If you live around the International Village, you’d probably notice a pizzeria war on the 600 block of Abbot street. Fresh Slice and Uncle Fatih’s are duking it out to rule the block. Who knows how long the fight will go on. But as a cheap appetiter, I’m quite happy to take advantage of their rivalry.

First, let’s check out Fresh Slice. According to their website, they have been voted No. 1 pizza three years in a row by Vancouver consumers (not sure on which survey). Their interior was clean but boring. Fresh Slice sells their pizza for $1.56 (or $1.75 with HST) per slice. And on Tuesday, you only pay $1 per slice (plus HST–for limited time only).

For this Cheap Appetite mission, I chose a slice of the Deluxe pizza (see the above photos) from the warmer tray. The staff served it right straight from the warmer tray. The crust was soft and slightly chewy. (To be fair, however, the crust was crunchy on some of my previous visits.) The toppings (pepperoni, sausages and bell peppers) were sort of generic. But its value was above average.

Now let’s move on to Uncle Fatih’s pizza. Their original East Broadway location is well-loved by many locals and food bloggers on Urbanspoon. The Abbott Street branch where I visited was clean and modern. Their pizzas were priced at $2 per slice (HST included).

I couldn’t find a comparable pizza to the Deluxe on the Uncle Fatih’s warmer tray when I visited. So I chose a slice of the spicy chicken pizza instead (see the above photos). It looked a bit smaller but crunchier than the Fresh Slice’s. The pizza comes fully loaded with the toppings (chicken cubes, bell peppers, and hot peppers). Definitely a great value.

After both taste tests, I prefer Uncle Fatih’s to Fresh Slice pizza. I don’t mind paying a little extra for a generous amount of toppings. But I would be a fool not to choose Fresh Slice over Uncle Fatih’s on Tuesday.

Fresh Slice Deluxe pizza: ©©©1/4

Uncle Fatih’s Spicy Chicken pizza: ©©©1/2

Fresh Slice Pizza is located at 663 Abbott Street, Vacouver (T) 604.568.4262

Uncle Fatih’s is located at 638 Abbott Street, Vancouver (T) 604.566.9696

©2011 Tana Kosiyabong and CheapAppetite.com™. All rights reserved.

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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:

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I was fortunate enough to freelance with the same company in Yaletown again. It was really great working with these friendly colleagues. We all get along really well. While I was working there, I noticed many of them carrying tin foil wrapped sandwiches back into the office during lunch hours. Every time I asked they all told me about the “Schnitzel Place” down the block. But somehow I couldn’t manage to find it.

After two weeks of watching people carrying around the mysterious sandwiches, I was extremely curious to find out exactly where it was. So I asked Allen, one of my friendly coworker/supervisor, because I saw him eating one of the sandwiches the day before. He told me the place was actually called “Euro Pastry House.” Schnitzel sandwich was one of their specialties. However, he recommended me to try the Cordon Swiss Sandwich there.

With a clear direction from Allen, I walked to the Mainland Street Court (on Mainland Street between Nelson and Helmcken streets) where the Euro Pastry House is located. It was a bit tricky to find because the storefront couldn’t be seen from the footpath. As I walked inside the indoor court/mall, Euro Pastry House started to appear on my left. The décor was outdated but a friendly smile from the staff was enough to compensate for it. I wasted no time ordering the Cordon Swiss Sandwich on whole wheat bread ($8.15 plus tax). Other choices of bread include white, marble rye, rye, and sour dough. The staff asked if I want everything in it. I said yes without knowing what they were.

Shortly after, the sandwich was served on a colorful plate. As you can see from the above photos, it was a fairly large sandwich. The French-inspired dish had all the key ingredients found in the original Chicken Cordon Bleu – chicken breast, ham and swiss cheese – only that they were not rolled up together. It also came with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, pickles and banana peppers. The whole wheat bread was thick but soft. The chicken breast was bigger and thicker than the deep-fried chicken thigh I wrote about last week. It was well-marinated and tasty, but a bit dry. The ham was bigger than two (perhaps three) pieces of “Subway” ham combined. The veggies were all fresh and crunchy. The banana peppers added a little kung fu kick sandwich. This French-inspired dish has an attitude after all.

