The Beaver & Mullet Canadian Bistro
1184 Denman Street
Vancouver, BC

Cupcakes
1168 Denman Street
Vancouver, BC

I have started to wonder… Have I blogged literally all the restaurants in Denman Street? Nah, wishful thinking! A lot of times restaurants come and go and we always play a catch up game. Of course, there are also restaurants that I haven’t visited for other reasons. For example, in that area, I haven’t been yet to Westender Korean Cafe, Vina Vietnamese, Central Bistro & Lounge, et al. Why? In some cases, because the restaurant does not entice me; in other cases, the food type does not entice me. Of course, I might be overlooking something and, if so, I will always appreciate if readers point those places out! But back to this post. On a Friday, PO and I were looking for a good eats place in Denman and we walked all the way from Robson towards English Bay and then we remembered The Beaver and Mullet Canadian Bistro (Beaver and Mullet).

“Remembered”? Well, it happens that last year, it was under remodelation (don’t remember if it was under the same name) and, when it re-opened, there was a “Pay what you think it’s worth” type special. However, they had no menu outside so we didn’t even know what to expect. We weren’t that adventurous that day. However, when we found out they had a website, we were able to take a quick look at what they offer and, this time, we were good to go.

The day we went, when we arrived, it was almost empty. Given we could sit pretty much anywhere, we ended up on the table closest to the window for natural light. Not sure if it was because of the time of day or what not but, at that moment, service felt quite casual, which works fine for me. After given the menu, it was still a bit of shuffling as to what to order.

Now, notice the full name of the restaurant. What is a “Canadian Bistro”? In fact, what defines “Canadian” cuisine? Given our cultural composition, that’s something I have never been able to even imagine but, instead, just focus what is available. But, of course, if somebody knows, by all means, drop your comment at the end!

But, back to the menu, they had a salmon dish (representing BC?), Montreal smoked meat sandwich (representing Quebec?), grilled cheese sandwich, mac and cheese and a pot pie (not sure but, anyway, if it is there!), among others. However, we had an odd time deciding what to order. How so? Despite these dishes sound generic, the way the menu was listed was actually enticing to order more than one! Don’t know how to explain that, it just happened. In the end…

We started off with their BBQ Guinness wings (other variants include salt & pepper, hot, sweet chili and stupid hot). One thing that stood up right away in an odd way was the size of the wings. Yes, they were really small; however, fortunately, it wasn’t “by piece count”. If it was, I am sure a lot of people would have cried shenanigans by now! As for the wing itself, it was quite evident it wasn’t fried as it didn’t have that crispy texture; however, the end result, at least, wasn’t dry and still juicy to an extent. If it wasn’t because of the size, I would have liked it a bit more. Alas…

Moving to the mains, I ended up ordering their Canadian pot pie, which comes with a salad. While this is something I won’t have ordered under normal conditions, I did so anyway because I was curious as to what makes it Canadian! In the end, it was a chicken pot pie. In a way, it felt “simple” but, I don’t know, it wasn’t… Bad? There wasn’t anything extraordinary but, still, a decent pot pie. The only “complain” was the fact you had to pay $12 for it.

PO went for their mac and cheese. Now, it is not “just” mac and cheese; instead, there was the option to choose three “items” from a list of vegetable, cheese and meat. In other words, this was customizable (their grilled cheese sandwich could be customized the same way). Of course, I had to wonder… If I didn’t add cheese, as one of the three “items”, would it still be considered a mac-n-cheese? Anyway, in this case, PO ordered it with gouda, pesto and chicken. There was some cauliflower on top and the “burnt” crust on top was actually good as it gave some contrasting texture on top. Now, was it fresh pesto? Not sure, but didn’t matter much given it was baked. Instead, it was the fact you could actually taste the basil which I believe is what mattered. As for the chicken… Well, it was chicken… Sorry!

After finishing the meal and settling the bill, we were given some free drink tickets. Not sure if it was because I was taking pictures of the food or a common occurrence. Regardless, what do I think about the restaurant? Well, the food wasn’t bad; it felt home-y. Pricewise, some were better than others. For example, I thought the mac-n-cheese seem to be a good meal for $10 (a side salad would have been great here). Even then, I didn’t “invoke” that pay what you think it is. I am sure they have reasons to set the dishes at that price point. Would I come back? Well, at this point, not sure; but, it might be a good option as a quiet-er sports bar.

