Cheap Appetite &#187; asian cuisine

Bánh Mì Dặc Biệt at Ba Le Sandwich Shop – A Special Vietnamese Meal under Five Bucks

CheapAppetite — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 06:44:25 +0000

By Tana Kosiyabong

It has been a while since my previous post. But I have a good excuse. Recently I have adopted a French Bulldog puppy named Angus. He is a real handful. I hardly have time to rest, let alone writing a new blog post. So in the next little while (depending on how well Angus behaves), please be patient with my irregular post schedule.

Now let’s get back to the Cheap Appetite. A couple of weeks ago, I went out for a dim sum lunch. However, on the way there, I realized that I only had five bucks and changes in my pocket. Too lazy to go back for more money, I headed to Ba Le Sandwich Shop in Chinatown instead.

This Bánh mì (Vietnamese Sub Sandwich) shop has been a mainstay in Vancouver’s Chinatown a few decades now. I first heard about it from LotusRapper one of my avid readers a while back.

Ba Le looks old and outdated. They must have spent nothing on their decor for the last couple decades. And that’s probably why they can offer such great valued subs. Most Bánh mì were priced at $3 except the Dặc Biệt (special) which was priced at $3.50. All are tax included. I felt like splurging a bit so I chose the most expensive sub on the menu. A staff, and perhaps the owner, told me that Dặc Biệt has more meat than the others.

My order was ready in a few minutes. Dặc Biệt fillings include Vietnamese ham, cold cut, Vietnamese slaw, pate and cilantro. The French Baguette was fresh, crispy on the crust and soft on the inside. The tartness and crunchiness of the Vietnamese slaw complimented the meaty ham, cold cut and Pâté well. It’s such a classic Vietnamese flavor combo.

After finishing the sub, I still had a little room left in my belly. So I grabbed myself a cup of chilled desserts from the fridge and paid $1.25 at the till. The Vietnamese dessert I chose was made of dry longan, dry jujubes, agar and sugar syrup. It was a bit too sweet but quite refreshing. Perfect for the hot summer days and way cheaper than a Tall Frappuccino.

Ba Le Dac Biet Vietnamese Sub: ©©©©

Vietnamese Dessert: ©©©1/2

Ba Le Sandwich Shop is located at 633 Main Street, Vancouver, BC (T) 604.662.8108

Filed under: asian cuisine, cheap eats vancouver under $5, cheap lunch, cheap snack, dessert, fast food, sandwich shop Tagged: Ba Le Sandwich Shop, Banh Mi, Cheap Eats Vancouver, Chinatown Vancouver, Vietnamese Dessert, Vietnamese Sub

Kim Ga Nae’s Five-Item Special—The Choices Are Yours.

CheapAppetite — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 07:26:14 +0000

By Tana Kosiyabong

Last week I got on a Canada Line skytrain to the Arberdeen Station in Richmond again. But this time, instead of going straight to the Arberdeen Centre Food Court, I headed the opposite direction. On my previous trips, I had noticed a strip mall located next to the Arberdeen Station, (across the street from the Richmond Acura Dealer). So I was curious to see if could find any interesting restaurant there.

Once I was in the strip mall, I then realized it was a lot bigger than I saw from the station. This mall is the home of many Asian restaurants. But I was drawn to a promo sign in front of a Korean restaurant called Kim Ga Nae. The huge yellow banner featured “Any 5 Items only $7.99.” I wasn’t sure exactly what the deal was, but it made me want to check it out.

As I walked closer to the restaurant, a small poster revealed the promo details. Patrons can choose five out of twenty different Korean dishes for $7.99. The additional dish can be added at $1.99 each. It sounded like fun. So I glanced through the list to make sure there were at least 5 items I would like to try. Then the new Cheap Appetite mission was activated.

As if I had the word “Cheap” written on my forehead, the waitress somehow knew that I was there for the 5-item deals. It took me a while to narrow down to the choices but eventually I got my five: No. 6 Sweet Chicken, No. 10 Bulgogi, No. 13 Pork Rib, No. 14 Chicken Wings and No. 15 Kimchi Fried Rice.

