tasted as such!) on top. Won’t say more about it as it would be what you can expect from such combo.

To share, we had the soup of the day: split pea soup. I have a bias for this type of soup, as I am a sucker for legumes. And I will hand it to them: aside from temperature (I would have prefer a more pipping hot version), it was a smooth and savoury soup. And they didn’t hold back in terms of smoked ham, as you could have easily have had a bit in every spoonful. The sweet peas on top was a nice touch to finish it. I had a discussion with Dumbfries about this, specifically how difficult it is to make. While it is relatively easy (mirepoix, split pea and hock of ham, top with water and cook until soft), at times, the legume does not break up as intended or some other things happen. And, if it breaks correctly, you might not need a stick blender; however, now that I am writing this, it is possible Dumbfries might be correct that it might have been used to achieve the smooth(er) texture… But, in the end, a good soup.

However, the one part of the soup order that didn’t work that much was the sweet potato bread on the side. In a way, I felt it was your regular plain bread, colour aside, that is. Did I miss something? :/

Now, my dish. In my case, I went for something heavier: bacon and eggs – scrambled eggs, smoked bacon, rosemary-cheddar potato hash, sweet potato toast. Let’s start everybody’s favourite… Bacon!!!! In this case, I don’t know, it was OK but nothing extraordinary. It was a bit salty, a bit smokey but that’s about it. While it wasn’t extremely greasy (ha!), that aside, there wasn’t anything else. However, while that and the sweet potato toast as mentioned above, didn’t work that well, the scrambled eggs and the potato hash stole the show. In the case of the eggs, it was still slightly runny and it had a quite light, almost custardy feeling to it. However, the interesting note is that it didn’t feel as if it was over cooked nor too airy. In a way, I would love to be able to get the recipe for this! As for the potato, I am not sure if a “hash” would be the best description. From a recipe perspective, it looks like as if some new potatoes were boiled/cooked and then mashed in a heavy cast iron skillet over some heat. Add some light seasoning and serve! And, in this case, it retained some crispiness as well as some of that starchy feeling as well. In other words, a combination of textures.

Again, as mentioned above, while they do have stoves tops and what not, I don’t think I should compare the food represented here to their other Culina restaurants. Having said that, what they served here was quite well executed. And, for that reason, I would certainly want to come back. Or better yet, their other locations!

Now, to finish this post, a picture (yes, one and only one!) that I took of the conservatory itself… And, I did enjoy my trip there!

White Spot
Several locations in Canada
1616 West Georgia Street (Location visited)
Vancouver, BC

A quick reminder of my background: I wasn’t raised in Canada and, as a result, there are a lot of things “Canadian” I didn’t grow up with. One of those things was White Spot’s Pirate Pack (and come to think about it, I didn’t even grow up having Happy Meals). So, when White Spot sent an email (*) to some of us food bloggers about this event, I was enthusiastic. Hey, why not! (After all, it is for a good cause!). So, on that day, I decided to drop by to “experience” it.

(*) As a personal decision, I do not participate in such promotions or events. If I choose to go to a restaurant, it will be on my own.

Now, this post is a bit different compared to the other post – it is more of a photo essay. How come? Because, well, I have been to White Spot previously and, in this case, things weren’t that different. After all, it is a chain!

Montana’s Cookhouse
Several locations across Canada
1046 – 2929 Barnet Highway (location visited)
Coquitlam, BC

After that hike in Diez Vistas, DVP couldn’t join me for dinner as she had to attend something unexpected. Alas, me “stranded” in the middle of nowhere and starting to get hungry (despite eating several handfuls of cashews before the last portion of the trail). So, while driving out of Buntzen Lake, I chose to drive through Coquitlam Centre rather than the “easier” route of Port Moody. Why? I have absolutely no idea… Could it be because I came driving that way? When I hit that mall, I remembered there was a Montana’s Cookhouse, as well as Chada Thai, I chose the former for one reason: Meat! I mean, I was darn hungry and all I could think of was meat… NOW!!!

At this point, if somebody is going to chastise me for going to Montana’s for their “BBQ”, please don’t. Me as a food blogger will go to almost any extent to try different restaurants, be it perceived good or perceived bad. To me, it is an adventure and a discovery process based on what I like (and dislike). Chances are, yours will be different than mine. The key here is enjoying the (eating?) process. But, back to Montana’s, the key here is that, unlike other restaurants, they don’t call themselves a BBQ place, instead it is family restaurant with emphasis in ribs and steaks. It won’t be that different from saying Red Lobster and a family restaurant emphasizing seafood or Red Robin emphasizing burgers. So, please, keep that in mind.

