Cheap Appetite

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Ba Le looks old and outdated.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

A Pizzeria War on Abbot Street — Fresh Slice Pizza vs Uncle Fatih’s Pizza

CheapAppetite — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 07:35:12 +0000

By Tana Kosiyabong

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

Filed under: cheap dinner, cheap eats vancouver under $5, cheap lunch, cheap snack, european cuisine, fast food, north american cuisine Tagged: cheap pizza, Fresh Slice Pizza, New York Style Pizza, Pizza Downtown, Uncle Fatih’s Pizza

Thank you Vancouver Heroes. $1 McDonald’s Iced Coffee. And How To Get More Out Of Your Starbucks Iced Coffee.

CheapAppetite — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 07:38:33 +0000

By Tana Kosiyabong

Most of you have already heard about the recent riot here in Vancouver. But you may not hear about several heroes who stood up against the rioters. And many others who helped cleaning up the riot scene afterward. These heroes make me proud to be a Vancouverite. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart.

Now let’s get back to the Cheap Appetite mission. The weather is getting warmer. And the best deal in town to cool down is the new McDonald’s promo: $1 for any size soft drinks or iced coffee. However, finding a participating McDonald’s that serves a $1 iced coffee is almost as hard as finding a needle in a haystack. A few stores near my condo and my office don’t have it. The closest one I found is about 30-minute walk away. It won’t make sense to go that far just for a cheap glass of iced coffee.

Still the weather is only going to get hotter in the next couple of months. And I can’t justify spending $3.20 (plus tax) for a large Starbucks iced coffee everyday. So I came up with a brilliant idea that I can buy a medium (grande) iced coffee ($2.60) and still get almost the same amount of drink as a large (venti) one. Here’s how I did:

Step 1: Order a medium, sweetened iced coffee without milk. This way you’ll get a bit more coffee.

Step 2: Sip away your iced coffee. Keep an eye on its level though. When the coffee reaches the top edge of the top rectangular box which indicated “Decaf,” stop drinking. (See the below photo).

Step 3: Top it up with the free whole milk (or skim milk) at the milk station. Stir well. Voila, you just got about one third more out of your iced coffee. It tastes similar to the iced cafe latte. I love that it’s not too sweet, still tasty and refreshing. For stronger coffee flavor, adjust the coffee level accordingly.

Enjoy and Cheap Appetit.

For a review of McDonald’s iced coffee, please click here.

Filed under: beverages, cheap drinks, cheap eats vancouver under $5, coffee shop / tea house, food promotion Tagged: Food Promotion Vancouver, iced coffee, Mcdonald's, Starbucks

A Great Value Meal under $4—Quarter Pound Hot Dog, Drink and Soft Serve Ice Cream Cone at Costco Food Court

CheapAppetite — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 07:13:44 +0000

By Tana Kosiyabong

I was working with my friend Grant a couple of weeks ago on a freelance project at a coffee shop near Tinseltown. Around lunch time, he told me that I should check out Costco Food Court for the next Cheap Appetite mission. I was hesitated at first because I thought it was for Costco member only. I’d rather not write about the place where only a few readers can check it out. To my surprise, Grant assured me that everyone can dine there.

So we walked down the Abbott Street and turned right onto the Expo Boulevard. Costco Food Court is located just across the street from the Rogers Arena where the Vancouver Canucks play. There was already a long line of patrons when we arrived.

Five minutes later, it was our turn to order. I decided to go for the Costco quarter pound all-beef hot dog and a 20-ounce drink with free refill combo ($1.99 plus HST). You can also choose a Polish sausage hot dog for the same price. Grant ordered a grilled chicken salad ($5.99). Because everything was pre-cooked, we got our orders right away.

We grabbed my order and walk to the condiment and drink stations. There were just the good ol’ ketchup, yellow mustard, relish, chopped onions and sauerkraut. Then both of us went to sit on one of the empty picnic table in front of the cafeteria.

Grant’s grilled chicken salad looked quite impressive. The mixed veggies appeared to be fresh. It also came with a few wedges of apples and a handful of roasted pecan. The salad dressing came in a plastic pouch like what you normally get from the fast food chain. When I asked him about the salad, he simply replied “it was good.”

My hot dog was plump, juicy and beefy, but didn’t snap when bitten into. It was probably about twice as big as the 50-cent Ikea hot dogs. The sesame topped bun was decent. A comparable hot dog from one of the Vancouver street vendors would have cost around 4 bucks. The drink was just a standard soda fountain drink. But you can keep refilling until your heart’s content.

One thing I’d like to complain was that Costco Food Court doesn’t sell just a hot dog by itself. If you want two hot dogs, you have to pay for two combos. However, they do sell a 20-oz drink separately for 79 cents plus HST.