Shortly after, most dishes except the bulgogi were served on small plates and bowls. As I expected, they were already pre-cooked. It wouldn’t make sense to cook all these dishes to order in such small portions. About five minutes later, the waitress brought the bulgogi to the table.

After a quick photo session, it was time for the taste test. First, the Sweet Chicken was pretty good. The deep fried chicken nuggets was crispy on the outside but a bit dry on the inside. The sauce was sweet, tangy and spicy. It definitely complimented the chicken well.

The Bulgogi was the only dish that was freshly cooked. Not sure if this is always the case, or perhaps, the pre-cooked bulgogi had run out? It was the best of the five dishes I tried. The beef was tender, garlicky and perfectly seasoned.

There were two big chunks of pork ribs on the plate. Good portion for the price. They were perhaps slow-cooked until tender, but not fall-off-the-bone. The rib was greasier and milder than the bulgogi.

The chicken wings tasted similar to the sweet chicken. I wish I could trade one of them for a totally different dish such as the seafood pancake.

The Kimchi fried rice was nice, but I was quite disappointed by the serving portion. Given that it was pretty much made of rice and a little bit of kimchi, Kim Ga Nae could have been more generous with the portion.

Overall, I had a great time sampling all the five different dishes. The food was decent. Some dishes were better than others. However, they weren’t enough to fill me up. With that said, I wished I visited Kim Ga Nae with three friends so that we could share the whole twenty dishes.

Kim Ga Nae’s Sweet Chicken ©©©1/3
Kim Ga Nae’s Bulgogi ©©©3/4
Kim Ga Nae’s Pork Rib ©©©1/3
Kim Ga Nae’s Chicken Wings ©©©1/2
Kim Ga Nae’s Kim Chi Fried Rice ©©©

Kim Ga Nae is located at 180-4260 No. 3 Road, Richmond, V6x 2C2 (T) 604.273.4747

Filed under: asian cuisine, cheap eats vancouver under $10, cheap lunch, restaurants Tagged: Bulgogi, Cheap Eats Vancouver, Cheap Korean food, Good Eats Vancouver, Korean Food Vancouver, Korean Restaurant

Something Healthy’s Fresh Salad Rice Bowl with Sesame Pear Dressing — Good Concept, Bad Execution.

CheapAppetite — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 10:34:32 +0000

By Tana Kosiyabong

Every once in a while, I become mindful about what I eat. But this health-conscious stage comes and goes so fast like tornados. Earlier this week, another healthy twister has hit me again after several months in hibernation. Fortunately, I know a few restaurants nearby that suit my need. For this week Cheap Appetite mission, I decided to go on a Cheap Appetite mission at “Something Healthy Wholesome Meals & Juice Bar.” Oh my, that’s mouthful name!

I bet you can guess that Something Healthy sells healthy, wholesome dishes and drinks. To be honest, it wasn’t appeal to me when I first found the restaurant a few weeks ago. But now that I’ve been in the health-conscious mode, it suddenly becomes more interesting.

Something Healthy is located on Abbott street between Keefer street and Expo Boulevard. The poster on the front window features their new dish: Fresh Salad Rice Bowls ($5.50). The dish is prepared with romain lettuce, bell peppers, corn, red onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots and crasins on top of brown rice or quinoa. There are three choices of toppings (baked salmon fillet, tofu or baked chicken breast) and three choices of dressing (sesame pear, teriyaki or terragon)

The featured photo looked scrumptious and the price was right. So I went in and ordered myself a Fresh Salad Rice bowl with brown rice, baked chicken breast and sesame pear dressing which sounded so really good in my little brain.

Something Healthy interior décor is clean and modern. It goes well with their healthy, wholesome business. According to the menu board, the restaurant offers more than just salad and juice. It also features several kinds of burgers (lean turkey, lean beef, salmon, tuna, grilled chicken and veggies), pizza and quesadilla. They are mostly priced under $10.