After being guided to a table and given the menu, my debate was… Should I go for the all-you-can-eat ribs or should I order one of their dishes? Now, had it been a heavy meat eater like Sherman, chances are both of us ordering the all-you-can-eat ribs (different types, of course) and sharing it. Had it been somebody lighter like Mijune or Anita, that might not necessarily be the case. OK, probably bad example with Mijune… She can be a heavy eater as any big guy! But, being by myself and despite I was really hungry, I chose the option of one of their ribs + other meat dishes mainly because I wanted variety. And that one “other meat” ended up being chicken:

Here, their beef rib + quarter chicken, and, for sides, I chose coleslaw and baked beans. One thing I am not sure if I should be surprised (or should have expected it) was the speed which this was served. I think it took them less than five minutes between ordering and serving it to my table. Truth is that is about right. I mean, it is not like some other cuisines that dishes are made to order. These dishes ought to be prepared in advance and, at most, a matter of plating them. So, from that perspective, they did what they were supposed to do…

The coleslaw was average but, then again, since chances are this came from a bag with some dressing thrown in, should I have expected anything else? The cornbread… Well, I will have to say it is among the worst I have ever had. It was too sweet for my liking plus it crumbled down way too easily. It was as if there wasn’t anything holding them together.

The other side, the beans, was a bit of a mixed bag. It wasn’t that sweet, didn’t have much of meat taste (actually, I don’t mind much this part); however, what detracted me was the fact it had a bit of a gritty feeling. It was fine as well but, again, I have had better. Oh, on that note, the sauce on the back was supposed to be Texas bold but… Aside from some odd taste, I wasn’t sure what to expect from it. Anyway, the proteins tasted fine without them.

And, talking about proteins, here is the chicken. I will have to admit it is quite decent. Now, not the best of this type but at least it had some unique characteristics still. For example, in no way it was dry and was brined long enough before cooking. But, then again, it is chicken… Oh, by default you get dark meat; if you want white meat (not sure why you would), it is extra.

Finally, their “BBQ” ribs. OK, there is no point on hiding this: if you don’t know by know, these aren’t really “BBQ”. Instead, they are boiled/parboiled/dry cooked/braised, probably grilled before serving/plating and then drenched in sauce. As a result of this cooking, the bone was literally falling off; however, the meat still had a “bite” in it. So, comparing this to any “real” BBQ might be comparing apple to oranges. However, I have absolutely no problem with these cooking methods because the result has qualities of its own. At least, in this case, the sauce served its purpose of “hiding” some imperfections associated to how they were cooked…

So, if you were going for “authentic” BBQ (whatever that means as everybody has his/her own opinion about this), don’t go to Montana’s. You will be disappointed. If you overlook that, what’s served is still edible.

BJs Brewhouse and Restaurant
Several locations in the US
1159 Southcenter Mall (Location visited)
Seattle, WA

(WARNING: This post is equivalent to NC-17. Proceed at YOUR OWN RISK!!!!)

Yesterday, I mentioned about fast food chains trying to outdo each other. But, do we food bloggers try to outdo each other as well? I have the hunch that some food bloggers try to avoid interaction with others; however, those who stick together, well, some friendly rivalry can’t be denied. After Sherman went to Zakkushi and got a bukkake… soba, that is, I was wondering if I could out do that post. So, when I was in Seattle/Tukwila, I thought I could go for a BJ… Burger, in BJs Brewery, that is…

This place is quite similar to a lot of sports bar like restaurants but with dining areas segregated from the bar sections. Probably because I haven’t been to Cactus/Joey’s/Moxie’s/Prestons and similar type restaurants, I might not be able to draw much similarities; however, if I compare it to some locations of White Spot, well, it is still not the same. Probably because the “bar” area mas more “grand” compared to our offerings? Hmmmm…. To make it even more interesting, they had a patio like section where it faces outside, meaning there is sunlight. Guess where I chose to seat?

Now, drawing yet another comparison to Cactus, Milestone or Prestons, here, the wait staff are dressed like a wait staff rather than something that you might wear if you were going to a party. Regardless, I won’t say much about service, as I was the only person in that area, aside from the waitress who was checking between the main dining area and the patio in and out the whole time.

