Address:

3250 – 4151 Hazelbridge Way

(Food court at Aberdeen Center)

Richmond, BC

Tel: (604) 295-6656

April 28, 2013 – Afternoon snack

Written by: Second Stomach

The last time I was at Aberdeen Centre, I saw someone bring back to the table a sizzling plate of poutine. I knew I was going to try that someday. It turned out that I was at Aberdeen today and all I could think of was to try the poutine.

Teppan Kitchen, located at the food court of Aberdeen center,  offers a number of other Japanese style sizzling plates like steak, chicken, pork, and fish on rice. But, today, I wanted to try the TK fries – which is their twist on the poutine.

Today’s snack:

TK Fries

Cold Milk Tea

TK Fries – $7.50 & Cold Milk Tea – $1

Here’s our order: TK Fries with a bowl of miso soup and cold milk tea. The cold milk tea was only $1 because we ordered an item off their menu (otherwise it would be $2).

TK Fries – $7.50

- This plate was really hot. Everything was sizzling for quite a while. We had to wait a little bit before digging in. I think this was a true advantage of having the poutine served on a grill – it really ensured that the fries were steaming hot.

- As a result, the fries were really hot. The fries were crispy except for the ones that were drowned in gravy. Overall, I felt there was just the right amount of gravy – the sizzling helped to evaporate any excess gravy.

- On top, was some tomato sauce with ground beef and green onion. It definitely gave this dish a different twist. Like the traditional poutine, there were cheese curds here but there weren’t many. It was probably the biggest drawback of this plate – there just wasn’t enough cheese.

- Overall, both Snowman and I really enjoyed this dish – it was satisfying and smelled so good. We truly enjoyed having our fries sizzling and it was served in a shallow pan which allowed a good distribution of gravy. Actually, the plate looked quite large because the pan was a wide circle, but it wasn’t really a big serving. Snowman said he would definitely get this again but wished it was a bit cheaper considering the serving size was small.

- A miso soup accompanied this meal – which wasn’t very good. It tasted watered down.

Taste: 4/5

Presentation: 4/5

Value: 3.5/5

Here’s the bill for our snack today:

Teppan kitchen offers you a Japanese grill experience through offering sizzling plate options. Today, we tried the TK fries – their version of a poutine, which was incredibly tasty. The portion size was on the smaller size so it was a bit expensive for what you get but overall, we really enjoyed it and would come back again.

Address:

912 Clark Drive

Vancouver, bC

Tel: (604) 251-3711

May 3, 2013 – Lunch

Written by: Second Stomach

It’s been a while since I’ve been back to Fujiya. So, it was time for another visit. Fujiya is located right on Clark Drive and sells rows and rows of prepared Japanese bento boxes and sushi, in addition to being a Japanese supermarket. Today, I noticed most shoppers actually come in here to purchase the prepared food rather than the grocery items. We “joined” those shoppers and purchased a few selections then sat down in the small section with a few cramped tables at the front of the store.

Here’s an example of what you’ll find at Fujiya:

This is what we settled on for lunch:

California Roll

Yam Tempura Roll

Oyako Donburi

California Roll & Yam Tempura Roll

California Roll – $2.95

- Outside of Fujiya, there is a sign that advertises that they are the “home of the $2.95 California roll”. So, I had to get a pack. 9 pieces came with an order.

- Snowman actually isn’t a big fan of California roll but I am.

- Actually, I was quite happy to see that the rolls were a decent size. There was plenty of imitation crab meat and it was just the right amount of avocado and mayo. I also found myself really liking the sushi rice at Fujiya. It had just the right amount of sweetness.

Taste: 4/5

Presentation: 3.5/5

Value: 4.5/5

Yam Tempura Roll – $3.50

- Snowman selected this one. 8 pieces came in an order

- Again the size of the rolls were quite decent. I found myself still preferring the California rolls over these yam tempura rolls though. I was missing the crispy tempura here – and perhaps it’s because it was packaged in advance that it loses this texture over time.

- Regardless, the sushi rice was very good.

Taste: 3.5/5

Presentation: 3.5/5

Value: 4/5

Oyako Donburi – $3.95

Oyako donburi is basically a rice bowl with chicken and egg. Because we were purchasing from their fridge section, it really wasn’t as good as it could have been if it was served fresh. We took our bowl and microwaved it.

Here’s a closer look:

Overall, this was quite average. Again, reheating it is not quite the same as it probably was when served fresh and hot. But, for about $4, this was still decent value – we got a good portion of chicken, egg, vegetables, and rice in this bowl.