After walking out of the restaurant, something happened that might create really odd reactions, specially those who have read this blog long enough: Both PO and I looked at Cupcakes and ended up getting something from them. Yes, sky is falling!!!!

We ended up getting a pre-packed box of mini-cupcakes and took it back to the office. It is something that I wonder: how fresh are these? I took one and… Too sweet? Pointless? In the end, I didn’t change my opinion about cupcakes. While it wasn’t dry, in fact, it was moist, it was just meh. I mean, as I have mentioned before, I would have preferred petit fours over this. But why petite fours over this? Probably because I am not necessarily excited for frosting? Because I don’t necessarily like its texture? Regardless, I don’t understand the hype and, hopefully, this serves me as a reminder why I don’t care.

White Tower
1359 Robson Street
Vancouver, BC

If you are looking for Greek food in Vancouver, you can pretty much go anywhere. Probably you might have favourites but, if you go around town, there will be one every dozen or so blocks. In the case of Downtown Vancouver, for most people, there is even a “default”: Stepho’s, a restaurant that, in a way, has mastered the art of generating enough volume of customers to make it possible for them to lower there prices to an almost ridiculous level – to an extent that people are willing to queue up just for a plate of Greek food. But, then again, there is Takis Taverna a couple of doors from Stepho’s. If you move to Denman, there is Olympia Pizza and Pasta and Maria’s Taverna. After walking so many times in Robson, I thought there might not be any… That was until a day, PO and I were looking for something quick in the area and we ended up going to a place I believe has been there forever: White Tower.

When we walked in, the oddity was that the restaurant was empty! Probably because it was a sunny day? Regardless, after we sat down and as the meal went, there were some suited businessmen taking another table and a small family yet another table. As we looked at the menu, we ended up going for the easy way out: their lunch specials. In their case, they had two so PO ended up ordering one and I ordered the other one. First, the bread from each of us orders:

In PO’s case, his order came with a piece of toast, in my case, a piece of pita. The toast could have had a bit more of garlic (as in garlic toast?) but, otherwise, it was OK. As for the pita… Well, again it was OK. Come to think about it, it was just average at best but, oh, well, it is bread so we weren’t to picky about it.

PO chose special #1 ($9): lasagna. OK, OK, this does not necessarily shout Greek but Italian. But, you know what? Lasagna might have some Greek background, not to mention there is a similar Greek dish called pastitsio! In the end, if it is good, that is what matters the most. As for the one here, the sauce could have had a bit more spices but, otherwise, the pasta had a nice fresh texture to it. PO finished the whole plate, which, by then, I had to ask: how does it compare to the one from Ciao Bella? He thought it might be apple and oranges, in the case of White Tower’s, it had a bit more “home” feeling. And, from the sample I had, I will have to agree.

As for myself, I went for special #2 ($10), chicken souvlaki, served with rice, Greek salad, roasted potatoes and tzatziki, which I used mostly as a spread for the pita. The rice was almost the parboiled type but, at least, it had some seasoning hint in it. As for the salad… Well, it is quite similar to the ones you can find in almost all Greek places so I am not sure how to really separate them from the rest. The potatoes was OK; not the biggest fan of potatoes but, at least, it did what it was supposed to do. And, finally, the chicken souvlaki… I will have to admit it was nicely grilled but it was slightly dry. A slight squirt of the lemon did some wonders but not enough to counter the dryness.

I will have to admit that despite some issues, the food was good. Unfortunately, given it is walking distance from Stepho’s, there will be that comparison. But, if you let that go, not to mention if the consideration that “other” dishes are available here (including pasta and pizza), which can prove to be a plus if you have a party and people wants different dishes. In the end, the food is good in its own ways and that is what matters.