Either because I wasn’t hungry or the sandwich was very big, I could only finished half of it. So the staff tin-foil wrapped the other half which I brought back to the office and snacked a few hours later. It was still good.

This is my last post this year. After the budget calculation (see below), I still have almost 16 bucks left from the 2010 budget. I will keep you posted on what I will do with it soon. Happy Holidays to all my beloved readers. See you next year

Euro Pastry House’s Euro Cordon Swiss Sandwich : ©©©1/2

Euro Pastry House is located at 114-1058 Mainland Street (inside Mainland Street Court), Vancouver, BC (T) 604.602.0003

BUDGET BREAKDOWN:

Remaining Budget: $24.10

Budget Spent: -$8.15

Budget Available: $15.95

©2010 Tana Kosiyabong and CheapAppetite.com™. All rights reserved.

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I had my eyes on Meat & Bread, a new fancy sandwich shop on the edge of Gastown long before they even open. While the space were renovating, I thought the place was going to be a high-end butcher shop that also sells bread. What a weird concept!

About a month ago, however, I happened to walk past Meat & Bread during their grand opening. So I went inside to check it out and soon realized that it is actually a gourmet sandwich shop. I felt like an idiot standing in the faux meat packing factory. The hanging sandbag at the far end of the shop reminded me of a cow carcass waiting to be cut. A couple of trophy animal heads completed the décor. Somehow, the interior designer had skillfully turned the gross, negative vibe associated with a slaughter house into a cool and hip sandwich shop.

According to the menu board, the sandwiches are priced around 7-8 dollars. Judging from the size of the sandwiches I saw, however, they were pricey. I could have bought two Subway six-inchers with that amount of money. Unable to justify my spending, I decided to call off my Cheap Appetite Mission.

A few weeks later, I realized that I still have $46 budget left for the last four missions of 2010. Perhaps I can afford a few fancy meals for the variety of the blog. Meat & Bread was the first that came to mind because I couldn’t stop thinking about their pricey sandwiches since my first visit.

So I went back to the fancy sandwich shop and ordered myself a meatball sub ($7 plus HST). One of the staff made my sandwich to order with their fresh baked bread. He first layered the sambal sauce on the bottom; added the meatballs and marinara sauce; then topped it with italian herbs and spices, and some shaved parmesan cheese.

The only annoying thing was that the meatballs somehow got chopped up before added to the sandwich (I didn’t pay attention while the staff made my sandwich). I don’t know about you, but I like my meatballs round, not like Rosanne’s loose beef sandwiches. I couldn’t help but wonder why on earth those balls of joy.

Meat & Bread meatball sub was served on a wood cutting board with some mustard and sambal sauce on the side. Thanks to its pretty presentation, I got a lot of great shots to show you. The sandwich was slightly bigger than my eyeglass case (as seen on the photo below). In order to fill up my stomach, I’d need at least a bowl of soup to go with the sub ($4). Even though I have enough money left to splurge, I didn’t feel appropriate to spend eleven bucks on my lunch. So I decided not to do so. After I finished the photoshoot, it was time for the taste test.

Mamma Mia! The first bite was delicious. The bread was slightly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The meatball flavor profile was sophisticated. Various Italian herbs complemented the tangy marinara sauce really well. The spicy sambal sauce gave out consistent kicks on my taste buds. Fortunately these little twits love to be tortured. The hot sauce was definitely a great surprise in the meatball sub. Who would have thought the traditional Italian flavors could commingled so well with the South East Asian sauce.

Overall, I enjoyed the Meat & Bread meatball sandwich a lot. I wouldn’t mind paying 7 bucks for its sophisticated flavor profile every once in a long while. However, I don’t think they should ever chop up the meatballs and spread them over the sandwich. It was just wrong to do so. Meatballs should be meatballs. Don’t mess with them.