Shortly after the salad was served in a 6-inch bowl with a decent size of chicken breast on top. Although it was quite reasonable for the price, I somehow wished it could be bigger. Fortunately the meal came with brown rice on the bottom which made it more filling than the typical salad bowls of the same size. I think it’s definitely a great concept.

The chicken breast was decent, but quite dry. The veggies were fresh and the brown rice was nicely cook. The craisin added sweet and tart flavours to the dish. The most disappointing component was the sesame pear dressing. The delicate pear flavour was overpowered by the stale sesame. I couldn’t taste any rice vinegar or citrus juice either. It was definitely a dud. Perhaps just a couple squeezes of lemon juice would have saved the dish. Overall, Something Healthy fresh salad rice bowl was reasonably priced and it is a great concept. But it could have been a lot better with a tastier salad dressing. If I ever go for this dish again, I would try the teriyaki dressing instead.

Something Healthy Fresh Salad Rice Bowl: ©© 3/4

Something Healthy Wholesome Meals and Juice Bar is located at 660 Abbott Street Street, Vancouver BC (T) 604.569.09.19

Filed under: asian cuisine, cheap dinner, cheap eats vancouver under $10, cheap lunch, north american cuisine, restaurants Tagged: Cheap Eats Vancouver, Fresh salad, Good Eats Vancouver, healthy food, Rice bowl, Salad Dressing, sesame pear dressing

Vitenamese Beef Stew with French Baguette at Cafe Des Arts – The Perfect Balance between East and West.

CheapAppetite — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 11:25:31 +0000

By Tana Kosiyabong

Inspired by last week’s result, I decided to explore other walking routes between my condo and the office. And lucky was on my side once again. Earlier this week, I stumbled upon another cafe/restaurant called Cafe Des Arts on my way home. The menu on the front exterior looked very promising. Most of the daily special menu items were under $7. The Bò Kho (Vietnamese Beef Stew – No. 9 on the menu) had caught my eyes. It sounded so intriguing I wish I could declare the Cheap Appetite Mission right then and there. Unfortunately, the restaurant has already closed at 5pm. So I made a mental note to come back tomorrow for lunch.

The next morning, I was eager to start a new Cheap Appetite mission at Cafe Des Arts. On my lunch break, I headed to Cafe Des Arts situated on the edge of Yaletown, less than 10-minute walk from my office. As I walked inside, the restaurant was crowded but there were still a few empty tables available. I wasted no time to order the Bò Kho with Bun ($6.99). According to the menu, you can also substitute the bun with noodles at no extra charge.

Then I went to sit at a small table near a window and started to look around the cafe/restaurant. Cafe Des Arts interior was eclectic, funky and some what clutter in some corners. The impressive big blackboard wall featured quirky chalk illustrations which set the tone of the entire place. The leather chairs underneath looked so cozy I could imagine myself curled up on them with a cup of hot coffee and a good book for hours. Unfortunately, the opposite side was cluttered with a big freezer and a computer desk.

About ten minutes later, the Vietnamese Beef Stew Bò Kho was served with a French baguette. For under $7, I didn’t expect to see the bowl of that large. The Vietnamese beef stew had me at first bite. It was scrumptious and lighter than the Western stew. The dish struck a beautiful balance between East and West. It got the natural sweetness from the beef broth, onion and daikon radish, the tartness from tomatoes and a good kung-fu kick from chili pepper. Cilantro and lemongrass also added more depth to the overall flavor profile. The beef and daikon radish were soft and almost fell apart on my tongue. I felt as if there were a flavor reunion party inside my mouth. The 9-inch French baguette was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. It was a perfect complement to the spicy stew. I will definitely go back to try this dish with the noodles next. All in all, this mission was a great success.

Cafe Des Arts Vietnamese Beef Stew (Bò Kho): ©©©©1/3

NOTE: Cafe Des Arts also offers a Hungarian beef stew called Goulash on the menu. To avoid confusion, make sure you specifically ask for the “Vietnamese” beef stew.

