Getting to know me!

           Hello and Welcome to the very first edition of "The Culinary Adventures of Estella Woo"!



My name is Estella Woo and I am very pleased to be your guide through this wondrous adventure! Together we will explore some of the many amazing gastronomic eateries available at the "Gateway to Beautiful British Columbia".  I promise to be honest in my stories and fair with each dining experience - and will happily answer any and all questions you may have, my dear readers! So, please come along for this magical food ride!

A little bit about me:

Having been born and raised in a small town in the Maritimes, one would think that variety in food would be rather limited. This would have been too true had it not been for my family's inherent love of good food, travel and natural chef-like abilities! Of course, owning a Chinese Restaurant was rather helpful as well! We had access to exotic fruits, vegetables and dishes from around the world that would have been nigh impossible to find locally. Our family trips to different lands (such as Hong Kong, mainland China, Taiwan, Japan, France, Germany, the Netherlands, England, Brussels, Italy, the Caribbean, the Bahamas, various parts of the USA...just to name a few!) also afforded us exposure into other cultures and very importantly, other ethnic foods!

So I can honestly say that my love of food - my PASSION for good food - started at a very young age, thanks to my family. Being forced to try EVERY little thing has taught me to embrace variety and FEAR NO FOOD! (I must qualify here: I do not consider INSECTS to be food!)

I left my hometown in the East Coast to attend an international college near Victoria, BC, followed in my sister's footsteps and moved to Montreal, QC for university and came to Vancouver, BC upon graduation, where my family had all happily relocated. Each place I lived, I collected epicurean experiences and made notes for favourite dishes and dining venues. This continued over the years as I travelled, lived and worked abroad - from South Korea (where I met my life partner and have been travelling together ever since), to Australia, from New Zealand to Japan, from the UK and Europe to Morocco. The Great White North itself has enormous diversity from our very multicultural makeup and provides more culinary options than most can imagine!

Here are a few samples of some of my gourmet adventures from over the years:

Whether it was sharing Dim Sum with old classmates in Toronto, Ontario....

Or trying a new shellfish tapas in Madrid - "navajas" sauteed in butter and garlic with a 

squeeze of fresh lemon, a divine combination that leaves you wanting more...

Being reunited with my favourite souvlaki place, "Dimitris", while visiting my hometown, Fredericton, N.B. - unique in that it had french fries within the wrap, which I have never come across anywhere else!

Or simply relishing a steaming bowl of cappuccino after lunch in Bournemouth, England...

Of course, one cannot miss the traditional Guinness and Oyster breakfast while in Dublin - Cheers!!

Nor can you resist mopping up every last bite of scrumptious lamb and couscous tajine 

with fresh baked bread to re-energize as you explore Casablanca, Morocco.

No matter what country we find ourselves in, we always look for a Korean restaurant to 

celebrate our anniversary - wonderfully helpful that they can be found nestled even in

 the heart of the beautiful Rocky Mountains (Jasper National Park)!

Nothing like enjoying the delicacy of finely sliced raw fish, "cooked" with lime juice after 

a relaxing day of sunbathing on beautiful Isla Mujeres, Mexico...

Although having an after-siesta snack of mango shakes, soft shelled tacos 

and fresh "real Mexican" salsa is also hard to beat!

I'm not always on the hunt for exotic gourmet food! I happen to also be an avid foodie 

when it comes to fast food meals, including the search for the 'perfect golden french fries' 

- here surprisingly found in a small diner in Edingburgh, Scotland!

But I DO enjoy a good steak - preferably cooked rare and juicy 

- as I am showing off my birthday steak in Hobart, Tasmania.

In the end, good food is best shared with loved ones, so I cherish all the wonderful meals I have had the opportunity to share with my true love, my dear friends and my amazing family.

So...without further ado, let us begin this epicurean excursion together!

Claypot Hot Pot Restaurant - Richmond

Welcome back!  So glad you could join me on my first dining adventure!