NOTE: While I was eating my sandwich, I watched a staff prepared a porchetta sandwich. The roasted pork looked juicy. The skin was so crispy that I could hear the crackling sound as the staff sliced his knife through. Crispy pork rind rules!

Meat & Bread Meatball Sub Sandwich: ©©©3/4

Meat & Bread is located at 370 Cambie Street, Vancouver, BC (T) 604.566.9003 or 778.997.3079

BUDGET BREAKDOWN:

Remaining Budget: $46.55

Budget Spent: -$7 ($HST not included)

Budget Available: $39.55

©2010 Tana Kosiyabong and CheapAppetite.com™. All rights reserved.

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It’s been a while since I wrote about pizza. If you followed my blog from the start, you’d probably remember my favourite Goldies Rustic Pizza. Unfortunately, since my review, Goldies has become even pricier. Many of their pizzas are now sold for $3 to $3.50 per slice. Although they still offer a few cheaper options, it’s time to find a back up plan in case they hiked up their prices again.

A few weeks ago, Nancy, my coworker, told me about the Unforgettable pizza. The Wednesday and Friday specials she told me sounded interesting. For $5, you get two slices of pizza and a can of pop. Since I had no other plans and it was Friday, I decided to declare a Cheap Appetite mission on it.

Before I headed out, I did a quick research online. According to their website, Unforgettable pizza offers New York Style thin crust pizza. The restaurant was established in 1992. Their made-to-order pizzas pie came in 10-inch, 14-inch and 18-inch sizes; The prices are ranged from $12.99 to $27.99 depending on sizes and toppings. A limited choices of pastas, wraps and calzones are also available.

Unforgettable Pizza is a mom and pop joint located on West 8^th Avenue between Cambie and Yukon Streets. As I reached the restaurant, the street signage advertised that their regular price is $2.50 per slice. With the Wednesday/Friday deals, I practically got a free drink out of it.

When I got inside, several patrons had already lined up to order. Unforgettable pizza by slice were pre-baked and displayed in a glass case; therefore it didn’t take long to wait in line. Once it was my turn, I chose one chicken (or perhaps turkey) and one chorizo (or some kind of italian sausages). Then the staff (and perhaps owner) reheated them in the oven for a few minutes.

Shortly after, my pizzas were ready. I picked them up and went to sit at a table just right outside. When I visited this restaurant a few weeks ago, the weather was still nice enough to enjoy while having lunch.

Dying to eat the delicious-looking pizza, I rushed through the photo session so I could start the taste test. The first bite was astonishing. I could hear the crunchy sound while I sank my teeth into it as if the outer crust (at the bottom of the pizza) was made with a thin layer of crispy toast. The inner crust, however, was still soft and chewy. From the moment I tried the perfect ensemble of textures in a bite, I will never forget those delicious crusts. Perhaps this was why they named the joint “Unforgettable Pizza.”

The toppings were tasty and fresh. The restaurant seemed to like green onions a lot. They were added to many pizzas in the display case. Since I am not a big fan of green onions (with a few exceptions), I was concerning about them at first. During the taste test, however, the mild green onion flavor didn’t bother me at all.

Although the toppings were not as impressive as the crust, Unforgettable Pizza are more than deserved to be my back up plan. If they are closer to my condo, who knows, they could have been my plan A.

Unforgettable Pizza (by slice) Wednesday & Friday Specials: ©©©©

Unforgettable Pizza is located at 450 West 8th Avenue, Vancouver, BC (T) 604.739.7389

BUDGET BREAKDOWN:
Remaining Budget: $82.78
Budget Spent: -$5.00
Budget Available: $77.78

NOTE: Please call to confirm the Wednesday & Friday specials before you make a trip to the restaurants. Promotion subjects to change without notice.

©2010 Tana Kosiyabong and CheapAppetite.com™. All rights reserved.