Luca’s Ristorante
1 Walter East Foran Boulevard
2019 State Route 27 (Location visited)
Somerset, NJ

Back in my old days of computer gaming (early 1990s), there was a magazine called Computer Gaming World (CGW). Gaming in the old days… 256 colours in 640 x 480. I am digressing here… So, what that (now defunct) magazine has to do with food? It just happens that until the later days of the magazine, it never gave a rating. It gave the games highs, lows and a general thought of the game and the writers opinion, leaving up to the reader to then decide whether he/she should get the game or not. You can say that my writing style is heavily influenced by this magazine. OK, what that has to do with food, some of you might still ask. Again, one thing I tried to do on this trip was to try different cuisines. Short of East Asian (other than Ichi Umi) and African, I have bounced back and forth. Today, it is about Luca’s Ristorante. The reason I came here? Because of all the high marks given by people, which led up to it being the number 2 restaurant in New Jersey, according to Urbanspoon…

But that still does not explain the relationship between CGW, Urbanspoon and Luca’s Ristorante! OK, here is the explanation: If you look at the Urbanspoon page for Luca’s Ristorante, you will notice the amount of positive feedback; however, if you keep on looking closely, you will notice that most of the reader reviews are people who have written exactly one review. While I accept the fact some people might want to put only one review (probably because they do not eat out often or similar reason), when over half of them are exactly one review will raise some eyebrows. Still, I wanted to find out myself…

And that led to yet another getting-myself-lost-while-driving silly experience! Although this time I did not have to go through highways and missing exits, I was challenged by the rain and the darkness of the area. Unlike most of the roads taken previously, most of the driving was through a large section of residential area but, for some reason, it was poorly lit. Given that I was driving slightly below the max allowed speed (due to conditions), I made a couple of wrong turns and that set me back up for almost half an additional hour to my road trip there! Don’t believe me? I am sure that Sherman and Anita can attest to my lack of sense of direction on the roads!

When I arrived, I found it interesting this restaurant was located in a strip mall, not that different to those you can find in Richmond, BC – with the exception that, rather than having another strip mall next to it, it was mostly empty lot in the back (or, at least, as far as I could see which was less than 25m!). Yet, there was some multi-culturalism present: next to Luca’s Ristorante, there was a middle-Eastern/Indian type cafe. After I walked past the door, I was greeted by a “long” corridor to where the maitre’d station is and then it separates the dining room into two. Since it was empty at that moment, I was given the option to sit anywhere. I chose the very corner of the restaurant, as far away from any potential customers who might be arriving later. The reason? Lightning…

While it was serviceable to an extent (and not as bad as Baru Latino), it was far from ideal for a picture taking perspective. This meant that I had to use my Speedlight. It was a good thing, I thought, there weren’t any customers yet but, not long after, two couples took a table in the same area where I was. Fortunately, they were far enough. That also meant I shouldn’t take my chances and try to snap as many pictures as possible as fast as possible. Anyway, to the food!

After I made my order, I was given this bowl of complimentary bread. I will admit the bread was quite good. Three different types of bread, all of them still warm. It wasn’t that fluffy but it had a good consistency to it. The one I found somewhat out of place is the middle one which had some fruit in it (blueberry? raisins?). Since I was expecting something neutral or savoury, it caught me slightly off guard. Out of the two dips, I liked the pesto to the right which enhanced the savoury-ness of the bread. The left one… Well, I was still trying to figure out what it was. I thought it would be olive oil and balsamic with the twist of some herbs on top. However, it did not have that olive flavour. I did not bother to ask either because, overall, the bread was good on its own.

To start off with, I had the… Sorry but I do not remember the name exactly. (I tried to take a picture of the menu for reference purposes with my iPhone but it was too dark to make anything out of it). Yes, yes, the general idea is that of mozzarella di bufala caprese, i.e., tomato, mozzarella and basil but, in this case, it also had some capers, grilled red peppers, oil and balsamic vinegar. While simple, this dish was good, in fact, better than expected. I knew that the tomato would be a challenge, specially because they used what seems to be a beefsteak tomato and tomatoes in general weren’t “in season”. And while the tomato couldn’t hold to that creamy texture of the mozzarella, the grilled peppers shined and took over that complimentary role. The sweet pieces mixed really well with that herb taste of basil and the oil and vinegar. The capers were mostly for show and don’t think it added much (not even some saltiness).

With my pasta dish (more in a moment), I received a side salad. The truth is, I could have lived without it. OK, OK, I wouldn’t mind eating more greens just that, well, it wasn’t that much to comment about. They might have grabbed some mixed greens from a bag and added some tomatoes on top and call it a salad. The dressing (not pictured) was better, though, as it provided some savoury notes to the otherwise average salad. (And I am among those who can eat salads without dressing!).