It was a cold wintry evening, so my partner, my mother and I opted to indulge in some serious feasting at Claypot Hot Pot Restaurant, located at #105-8291 Alexandra Road, Richmond, BC

(604) 284-5181.  There is nothing like steaming hot pot to warm the cockles of your heart! 

 

For those unfamiliar with the incredible Hot Pot phenomenon, it is the opportunity to

leisurely cook prepared thinly cut meat, leafy and root vegetables, noodles, dumplings and all assortments of seafood at your own table - in a boiling pot of tasty broth! A tradition from over a thousand years ago, the Chinese Hot Pot itself has numerous variations from region to region. Over time, Hot Pot seeped into most Asian cultures who adapted it to their own liking - varying in dipping sauces, soup bases, the prepared food for cooking and spice levels.

Claypot Hotpot Restaurant offers ALL YOU CAN EAT Hot Pot for dinner and a discounted late seating option after 9pm, seven days a week. As with most Hot Pot restaurants, there is an additional charge for the soup base. However, Claypot Hotpot has a larger selection of flavours and meat-bases than most - ranging from the simple clear broth, to Free Range Chicken, to the sweet and sour Thai style, to the epitome of spiciness, the Szechuan base. 

Here is a glance of the general menu: 

We opted for the extremes of Clear Broth and Spicy Szechuan soup bases.

Next, we selected a vast assortment of meat and vegetables, not forgetting the delicious
mushroom platter nor the melt-in-your-mouth taro root wedges...
and some vermicelli and Japanese noodles to boot!

We opted to keep our dipping sauces simple and used only the Satay and Soy combination 

at no extra cost - although I do at times enjoy mixing in a raw egg, some garlic chili and green onions. (For those who prefer a more complicated dipping combo, there are many choices for a small fee each.)

Our first round of food filled our table and we found ourselves in hot pot heaven!  The meat and veggies were all extremely fresh, the array of mushrooms very satisfying and even the noodles slippery and delectable.  We took our time cooking and eating, even having room for a small second order and a trial taste of the lychee jello and red-bean desserts.  In the end, we had overeaten and craved a post-eating nap (aka "food coma") but were very happy with our first Richmond dining exploit! 

 *Hot Pot Cooking Tip:  Be aware of the optimal cooking time for each item - some meats are particularly best when only slightly cooked, whereas some things, such as the taro wedges and Sui Choy, are most scrumptious when softened to melt-in-your-mouth goodness!*

As with all AYCE feasts, it is best to pace oneself and practice a little bit of self-awareness too!  I usually arrive all too hungry and order too much then worry about not being able to finish when I see how much food has arrived!  Generally, "doggy bags" are not allowed with AYCE restaurants and there is often a "food wastage fee", not to mention the simple rule that one should never waste food.  It is truly a practiced foodie master that knows how much to order and remembers that one can order multiple times - during the allotted seating time, of course!  *There are a few dishes that require some prep time, so peruse the menu carefully when ordering!*

 I would definitely return, armed with more foodie mates so we can expand the number of dishes to sample and recommend it to anyone willing to do a little work for a gourmet foodie experience.  It is not only a FUN but FILLING adventure!

Thanks so much for checking in and I truly hope you have enjoyed 

sharing in the first issue of my foodie journey ! 

 Please feel free to post any comments and ask any questions!

 BON APPETIT!

TO VEG OR NOT TO VEG

As with most hot pot venues, there is a wondrous selection of tofu, vegetables and 

carbohydrates in rice and diverse noodle form to satisfy any vegetarian foodie's desires!

  Also, with two separate soup bases being available at a sitting,

 one can maintain a true meatless integrity!

****************************************************

RANDOM FOOD TIP OF THE DAY:  I learned from a young age that 

one should NEVER dine at an Asian restaurant that is not jam-packed with other Asians

 - this tidbit has served me well throughout my life!

Get lost easily?  Here is Google Map link: Claypot Hot Pot Restaurant Directions

~ Come back soon for the next gastronomic adventure! ~

Pearl Castle Cafe - Richmond

Welcome back!  Hopefully, Issue No.1 got your mouths watering 

and you are ready to embark on our second dining adventure!

