All-You-Can-Eat Sushi in Top Gun Sushi

Updated 17th Jan 2011: This restaurant had been closed according to Urbanspoon.com.

A glutton is never satisfied.
~ Namibian Proverb

It’s been a while since we had sushi and the boys wanted sushi for lunch too. Suanne also wanted to try the Top Gun Sushi I went to a few weeks ago. So, we made our way to the Top Gun Sushi at the New West Quay.

IMG_3315_edited-1

The all-you-can-eat is more expensive on the weekends. It costs about $11 for adults and $7 for kids age 6-9. He he he … the waiters thought the boys were below 9 years and we kept quiet … don’t ask, don’t tell, right?

All-you-can-eat Shashimi is $2 extra for adults. Arkensen can just eat shashimi alone. We ordered 28 pieces in all. The pieces are small but rather fresh.

IMG_3319_edited-1

Suanne started off with cold noodles from the salad bar. I don’t know what that means when Suanne said they were “refreshing”. 🙂 It’s had a bit of lemon and is sourish.

IMG_3310_edited-1 (more…)

Continue ReadingAll-You-Can-Eat Sushi in Top Gun Sushi

Korean Style BBQ Beef on Dried Shrimp Pancake

When the big fish fight the shrimps must lie low.
~ Creole Proverb

The Richmond Community Kitchen, coincidentally, showed Korean BBQ beef for the session this week. The lesson today was led by Tanni Lee. I like Tanni because she is soooo cheerful and have a smile all the time for everyone.

Tanni made two separate dishes that complements each other. The Korean Style BBQ Beef goes very well with the dried shrimp pancake. For garnishing, she used kiwi fruit. She also used the kiwi fruit juice to marinate and tenderize the beef.

IMG_3280_edited-1

Korean Style BBQ Beef

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 lb Beef
  • 1.5 tablespoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 2 tablespoon kiwi juice
  • 1.5 tablespoon green onions
  • 2.5 tablespoon korean soya sauce
  • 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
  • 1/2 tablespoon chopped ginger
  • 2 teaspoon dark soy
  • 1.5 tablespoon sesame oil

(more…)

Continue ReadingKorean Style BBQ Beef on Dried Shrimp Pancake

Allie’s Bulgogi Lunch

Aim high in your career but stay humble in your heart.
~ Korean Proverb

Allie invited Helen and I to her place for lunch. It’s her way of thanking both of us for helping her move to her new place earlier. Since she is Korean, she showed us how Bulgogi is eaten the right way … using hands. 🙂

IMG_3307_edited-1

Bulgogi is a popular Korean beef dish, a kind of Korean barbecue. It is made from marinated steak that is cut into thin strips before cooking. Bulgogi is a specialty dish served when guests visit or eaten in restaurants. The dish is also often served to non-Koreans as a first taste of Korean cuisine.

IMG_3301_edited-1

Instead of barbequing it, Allie pan fried the sliced beef strips. She pan fried it with lots of slices onions, green onions and garlic. The cooking smelt good.

IMG_3306_edited-1 (more…)

Continue ReadingAllie’s Bulgogi Lunch

Steam Jah Jan Ramen

I have money, you have money; so we are friends.
~ Chinese Proverb

Panos came over to play with Arkensen and Nanzaro the other day. Panos is Norm’s best friend. Since Panos wanted to stay over for dinner and I thought I make instant noodles for the boys.

_MG_2811_edited-1

Unlike most other single serving packets of instant noodles, the Steam Jah Jan Ramen comes in a pack for servings of four. This is just the right size for a quick lunch for our whole family. Opening it up, it’s just like any other noodles with a twin packets of seasonings. The first packet was the oil and other other is the “jah jan”. Jah Jan is basically made of fried pork fats, lean pork and soy bean paste.

_MG_2814_edited-1

We found the instructions on the wrapping funny. It’s common to see broken English used in Made in China products. The instructions reads “After 4 minutes scooped spice of oil to stir. Then you can enjoy the delicious ramen”.

_MG_2815_edited-1 (more…)

Continue ReadingSteam Jah Jan Ramen

Cinnamon Coffee Cake

He who goes to bed hungry dreams of pancakes.
~ Maltese Proverb

I made Cinnamon Coffee Cake today. I normally make cakes at least once a week for breakfast and snacks for the boys. Ben likes cakes with coffee in the mornings too. It goes very well with coffee.