NOTE2: I just went back for the Vietnamese beef stew with noodles today (March 28, 2011). I must say that I prefer the dish with French Baguette more. So weird. I normally love noodles. Also, there were a lot of carrots and beef but only a piece of daikon in my bowl.

Cafe Des Arts is located at 863 Beatty Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 2M6 (T) 604.669.2189

Cafe Des Arts Daily Special Menu and Business Hours:

Filed under: asian cuisine, cafeteria, cheap eats vancouver under $10, cheap lunch, european cuisine, north american cuisine, restaurants Tagged: Cheap Eats Vancouver, daily specials, Good Eats Vancouver, vietnamese beef stew, vietnamese food

Super Chef Grill–The Poor Man’s Teppanyaki Special

CheapAppetite — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 11:49:04 +0000

By Tana Kosiyabong

I have been freelancing in Yaletown for several months now. The office is located only twenty-five minutes walk from my condo. So I normally walk to work and back home on the same route everyday, rain or shine. A few days ago, however, I took a new turn onto Robson street on my way home. Only half a block into the new route, I came across a new restaurant called Super Chef Grill.

The sidewalk signage features the Today’s Special: Grilled Chicken and Beef on Rice for $5.35 (regular price $7.25). Because the price sounded great and it was the dinner time, I decided to check it out.

When I walked inside, the friendly owner/chef greeted me from behind the counter/cooking area. I wasted no time to order the Grilled Chicken and Beef on rice. Super Chef Grill cooks their dishes on a flat iron sheet similar to the Teppanyaki steakhouses. Although there are no flashy trick shows, the patrons can choose from six different sauces: ginger, teriyaki, soy, oyster, chili, and black bean sauces. I went with the ginger and chili sauces.

Normally I associated the word “Teppanyaki” with fancy Japanese Steakhouses and trick shows performed by the chefs. However, according to Wikipedia, Teppanyaki originally refers to dishes cooked using an iron plate. The shows were added in later to draw foreign customers. Therefore, Super Chef Grill is, by definition, a poor man’s Teppanyaki.

The restaurant also offers self-served, complimentary drinks of chrysanthemum tea and/or lemonade with all orders. I recommend the former because the latter was way too watered down for my taste. But hey, they are free.

The interior was new and clean. One of the wall was covered with the geometric pattern wallpaper.Thanks goodness that they keep the opposite wall plain white. Otherwise I would have thought I was dining in The Beautiful Mind movie set.

Five minutes later, the dish was ready for pick-up at the counter. At first glance, I was impressed by the serving portion. There were more meat on the plate than I expected. The taste test was positive. The beef, chicken and veggies were beautiul cooked with water instead of oil. So it was healthier than the typical Chinese stir-fry. Although the dish had a good kick to it, I wish the ginger flavour were stronger. I also had a hard time distinguished between the two kinds of meat because they were mixed up together.

Before I left, the owner told me that the restaurant has been opened for 3 months now. I was totally surprised to hear. After all, it is located about half a block east of my usual walking route. Perhaps a bigger, more eye-catching signage would help draw people from far away.

Super Chef Grill’s Grilled Chicken and Beef on Rice Special: ©©© 1/2

Super Chef Grill is located at 280 Robson Street, Vancouver BC (next to Ezogiku Noodle Cafe). (T) 604.681.7189

Filed under: asian cuisine, cheap dinner, cheap eats vancouver under $10, cheap lunch, restaurants Tagged: Cheap Eats Vancouver, Cheap Japanese, Good Eats Vancouver, Healthy Dish, Robson Street Restaurants, teppanyaki

Gain Wah Restaurant Part 2 — Lemongrass Pork Chop Noodle Soup and more

CheapAppetite — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 08:42:22 +0000

By Tana Kosiyabong

First of all, I’d like to offer my condolences to everyone in Japan, especially to those in the earthquake/tsunami disaster areas. I’m truly impressed and touched by how they all are coping with the horrible situation. And I wish them all the best for the future.

