Bella Gelateria

              Bella Gelateria is a gelato store based in Vancouver, with one location in Coal Harbour and another in Yaletown. They have won awards all over the world, so we decided to try their award winning flavour. I've been here before, but I have not blogged around the place.

               This is their Award Winning Flavour Toasted Pecans with Sea Salt. Their other flavours aren't as good as this one, as it is sweet, but not too sweet, and has just enough saltiness with the crisp bits of pecan in there. 5/5 for sure albeit a bit spicy.

Bottom Line: Great Pricey Gelato
Overall: 5/5.

Nico's At Pier 38

         One day, the family was on our way for lunch at a nearby lunch spot. However, this was an epic fail as the restaurant wasn't even open on weekends. Luckily, I had a backup plan, which was the nearby Nico's at Pier 38. This is what some people call a tourist attraction, others a place for good food. Well, we were going to find out either way. This place is really located in an industrial area, but people still tend to find it. It really is open air dining, since the building has open windows and a patio, and consists of a restaurant and a store. The restaurant serves food cafeteria style, so you order and  they prepare your food quite slowly, but give you an electronic buzzer so you can pick up your food. The other section is a store where you can pick up very fresh poke and pre-packaged sushi. The prices on both sides are very fresh, behind in a fishing area, an prices very reasonable for what you get. Oh, and Guy Fieri visited this place too on Triple DDDs.

         The first plate we got was the Furitake Encrusted Ahi (Tuna) which was about $13. Everything was about $13 dollars, and since I forgot the prices I'll just say everything is under $15. This was cooked medium rare, just like a steak, and all I can say is that this is the best way to get it. It was cooked perfectly, very tender and juicy, and the Furitake was very flavourful. Nothing to complain about here, as the salad and rice were good too.However, they only had 1 scoop of rice for some reason, since the normal seemed to be 2 scoops. However, this was still a fantastic 4.5/5 plate of fish and food. We also got 2 deep fried dishes, which were the Beer Battered Mahi Mahi and the some other fish. that was on the daily specials. They were both $13, and the batters were both perfect, crispy but not greasy nor heavy. The fish was flaky and juicy, which meant that every bite was a delight. It also came with a tartar sauce was absolutely perfect, and the tanginess of the sauce was great and went along with the fish. Personally, the mahi mahi was lighter than the other fish, and was great. Moving on to the other part of fish and chips: the chips. They definitely know their way around a deep fryer, as the fries were crispy and not greasy.  I would give both of them a 5/5 as everything was perfect, along with the salad lathered with mayo. Both perfect 5/5 dishes. Would recommend both of the deep fried plates and the ahi to anyone. You can't go wrong with the fish on the menu.

           The other part of the building was the store part, where they sold the sushi and poke. While the raw ahi looked very fresh and was reasonably price, we decided against it. Instead, we went for some poke because everyone liked poke. I forgot the prices, but it was about the same as all other places. We got 2 different containers of shoyu poke and spicy poke, and the response was mixed. I personally liked it better at Ono Seafood because this one was rather chewy in a bad way. It was also less firm. However, my mom and sister liked it so what do I know? The shoyu poke was not very flavourful, and the fish didn't seem as fresh as it looked. MEanwhile, the spicy poke was slathered was mayo and tobiko and onion. The whole works, and the mayo covered the odd scent. Not that it was that noticable, but just something I noticed. In the end, I would give the pokes a 3/5, so it was decent but not the greatest. The meal wasn't bad for a backup plan, at a 4.5/5.

Bottom Line: Really Good Seafood
Tip: Make The Trip Out
Overall: 4.5/5

Matsumoto Shave Ice

Small Sign, but Big Lineup

          After visiting Giovanni's Shrimp Truck, which is probably the second most famous eatery on the North Shore, we decided to visit the most famous one. Yes, Matsumoto Shave Ice which is located in a mall on the main strip of Haleiwa. The business was started in 1951, so they have been around for a while. I hear they have also done renovations too, because the interior looks very nice. We visited it, and the line was pretty darn long. Luckily, it was really fast, and I you could look at souvenirs and stuff like that during the 10 minute wait. The Shave Ice prices were a bit pricier than Waiola Shave Ice, but they use natural fruit flavours. The souvenirs were pretty weird, but I still got a shave ice postcard because where can you get a shave ice postcard?