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I have a good news to share with all of you. CheapAppetite.com has gained a recognition from the 24 Hours Newspaper, the third largest newspaper in BC. Recently, I was invited to write a couple of reviews for their redesign food page. Not to mention that Savvyinsider.ca also see some value in my thrifty nature and has been featuring my reviews every other Thursday since last year. Thanks for the opportunities, guys.

Now let’s get back to the cheap good eats, the main reason why we’re all here. Although my freelance gig at West Broadway and Cambie has already completed, I still have a few restaurants in the area to write about. Joseph, my co-worker who was born and raised in Hong Kong, had told me about a restaurant called Cafe Gloucester. It’s a Hong Kong style cafe similar to Gold Stone Bakery which I reviewed a while back, but more modern. The restaurant typically serves Western inspired Chinese food. Joseph’s favorite dish is the Portuguese Chicken. He described it so deliciously that I decided to embark to the restaurant on this Cheap Appetite mission.

Cafe Gloucester is located on Cambie street between 17^th and 18^th Avenue. As I got there, the restaurant was already packed with Asian patrons, a good sign for a Chinese restaurant. The window tables were all taken so I had to sit far away from the beautiful natural light; hence the sucky photos on this post.

The restaurant has a very extensive menu similar to Gold Stone. However, I just went with Joseph’s favorite, No. 86: Baked Portuguese Style Chicken with rice ($7.99). The dish comes with a free serving of coffee, tea, horlicks or hot chocolate which I eventually ordered the Hong Kong coffee to match the restaurant style. For a cold drink, add one more dollar.

The dish took about 20 minutes to arrive, but the coffee was served within the first five minutes. It was strong and creamy, yet not sweet at all. Hong Kong style coffee is way better than a cup of four dollar soy latte from a fancy coffee shop.

Once the dish had arrived, I started to dig in right after a quick photo session. The yellow curry sauce was mild, smooth and creamy. If you close your eyes and fancy yourself flying naked through the fluffy clouds fifty miles above a curry factory while drinking a glass of half and half, you can pretty much imagine the taste of it. I bet they used either evaporated milk or cream along with the coconut milk to make such a velvety sauce. The grated coconuts on top enhanced the coconut flavor in the sauce even more.

The chicken skin was crispy on the outer surface, but softer underneath. The large chunks of chicken meat were tender and nicely marinated. The baked potato chunks with charred skins were super duper. When I bit into the sweet onion slices, they were almost melted in my mouth. The steamed rice under the sauce was lightly stir-fried with eggs. What a lovely detail!

When I went back to the office, I chatted with Joseph further about the dish. He told me that the Portuguese Chicken is a popular dish in Hong Kong. It was invented in Hong Kong and doesn’t have anything to do with Portuguese. However, my post-meal research revealed that Portuguese chicken is originated in Macau, a region near Hong Kong and formerly occupied by Portugal. The dish did not come from Portugal. Another source also mentioned that the original version of this Macanese dish is a Chinese-Portuguese fusion which chorizo is also one of the main ingredients.

If you ask the Portuguese, they would have shaken their heads and wondered why their mamas have never cooked this dish before. If you ask me, I’d say “who cares where it came from?” As long as it’s cheap and yummy, I’ll keep eating it.

Cafe Gloucester No.86–Baked Portuguese Style Chicken on Rice: ©©© 3/4
(Joseph gave it 7 out of 10. He said he had better ones in Hong Kong. The chicken meats were more chewy.)

Cafe Gloucester is located at 3338 Cambie Street, Vancouver, BC V5Z2W5 (T) 604.873.3338

BUDGET BREAKDOWN:
Remaining Budget: $89.77
Budget Spent: -$7.99
Budget Available: $82.78

NOTE (Oct 23, 2010): If you’d like to try this dish, make sure you order No.86: Baked Portuguese Style Chicken with rice (7.99) as seen below. One of my beloved readers ordered the same dish on a different section called “Western Dishes” section, and it was priced at $10.99. That particular one doesn’t come with a free drink either.