Now let’s get back to the business. As I mentioned in the previous post, this week is also about Gain Wah. On the second visit, I ordered an impressive dish called the Lemongrass Pork Chop Noodle Soup ($4.25 HST included–or around $3.80 before HST). Believe it or not, it was actually the most expensive noodle soup on the green sheet menu (under the glass table top). The others – bbq pork, beef ball, fish ball, beef brisket, and minced pork noodle soups – were priced at $3.95 (HST included).

The dish was served in a tiny 6-inch bowl. I was underwhelmed with the size at first, but then, felt content with the amount of noodles hidden underneath the pork chop. The egg noodles were perfectly cooked and the Chinese style broth was seasoned just right. Neither too bland nor too salty. The green onion enhanced the broth flavor profile even more. Best of all, the lemongrass pork chop not only looked mouth-watering, but also tasted heavenly. For just over four bucks, I had bought myself a trip to cloud nine.

My second visit was a great success. Perhaps it was even better than the first one. The noodle soup was as good, if not better, as the braised cod and tofu hot pot. But the price was way cheaper. The following visits were also good. And it would have been such a waste if I didn’t tell you about them.

On the third, I ordered the braised lamb on rice ($6.50 HST included). The dish was simple, subtle yet comforting. It was exactly what I imagined a home-cooked meal in the Northern China would be. The Chinese spices were added just enough to mask the gamey smell of the lamb, but not overpowering the entire dish. The fermented bean curd dipping sauce was quite stinky. It took me off guard on my first try. However, if used in a very small amount, it would complement the flavor of the lamb really well.

On the fourth visit, I experienced mixed results. The barbecued pork noodle soup ($3.95) was very salty. I didn’t understand why the broth wasn’t as good as before. I hope it was just a bad day. However, I had discovered a great appetizer/snack. The pan-fried green onion pancake ($2.25) was to die for. The outside crust was consisted of a few crispy thin and flaky layers. The inside was soft and chewy. Only if it were a bit more oniony, it would have been perfect. Even then, it was one of the best green onion pancake I have ever had. I told myself I would only eat half of it because it was too fattening. But before I knew it, the whole thing had already disappeared in my stomach. It’s dangerously yummy!

For the pictures of all the dishes mentioned above, please click here.

Gain Wah Lemongrass Pork Chop Noodle Soup: ©©©©1/2

Gain Wah Braised Lamb on Rice: ©©©3/4

Gain Wah Barbecued Pork Noodle Soup: ©©© (The broth was to salty that day.)

Gain Wah Pan-fried Green Onion Pancake: ©©©©1/2

Gain Wah is located at 218 Keefer Street, Vancouver BC. (T) 604.684.1740

Store Hours: 10 am to midnight. Monday to Sunday.

Filed under: asian cuisine, cheap dinner, cheap eats vancouver under $5, cheap lunch, cheap snack, restaurants Tagged: Cheap Chinese Food, Cheap Eats Vancouver, China Town Vancouver, Gain Wah, Good Eats Vancouver, lemongrass pork chop, Noodle Soup

A Newfound Respect for an Old Chinese Restaurant — Gain Wah Restaurant Part 1 (Braised Cod and Tofu Hot Pot)

CheapAppetite — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 10:01:26 +0000

By Tana Kosiyabong

I’m happy to tell you that I have found my new favorite restaurant during this week Cheap Appetite mission. It’s been a while since I was very excited about an eatery. And this time it is pretty much right under my nose. Gain Wah was one of the first Vancouver restaurants I had dined in when I moved here five years ago. However, since I discovered Kent’s Kitchen (a cheap Chinese take-out joint located next door), Gain Wah had gradually been overlooked.

I recall that LotusRapper, one of my long-time reader, had once suggested me to check out this old Chinese restaurant. But Kent’s Kitchen was like a cheapo magnet.Whenever I was on Keefer street, I was irresistably drawn to its great value.