Taste: 3/5

Presentation: 3.5/5

Value: 4/5

Fujiya is a Japanese market that has specialty Japanese grocery items but mainly attracts people over for the prepared food. Bento boxes and sushi boxes are popular here. It’s not uncommon to see most people come in to purchase something and bring it away to eat or eat right on site. There’s a small section with a few tables and a microwave available. Unfortunately the space is really tight so if you can bring your food away, this is probably a better option. The food is generally very good quality – especially the sushi. The sushi rice Is just right and the rolls are fresh and they must be eaten the same day. Today, we found ourselves with a few leftovers and the rolls the next day deteriorated quickly.

The good…

- Excellent value – great for take-out.

- Fresh rolls

The bad…

- Food should be eaten the same day

- Definitely not as good as a restaurant – need to reheat some items.

Address:

874 East Hastings Street

Vancouver, BC

Tel: (604) 255-8488

May 2, 2013 – Lunch

Written by: Second Stomach

After having been here recently, I knew I had to come back to try some of the other items on the menu. The hamburger with fries or soup advertised for $4.95 (incl tax) is displayed right on the window and I knew I probably should come back for a “good value” meal.

For lunch today:

Hamburger with Fries

Hamburger with Fries – $4.95 (incl tax)

- So, there’s a choice of having the daily soup or fries. I went with fries since it’s the natural combination with a burger!

- I was really impressed with how quickly this arrived to me – within 5 minutes of my order, my plate arrived.

- The basic vegetables and fixings came with the burger – tomato, lettuce, and mayo. The patty was very well cooked but surprisingly not too dry.

- The fries were on the thicker side and not too greasy.

- Overall, there wasn’t anything “special” with this – just a good value burger & fries

Taste: 3/5

Presentation: 3/5

Value: 4.5/5

Like my last visit here, I found myself surrounded by locals. It was relatively busy today for lunch yet my order arrived to me within 5 minutes of placing it. A mix of basic Chinese and western dishes are what’s prepared here – nothing too special, but definitely very good value.

The good…

- Hearty and comforting meals

- Great value & big portions. Look for daily specials. Regular specials include hamburger with fries or soup for $4.95

The bad…

- Cash only

- Nothing unique here. If you’re looking for more authentic chinese dishes, best to go a few blocks down to Chinatown.

Address:

1226-8338 Capstan Way

(Union Square)

Richmond, BC

Tel: (604) 278-8898

April 13, 2013 – Lunch

Written by: Second Stomach

Hing Fung Restaurant just opened at Union Square in Richmond. Union Square is a hub of so many fantastic Asian restaurants. Hing Fung Restaurant is the latest in HK style cafe’s. With the grand opening, 10% discount was advertised.

Walking into the restaurant, I must have seen so many signs advertising their free wifi. Even the menu was advertising it. So, ofcourse, I needed to try to access it. Despite multiple attempts, I became quite frustrated because it didn’t work.

From what I could see on the menu – there was a lot of selection. Not only was there lots of HK style dishes, there were the typical Cantonese style dishes as well. There was a separate dinner menu which appeared to feature more formal dishes. Today’s lunch hour, however, was filled with a bunch of people coming in to grab a casual meal – all the tables I saw ordered some variation of rice, noodles, and baked items.

Here’s what we had today for lunch:

Fried rice with pineapple, shredded pork, and shredded chicken

Shredded Pork Cheek Rice Noodle

Portuguese Style Baked Seafood with Rice

Baked Tuna Fillet with Spaghetti

Fried rice with pineapple, shredded pork, and shredded chicken – $7.50

- Snowman said this was “not bad”. The portion size was decent. I also appreciated the larger chunks of pineapple and chicken.

- I also thought overall, that this dish was not that greasy. A pleasant surprise.

Along with the dish came a HK style drink. I chose a hot milk tea. After discovering an upcharge of $2 to switch to a cold drink, I could not justify the extra cost and settled with the hot drink instead.

Taste: 3.5/5

Presentation: 3.5/5

Value: 3.5/5

Shredded Pork Cheek Rice Noodle – $8.25

- This was my selection. Somehow the pork cheek was calling to me. Along with rice noodles came bean sprouts, red pepper, slices of pork, and green onion.

- The pork slices were very large and satisfying, although there might have been a few chewy pieces.

- Again, this was not too greasy overall  - and I liked that for a change.