As for the food, well, here is where I ran into a big roadblock – I didn’t really know what to order! It follows a menu type similar to that of places like Cheesecake Factory but, unlike that visit, where I went with others, this time, I was by myself, which meant I had to get the most of this visit. While I could have gone for a BJ… BJ burger, that is, I am not sure if that would have satisfied me. Instead, I went back and forth through the menu and eventually settled for an entree and some small sides. Then, that is when I realized “I am not in Canada anymore…”

Tomato and bocconcini salad. Aside of the fact I wanted something “salad” (though, of course, the fact it has bocconcini might discredit that), it wasn’t that much the issue of the salad. The “issue” was the cost: $3. Nope, no typo here! For $3, I got this plateful of tomato and bocconcini. Granted, it wasn’t cherry tomatoes or high end bocconcini, it was the amount that hit me in the head. How the !%^&*!@#$ they expect to generate profit if they charge $3?! This in Vancouver can be easily $6 in some restaurantS! But, OK, prices aside, it was your basic salad and the raw onions gave it a different twist so that was fine. Some basil would have done wonders but, not complaining, it was… Yes, $3!

Side number 2 was mac and cheese. Again, I wasn’t expecting this bowl. While I admit the salad above had its good points, I can’t say much about this mac and cheese. OK, there was some “crumbling” on the top but it didn’t really work as it didn’t have a crispy texture. And, then, it wasn’t really elbow macaroni (not that it mattered that much but purists will have a say…). The bacon would have worked really well; however, if it wasn’t because of the sauce, which made it soggy. Then, there is the sauce itself. See, I don’t care if it has tons of different cheeses; rather, I prefer a sharp taste. As Mijune told me once, for this type of application, I seem to prefer a simply cheese sauce not necessarily a “gourmet” multi-cheese type one. I guess I can be simple at times…. But, regardless, this one was bland so it really didn’t work for me. Still, for $4…

This is a side salad that comes along with my entree. I also had the option for Caesar or a wedge; however, I wasn’t up for (more?) cream on my face, not to mention I already had my share of dairy in the bocconcini and mac and cheese. It is an extremely simple salad and, while it could have done better in terms of type of ingredients, again, it was “free” so not much to say about.

I will have to admit that, at that point, I was starting to get full already and I haven’t even received my entree! And here it is.

I went for a rack of ribs plus chicken – in the case of the chicken, I specifically asked for the dark meat. Why? Because it is more flavourful! While the skin was crispy and the meat wasn’t dry at all, some sauce would have been helpful. As for the ribs, while I ended up licking some fingers, the meat itself wasn’t as tender as it could have been. But, given the type of restaurant, I would have assumed they don’t necessarily have a BBQ to cook these and rather they are boiled/braised and then finished on a grill. If we use that as a guideline, it still need some work as not much penetrated into the meat inside. Still, it kept some pork goodness so, I will you take it for what it is. Notice I haven’t mentioned a word about that potato. I won’t even go into it. First of all, I declined any cheese or bacon (I was originally thinking on eating it but not with these) so you might not get it plain as seen in the picture. But, after the size of the previous dishes, there was no way in hell I was going to eat it. OK, just so that I can say I tried it, I stabbed it with the fork and tried some (it was completely bland). Come to think about it, I am not sure if I would have wanted to eat the whole thing had I not ordered the sides, anyway.

At this point, you thought I would have thrown in the towel, right? (Even the waitress thought I was satisfied at that point!) Nope, just for kicks, I asked for the dessert menu. I originally was up for pies but, alas, they didn’t have any. Instead, they had a dish called pizookie. I guess that would be a portmanteau of pizza and cookie. And, to make it more enticing, it is served with a snowball… I mean, scoop of ice cream.

The portion served is NOT the regular portion but the small serving (which is served in its trio). I guess the waitress though I couldn’t have space for more… Regardless, I didn’t finish it, I barely had half of it. In the end, that sort of shows I am not that much of a desserts person…

After settling the bill and walking around the mall (hey, I wasn’t going to turn around and go to sleep, would I?), I found this. C’mon, do you really think I would have gone to this place? But, still looking for other alternatives, there were some usual suspects, like the Cheesecake Factory and Olive Garden, among others. Given the type of competition in the area, I am sure some people will be enticed by the ridiculous portion sizes (bigger is better?). As for me, BJs didn’t blow me away nor it sucked so I will leave it at that.

