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!