Some days, you might feel like budgeting both your wallet and your waistline.  

Or perhaps you do not have hours to truly enjoy an AYCE feasting!

On such a day, Pearl Castle Cafe, located at Suite 1128-3779 Sexsmith Rd, 

Richmond, BC 604-270-3939, is the perfect choice.

Pearl Castle Cafe has a very large selection of both food and drinks, as you can see from the shots below - and these are only A FEW of their menu pages!    

                   

                    

                 

The vast assortment of dishes, all under $10 a meal, range from a delightful array of chicken, pork and beef melanges, seafood, vegetarian, fried rice options, various noodles choices both in soup or dry, to even individual hot pots!  I recommend taking your time to peruse the menu - as even deciding between the sauces is difficult!  (For example, do you feel like 'garlic sauce', 'honey sauce', 'teriyaki', 'Szechwan' or 'golden lemon'?)  Many of the main dishes come with rice, a side of vegetables and a little dessert for a light sugar fix!  

After changing our minds several times, we opted for the famous "Taiwanese Tomato Beef Noodle Soup" entree and a variation on the Korean 'sam geh tang', Ginseng Chicken Hot Pot.  The "Taiwanese Tomato Beef Noodle Soup" was wonderfully savoury with a slight hint of spice, with exquisitely tender chunks of beef and wonderfully chewy broad noodles.  The Ginseng Chicken Hot Pot, on the other hand, was delectably natural in its flavours - where one could easily distinguish the gentle sweetness of the ginseng and dates and the subtle richness of the chicken itself.  The oyster mushrooms were a nice bonus and the whole presentation of having its own little fire made it even better.  Not only did it warm up my bones but it felt like a truly wholesome and healthy meal!  The dipping sauce - familiar but have not figured out - was both tangy and spicy, giving a little extra 'oomph' to the bites of chicken!

We were so pleased with our meals (which were shared, of course!) that we decided to go back the next evening in order to sample a few more dishes - AND to finally try their very popular BUBBLE TEA!


As mentioned earlier, the drinks menu is as equally cumbersome (but in a good way) as the food menu - trying to choose from the many tea options, Bubble Tea, Frappe and exotic Juices was nearly impossible.

                   

Luckily, I had been craving a Bubble Tea fix since seeing them served the previous night!

For those unfamiliar with Bubble Tea...You pick from a selection of milk tea flavours (such as coconut on the left and taro on the right) with chewy tapioca pearls or not, also the option of cold or hot!  The giant straws allow you to access the scrumptiously chewy pearls while quenching your thirst!                                        

After much contemplation, we went with the 'Spicy Garlic Sauce Chicken' and the 'Taiwanese Meat Sauce on Dry Noodle' dishes while our companion had the rice version of the meat sauce.  

Once again, all the dishes were highly delectable and with generous 

portions - allowing us to enjoy them at a later date as leftovers!  

With five different meals sampled, bubble teas enjoyed and the costs so affordable, it is easy to see why Pearl Castle Cafe is such a popular hot spot.  The restaurant is clean and modern, with a trendy atmosphere enhanced by fun lighting variations.  I highly recommend a stop here when good food at a good price is key!

Thank you for joining me once again on my foodie adventure!

Hope you have enjoyed this second issue - be sure to come back soon!

If you have any suggestions or comments, please post below!

BON APPETIT!!

TO VEG OR NOT TO VEG

Pearl Castle Cafe has its own Vegetarian section in their menu 

- offering a good selection of 'mock' meat dishes.  I also would not be 

surprised if they would be able to accommodate requests for certain dishes

 to have 'mock meat' as a substitute!  Definitely worth asking!

*********************************

RANDOM FOOD TIP OF THE DAY:  Although it is less commonly used these days, many Asian 

restaurants still add a 'pinch' of MSG here and there - be sure to ask IN ADVANCE if you have 

any allergies or preference about the use of MSG (monosodium glutamate)!

                   Get lost easily?  

Here is Google Map link: Pearl Castle Cafe

~ Come back soon for the next gastronomic adventure! ~