KFC
Hundred of locations in the world
15036 Tukwila International Blvd (Location visited)
Seattle, WA

One thing nobody can deny is that fast food restaurants have been given a really bad reputation. Do they deserve it? For the most part, yes but, at the same time, it fills a niche… OK, let me try again… For the most part, yes but, at the same time, there is a group that wants/demands their goods. It does not necessarily help when eating at these places are cheaper than cooking a meal at home… And then, we have each of these companies trying to outdo each other, every time offering an even “worst” rendition of one of their dishes. Triple baconator anybody???

Now that obesity is at his height, I am not sure why companies try to compete amongst themselves and, instead, not combat the issue of obesity. I know of people who are fighting an uphill battle and I really admire the fact they have acknowledged it plus the fact they are doing something about it rather than sitting around it. And that brings the topic of today’s post…

In that out-do each other quest, a couple of months ago, KFC unveiled their Double Down sandwich “a sandwich so big they didn’t have space for a bun”. In a nutshell, it is two pieces of grilled or fried chicken breast serving as bun and some cheese/bacon in the middle. While calories-wise isn’t worst than some offerings in the market, from a nutritional perspective, the killer part is their sodium content: one of these sandwiches easily contain the max suggested intake for a whole day!

From a health perspective, I won’t have ordered it myself; however, from a food blogger’s perspective, I knew I should give it a try… But, since it was an US only item, plus the fact I haven’t had a business trip for a while, meant my only chance to eat this was to go down the US. Of course, I could do what Chris did when he created the Canadian, eh? version of it. But, but… Suddenly, I was on my way to the US for my current work project and, huahahahahaha! Double Down!!!!

But, first, do you want fries with that? In this case, it was in the form of potato wedges. To put it quickly (even to the point of not including a picture here) and get it out of the way: I have had better…

Now, back to the main topic, huahahahaha! Here is the “sandwich”. I will have to say it is quite overrated. I mean, doesn’t it look flat? It is as if they didn’t use a whole chicken breast; instead, they butterflied it and use it as top and bottom. As for the sauce, bacon and cheese, if it wasn’t because I saw them there, I won’t have been able to tell they were there…

But, what, there is more! Did you think I was going to go all the way down here and try the fried version??? No, no, no! I was going to go for the grilled version as well! In this case, there wasn’t much difference between the two. If you have had their chicken, you pretty know what to expect.

I will admit one thing: I didn’t eat it as a sandwich; instead, I had it with fork and knife. Reality is, I believe that is the best way to eat it. Had I had it as a sandwich, I will imagine all the fat on my fingertips afterwards. Furthermore, the issues with sodium was quite evident: after a couple of bites, I was drinking all the pop I could (literally).

So, aside from the fact it is overrated, what are my other thoughts of the sandwich? If you want this, you might as well go to your local supermarket and buy a rotisserie chicken. It might end up cheaper and you get more chicken out of it. If you really want to eat it as a sandwich, you cut the chicken meat yourself. As for me, no, I didn’t finish them – I ate the equivalent of a sandwich and the rest went directly to the garbage. It is a case of me rather throw away food than poison myself…

Five Guys Burgers and Fries
Park Royal Shopping Centre (South side)
2002 Park Royal South
West Vancouver, BC

To those who can only speak English, let me tell you: English is an odd language and can be twisted in really odd ways. From being a language where there are more exceptions than rules, to things times where spelling makes no sense (read vs read, in its present vs past tense), pronunciation isn’t straight forwards (tomato vs tomato) and where you can create words overnight, like malamanteau (and the hilarity it ensued afterwards). However, that does not mean I can’t use it in its own odd ways as well. A week or so ago, I wrote a tweet on the lines of (which I have deleted since):

“Getting messy with Five Guys”

Of course, I initially meant “Having a mess in Five Guys”, though, I knew that typing it differently would have raised a lot of eyebrows. But, then again, a lot of people don’t know/want to remember/are aware that “mess” can also refer to a meal, plus the fact that Five Guys was capitalized should have given a hint I was referring to something else, as in Five Guys Burgers and Fries. Of course, at times, being politically correct detracts from some jokes… Anyway, back to the restaurant and food theme, my visit to Five Guys Burgers and Fries…