After finished the combo meal, I still had some room left in my belly. So I decided to go for a half-vanilla, half-chocolate soft serve ice cream cone ($1.99 plus HST). Again, it was about twice as big as Ikea ice cream cone. Costco served their ice cream on a thin, crispy waffle cone instead of the typical wafer alternative. For 30 cents extra, you can make it a chocolate, caramel or berry Sundae.

The soft serve was creamy and delicious. And, best of all, it wasn’t too sugary. The ice cream cone was definitely a highlight of the meal. Thanks to Costco cafeteria, from now on, I no longer need to go all the way to Ikea Richmond to get cheap hot dogs and soft serve ice cream cones anymore.

Costco Food Court Quarter-Pound All Beef Hot Dog and Drink Combo: ©©©©
Costco Food Court Soft Serve Ice Cream (half vanilla, half chocolate) : ©©©© 1/4

Costco Food Court (downtown) is located at 605 Expo Blvd, Vancouver, BC (T) 604.622.5050

Filed under: cheap eats vancouver under $10, cheap eats vancouver under $5, cheap lunch, dessert, fast food, food court, north american cuisine Tagged: Cheap Dessert, Cheap Eats Vancouver, Good Eats Vancouver, hot dog

$3.99 Breakfast Special and a Ring Side View for the Trainspotters

CheapAppetite — Mon, 16 May 2011 07:04:51 +0000

By Tana Kosiyabong

Last weekend, I went out for brunch with my friend, Peter. He wanted to check out a restaurant called the Red Wagon which received a rave review from the Globe and Mail. Unfortunately, Peter wasn’t the only one who had read the article. There were a bunch of patrons waiting to be seated when we reached the restaurant. Neither of us want to waste at least half an hour just to get a table. So I told Peter to drive a few block north and turn left onto Powell Street where I remembered seeing a couple of cheap breakfast joints before. And sure enough, they were there.

Luckily, we got a rockstar parking spot right in front of the restaurant called J’s Grill and Pasta. So we walked right in and didn’t even bother checking out the other breakfast joint located a block away. I felt like I was transported back into the 70s. The décor was outdated. The floor was covered with hunter green carpet. But thanks to the big windows in the front and the back, the shabby joint didn’t look dingy.

The big windows at the back also feature a ringside view of the passing by trains. They were so close that you could almost touch them. This breakfast joint is definitely a heaven for the trainspotting enthusiasts.

According to the menu, J’s Grill and Pasta offers all day breakfast. However, the $3.95 breakfast special can be ordered between 7am to 11am Monday to Friday, or 7:30 am to 3 pm on Saturday and Sunday. After the special hours, the same dish is priced at $5.79.

Since we were there during the special hours, we both ordered the Breakfast special ($3.99 plus HST). Each comes with two eggs (any style), hash browns, 2 pieces of toast and your choice of 3 strips of bacon, ham or 3 links of sausage. I chose the bacons and a cup of hot chocolate ($1.95 plus HST); Peter went for the sausages a glass of orange juice ($2.79 plus HST)

J’s Grill & Pasta also offers veggie breakfast for $6.49. It comes with two eggs, hash browns, 2 pieces of toast and your choice of breakfast strips or links (I assumed they were made of soy)

Soon after, the breakfasts was served. The portion was quite impressive. The sunny side up eggs were perfectly cooked. The runny yolk complimented the salty bacon very well. But the bacon strips weren’t as crispy as I would have hoped for. The toasts were hard to mess up. Peter seemed to be happy with his sausages. The hot chocolate was quite weak. And the orange juice was also watered down.

Overall, J’s Grill and Pasta $3.99 breakfast special was decent. You pretty much got what you paid for. But I won’t spend $5.79 for one after the special hours.

J’s Grill and Pasta $3.99 Breakfast Special ©©©1/3

J’s Grill and Pasta is located at 1901 Powell St, Vancouver, BC (T) 604.253.6600

Filed under: breakfast, cheap eats vancouver under $5, cheap lunch, north american cuisine, restaurants Tagged: All day breakfast, Breakfast Special Vancouver, Cheap Breakfast, Cheap Eats Vancouver, Good Eats Vancouver, North American Breakfast

We’re Suckers for the Half-Price Starbucks Frappuccino.

CheapAppetite — Thu, 12 May 2011 08:00:36 +0000

By Tana Kosiyabong, Sharon, Kylie and Stacey

Last Friday, my coworker Sharon came over to my desk and told me about the half-price Starbucks Frappuccino. “Let’s go now,” I exclaimed. “Well, we have to wait until 3 pm,” she replied. According to Starbucks website, the Frappuccino Happy Hour is only valid between 3 and 5 pm, from May 6 to 15, 2011. I don’t know why they came out with this promotion when the weather is still cold. But I don’t care because I’m a sucker for all kinds of cheap food and drinks. (Sharon and several other coworkers in the office are also suckers for the half-price fraps.)

