Friday, September 30, 2011

Trilussa Pizza and Pane


Trilussa is a small main street eat-in take-out wood oven pizza joint. It bills itself as Roman pizza and makes their pizzas in these long oval boat shapes with thin crust. There are a whole shwack of different flavors on display just point and they’ll cut a 3, 5 or 7 inch piece for you. Cool concept, I've never seen anything like it before and I love pizza and have seen alotta pizza and have eaten alotta pizza so this Roman is kind of confusing because the last time I was in Rome the pizzas were all on display in these big rectangular pans and the dough was decidedly thick. But then the liberal use of the term Roman Pizza is my only criticism of Trilussa. The place is casual comfortable and the pizza is fantastic crispy chewy crust, great toppings and lots of soft gooey cheese. I'm adding Trilussa to my favorite pizza list especially for a quick lunchtime stop.


Wednesday, September 28, 2011

The Bibo. Vancouver Take a picture next time.


I got so damn exited about the pizza I forgot to take a picture. But believe me it looked and tasted great.
Is it just me or are there a bunch of thin crust wood fired pizza places opening in Vancouver lately. I've got about 5 others on my to-eat list so stay tuned. I love good pizza and Bibo’s does it good. Even when it isn't good it's good. Let me explain; the server came over after we ordered our pizza to inform us that someone screwed something up in the morning and the dough wasn't to their standards. We could still order the pizza but we were to know before hand that it would not be up to Bibo’s standards. The pizza arrived and hell if this is sub par pizza then I’ve been eating truly crappy pizza all these years. The pizza was great, the crust was chewy and crispy and smoky and delicious. And the server was falling over himself to let us know that they could do better. Shit if this is the bad stuff I've got to come back for the good stuff and get my head blown off with flavor. Maybe I'm setting my self up for failure or maybe this is a restaurant ploy but I can't wait.
The meat platter is hands down how I like to eat, some cold cuts some prosciutto some olives lots of good bread and a drizzle of olive oil. If Bibo’s just served me this I'd be happy as it is munch on this and get your appetite ready for the main pizza douse.
I'm adding Bibo’s to my favorites for pizza.






Saturday, September 24, 2011

Belle's on 32 , the coffee shop

I don't need to go back.
Belle’s is a nice enough place, a country coffee shop kind of feel, a Martha Stewart Living wanna be but more likely designed my Marsha, Martha’s less talented second cousin.
I think my biggest issue with Belle's are the Panini sandwiches. Belle’s advertises that they make everything from scratch but then they serve this really bad panini bread and its not just Belle's that does this I've noticed other restaurants use this same bread this flat oval ultra white "Panini " bread. The colour and the thickness of this bread scares me it doesn’t seem natural it just seams wrong. Don’t even get me started on the grill marks. What's wrong with using good quality bread in your Panini’s? Here's my rule of thumb; if you wouldn't eat the bread without it being grilled then why use it at all?
Maybe I'm blinded by the bread issue maybe Belle's serves something of quality? To be fair the apple tart was tasty. OK, I'd go back for the tart. I'd sit in Marsha’s comfortable faux country design cafe have a latte eat my tart turn my back to the order counter and try not to think of white  Panini bread.
Who am I kidding, I can't get the damn bread off of my mind!
BTW, Belle’s also has a full service restaurant right next door to the cafĂ©. I’m curious. I’ll let you know.


Sunday, September 18, 2011

Jamaican Pizza Jerk, tempting but mmm goat curry

Really, I was not aware that jerk pizza was a Jamaican thing?
I'm starting to believe that pizza is the national food of the world.
Non the less Jamaican Pizza Jerk is a small hole in the wall dive on commercial that serves other, besides pizza, authentic Jamaican fair. Chef Bounty certainly looks authentic, and the food tasted great. A Rastafarian musician walked in and sat at the counter, so that that seals in my mid at least the authenticity of this establishment.
 I had the goat curry (Tuesday and Fridays special).
The goat had a spicy sweetness and was fork tender. The potatoes in the stew (my description) were melt in your mouth soft and juicy. My only complaint is that there wasn't enough. I would prefer a big bowl of this stuff, some nice bread to slop up all the juicy goodness and a corner table under the speakers blasting reggae. Just me and my goat.
I'm really curious about the jerk pizza and it is certainly on the agenda but the next time I come in I my just have the specials:

Brown Stewed chicken ( Tuesday and Thursday)
Goat Curry ( Tuesday and Friday)
Oxtail (Wednesday and Saturday)
Cowfoot ( Saturday)

Really were else can you get cowfoot? I hope I can get to Jamaican pizza jerk on a sat.

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Estrella's Montreal Deli & Cafe. Langely, BC

There are many places that advertise Authentic Montreal corn beef sandwiches but in the end they fall short with some of the most egregious throwing down a few slices of corned beef from Costco and calling it a day.
Happily Estrella's is the real deal. The corned beef is imported from Montreal and the sandwich is stacked beautifully.
The rye bread is perfectly soft and insanely small compared the mountain of succulently juicy beef. If you want the real deal check out Estrelle's.  I was wondering between bites of my sandwich that as good as this is why do they have to import the beef. I was informed by the lady at the counter that nobody makes Montreal style corned beef in Vancouver, the recipe and the expertise is somehow locked away in the boroughs of old Montreal. I'm not exactly buying that, I think it would be cool to make the corn beef locally as long as obviously you can achieve the same quality. Who knows, aghast, you may even do it better!
Never the less setting aside my lunchtime mussing, Estrelles makes a damn good "Montreal style" corn beef sandwich.
Now I'm on a mission to discover a local Vancouver producer.
Any suggestions out there?