Now, to those who haven’t heard/read about Five Guys, one of their biggest claim to fame includes that of current US president Barack Obama visiting their restaurant in Washington, DC. However, similar to what I wrote about Ezell’s Chicken and Oprah, just because they have $$$ and power does not mean what they like is necessarily good. If you are a long time reader, you should know that I am not a lemming jumping into any bandwagon: If it is good, it is good by its own rights. So, have all the hype surrounding this restaurant, it was time to try their goods…

There are several things that strikes me odd right from the beginning: its location. Out of all places in Metro Vancouver, they chose one that is not necessarily accessible to everybody: West Vancouver. Sure, you can get there by taking transit but, c’mon, there ought to be better and more accessible spots! The other one is, as you see above, peanuts. Now, I am not allergic to most food (as far as I know) but I have started to understand when people can’t eat some things because they can’t and not because they are not willing to. But, in the case of Five Guys, they seem to be clear that peanuts are there to stay. Oh, wait, did I mention these are free peanuts you can munch while you wait for your order? Now, it isn’t the greatest of the world but, at times, you can’t argue with free…

And what seems to be a trend nowadays, open kitchen. Here, you can see them prepare the burgers and so on. But, alas…

They do not cut their fries to order but have them stacked around the restaurant. Now, given it is a franchise, I do understand their need for standardization but, at the same time, I would guess they should consider finding local alternatives… Regardless, the proof is the final product.

In this case, I ordered their bacon burger. But, wait, did I mention a regular bacon burger but it comes with two patties? Well, it just happens that the regular burger does have two patties by default; if you want a burger with a single patty, you have to order the “little” version. Size-wise, it would about the size of two hockey pucks stacked one on top of the other. Darn, how times have changed… It seems that now everything is supersized by default… >_< Anyway, to make it a “meal”, I went for a side of fries and a drink. And, speaking of fries…

In the end, the fries were a bit disappointing. It wasn’t bad, just that it wasn’t good by any stretch of the imagination. It had a dry starchy texture and fried a bit too long. It has been one of the few instances that I had to add catsup in a wacky attempt to salvage it. Furthermore, this is their regular fries – this portion can easily feed two or three…

Back to the burger, you do not have an option of the doneness of the patties: in their case, well done (as in meat doneness) is the only way. At times, I don’t argue about it: if it is well done (as it skillfully done), it should taste great. As for condiments, I went “all in” as in “mayo, relish, onions, lettuce, pickles, tomatoes, grilled onions, grilled mushrooms, ketchup, mustard, jalapeno peppers, green peppers, A-1 sauce, Bar-B-Q sauce and hot sauce”. While some of the condiments are noticeable there, some are somewhat absent. For instance, I couldn’t taste any of the sauces (either that or they conflicted with each other in such a way they were working against each other)… And, as for the patties themselves… Well, there was some beef taste in it but it felt quite generic. It is as if you just threw some grounded meat and cook it through. If I had to compare it to a BK Whopper, it is that far away…

I won’t say that it is necessarily bad; however, there are a couple of things that prevent me from going back: price. The burger by itself is already in the $8 range. Once you add a drink and fries, it can easily balloon to $13 (though, of course, if it is two, they can share the fries). Furthermore, having it as takeout does not seem to be much of an option: in my case, after a couple of minutes to take pictures of the fries (while the burger was still wrapped) and the bun was starting already to get somewhat soft – hence, the reason I made almost no comment about it. As a result, I believe there are better options, including your more friendly White Spot (gasp!) or, given you have to drive all the way, Burger Burger (though, alas, its hours aren’t the best either). Could it be that something was lost in translation when it left Washington? Probably next time I am in the US I might found out but, based on this experience, not in any hurry.

Sushi Itto
Locations in the Central America, Mexico, US and Spain
Centro Comercial Multiplaza (Location visited)
Panama City, Panama

Before I go on with this post, I will appreciate if readers first check this really old post. In it, I described one of the first sushi experience in Vancouver; however, I also make mention of my first sushi experience prior to me moving here. That place was Sushi Itto. During this visit to Panama, I decide to go back to check if my experience eons ago still apply and, given I have had my big share of Japanese food in Vancouver, how it fares. Ah, the memories!

One thing I realized in this trip is the amount of Japanese restaurants popping here and there. Now, I am not talking about sit down restaurants – there are still only that many. Instead, I am talking about food court stands. I find this a bit odd, considering you might as well have ceviche. I guess it is an “issue” of popularity of Japanese culture and desire to try foreign food.