Taste: 4/5

Presentation: 3.5/5

Value: 3.5/5

Portuguese Style Baked Seafood with Rice – $8.95

The hot plate of baked Portuguese style seafood came with a separate bowl of rice. Again, another decent portion size.

Here’s a closer look at the baked dish:

- The contents inside included imitation crab, fish, octopus, mussel, a big prawn, potato, and tomato.

- I was a little disappointed with this dish. I found that it was missing the spice from the curry and I couldn’t taste any coconut. My memories of baked Portuguese style are those of stronger curries and coconut and this one really didn’t meet my expectations.

Taste: 3/5

Presentation: 3.5/5

Value: 3/5

Baked Tuna Fillet with Spaghetti – $7.95

- This particular dish was ordered off their “express menu”. The funny thing is – this came dead last, and it took a while before it arrived to our table.

- The contents included – canned tuna, mushroom, and onion. It came served very hot.

- Unfortunately, this was also the most disappointing dish. It was the saltiest dish – and we believe it’s because extra salt was added to the dish when perhaps the canned tuna already brought it’s own saltiness.

Taste: 3/5

Presentation: 3.5/5

Value: 3/5

Here’s our bill today (note we had another 10% off with the grand opening discount):

Hing Fung Restaurant has a lot of tables and appeals to those looking for a casual meal. A wide menu of HK style dishes (rice, noodles, baked dishes) is likely to appeal to most. At dinner, there’s other more formal dishes offered as well. Overall, I felt the baked selections were quite a bit inferior to the Chinese style dishes (rice and noodles) – so I’d definitely come back for the Chinese style dishes.

The good…

- Big menu selection

- Decent portion size

- Dishes appear to be less greasy

The bad…

- Since when did an upgrade to a cold drink cost another $2?

- Lots of advertising for free wifi, that doesn’t work

- Western style baked dishes are not very good (at least the ones we tried)

Address:

141 East Broadway

Vancouver, BC

Tel: (604) 879-8221

April 8, 2013 – Breakfast

Written by: Second Stomach

After a weekend of non-stop eating, it was time for a cleanse. I pitched a bunch of ideas and in the end, congee was what people craved.

It’s been a while since I’ve been back at Congee Noodle House. I decided it was time to go back – especially for their sea bass congee.

Congee Noodle House included “The Story of Congee” in their menu:

There are a lot of congee choices. Here’s the menu for congee alone:

Here’s what we finally settled on for breakfast:

Chinese Parsley & Sea Bass Congee

Pork Intestine & Sliced Beef Congee

Chinese Donut

Soy Sauce Fried Noodles

Chinese Parsley & Sea Bass Congee – $8

This is my favorite congee. Ever since I’ve tried the sea bass congee from congee noodle house, it’s really the only one I ever order.

Since you really can’t see what’s inside, here’s a better look at the sea bass when I dug my spoon in:

- The congee here has good consistency – it’s smooth and not too thick nor too runny.

- The sea bass is also very smooth and pleasantly not fishy. Since I recently visited Congee Noodle King, I confirmed my preference for the sea bass congee at Congee Noodle House. There’s still a generous portion of fish. Today, I also found the salt level just right. Unfortunately it does appear that Congee Noodle House does charge a bit more for their version.

Taste: 4.5/5

Presentation: 3.5/5

Value: 3/5

Pork Intestine & Sliced Beef Congee – $5.25

- This arrived to the table with lots of filling poking through.

- I was pleasantly surprised by how nicely flavored this congee was. The pork intestine and sliced beef really did penetrate through to the congee and there was plenty of it too.

- Again, the congee had great consistency – smooth and substantial.

Taste: 4.5/5

Presentation: 4/5

Value: 3.5/5

Chinese Donut – $1.80

- A definite must if you’re getting congee.

- I really liked the Chinese donut- it was dense yet had a very spongy interior. It went really well with our congee.

Taste: 4/5

Presentation: 3.5/5

Value: 3.5/5

Soy Sauce Fried Noodle - $4

- This was probably the most disappointing dish. The soy sauce noodles were fried with a few onions and green onions.

- Overall, I thought these noodles were ok – there were a few burnt areas which affected the taste a bit.