As mentioned above, I had pasta. In the case of Luca’s Ristorante, they have fresh pasta and, well, pasta. Since they make that distinction, I thought I might as well go for the pasta fresca. In this case, Gnocchi di Spinaci Genovese or Spinach dumplings served with braised sirloin and caramelized onions in a white wine sauce (the last part not 100% accurate as the picture I took is extremely dark). When I was served this dish, the waiter first brought a cloth napkin and put it folded into a square the table. Then, he brought the tajine like pot (except it did not have a hole on top). I was wondering what I was supposed to do with it until he put his hand on top and, in a theatherical act, he makes me wait and wait and then uncover this dish. And, then, he asked if I wanted some “Parmesan cheese”. I said yes and, using a grater, he topped some (or “until you say stop”). Authentic Parmigianino? Uncertain, but I am not going to argue on that point.

At first, the liquid was still bubbling, so I knew I had to proceed with care to avoid burning myself. After “mixing” it around, I took my first bite. Now, I know that pasta is a tricky business, specially if you bring it up to an Italian. Most people like it al dente, some others like it mushy. I won’t condemn anybody about this because, well, it is personal preference. In the case of gnocchi, I like it light and fluffy, though if it has a slight bite to it, I think I can live with it. In this case, I found its texture to be slightly chewy. While it did not have to chew hard (as in, say, a bowl of tong yuen, aka, Chinese glutinous rice ball soup), it had a chewier consistency than what I expected. The sauce, which, as mentioned above, started as bubbling liquid, started to thicken as it started to cool down. However, because the gnocchi was mostly smooth (baring that indentation, as if made with a thumb), the sauce did not really “cling” into it. As a result, I ended up eating this dish with a spoon rather than a fork, which I felt somewhat odd. Finally, the meat was an epic fail: partially thanks to the cut, it ended up dry, which did not help much to the beef taste as it was struggling to begin with. Size wise, I will have to say this would have been better to share rather than eat it by myself. Heck, I barely made past half the tajine!

On the way back to the hotel, I couldn’t help wonder… Why was everybody raving about this place? Did I order something wrong? While there were hits, the pasta dish, what a lot of Italians considers (or, at least, it is said) to be the key dish failed. If you fail on that, the rest of the meal will be incomplete. Of course, I did not have the dinner Italian style, still, I can’t help how I would have reacted if I was given that as second dish (after the antipasto) and I did not like it. Overall, I think it has good points but not high enough, specially to the extent some “reviewers” mentioned. Because of that, I don’t think I would come back if I am in there area again.

Joey’s
507 Burrard Street
Vancouver, BC

A couple of months ago, I wrote a post on Joey’s Burrard and Robson location (you can check it here). In it, I said you can safely guess if I will NOT be back (unless dragged by my friends)!. Guess what? I was “dragged” there by some friends! (When your friends says their food is “soooooo gooooood” ad nauseum…). However, thisime, it was not the same location but the Burrard and Pender location.

I have expressed previously my dislike towards these chains and I am still amazed why people would queue up when there are, in my opinion, better holes-in-the-wall in the area. Unfortunately, due to the distance to my workplace, I would seldom be able to go to the area. Anyway, back to Joey’s… My friends, who work a couple of blocks away, were able to get there “early enough” and manage to secure a table so I was able to just walk in.

After making our orders, more in a moment, we started our usual chat. One thing I must admit that the restaurant is well lit, mainly natural light; however, the tables and slightly oversized chairs were not necessarily well laid out. In my case, there were some challenges walking towards/leaving the table. The challenges include customer with chairs too far from the table (hence partially blocking the way) and waiters/waitresses standing near the POS or attending other customers. Now, as you all know, most waiters/waitresses in this establishments are know for their physique but when one of the is standing there and you can’t walk through, that should give you an idea that it felt squeezed. Sure, while seated you are quite comfortable, but… (It is ironic that you will encounter scenarios like this in Chinese restaurants and I seldom if ever complain about it!). Anyway, to the food.