At 3 pm sharp, Sharon walked by my desk again. She had already put on her jacket and was ready to go. “C’mon, it’s time!” she said. Without hesitation, I jumped off the chair and we were on our way to the Starbucks store across the street.

Anyhow, let’s skip to Monday (May 9th) when I first had an idea to make this promotion a new Cheap Appetite mission. Sharon and I went back to the same Starbucks again during the Frappuccino Happy Hour. She ordered a tall Mocha Frap without the whipped cream ($1.98 plus HST), and I got a grande Strawberry and Crème Frap ($2.23 plus HST). (Why can’t they just call it small instead of tall, and medium instead of grande? Freakin’ annoying.)

MOCHA FRAPPUCCINO (by Sharon): It hits the spot of a 3 pm jolt of caffeine. ©©© ¾

STRAWBERRY AND CREME FRAPPUCCINO (by Tana): Refreshing sweet and tart flavor. Wish they added some fresh strawberry to the mix though. ©©© ¾

On Tuesday, Sharon got a small Vanilla Bean Frap with non-fat milk and no whipped cream ($1.73 plus HST) and I went for a medium Java Chip Frap ($2.23 plus HST).

NON-FAT VANILLA BEAN FRAPPUCCINO (by Sharon): It’s like ice cream. I like it a lot. It’s cheaper too! ©©©©

JAVA CHIP FRAPPUCCINO (by Tana): Although it was chocolatey and mocha-like, I was disappointed to find out that the “Chips” are actually “chocolate chips,” not coffee chips (or Flakes) like I expected. It was also too sweet for my taste. ©©©

On Wednesday, Sharon took a rain check because she had already drunk too much sugar from a free Fruitopia she got with a Quizno coupon. So I went by myself. Because Sharon raved so much about the Vanilla Bean Frap, I decided to give it a try. However, there was no way in hell that I would go for the non fat milk like she did. I paid $1.98 plus HST for my medium Vanilla Bean Frap.

VANILLA BEAN FRAPPUCCINO (by Tana): OMG. Sharon was right. It’s just like drinking melted Vanilla ice cream. I wish it was slightly less sugary though. Love the cheaper price! ©©©©

Thursday afternoon was warm and sunny. My coworker Kylie and Stacey had also joined Sharon and I on the half-price Frap mission. Kylie ordered a medium Vanilla Bean Frap ($1.98 plus HST); Stacey got a medium Coconut Creme Frap ($2.23 plus HST); Sharon went for a small Double Chocolaty Chip Frap made with non-fat milk ($1.98 plus HST); I chose a medium Matcha Frap ($2.23 plus HST).

VANILLA BEAN FRAPPUCCINO: (by Kylie): It is delicious with a hint of magical undertones. ©©©©1/2

COCONUT CREAM FRAPPUCCINO: (by Stacey): Consistency is good – smooth and not too icy. Flavour tastes like condensed milk or sweet coconut milk. It needs something extra, like a hit of strawberry or coconut flakes – then it would be better. ©©©3/4

NON-FAT DOUBLE CHOCOLATY CHIP FRAPPUCCINO: (by Sharon): Perfect amount of chocolate chunks for a little crunch. Like dessert. ©©©©

MATCHA FRAPPUCCINO: Taste like cold, refreshing Matcha Latte. I love that they use green tea powder which is quite potent. Like most Fraps, I wish it would be less sugary. If you love Matcha (green tea) ice cream, you’ll like this. ©©©©

On Friday the 13th (not a scary movie sequal), Sharon took a day off, and I also too a half day off. So I went to the Starbucks and got myself a medium Coffee Frap ($1.98 plus HST). The next day (Saturday) I ordered a Raspberry Frap ($2.21 plus HST). The cashier didn’t even know that it existed until I show him that Raspberry is on the “Create Your Own Frap” list.

COFFEE FRAPPUCCINO: I like the simplicity and refreshing taste of iced coffee. And it’s a bit cheaper than most Fraps. But again, it was a little too sweet for my taste. ©©©3/4

RASPBERRY FRAPPUCCINO: It was a big disappointment. The Raspberry flavor was weak. Not even worth two bucks. ©©

I’m going back for my favorite Vanilla bean today (Sunday) and finally wrap up the mission. Once the promotion is over, there will be no more Frappuccino for me. Although I’m a sucker for the half-price Fraps, I definitely won’t pay a full-price for one.

Filed under: beverages, cheap drinks, cheap eats vancouver under $5, coffee shop / tea house, food promotion Tagged: Food Promotion Vancouver, Frappuccino, Happy Hour, Starbucks, Starbucks Promotion

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 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.

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: