First Street Market – Pure Street Food, Saffron Street, Moose and Poncho

November 10, 2021 Hitting the SauceLeave a comment

On Sunday, L and I checked First Street Market. I’ve heard favourable things about all the vendors – particularly the places I’ve never tried such as Actually Pretty Good, La Mano, and Friends with Benedicts. However, on this visit, I came specifically for Pure Street Food and Moose and Poncho, two restaurants I’ve frequented in the past. For this review, let’s listen to “All These Things That I’ve Done” by The Killers.

We grabbed a spot at the First Street Bar, just in time for the tail end of happy hour (4:00-6:00 p.m.). I ordered a glass of the Vinho Verde (HH $5, Regular $7, HH Bottle $25, Regular $35) and L chose the Snake Lake Pilsner (HH $5, Regular $7).

The Portuguese white wine was served ice cold. I found this wine bright with strong tropical notes. Other than First Street Market Bar, I don’t know anywhere else in the city where you can get a drinkable bottle of wine for only $35. Where was this place when I was in school?

At Pure Street Food I ordered the Bun Bo Sate ($12) and a Fire Chicken w/ Melted Cheese Sesame Donut ($6) for L. The broth was thick, rich and beefy. The slices of beef shank, brisket and beef rib were flavourful and tender. The noodles had a nice bounce to them.

I took a bite of the sesame donut. The flavour of the crispy sesame shell was prominent. L thought the fire chicken was delicious and not painfully spicy like he experienced in Korea.

L ordered four tacos ($6 each): Carnitas (confit pork) and Suadero (lime-marinated confit beef). Both the pork and beef tacos were tasty. I found the seasoning and quality of the meats delectable. I also liked how the flavour of the cilantro wasn’t overpowering. I mentioned to L that I wish he ordered some salsas ($3.50 each) to go with the tacos, as Moose and Poncho make some wicked dips. He said he didn’t see that option when he ordered and the staff never mentioned there were additional sauces he could have purchased. L thought the tacos didn’t need any more sauce than the one he was provided.

I was still hungry, so I ordered a Masala Dosa ($13) from Saffron Street. I remembered seeing Miss Foodie rave about this vendor. As always, she is correct. The crepe was light and delicate, fragrant with the smell of coconut. The potato filling was soft and creamy. I enjoyed alternating each crispy bite into the lentil stew, tomato and coconut chutney. I would order this again.

First Street Market reminds me of the food halls in Toronto, but more intimate and modern. I appreciate the concept – chef-driven, high-quality fast food paired with a bar offering inexpensive drinks. I look forward to my next visit! Hitting the Sauce gives First Street Market two phat thumbs up.

Mexican · Patio · Restaurants · Seafood

Fonda Fora

July 11, 2021July 11, 2021 Hitting the SauceLeave a comment

On Thursday, Bottlenick, L and I checked out Fonda Fora, a new contemporary Mexican restaurant inside The Westley Hotel. L and I were uncharacteristically late because I confused the Westley Hotel with the Westin Hotel. To celebrate the beginning of Stampede, let’s listen to Johnny Cash “Heart of Gold.”

For our first bottle, Bottlenick selected a rosé – Chateau Gassier Sables (Provence France, $45). I thought this was a nice rosé – light and dry.

We ordered the Salsa Tasting ($9), Guacamole & Tostadas ($15), Empanadas ($8), Tiradito de Huachinango ($17), Pescado Zarandeado ($37) and extra tortillas ($4).

Get the salsa tasting! Not only was it fun to try all the different salsas, but you can use the condiments with your other food. My favourite was the orange variation – it was rich and velvety like cream. I also liked the salsa with chili peppers and oil.

The guacamole was cold, creamy and delicious. The tostadas were enjoyable to eat because each chip was so thick and crunchy, and it tasted like it was freshly made.

The empanada was yummy. The crispy shell was filled with corn, chili peppers, tomatoes and onion, topped with some cool, smooth white cheese. The sauce was so delectable, we would use the tortillas to mop up the leftovers.

L and Bottlenick both noticed the red snapper had a strong fishy flavour to it, but in a good way. The onions tasted like fennel to me. This dish reminded me of a mix between sashimi and ceviche. I enjoyed the heat and spice in the orange sauce.

For our second bottle of wine, we picked the De Monde Cabernet Franc Fruiuli Grave Italy ($54). Oh baby, this wine reminds me of the cabernet franc I pick up at Tinhorn Creek and Burrowing Owl in BC. One major plus Fonda Fora offers is the wine list. I enjoyed the two bottles we tried and each was around the fifty-dollar range. The wines went well with the food and each bottle was something different than I could find at my local liquor store. My father recently sent me an article on restaurants and the markup on wines. I’ve got no issue paying for wine, as a restaurant has to make money, otherwise they would go out of business. By all means, markup the wines! But offer me something I can’t find at the Real Canadian Liquorstore. Fonda Fora does this in spades.

I was impressed with the mussels tostada. My gosh – the texture of each mussel was sublime – soft and fat – with a cool silkiness on the tongue. The white sauce was decadent. Bottlenick commented on the smoky flavour from the vinaigrette. L thought the pumpkin salsa was incredible. I would return just to each this dish again, because it was that good.

Our last dish was a whole grilled fish. The fish was moist and flaked apart easily. I liked that I could taste the natural, light juices of the fish. It’s easy to hide freshness when fish is battered or covered in heavy sauce. We also received a pretty bowl of herbs to eat with the fish. The fresh tortillas were thick and smelled like corn. I read Fonda Fora uses heirloom corn imported from small farmers in Mexico.

I shouldn’t have, but since I was feeling celebratory, I got carried away and ordered a pint of Cabin Morning Sun Saison (6%, $8.50). This beer was delicious – spicy and bubbly, but it wasn’t worth the hangover I received the next day. I can’t rock and roll like I used to. Those days are numbered. Post COVID, I’m going to be a moderate eater and drinker of delicious things.

I’ll return to Fonda Fora. The food is creative, fresh and different from the norm. Hitting the Sauce gives Fonda Fora two fat thumbs up.

Mexican · Restaurants

Con Mi Tacos

February 9, 2021 Hitting the SauceLeave a comment

On Sunday, I noticed L wasn’t his usual self. I had a feeling it was related to Calgary’s cold snap and the fact we haven’t gone on our yearly jaunt to Mexico. I suggested we brighten his day by ordering tacos and drinking Pacifico. For this post, let’s listen to “El Herradero” by Lola Beltran.

My go-to restaurants for Mexican are Con Mi Taco and Moose and Poncho. Con Mi specializes in freshly made tacos and seafood. Moose and Poncho serves up authentic dishes that are richly flavoured and hearty. Both spots are equally awesome. We ordered from Con Mi because they serve L’s favourite taco – al pastor.

I was impressed with the Prawn and Scallop Ceviche ($16). The ceviche came with three pieces of homemade sesame tostada. The crunchiness of the chip reminded me of a Lesley Stowe Raincoast Crisp, only nuttier and thinner. The shrimp was crunchy and plump. The scallops were succulent, silky morsels. The amount of lime was perfect, there was just enough acidity that it didn’t overwhelm the natural sweetness of the seafood.

The peanuts added a nice clean crunch and it reminded me of corn nibs. I thought the strong melon flavour of the cucumbers complemented the peanuts and seafood. L doesn’t like cucumbers and even he liked this combination.

We shared the Al Pastor Kit ($33), which comes with 2/3 pound of pineapple chili marinated pork, ten freshly ground hand-pressed corn tortillas, lime wedges, onions, pineapple, cilantro, salsa morita and vegan jalapeño aioli.

L’s face lit up when he bit into his taco. The texture of the pork was velvety with a smoky flavour. I loved the fragrance of the corn tortillas. L noticed I was eating everything even though there was cilantro in it. I actually like cilantro in Mexican food, it’s just in Asian food I find the herb obnoxiously strong. Con Mi finely minces the cilantro, so the flavour is more delicate.

I also liked that the onion and pineapple salsas were finely diced because it provided tiny pops of flavour and texture. There was so much sweet pineapple that each one of our tacos got a heaping amount. L noted that Con Mi is as generous with the seafood as with the sauces and garnishes. There’s no skimping in quality or quantity here.

My new favourite dessert is the Passion Fruit Cream Churro ($6). The churro itself was sweet and crunchy, and tasted a little like apple pie. The passion fruit cream was fragrant and perfumed with citrus. I would order this again.

When we feel comfortable dining in again, we want to try the deep fried shrimp, fish and soft shell crab tacos. In the meantime, we’ll probably stick to the options that are easier to reheat at home, like the birria, beef cheek and asada.