NOTE (Oct 25, 2010): According to Eve (one of my reader), Cafe Gloucester has a REGULAR menu (with green binding) and MINI MEAL menu. I believe the mini meal menu are the under $9 dishes that comes with a choice of horlicks/ovaltine/lemon tea/milk tea. The MINI MEAL menu is usually served from 9AM-5PM and again from 9PM-onwards. Not during dinner time.

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Last Wednesday was a beautiful day in Vancouver. So I decided to stroll along the False Creek’s seawall from Granville Island to engage in a Cheap Appetite mission at Go Fish Ocean Emporium. I have heard a lot about this restaurant but I hadn’t had a chance to visit. Rumor has it that they serve mean Fish Tacones there.

When I approached the restaurant (or better described as a seafood shack with metal sidings and wood patio), there were a long line of patrons waiting to order their lunches. “Dammit, this is gonna take forever,” I cursed. But since I was on a mission, I couldn’t just walk away and find another place to eat. So I toughed it up and walked towards the end of the line which wrapped around the shack.

As my stomach was growling louder and louder, a few patrons passed me by with Go Fish’s tacones in their hands. Although they sure look yummy, two of those puppies ($10 HST included) weren’t gonna be enough for a starving cheapo like me. I need to get something more filling than those. Twenty minutes later, it finally was my turn to order. And I chose to go with one piece of salmon filet Fish and Chips ($8 HST included or $7.14 without tax). The cashier then told me that I still had another twenty minutes of waiting ahead of me. OHHH-MYYY-GOSHHH! I’d probably be hungry to death by the time they finished cooking my lunch.

Fortunately, twenty minutes has passed and I’m still alive. Suddenly a staff yelled out my name “TANA!” I rushed to the shack to pick up my order and the condiments; then headed out to sit on the nearby floating dock to enjoy my lunch.

“Crap!,” I bursted out when I realized that I still had to shoot some photos first. I hate this part most. It’s just so awkward taking pictures of yummy food while drooling behind the camera.

Finally it was my favorite part, the taste test! I was so looking forward to it for almost an hour now. Go Fish’s fish and chips came in a Chinese bamboo steamer like what normally see in dim sum restaurants. At first glance I was really impressed by the humongous piece of salmon filet on top. Both the fish and the chips look so appetizing together. The outer crusts were dark golden brown. “Oh… my,” I blurted out after my first bite on a chip. It was very crispy on the outside, yet soft on the inside. Some smaller pieces were crunchy all the way through. They were well seasoned with perhaps kosher salt.

Then I moved on to the fish. This was the first time I chose salmon for Fish and Chips. To be honest, I was hesitated to order it at first because I was afraid that the salmon was going to be dried after being deep-fried. But I was so wrong. The filet was still moist and soft. I could even taste the subtle sweetness of the salmon in each bite. The fish was really fresh.

This had totally changed the way I ate fish and chips that day. Normally I would eat the dish with lots of tabasco and ketchup. I love the combination of the two flavors together. However, both sauces would overpower the lovely natural flavor in the fresh salmon. Since the crispy beer batter was already well-seasoned, I simply ate most of the fish and chips plain, and just a small portion of them with the ketchup and chili sauces.

Towards the end, I was happily surprised to find that both the fish batter and the chips still hold their crispy texture until the last piece were vanished from my bamboo steamer. It was definitely time well-spent waiting almost an hour for this freakin’ awesome dish.

Go Fish Salmon Filet Fish and Chips: ©©©©1/4

Go Fish is located at 1505 1 Avenue West, Vancouver, BC V6J 1E8 (near Granville Island) (T) 604.730.5040

BUDGET BREAKDOWN:
Remaining Budget: $165.27
Budget Spent: -$7.14 (This budget doesn’t include taxes)
Budget Available: $158.13

©2010 Tana Kosiyabong and CheapAppetite.com™. All rights reserved.