IMG_3245_edited-1

Cinnamon is a small evergreen tree 10-15 m tall native to Sri Lanka and Southern India. The bark is widely used as a spice. It is principally employed in cookery as a condiment and flavouring material, being largely used in the preparation of some kinds of desserts, chocolate and spicy candies and liqueurs. In the Middle East, it is often used in savory dishes of chicken and lamb. In North America, cinnamon and sugar are often used to flavor cereals and fruits, especially apples.

IMG_3237_edited-1

To prepare the cinnamon coffee cake, I use the following ingredients:

  • 2 cups flour (if using self-rising, eliminate next 2 ingredients)
  • 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/3 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans if you prefer)
  • 1 stick margarine or butter, melted
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup sour cream

(more…)

Continue ReadingCinnamon Coffee Cake

Beef Rendang

All is not butter that comes from the cow.
~ Italian Proverb

Rendang is a dish from Malaysia which in some ways resembles a purely meat curry. In Malaysia, it is prepared by the Malay community during festive occasions.

IMG_3253_edited-1

Rendang is often served with a ketupat (a compressed rice cake) and lemang (glutinous rice barbecued in bamboo tubes). However, it goes equally as great with steamed rice, or even bread. It is not very spicy hot but is very heavily flavoured in spices.

Rendang is normally made from beef (or occasionally chicken or mutton) slowly cooked in coconut milk and spices for several hours until almost all the liquid is gone, leaving the meat coated in the spicy condiments. The spices may include ginger, galangal, turmeric, lemon grass and chillies. The slow cooking process allows the meat to absorb all the spices and to become tender. That sounds daunting, right?

Things are much more easier these days because we can just buy all the ingredients mixed in a box.

IMG_3247_edited-1

We bought the Claypot brand Beef Rendang Mix (see box above). To prepare this dish, we only need 750g (1.5 lb) of cubed beef. The stuff you see in the two bowls and measuring cup are prepared out from the box. (more…)

Continue ReadingBeef Rendang

Hon’s on No 3 Road

Updated: 5th Feb 2015; This restaurant is closed.

Anything that walks, swims, crawls, or flies with its back to heaven is edible.
~ Cantonese saying

Hon’s Wun-Tun House (or better known as just Hon’s) is noted for it’s Chinese “comfort food”. The restaurant serves primarily cantonese style food and has been a favourite chinese restaurant in Vancouver for many years. Hons is well regarded for its wonton and noodle dishes, pot sticker dumplings (fried or steamed), and barbecued beef. More than 300 dishes are featured on the extensive menu!

IMG_2741_edited-1

Meals are prepared in an open kitchen as diners look on. Although this concept is pretty common in Asia, it is a novelty in Canada. The restaurant started 25 years ago as a lone restaurant and has since opened many outlets throughout the Lower Mainland. We visited the outlet in Richmond’s No 3 Road recently.

_MG_2754_edited-1 (more…)

Continue ReadingHon’s on No 3 Road

Chinese Sponge Cake

To the Chinese, cakes are normally steamed rather than baked. Today, I steamed a very simple Chinese sponge cake made primarily from eggs. Total time taken to prepare this cake is less than an hour with 25 minutes for steaming.

IMG_3234_edited-1

Here are the ingredients:

  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract (can substitute vanilla if desired)
  • 1/2 cup evaporated milk (can substitute regular milk if desired)
  • 4 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

IMG_3200_edited-1

I made a Green Tea Sponge Cake with the addition of one tablespoon of green tea powder (which was shifted with the dry ingredients). The colour turned out to be brown rather than green. I wonder why. Nevertheless, I like the green tea flavour. (more…)

Continue ReadingChinese Sponge Cake

Bak Kut Teh Instant Noodles

Not the place where I was born but where I hang my hat is home.
~ African Proverb

We found Bah Kut Teh instant noodles in the shops not too long ago. Although BKT is a common dish in Malaysia served with steamed rice but we have never come across a BKT flavoured instant noodles.

_MG_2676_edited-1

The instant noodles BKT costs 69 cents — not cheap as far as instant noodles goes. Unless you read Chinese, you will simply miss this on the store shelves. I mean, BKT should show a simmering pot on pork, shouldn’t it?

_MG_2678_edited-1 (more…)

Continue ReadingBak Kut Teh Instant Noodles