If you haven’t gone, I would recommend checking out both Con Mi and Moose and Poncho. Some Vitamin B (beer) and Vitamin T (taco) will surely cure you of the winter time blues.

Cabos San Lucas · Mexican · Restaurants · Vegetarian

Los Cabos 2018 – Part 1

January 13, 2019March 4, 2019 Hitting the SauceLeave a comment

Every year, L and I try to go somewhere hot to get away from the cold. I like Cabos because it is convenient, cheap and clean. If the winds are in your favour, it’s less than a four hour flight. I also like the restaurants in Cabos more than in Playa del Carmen or Puerta Vallarta. In Cabos, there seems to be more of a variety and I think the seafood is superior. The only negative is the water is really rough and not ideal for swimming due to the strong undertow.

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L complained that the Airbnb place I rented in Cabos in 2016 was utilitarian. This time around, I rented a luxury condo. With service and cleaning fees, the apartment averaged around $250 (CAN) a night. I was pleased to see security was tight – we had to be buzzed whenever we left the complex. Drivers weren’t allowed in unless they had permission. Since we had an extra bedroom and bathroom, I invited my friend N.

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The apartment is situated three minutes away from the beach and a 12 minute walk to town. The pool was immaculate. We never took a cab because we preferred to walk everywhere. For this post, let’s set the mood with La Bamba by Ritchie Valens.

Tourism was down, perhaps because of the negative news of the six bodies found hanged in Baja California Sur or reports of tainted alcohol at Mexican resorts and bars. Whatever the reason(s), there were noticeable changes since we visited in 2016.

I could get into any restaurant I wanted that day, and this was the week before Christmas! Massages by the beach decreased from $30 an hour to $20 for an hour and a half. Two years ago, I used pesos without any issue. This year, some vendors insisted on American cash, such as our transportation company. When I said I wanted to use pesos instead, they would recalculate and tack on an extra $3-7 American dollars. I ended up going to the bank to get US cash. In the future, I’d bring US cash for larger purchases and pesos as backup.

The first thing L and I did was get a massage on the beach. We found a newish looking tent with all white curtains and beds. Every massage tent offered 90 minute massage for $20 US. When L paid in pesos, they increased the cost to an equivalent of $46 US.

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Before N arrived, L and I planned to eat at the places that I thought N wouldn’t like. I convinced L to try Taco Gus again. On our last trip, I liked the tacos but he did not. The tortillas are thin and the meats are grilled to a pleasing crispness. As with any open air eatery, you have issues with flies landing on food. Tacos range from 25-45 pesos. There’s a large carousel of toppings and vegetables that I have a feeling are probably reused for the next customer. No proof – just speculation on my part.

At Tacos Gus, we met two Americans. They both complained about how much more Americans work compared to Canadians and particularly, Europeans. They both have jobs at good companies, but only get two weeks of vacation. They said it’s an expectation to work that much in the States. We also discussed how skimpy the shot pours are in Canada compared to the States, as Americans free pour. I told them I think it is due to taxation and likely, regulations. 5.3.8 a) from Alberta Liquor License says the standard amount of spirits and liqueurs is 28.5 ml (1 oz).

L thought the tacos were tasty but he missed having pineapple with his al pastor. The next day, I suggested we check out El Pasia , an open air restaurant that is popular with the locals.

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I saw several people who just got off their shift stop by for a light meal. I liked how El Paisa’s condiment bar was sealed up in the middle of the room, preventing flies from landing on the food.

The combination of the sweetness of the pineapple and spit-roasted pork can’t be beat. At Taco’s Guss, each taco is about $2 US. At El Paisa, it’s a little more than $3 US but the portion of meat was double that of Taco Gus and you can taste the difference in meat quality. Our lunch came up to about $25 US. L said he was happy to pay that for these tacos.

Highlights so far include massages on the beach, tasty tacos, and our apartment. The location was perfect and it was one of the nicer Airbnb’s I’ve stayed at. Lowlight was getting dinged when I tried to pay with the local currency.

Restaurants · Seafood · Vancouver/Richmond

Victoria – Tacofino

January 6, 2018August 27, 2019 Hitting the SauceLeave a comment

For New Year’s Eve L and I visited my friend Tan and her husband Yah at their acreage in Sooke. We feasted and sipped the night away but we couldn’t quite stay up past 11:30 p.m. I fell asleep hearing the fireworks go off. So close. Maybe next year.