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I have been to Opa! Souvlaki in Yaletown two Tuesdays in a row to take advantage of their Calamari Tuesday’s special. The first time was because I couldn’t resist the promotion. A week later, I found myself back at Opa! again for the second dose of the deep-fried calamari, and of course, to watch a World Cup Soccer match between Brazil and North Korea on their TV.

Opa! Souvlaki is a Greek/Mediterranean fast food franchise originally from Calgary, Alberta. Now the chain has expanded across Canada and the US. According to their website, the word “OPA!” is used in Greek culture to express a feeling of joy, high spirits and happiness. It captures a time of peace with the issues of the day, and a celebration of the warmth of food, drink, family and being with one’s closest companions.

Opa! Souvlaki Yaletown is modernly decorated similar to most fast food franchises. Most seats are at high bars facing either windows or a wall. It’s not the typical greek restaurant as you may see in the movie, “My Big Fat Greek Wedding.”

On both occasions, I chose to order the Calamari with Caesar Salad ($6.49 on Tuesday or $7.99 for the rest of the week). As far as I know, also confirmed by Wikipedia, Caesar salad is not Greek food. It was invented by an Italian-born Mexican chef, Caesar Cardini, for his restaurant in California. However, Opa! Souvlaki also offers Calamari with Greek Salad at the same price. You can also get a side order of deep-fried calamari for $4.49 on Tuesday. Opa! Souvlaki also serves six kinds of souvlaki: salmon, chicken, lamb, pork, gyros, and fava (similar to falafel). They can be served as platters, wraps or salad.

Shortly after, the dish was served with a large pile of deep-fried calamari on one side and caesar salad on the other. The squid were then sprinkled with, perhaps, dry oregano. The fried batter was soft-yet-crispy, but a bit bland. The calamari were tender on the inside. Once I seasoned them with salt, pepper, and lemon juice, they became quite tasty. The chopped red onions complemented the squid flavour really well. I’m glad I chose to add them when the staff asked. The caesar salad was fresh with parmesan cheese sprinkled on top. The caesar dressing was creamy but neither garlicky nor anchovy/fishy. Even then I still like to dip those calamari in it.

The most impressive thing about the dish is the big portion of the deep-fried calamari. I finished my salad long before I could finish those squids. For $6.49, it is a good buy. Not so much at $7.99 though.

As you’d know by now, Brazil won the match 2-1. North Korean, however, shouldn’t feel upset with the result. They did a good job playing against a powerhouse, Brazil. Watching a good game while eating good food, it’s definitely time to say “Opa!”

BUDGET BREAKDOWN:
Remaining Budget: $195.71
Budget Spent: -$6.49
Budget Available: $189.22

Opa! Souvlaki Yaletown is located at 412 Davie Street, Vancouver, BC V6B2G3‎ (T) 604.696.6222‎

For more information on Opa! Souvlaki, click here

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I have been working seven days a week for two weeks now. So I couldn’t venture out of my neighborhood for my Cheap Appetite missions. Hopefully you, my beloved readers, wouldn’t mind sticking around the downtown east side for a while longer.

I walked past Prime Time Chicken and Chinese food a bunch of times while I was on my way to Kent’s Kitchen. But with a destination in mind, I didn’t bother to check it out. This week, however, I was crunched on time.
This chicken joint had entered my mind because I could walked there in five minutes.

Prime Time Chicken is located at Main Street & Hastings Street across from the Carnegie Community Centre where junkies and some less fortunate folks are hanging out. The restaurant has just opened last year. However, once stepped inside, I experienced a major flashback in time. The décor was, perhaps, brand new in the early 1980s if not earlier. Very little has changed after the previous owner gave up the space. Fortunately, I was there to eat; not to admire the architectural details. As I walked in, the pre-made Chinese food section is on the right-hand side, and the fried and barbecued chicken, and soft-served ice cream are on the left.

Since I just wrote about T&T pre-made Chinese last week, I was drawn towards the chicken side. After a few minutes of studying the menu board, I opted for one leg, one thigh, and fries special ($3.25 or $3.95 if bought separately). At Prime Time Chicken, you can mix and match the deep-fried and barbecued chicken at no extra charge. To suppress my health-conscious mind and satisfy my junk food appetite, I decided to go for a compromise: a barbecued thigh and a deep-fried drumstick.