Lots of Options

Guava, Passionfruit, Watermelon shave Ice
 with Condensed Milk $3.50

         We ordered a Large Shave Ice with Condensed Milk (Snow Cap) for $4, we got passionfruit, guava, and watermelon syrups. Sorry for the weird photo, as it just looked so good we started eating before taking the picture. I'll start this off by saying you have to get the snow cap. It was so freaking good, nice and sweet, with a nice dairy flavour like you would gte from ice cream. I would prefer this over ice cream, actually. The ice was very finely shaved, about the same as Waiola, with no irregular chunks. This was shave ice that straight up melted in our mouths, with the nice texture. The syrups were where this place really hit the money. You look at some brightly coloured ice and think: this isn't going to go well. You look at these flavours, and everyone wanted to try some because it looked like actual fruit. This tasted like actual fruit too, as the watermelon had lots of watermelon flavours and was just the right amount of sweetness. The passionfruit was a food flavour too, with just a hint of sourness making sure the syrup was just right. Thej guava was probably my least favourite flavour, probably because it didn't suit my sweet tooth with the tartness being a bit stronger than the passionfruit. I say it was my least favourite because of personal preference, but in reality all the flavours tasted like actual fruit. Still, it was a good tropical choice, and was a nice alternative from the sweetness. Said fruity syrups were poured in a good size, with it going down to the very bottom and soaking all of the ice. There was no syrup just sitting on the bottom though, which was good. The ice didn't really melt until when we were finished the shave ice, with just a bit of liquid that you could drink. The portion sizes are pretty good, and if you ate a full meal you probably want to share one between 2 or 3 people depending on how much of a sweet tooth the group has. This was the best shave cic experience we had in Hawaii, and deserving of a 5/5, no matter how much of a tourist attraction it is.

Bottom Line: Awesome Shave Ice
Tip: Condensed Milk (Snow Cap) is the best!
Overall: 5/5

Ono Seafood

Hidden Entrance!

Menu

         Ono Seafood is a hole in the wall restaurant with a great reputation for having the best Poke on Oahu. Poke is raw fish, often ahi (tuna) mixed with a variety of ingredients such as shoyu (soy sauce) and seaweed. I love raw fish, along with the rest of the family so we hopped over here after Diamond Head. This place is really easy to miss, and is really just a hole in the wall with a few tables. The truth is that we ran in a few circles before finding this place, which is hidden behind a few umbrellas. You order at the counter and take it outside or wherever to eat. Inside there is a big freezer filled with other foods, but we cane here for the fresh poke. We got 2 Super Combo Bowls for $10 each although the normal size comes with 1/3 pound of poke rather than the 1/2 pound out of the Super size. If you get any size poke bowl, you get a free soft drink or fruit juice. Pretty good deal to me, especially when you see that quality and quantity you get for your $10. The service was quick and were very helpful when we were asking about what was good. The only thing they need are a more exposed storefront.

     

Shoyu Ahi and Shoyu Tako Poke Bowl $10

Spicy Ahi and Wasabi Ahi Poke Bowl $10

    As stated before, a super combo poke bowl is $10, and comes with rice and 1/2  pound of poke. Pretty good bang for your buck there. Because we could pick 2 different kinds on each one, we choose the Shoyu Ahi (tuna) and Shoyu Tako (octopus). As a person who quite dislikes tako, I was a bit relectant to try it, and I was glad it was done. The Tako was very fresh, not frozen and at room temperature, but the main draw was that it was so freaking tender. You just needed to chew a little bit, and it would be gone, with the lightly flavoured shoyu sauce. The Shoyu Ahi was even better, or at least better than the run of the mill stuff back in Vancouver. Not saying the tuna isn't good back home, but it just isn't as good. This one had the same dressing as the tako, which made it nice and light and allowed the fish to shine. And boy, did it shine. One bite and you were in ahi heaven, with the fresh ahi melting in your mouth, maybe pressing your teeth together every once in a while. This went great with rice, as the rice had the same flavouring, although it was nothing special, it did it's job as filler. This poke bowl was easily a 4.5/5, and was a 5/5 on what I tried. For poke bowl number two, we got the other popular item, which was the spicy ahi and we decided to get the wasabi ahi for our other choice. Starting with the spicy ahi, it was lathered with mayo, but was still nice and fresh at the same time, complimenting the fish and not overpowering it. Some masago was rolled onto the outside, giving the fish a crunchy feel. For me, the ahi wasn't too spicy, and I can't tolerate that much heat, so most people can eat it. The other poke we got was the wasabi poke because that was the feel at the time. When they said wasabi, they weren't kidding. It gives you the "too much coke burp" feeling, and lots of it. However, once you get past that you get the same fresh fish, with not too much flavour. Not sure if I could recommend this item, for it didn't have too much taste, which wasn't too bad, but wasn't good either. I would give the spicy ahi a 5/5 and the wasabi ahi a 3/5.