Sparkling

The next day L and I headed over to Victoria to spend the day. We checked out the Empress Hotel, strolled around Fisherman’s Wharf, and explored the waterfront by the harbour.

We were feeling hungry and discovered Tacofino has a location in Victoria! For this post, let’s play Bandages by Hot Hot Heat, a band from Victoria. It was either that or Hanson and I’m pretty sure no one wants that. Or do you? Let’s think about this… hmmm MMMBop!

tacos

Tacofino does plenty of take-out. Throughout our stay there was a steady flow of customers and calls to pick up food. I ordered a Tuna Taco ($7.25) and L ordered his usual Crispy Ling Cod Taco ($5.50). We shared a large bowl of Tortilla Soup ($10.50). A single taco makes for a good snack. You would need two to make it a meal.

ahi tuna

Maybe I should have played Hanson because this taco made my taste buds say,

Say Mmmbop, ba duba dop!

Ba du bop, ba duba dop

Ba du, yeah

Mmmbop, ba duba dop

Ba du bop, ba du dop

Ba du, yeah

The tuna was lightly seared, still soft and cool. I really enjoyed the combination of flavours from the soy, seaweed salad, white ginger and wasabi mayo. All together, it was like the most delicious bite of sushi in my mouth.

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The tortilla soup was good and not overly seasoned so you could really enjoy the ancho chicken broth. Inside the bowl were chunks of roast chicken thighs, sour cream, chunks of melted molten cheese, soft slices of avocado and still crunchy tortilla crisps.

There wasn’t much to do after we ate so we left early to visit my brother Narc, my sister-in-law Enforcer and their two kids. There wasn’t any restaurant open on New Year’s Day except for the good old White Spot. L offered me some of his legendary burger but I was in control and didn’t bite.

white spot

I know the burger looks like a puffier McDonald’s cheeseburger, but it’s the secret sauce of relish, mayonnaise and ketchup that makes this burger so addicting. I enjoyed a filling and fresh salad of chicken, romaine, pecans, apples and grapes. We washed everything done with beer from Fuggles and Warlock.

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Little did I know that the next morning I would be returning to White Spot. Stay tuned for White Spot Part Deux.

Mexican · Restaurants

Unimarket – Taco Wednesdays

March 31, 2017May 3, 2018 Hitting the SauceLeave a comment

The new boy in our office – Richie Rich – asked Office Dad, Asian Persuasion, and myself out for tacos at the Unimarket. This market looks like a hidden gem, but based on the line-up, plenty of people already know about this place. Richie Rich found Unimarket when he got lost coming back from the Farmer’s Market.

Unimarket sells Latin food. In the grocery section, you can get dried chilies, frozen corn tortillas and sweets. In the back of the market is a cafeteria-style area selling a range of baked goods, tacos and a number of savoury pastries. To the right of the cafeteria is a butchery.

Tacos are normally $3.50 but on Wednesdays, a taco is only $2.50. I counted nine different fillings: Carne Asada, Birria, Cowboy Taco, Chicken Tinga, Happy Taco, Carnitas, Al Pastor, Chorizo, and a vegetarian option. I felt like a fish out of water trying to figure out what sauces and toppings to add onto each taco. After I saw Richie Rich’s taco creation, I realized I was too conservative with the condiments.

I tried the Carne Asada (beef tenderloin), Carnitas (fried pork chunks with garlic and spices) and the Al Pastor (diced and trimmed marinated pork). For toppings, I opted for salsa, guacamole and lettuce.

The corn tortillas were warm and tasted homemade. I liked that each filling was spiced and prepared differently from each other. The salsa was heavily seasoned with cilantro.

I took home an Empanada Chilena ($5) for my husband for dinner. The dough was flaky and a tiny bit sweet. Inside was a mixture of ground beef, onions, black olives and a hard-boiled egg.

If you haven’t been yet, check it out and find something new. This is a unique supermarket with some very tasty eats.

Bars/Lounges · Happy Hour · Mexican

Anejo Restaurant – Happy Hour

August 24, 2016August 24, 2016 Hitting the SauceLeave a comment

I’ve heard good things about Anejo Restaurant. My boss Tread Lightly told me Anejo makes the best chili coconut margaritas and guacamole. I know What’s Up Hamsup frequents Anejo for happy hour. So when it was time to meet up with some of my husband’s work friends for drinks, we picked Anejo.