Unfortunately, the barbecued chicken thigh was luke warm. It probably sat on the tray for a while. The chicken was a bit dry on the outside, but still moist inside. The Chinese barbecue sauce added sweetness to the chicken exterior.

The deep-fried drumstick, on the other hand, was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The crust was flavored just right. The dark meat was juicy and delicious. I wish I ordered both pieces deep-fried.

The restaurant gave a huge pile of French fries. They were crispy; Some were even crunchy all the way through. It was hard to stop once popped a piece of these delicious golden sticks in my mouth. For a moment, I had become an Energizer bunny who kept eating and eating.

The only thing I missed while eating the chicken was the Thai sweet chili sauce. It complements both deep-fried and barbecued chicken really well. However, given that Prime Time Chicken is Chinese style, I couldn’t penalize them for not providing Thai dipping sauce.

After I finished with the greasy food, soft-served ice cream sounded like a great way to end the meal. So I went up to the front and got myself half vanilla, half chocolate ice cream in a small cup ($1.25). It was as good as any pre-mixed, soft-served ice cream could get. Only that the half and half tasted very much like chocolate. Maybe I’ll try the vanilla flavor ($1) by itself next time. For $4.50 (or $4.25 if you prefer vanilla ice cream), this meal is definitely a cheap appetite.

Prime Time Chicken oily food and sweet ice cream are perfect for their core patrons, the junkies of the downtown east side. Surprisingly, I also saw numerous young college crowds walked in and out while dining there. And after this post, there may be quite a few Cheap Appetiters getting their hands greasy at this wallet-friendly chicken joint on regular basis.

Prime Time Chicken Barbecued Chicken Thigh: ©©©
Prime Time Chicken Deep-Fried Chicken Drumstick: ©©© 3/4
Prime Time Chicken Fries: ©©©©
Prime Time Chicken Soft-Served Ice Cream Mixed: ©©© 1/2

BUDGET BREAKDOWN:
Remaining Budget: $238.45
Budget Spent: -$4.50
Budget Available: $233.95

Prime Time Chicken and Chinese Food is located at 416 Main Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada. (T) 604.568.6999

©2010 Tana Kosiyabong and CheapAppetite.com™. All rights reserved.

Earlier this week, a PR firm sent me a press release of a new Spanish-inspired Tapas Bar called Judas Goat. The bar is located in Blood Alley, Gastown, just across the street from my condo. I was quite surprised when I first read the news. Why would anyone open a business in such a notorious alley with very little foot/car traffic except from a bunch of junkies in the neighborhood? Then it blew my mind even more when I discovered that Judas Goat is beside another fancy restaurant in the same alley. OMG, they opened two eateries right under my nose, and I didn’t even know until now!

The PR firm also sent me Judas Goat food and wine menu. Most food prices are under $10. Since I’ve never reviewed a fancy bar before, I decided to take a chance. So I asked my friends, Xiao and Apiradee if they wanted to go along with me. After they see the food menu, they gently declined. Fancy western food isn’t their cups of tea.

“Fine, I’ll go by myself!” I told them. So I walked cross the street into Blood Alley for the first time since I moved into this neighborhood two years ago. It was only about 6:30 pm, but the bar was already packed. I wasn’t sure how on earth these people heard about this place, but the PR firm seemed to do their job well. At that point, all the window bar seats had already been taken. This meant I wouldn’t be able to get any great food shots. Therefore I went back home instead.

The next day, I showed up at Judas Goat again at 5:30 pm. It is a tiny 28-seat bar with a modern industrial style and a touch of funky flair. There was only a couple of patrons when I stepped inside. So I had the whole window to by myself.