TX, friend A, got what I think it is seafood Sicilian pesto linguini (I think); while UW, friend B, got… Actually, I do not remember this dish at all! Anyway, both were pasta dishes and both seemed to enjoy it. After all, they were saying it is
“soooooo gooooood”…

As for myself, I got the Lobster Grilled Cheese, with atlantic (sic) lobster, brie & cheddar grilled cheese sandwich served with fries & cocktail sauce on the side. The fries were… Fries, not much to comment. Probably a bit too thin for my liking but it did what it was supposed to do. As for the grilled cheese sandwich, well, it was buttery, it was cheese-y, it was…. disappointing. While there were small pieces of lobster (I won’t expect much lobster given the dish was $15, which, I think is damn bloody expensive), they were completely overpowered by the cheese and butter. Had they used surimi, I wouldn’t have been able to tell the difference. Well, may by the texture but, then, this is not crunchy or chewy like some Chinese dishes where they are loved because of the texture (pig’s ear, anybody?). Sure, I should have known that, just that I did not expect it to be that way. I guess I should stop ordering sandwiches/burgers when I go to these places and have an actual meal instead? Will see….

The service is “as expected” from these places. And to me, “as expected” means coming to ask “how is everything” when I have my mouth full and making some chit chat about “you ordered the lobster grilled cheese? Good choice”. (I am sure it was some other dish, it would have been the same expression…). At least the glasses were always filled. Overall, my opinion of Joey’s have not changed. My friends, though, had mixed feelings, specially considering their “soooooo gooooood” comments before the lunch. UW, who favours Cactus a bit more, said next time it will be there. (sigh) The things I have to do for a post…

The Wine Bar
Calle Eusebio A. Morales, El Cangrejo
Panama City, Panama

In life, there are friends and there are FRIENDS. When I moved to Canada, I did not tell to almost any of my friends. Before anybody jumps into any conclusion, you must understand that moving into a new country on your own is not necessarily easy and emotional attachments to your previous country might detract you from your new home. However, even then, there were FRIENDS who, despite I severed almost all contact, had faith in me (how they found out, I don’t know). One of these FRIENDS is GN, whom I met way back from high school. So, when went to Panama a couple of weeks ago, I knew I had to treat GN for lunch/dinner. Of course, it would be GN’s choice. And the place we ended up was The Wine Bar.

Sure, there were tables outside but, down there, being so hot, almost nobody uses them!

I must mention this was not the first choice; instead, it was Benningan’s. Yes, that “casual dining” US chain. However, I asked GN if we could go for “something else”, hinting a Panamanian type restaurant. Alas, my argument was not enough; however, at least, we did not end up there. The Wine Bar was the GN’s next option.

The Wine Bar is part of a group of restaurants from a Swiss chef who moved to Panama long time ago. His flagship restaurant is french, while others include Swiss, Italian and, in this case, a wine bar/casual gourmet.

We arrived around noon and seated quickly. During out meal, the amount of customers was inconsistent. For a while, there were only a couple of customers. 15 minutes later, it was 3/4 full and so on. In a way, it did not really help the fact our meal lasted for around 2 hours (not that I ordered that many dishes; however, we had a lot to catch-up which was fine). One thing I wished though was a table closer to the window. No, it was not that much for the sight, rather for lightning. Unfortunately, those were already taken…

My usual (infamous?) shot of condiments at the table. Yes, that’s a bottle of oil and balsamic!

I had a bit of problem with the menu. I have not been to this particular location; I have been to one of their sister restaurant – and only once long time ago, so I was not sure what to order. Most of the dishes were Italian. In fact, you could customize your own pasta dish. Choose the sauce type (tomato based or cream based), meat and pasta and they will prepare it for you. However, GN has been there a lot of times so I let GN do most of the ordering.

After our order, the bread arrived and the waiter poured the oil and balsamic in a small saucer. I won’t say I was really thrilled with the bread. Even if I overlook that, it felt it was sitting there for a while. Sure, it was warm, just that I was expecting something fresh out of the oven (as, I did not “feel” that fresh bread elasticity). Or at least buns that won’t dry up so easily as sliced bread. As for the balsamic/oil, while it did help slightly, it wasn’t the best I have had.

This would be my contribution to the meal. I insisted we should order some starter and this was what we agreed upon: Funghi Aglio (USD $8), mushroom with garlic and a good dose of oil as well. I really liked this dish. It had a strong garlic taste, yet not overpowering. Also, it was salty, yet not too salty. The only part that disappointed to a certain extent was the selection of mushroom, in this case, button mushroom. Now, I must admit there might have been a bit of lost in translation. While I do know that funghi is the generic term for mushroom, I am not sure if Italians would call button mushroom funghi. At this point, I did manage to find a good use of the bread, hehehe.