Four days ago I went to Kent’s again for another cheap Chinese fix, but it had already closed for the day. So I decided to walked in to Gain Wah for the first time in four years. The restaurant still looks pretty much the same as it was. The Pink pleather dining booth and minty green table cloth are hard to forget.

Underneath the glass table top, there were menu items printed on yellow, green and pink sheets of paper. Most of them are under $7.25, HST included (or around $6.50 before HST). And Many are under $5 (Yup, the 12% HST included too). My eyes were wide open as if I were Charlie in Willie Wonka’s Chocolate Factory.

It was tough to choose only one dish from several interesting menu items. But eventually I went for the No. 9 (on the All-Day Special pink sheet) Braised Cod and Tofu Hot Pot ($7.25 HST included). The dish comes with a small bowl of house soup which was served soon after ordered.

The soup was simple yet delicious. The pork bone broth was seasoned just right, neither too bland nor salty. The daikon radish and carrots were very tender and fully saturated with the tasty broth. I gave it a notch better than New Town Bakery’s complimentary soup.

Shortly after, the braised cod and tofu hot pot was served with a small bowl of steamed rice. I was so impressed by the amount of food I got for the money. The fish and tofu were deep-fried before braised in the hot pot. But the dish wasn’t overly greasy. Although the chunks of fish weren’t the freshest, they were still quite delicious. The sauce was lightly salted and delicate. It was nothing like the salty North American Chinese dishes. The bottom of the hot pot was lined with napa cabbages which absorbed the scrumptious sauce in it. The aroma of onions, green onions, ginger and a few shitake mushroom slices masked the fish smell quite well, but not overpowered the whole dish. The steamed rice was perfectly cooked. All in all, it was a great Cheap Appetite.

After the meal I was so glad to reconnect with Gain Wah again after all these years. In fact, I love it so much I went back there again three days in a row (it would have been four days if I didn’t have to stay home to write this post tonight). The other two dishes were also delicious. But one of them was so impressive it deserved a write up of its own. Therefore, please stay tune for the Part Two of Gain Wah next week. I promise you won’t be disappointed. In the mean time, you can check it out and let me know how you like this old Chinese establishment.

Note: Gain Wah also has a menu book, but I chose to go with the one underneath the glass table top.

Gain Wah is located at 218 Keefer Street, Vancouver BC. (T) 604.684.1740

Store Hours: 10 am to midnight. Monday to Sunday.

Filed under: asian cuisine, cheap dinner, cheap eats vancouver under $10, cheap lunch, restaurants Tagged: Cheap Chinese Food, Cheap Eats Vancouver, China Town Vancouver, Chinese Cuisine, Gain Wah, Good Eats Vancouver, Hot pot

Classic Beef Curry with a Bizzare Seasoning Twist at RASOEE Indian Kitchen

CheapAppetite — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 08:48:53 +0000

By Tana Kosiyabong

Last week I wrote about the Japanese Katsu Curry from Ebi Ten. So I think it would be fun to compare the dish against a curry dish from Rasoee Indian kitchen located about a block away. The restaurant has been opened for a few months now, but I haven’t had a chance to check it out. Therefore, when I declared this week Cheap Appetite mission, I was looking forward to the new exotic experience.

So I headed to Rasoee on Robson Street about thirty minutes before the lunch hour. As I got closer, I could smell fragrant East Indian spices in the air. A few patrons were already there when I stepped inside. It took me a few minutes to peruse the menu board and decide on the Classic Beef Curry (a special blend of garam masala, with tomatoes and onion– $7.69) For $2.49 extra, I could make it a combo with fresh baked naan and a can of soda. However, I couldn’t justify paying over $10 for a lunch. So I declined the option. The staff at the counter then asked how spicy I’d like my curry prepared. “Definitely spicy,” I replied.