No tea here…

At least they some disposable oshibori…

On this trip, I wasn’t there by myself; rather, I went with GN, whom I went last year with to The Wine Bar, a local (as in Panama) restaurant. Now, the intent wasn’t really to have a meal here either, instead, it was to have a “snack”. The actual meal will come in tomorrow’s post! Anyway, that meant we would order only that many dishes… GN wasn’t sure what to order and the menu wasn’t too inspiring for me. However, we were seated and a decision had to be taken. So, against my judgement, I ordered…

California roll with tobiko

Yup, the infamous California roll, here with tobiko (fish roe). Now, I know some of your will be shaking their heads for even considering ordering this. Part of the reason was that I wasn’t sure what GN would like/not like so I chose the safest option around. However, the real reason is that it might have been that intent of remember that experience years ago.

So how was it? It was utter crap. There was absolutely no seasoning in the rice that I could taste. Furthermore, it was krab and the avocado didn’t even have a creamy consistency, which I consider an epic fail, considering Panama grows avocado locally (and, no, not the Haas variety)…

Shrimp temaki

Just for kicks, I also ordered a temaki, a cone. In this case, I was given the option for crab/krab or shrimp. To play it “safe”, I ordered the shrimp version. As you can see, it has (two pieces of) prawn tempura and asparagus. It also had a sauce that looked (and tasted) like that composite mayo found in supermarkets. The shrimp was heavily battered and cold, hints of it being prepared in advance. the asparagus was mushy and didn’t really add much to the final product.

$6.60 for a California Roll? $7.50 for a cone???

As I mentioned in my Sushi Robo post, my first experience with sushi would have scarred me for life. For good or for bad, I gave it a second chance and I now enjoy it in a different way. As for this visit to Sushi Itto? It reminded me why I disliked it… And that also explains why GN calls it “The MickeyD’s of sushi”…

What?! Another McDonald’s post? (previous ones include s’mores pie, breakfast sandwich and Crème Brûlée McFlurry). OK, I am not the biggest McDonald’s fan and, despite all the bashing given to them (at times, me included), unfortunately, it has its place in society. Hell, in Vancouver’s food blogger scene, courtesy of Sherman, we even have a phrase referencing to McDonald’s! (Whenever a restaurant, specially fine dining, serves a meal that leaves you still hungry, it is called a “Filet-o-Fish Meal”, as you would most likely drop by for that sandwich afterwards). Now, whether you like it or not, it does not matter, somebody will (I actually their soft serve are quite interesting). So, why this post? Well, blame Mijune! The other day, she wrote this tweet:

I just drove by a McDonald’s and they have McMini’s!! What are those!? They look like half a burger not a mini burger though!

Not that different from that time where I went to pick up some s’mores pie, I decided to go this time for some McMini!

I don’t recall seeing ads of them in TV (see side note at the end of this post), so I ended up going to the next best source – YouTube and found this one:

Update! The ad for the McMini in BC is now up in YouTube. Check it here!

I after seeing the sandwich in the ad, I was curious about two things: size of the sandwich and the bread. You have to admit it is quite an interesting change from the usual buns used in their burgers. So, one night, I dropped by and got two (despite there are four possible combinations). Unfortunately (?) by mistake, they gave me a crispy and a grilled version but both with the spicy Thai sauce (I asked the grilled version with pesto).

I was actually surprised at the bread: it looks closer to what is in the ad than other sandwiches (ahem, Big Mac, anybody????). On that note, it actually had some chewiness into it, rather than that soft, over-fluffy buns used in other of their sandwiches (probably with the exception of their now discontinued deli sandwiches). Alas, it was white bread – I would have preferred a more sourish bread (sourdough) or whole wheat.

Another surprise, it was a whole piece of chicken breast rather than some mashed, reconstructed version. While it has some char marks, that was about it, marks – it had none of the flavour associated to such charring.

The crispy version is, as you would expect, a strip of fried chicken – if you had McDonald’s chicken (not nuggets) before, then you have a good idea of its texture. It was crispy, alright, and despite the transit time between me buying it and getting home, it retained partially that crispiness. As for the spicy Thai sauces in both cases, I am not sure what makes them “Thai”, nor what makes it spicy. In fact, it might have even been plum sauce (similar to the one used for Peking duck)…. So, in a way, the spicy Thai version is not for me…

Because of the mix up of the order, I went another day and ordered their pesto version, here the grilled one. Fortunately, the piece of chicken was more even (unlike the one above) but, alas, it also ran into the same issue as the spicy Thai version, while it had some charring taste, those chars didn’t really add much.