Oh, the drinks! I personally did not order any; however, GN did order a glass of sangría (USD $3.50). I had a small sip and found it a bit too sweet for my usual liking of alcohol (and that is even considering I like Riesling and Gewürztraminer).

While we were having a really good time, we did notice that the food took awfully long to arrive – about 30 minutes or so long… But, it eventually arrived.

First, GN’s dish, Cannelloni Cardinale (USD $7). I am not sure how to describe it other than, well, it was like most of the cannelloni I had in the past. In GN’s opinion, it was not long enough under the broiler/salamander to “burn”/caramelize the cheese on the top. The filling itself… Well, I don’t think I remember very well. It was creamy, yes, just that it had a lot more potential that did not come to fruition.

This was my dish or “GN’s other option”. The dish name is Frutti de Mare (USD $11) with white sauce on fusilli, meaning seafood in a creamy sauce. For the seafood portion, I easily detected clams, shrimp, (mini) scallops and I think there were some pieces of fish (which one, I am not sure). Just in case, let’s take a closer look at the dish:

Again, creamy it was, though a dash of olive oil (oh, my heart!) would have been a really good addition. Sure, it was on the table; however, it was one of those instances were you wanted to taste the dish “as the chef intended”. I found the seafood slightly disappointing, as if they were not fresh enough. I must make emphasis on this comment, as there is a lot of seafood in Panama. If you can’t procure fresh seafood there, you are doing something wrong. When I though I was over-critical, GN agreed…

After clearing the plates, we debated if we should order a dessert to share. And, sure, we did that and here is what we got:

No, it is not a piece of cake (though it could have easily been that). Instead, this is a piece of flan or crème caramel or egg custard or… (you get the gist – USD $4.25). In my head, flan ought to be soft. However, in this case, it was a bit too dense for my liking. It was sweet but not overpowering. Had it been softer, I would have liked it a lot more.

Overall, I was slightly disappointed and GN agreed. Who am I to argue with somebody who frequents this place? ^_^;

Tony’s Deli
1046 Commercial Drive
Vancouver, BC

A friend of mine, who is married and has a grown-up daughter, complains once in a while that, because of the family, he no longer can just wake-up and go where ever he wants. While I could do that, of course, I don’t gloat about it; instead, he just tells me I should do that while I can. In an odd way, in one of the many instances he told me that, the following morning, I woke up and said to myself: “After hitting the gym, I should go The Drive…” And being in that area by noon means having lunch there. However, there is a big problem: With so many restaurants, cafes, pizza parlours in the area, which one should one go? So many options… So little time! After walking I realized: so far, I have not blogged here about an Italian place! That sort of made the decision making easy process, doesn’t it?

Commercial Drive is still a hub in Vancouver for the Italian community so one would think finding an Italian restaurant would be easy, right? Actually, there are a lot of coffee shops yet there aren’t that many Italian restaurants. So, again, that simplify the decision-taking process and that’s how I ended up in Tony’s Deli.

It is a really small place. A couple of tables located outside the deli itself and a couple of tables inside with some stools. It was a bit cold outside so everybody was inside and, as a result, packed full, despite it was way past lunch time. That seemed to be a good indication…

Call it stereo-typical, when you are in an Italian restaurant, what comes to your mind? Well, there is pizza and then there is pasta. Since they don’t serve pizza, pasta was. Now, they had other items, mostly deli related, like sandwiches, and some cookies. However, I was planning to get some sweets later so, again, pasta it was. That day, they had an appreciation special and for less than $8, I had:

A small salad. Nothing extraordinary, but it served the purpose of providing some greens to the serving of…

Fettucini with meatballs. Now, before somebody says those meatballs look small, well, they were. Although I could have ordered extra meatballs, there was no need: I will just say flavour made up for the size. As for the pasta, I felt it was slightly past of the al dente point; however, that did not distracted me from the main part – the sauce. It was not too “sweet” nor too “acidic”. But the important part was that it stuck really well to the pasta so there was no need to drown them in sauce. Now, caveat emptor, I was quite hungry at that point so, if the meatballs were store bought or the sauce was from a jar, I couldn’t tell or care!

Oh, yeah, there was a piece of garlic bread but I ate it only as an afterthought. No, it wasn’t bad; in fact it was quite garlic-y. It was just over-shadowed by the pasta.

Overall, it was a good lunch. Would I come back? I would certainly like to but, given all the options in the area, I think it will be a while before I do so. So many options, so little time!