After that, I went to sit down at an empty table near the front window. While waiting for my dish, I had time to observe the interior of the restaurant. Rasoee is decorated in a modern industrial style with the exotic East Indian flares. The bold fabric colors and patterns bring such a lively contrast to the otherwise cold, industrial lines of the furnitures and structures.

Soon after, my spicy classic beef curry was served. The first glance was a little disappointed. Compared to the Katsu curry, the beef curry portion was smaller. There was no garnish on the side either. But the first bite was quite good. It was spicy as I ordered. A couple of bites later, however, I noticed a red blob in between the rice and the curry layers. That’s when I started to taste each of them separately. The beef curry itself was actually mild. The red blob, which I soon realized it was the faked Sriracha sauce, was spicy. Obviously, Rasoee squeezed the hot sauce on rice first then pour the curry sauce over them. I couldn’t help but wonder why they didn’t stir the faked Sriracha into the curry sauce then pour the mixture over rice.

Other than the bizzare (or perhaps sloppy) seasoning mechanism, the curry was quite yummy. The beef was slow-cooked until tender and almost fall-apart in my mouth. The basmati rice was beautifully cook and complimented the curry well. The portion size of the curry bowl was just enough to suppress my hunger, but not enough to make me feel really full. Perhaps it would be a good thing if I were on a diet. However, if I have an extra 26 cents in my pocket, I’d rather go with Ebi Ten’s Katsu Curry ($7.95). Because it’s good to be full.

Rasoee is located at 320 Robson St., Vancouver, BC (T) 604.568.9023

Filed under: asian cuisine, cheap dinner, cheap eats vancouver under $10, cheap lunch, restaurants Tagged: Cheap Eats Vancouver, East Fusion Food, East Indian Take out, Good Eats Vancouver, Rasoee, Robson Street Restaurants

Pork fat to the power of two – Katsu Curry on rice at Ebi-Ten

CheapAppetite — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 08:33:16 +0000

By Tana Kosiyabong

Ebi-Ten is one of my favorite restaurants across the street from the Vancouver Main Library. The restaurant has been famous for several years now. My usual dish was the Ten-Don (tempura on rice – $6.38) which I always ask for an extra spoon of sauce. It was good and affordable. However, a few weeks ago I wanted to try something new. So I ordered their Katsu Curry (Deep-fried pork cutlet with curry on rice – $7.95 or $8.55 combo with miso soup or a can of soda) instead.

Within a few weeks of my first try, I found myself eating the Katsu Curry for the third time. It has become my new usual at Ebi-Ten. I think it’s time I start writing about the dish.

So earlier this week, I went back to Ebi-Ten again with my digital camera. At the cashier counter, I wasted no time to order the Kutsu Curry combo with soda. The restaurant was packed during the lunch hour. Fortunately, there was an empty table just right outside and the weather was nice enough.

The dish was ready promptly. I took it to the condiment counter to add some pickled ginger and crispy tempura bits on the side. Normally I would also add about twenty shakes of the Shichimi tōgarashi (Japanese Chili powder) to the dish. But this time I waited until I took the pictures and completed the taste test so I could get the original flavor of the dish first.

The tonkatsu (deep-fried pork cutlet) was yummy. The crust was crispy; it was a hybrid of the batter and the panko crust. The pork cutlet was a bit overcooked, but the pork fat kept the cutlet from being too dry. The tangy tonkatsu sauce enhanced the taste of the deep-fried pork well. Although the menu board suggested that the dish was spicy, I personally think the curry was mild, smooth yet delicious. (Please remember that my tongue can tolerate spicy stuff really well.) The thin slices of the fatty pork-belly (in the curry) was so tender it melted in my mouth. So did the carrots and the onions. The crispy tonkatsu and the smooth curry complimented each other as well as Batman and Robin; the Green Hornet and Kato; or whoever your favorite superheros and sidekicks would be. The dish is definitely a tasty Cheap Appetite. However, due to the high pork fat content, eat it at your own risk.

Ebi-Ten is located at 388 Robson St., Vancouver, BC V6B (T) 604.689.9938