According to Wikipedia, the Judas goat is trained to lure sheep or cattle to a specific destination such as slaughter-house or trucks. The term is a reference to Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve original apostles who, according to the New Testament, betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. Since the Blood Alley area was believed to house some butcher shops in the past (some may argue otherwise), the name “Judas Goat” makes sense.

Because I had already perused Judas food menu at home, I quickly chose four bruschetta (4 for $8 or $2.25 each) and a glass of water (free). It was fun to write my own order on the handout menu.

I have to admit that fancy western food isn’t my cup of tea either. I didn’t even know what bruschetta was until I wikipedia it. But to my surprise, the four bruschetta I ordered were a miniature version of the bruschetta photos I saw on Wikipedia. “F— me! Is this a midget bar or what?” I shouted in my head.

The four bruschetta I ordered (see the above photo from left to right) were white anchovy and salsa verde, chorizo with caramelized onion and dark chocolate, stewed mushrooms with sherry and comté cheese (vegetarian), and piquillo peppers with serrano chili and goat cheese (vegetarian). The 3½-inch pencil was there for the size comparison. The bruschetta was roughly half the size of La Taqueria Taco but about the same price.

I decided to taste the bruschetta from left to right as well. The white anchovy was great. It was neither too fishy nor too salty. The sour taste of salsa verde went very well with the saltiness of the anchovy. The toasted bread had soften a bit in the middle due to the moisture in the salsa. But so far so good.

The chorizo with caramelized onion and dark chocolate was next to go down my throat. The pan-fried chorizo was too hard I felt like I was eating a piece of smoky flavored cardboard. Caramelized onion added nice natural sweet flavor to the bruschetta. The very tiny amount of dark chocolate on top was outshone by the smoky chorizo and onion. If it wasn’t described on the menu, I wouldn’t even notice it. The bread was the crispest of all four.

Then it was time for the first vegetarian bruschetta, the stewed mushrooms with sherry and comté cheese. It was nice and subtle. The mushrooms were well-cooked though I hardly tasted the sherry flavor. The comté was cheesy, but in a good way.

The last victim, who followed the Judas Goat down to the dark tunnel of no return, was the piquillo peppers with serrano chili and goat cheese. The peppers were roasted and peeled, then julienned. The green paste on the bottom was possibly basil and serrano chili blended with some olive oil. However, I didn’t really feel the heat at all. Perhaps because I’m Thai. My tongue is used to a much stronger kick. The goat cheese compliments the basil beautifully. Not bad at all for a vegetarian bruschetta.

Overall, Judas Goat is a small but fun pub for hanging out with your friends and coworkers after work. If you are in the mood for a funky modern bar, give Judas Goat a try. You could get a 6 oz glass of draft Orchard Hill Red Roof Cider and an order of beef brisket meatballs with rustic tomato sauce; or a 6 oz Sangria and couple bruschetta for $10 or less. Make sure you talk a lot, but eat and drink a little. However, if your idea of having fun is to eat a lot at affordable price, Judas Goat is probably not the right place for you. Otherwise, you may have to sell your own blood to pay for the meal.

Oh by the way, it is wise to walk through the Blood Alley with a friend or two after dark.

Judas Goat White Anchovy and Salsa Verde: ©©© ¼

Judas Goat Chorizo with Caramelized Onion and Dark Chocolate: ©© ½

Judas Goat Stewed Mushrooms with Sherry and Comté Cheese: ©©©

Judas Goat Piquillo Peppers with Serrano chili and Goat Cheese: ©© ¾

For those who do not care much about the value and size of these bruschetta, add another ½ point to the rating for a better representation of taste and vibe.

BUDGET BREAKDOWN:

Remaining Budget: $271.39

Budget Spent: -$8

Budget Available: $263.39

Judas Goat is located at 27 Blood Alley, Vancouver, BC. Phone: 604-681-5090 Website: judasgoat.ca

Bar Hour: Monday to Saturday from 5pm to midnight. Call for reservations.

JUDAS GOAT MENU

©2010 Tana Kosiyabong and CheapAppetite.com™. All rights reserved.

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