Bottom Line: Fantastic Poke and Poke Bowls

Tip: Combo for MORE selection

Overall: 4.5/5

Miku

View of Waterfront and Lonsdale Quay 

     Before I started this whole food blogging thing, I still loved food. However, I hadn't gotten into the whole aspect of taking pictures before everything (still don't). Hopefully you will forgive me for not taking a picture of Miku's entrance. However, I did have a visit a few months ago, and got a table with a nice view. So to compensate, I have a nice view from our table. If you've heard of Miku, in Downtown Vancouver, it probably is for their Aburi Sushi and seafood. At the price point, it better be good. That is what we hoped to get when we made a visit because my mother loved it. While this comes off as an expensive restaurant, it really isn't if you compare it to Cactus Club, White Spot or any of the other chain restaurants.

Jidori Chicken Nanban $13

        Inside the restaurant, it was very open, bright, modern and nicely decorated. Service was great too, coming around often and explaining everything to us. Our water was refilled often too.  On his recommendations, we started with the Jidori Chicken Nanban for $13. There were about 6 small pieces of chicken. The chicken had a very thin layer of batter surrounding it. The dish also came with some fresh, light tartar sauce and some lettuce slaw. The tartar sauce was so light that it went so well with the chicken. And the chicken batter really let the flavors come through, the chicken was SO JUICY. This was no doubt the best pieces of battered chicken I have ever had. With the crispy slaw and juicy chicken and tartar sauce, I will consider this one of the best things I have ever eaten. A 5/5 no doubt.

Soba Peperoncino $18

           My mom, who had been here before had raved about the Soba Peperoncino for $18, which had hints of spice and lots of seafood. It included squid rings, shrimp, sweet pepper, shiitake mushrooms and tempura flakes. The Soba noodles were cooked perfectly, soft but still chewy and the tempura flakes helped add some crunch. As expected, the squid rings and shrimp were cooked perfectly, and the shiitake mushrooms really helped. The portion size looked small, but was filling being a lot of noodles. Was it worth the price? Probably not, but it was cooked properly and cooked well at that. Overall, I would rate this a 4/5, as it was good but didn't blow anyone away.

          For our sushi, we got two different orders of sushi. The first roll we ordered was the Red Wave Roll, which cost $17. the Red Wave Roll was practically an improved California roll. It came beautifully plated with crab and avocado on the inside, wrapped in some red tuna and topped with a

Red Wave Roll $17

Salmon Oshi Sushi $16.50

sauce made of tiny pieces of onion and what tasted dominately like sesame oil. However, the ingredients were fresh, which made for a good tasting roll. I would rate it a 4/5. Saving the best for last, we had to try some of their Signature Aburi Oshi, so we got the Salmon Oshi Sushi for $16.50. The sushi was pressed into a box shape, seared, they put some of their sweet-ish Miku sauce on top and added an jalapeno slice on top. It absolutely melted in my mouth, and had some spiciness, which made it really good.  The fish was buttery, there was flavor, the sushi rice was fantastic and I could go on and on and on about how fantastic this actually was. This is no doubt a must try at Miku. I give this a 6/5. This was a great way to cap off a meal at Miku. To me, I would consider this one of the best Japanese restaurants in Greater Vancouver.

Bottom Line: Worth the price.
Tip: Ask the servers for their picks.
Overall: 5/5

Miku
200 Grandview St, Vancouver, B.C