And, this time, the crispy, pesto version. I was actually surprised at the pesto version: it actually had some of that herby basil, slightly nutty taste! Of course, not the fresh version, more on the lines of the ones you can find in the supermarket (in the cold pasta version, not necessarily the jarred one). Now, I don’t think they were using actual nuts (like pine nuts) but, regardless, it actually tasted good!

The sandwich was far from perfect. Lengthwise, it is about the size of an iPhone – probably a bit longer. I was able to finish one in about three bites. So, if you are going to order it as a meal, don’t. Chances are you will be hungry. On that note, I was surprised they didn’t ask if I wanted to make it a meal. When I asked, they told me that wasn’t an option. Interesting… One thing that I think was completely out of place was the mayo at the bottom of the sandwich. While it provided some creaminess, I don’t think that complemented the nuttiness of the pesto or sweetness of the spicy Thai (though, again, I didn’t quite like this one). One thing that also bothered me was its price point. At $2 each, I thought it was too expensive, specially considering you can get a 6″ veggie or ham sandwich is Subway at about the same price. But, then again, we might be comparing apples to oranges as this is an actual piece of chicken breast. Now, had McDonald’s added some veggies…

Overall, if I would order one, that would be the grilled pesto version. Not the best around but I do think they did make an effort to produce a good sandwich. Now, if they bring back their deli sandwiches…

Sidenote: Just before I went to McDonald’s for my first visit, I received an email from the PR rep from McDonald’s inviting me to a tasting of the McMini (which hasn’t taken place on the day this blog post goes live). In my reply, I told that I already had plans to try them and blog it. Furthermore, I mentioned that, due to prior personal reasons and commitments, I won’t have gone anyway. Instead, I referred them to Mijune. And here is her post!

OK, I can see people thinking, WTH?! No restaurant post today, instead that of a McDonald’s?! Sky is falling!!!!

Nah, similar to why I wrote the McDonald’s s’mores pie post, I was with Mijune (of Follow Me Foodie, her post on this “dessert”, to be up soon!) in the Downtown area and knowing she loves sweets, I suggested we try this new concoction: the crème brûlée McFlurry. After all, what are the chances I will finish one of these? (Answer: none). But, here is the interesting detail to all this (something I found out afterwards): it seems this, along with the s’mores pie and some dipping sauces for the McNuggets (spicy Szechwan and zesty mango), they are part of the featured Winter Olympic Games menu. So, in a way, it is a Canada only item right now (or as far as I know)! So, without further ado, the Creme Brulee McFlurry.

One big caveat here. The picture above is for the small McFlurry; when we went initially to try the McFlurry, we went for the large one. I thought that ought to be more than enough for the two of us (as I was more on the lines of sampling than devouring the whole thing). So, how come I ended up getting this shot of a small one? The lightning conditions for the first one was not as good as it could have been so I went to buy another one another day… Feel free to call me crazy, hehehehe.

Note: Click on the images below for a larger version in a new window.

According to the menu, it is made with “crunchy caramelized sugar bits” but, in addition to that, there is some form of syrup/liquid caramel. See the yellow droplets on the rim? Yup, that is the caramel. As for the bits, Mijune was calling them “toffee”. That might be a good analogy/description, as it has that sweetness you expect from that confectionary, except they were not that soft. Come to think about it, since the idea of cream brulee is to have that crunchy top, I see why it ended up being brittle/crunchy.

When they were preparing it, I noticed they did not really layer the soft serve and the caramel bits. As a result, and despite it is mixed before it is served, the top layer has a good share of caramel bits, which starts to vanish as you reach the lower half (in my case, I was digging on a side to partially avoid the caramel). Some might be disappointed but…

I will admit that McDonald’s soft serve, along with DQ’s and other similar iterations of soft serve, is somewhat of a guilty pleasure once in a while. Sure, I could have gelato instead but I grew up with eating these rather than gelato (as I wrote here). As for the Crème Brûlée McFlurry, it is way sweeter than what I expect and what I can tolerate, so it is unlikely I will come back for one of these. However, those are my thoughts and I can see why some people (specially hyper-active children?) would like it.