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Every day from 3-5 p.m., Anejo offers $5 margaritas and beers, and half off tacos. I don’t particularly care for Mexican food, but I do love tequila and a strong margarita.

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Trojan ordered the Guacamole ($14). Three avocado halves, diced white onions, tomatoes, jalapeños, cilantro, sea salt and a squeeze of lime were all mixed up together at our table. L and Trojan enjoyed the guacamole. I thought the chips tasted stale.

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Trojan and I ordered our margaritas half sweet. Trojan was partial to the Mango Margarita, which is made with blanco, triple sec, mango pulp, agave, and lime. I tried the Guava Margarita, which was very tart. My favourite was the Coconut Chili. The coconut syrup was subtle and the heat from the habernero was intense. I could really taste the citrus.

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Trojan ethusiastically and authoritatively informed us that Anejo has the best looking customers and staff. He would know, he’s dated half the city. Trojan makes What’s Up Hamsup seem almost monk-like.

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Robin and Batman arrived late due to their work schedule. Our server came up to our table to warn us that happy hour was coming to an end. Both doubled downed on drinks and tacos.

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I tried the chicken, bison, pork and fish tacos. I thought the fish and chicken tacos were the tastiest. The bison was a little dry. Each taco was packed with filling. At $2.50, this was a great price. Sour cream is extra. I noticed we didn’t get the bottles of condiments, perhaps because ordered the happy hour tacos.

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Our server Chad should be commended. He was professional and offered excellent suggestions for tequila, margaritas, and tacos. I wanted to discretely find out his name so I looked at our bill, which stated our server was Estrella. I asked Chad if he is Estrella. He said no, that’s the automatic name which shows up on the bills and it means “upstairs floor”.

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If you love tequila as much as I do, the entire list is 50% off during happy hour. So if you want to try some premium stuff, there is a time and a place for it. Anejo, between 3:00-5:00 pm.

Mexican

Native Tongues Taqueria

March 2, 2016March 9, 2016 Hitting the SauceLeave a comment

My husband has been working extra long hours, so I thought I’d be nice and get him to take me to Native Tongues Taqueria, as I know he loves Mexican food, particularly tacos. I’m thoughtful like that.

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We waited over an hour for our table. The hostess was friendly and accommodating, letting us stand by the door and order drinks. I requested a tequila cocktail ($14.00), something “strong and serious” while L stuck to Pacifico. The bartender asked me if I enjoyed the drink. Yes, I did, thank you for asking. It tasted like something Donald Draper would approve, smokey and potent. Our server was also customer oriented, helping us with the menu and suggesting to order a little bit at a time. I also noticed that despite the long line-up, none of the servers were rushing any of the customers. There were people who were eating when we arrived and were still there after we left.

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L and I shared the Hamburguesa al Carbon ($14.00) and the Chilaquiles ($10.00). The hamburger consisted of two Wagyu beef patties covered in a warm, velvety layer of orange cheese. This was like a gourmet version of a Big Mac. The sesame bun was homemade, and I liked that proportionally, the beef and toppings were larger than the bun. The homemade chips were thin and fragile, drizzled with hot sauce. L and I noticed that though the burger and chips were yummy, both were so salty.

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The chilaquiles made for a filling appetizer. The chips were already wet with the juices of the salsa. It was like the salsa was built into the chips. We enjoyed this dish, the toppings of crema, quesco fresco and cilantro was delightful. The cheese melted like snow on my tongue.

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We ordered Lengua ($3.95); Carnitas ($3.95), Pollo ($3.95) and Hongos ($3.95). My favourite was the bongos, locally cultivated mushrooms with kale, cream, queso fresco and cilantro. The mushrooms were silky smooth, absolutely luxurious. L’s favourite was the pollo, spicy braised organic chicken. The lengua, beef tongue, was our least favourite as the texture was a bit mushy and again, over salted. Screen Shot 2016-03-01 at 8.42.40 PM.png

Later that night, both of us woke up several times as we were so thirsty. I should note that I’m no salt wimp. I really hope the heavy handedness of the salt was a one off as we really enjoyed the ambience, service and food.

I can see why Native Tongues is such a hit with the locals. It’s a great place for a date or a night out. The service we received on a happening Saturday night was excellent, from the hostess, bartender to the server. Kudos to the staff for a fun date night.