Taste: 2.5/5

Presentation: 2.5/5

Value: 2.5/5

Here’s the bill for our table:

The Chinese Parsley & Sea Bass Congee is still my favorite and will still keep me coming back. The congee is very good here - in my opinion, one of the better places in Vancouver for congee (although overall, I prefer Congee Noodle King for the consistency and value).  Ofcourse, Congee Noodle House has so many other items on the menu to offer. A huge menu of congee is complemented by a huge menu of noodles and rice. The restaurant is very spacious – and the atmosphere is incredibly casual, but the service is very quick. As casual as the items may look, they do prepare fancier ingredients like live seafood, which are likely for dinner meals. There’s a tank holding the seasonal items (lobster, crab, live prawns etc). Today we saw king crab being offered. There’s also parking behind the restaurant – although the lot is often full.

The good…

- Congee is great. Note if coming in during breakfast hours, make sure to order congee off the breakfast menu since it’s a bit cheaper than the usual menu price.

- Quick service

- Parking available behind the restaurant (but sometimes lot gets full)

- Lots of tables.

The bad…

- Congee is starting to get more expensive

Address:

6929 Victoria Drive

Vancouver, BC

Tel: (604) 323-8882

April 12, 2013 – Dinner

It’s cold and raining heavy tonight. We were looking for something quick and comforting. A bowl of noodles would be perfect. I thought of Ikkyu Ramen Ten because it’s always been quick. When we walked in, we ended up being really the only table.

Ikkyu Ramen Ten has an extensive menu with lots of ramen choices – focusing on different types of ramen and different soup bases. There’s also plenty of sushi and sashimi choices. Throughout the restaurant, there’s some ads posted on some of the features that they have:

Having been here before, Snowman and I decided to share a large bowl of Ikkyu Ramen and an appetizer. Here’s what we ordered tonight:

Ikkyu Ramen

BBQ Squid

Ikkyu Ramen – $8.95

The Ikkyu Ramen is HUGE. It’s hard to see from this perspective, so take a look at this picture below – the tea cup is a typical tea cup and the chopsticks can’t even rest along thee diameter of the bowl (they could only fit if rested along the edge):

- I have to admit, I order this because of the great value. I think this bowl is about 10 inches across. Because it’s so large, it really is very sharable for 2 people.

- Inside the Ikkyu Ramen includes – cooked salmon, imitation crab, BBQ pork, corn, cabbage, carrot, a boiled egg, and ramen in a miso soy based soup. It really is a hodge podge of a bunch of ingredients – not necessarily well thought out in terms of what would go well together, but it’s sort of akin to ordering the “assorted meats congee” – where you really don’t know what you’re going to get – but it’s probably going to be a mixture of leftovers.

- The noodles are also quite thick. I believe the yokohama ramen that’s offered on some of the menu is of higher quality, and these ones are definitely inferior in taste and texture.

- I can’t really say this bowl of ramen is very good. The boiled egg isn’t cooked to just being barely cooked and runny as it should be. The mixture of ingredients don’t necessarily go well together. The noodles are truly inferior to any ramen specialty shop. The only thing that’s really going for it is the extreme value that it offers. It’s large, and if you’re simply looking for a bowl of noodles and not expecting much, it does the job. If Snowman said that I could make this at home, perhaps that gives you some perspective of the quality of this bowl!

Taste: 2/5

Presentation: 3/5

Value: 4/5

BBQ Squid – $5.45

- Well, we ordered this after being tempted by the ad on wall. Again, for the price, I have to say this seemed to be a fairly reasonable deal.

- We liked the presentation and how the squid was thinly sliced. In terms of taste thought, we both felt that there needed to be more BBQ flavor. I personally would have liked more crispy sections and I was missing that. I also found that there were some sections that were a bit chewy. The sauce was a sweet and savory sauce.

Taste: 3/5

Presentation: 3.5/5

Value: 3.5/5

Ikkyu Ramen Ten is a very small neighbourhood Japanese restaurant that only has about 4-5 tables and also does a little bit of take-out. Despite the fact that we were the only table tonight, it actually took a while for our order to arrive. Ikkyu Ramen Ten doesn’t appear to be authentic Japanese and although the name suggests that they may focus on ramen, they offer a variety in their menu – including rolls, sushi, sashimi, and other typical Japanese fare. Ikkyu Ramen Ten is really no comparison to the authentic ramen restaurants like Motomatchi, Hokkaido Ramen Santouka, or even Kintaro (all located in downtown Vancouver). Ikkyu might have “ramen” in its name but it’s really a local Japanese restaurant that happens to have at best, average tasting food (including the ramen). Although the value is fairly reasonable here, it’s cash only here.

The good…

- Reasonable value

The bad…

- Food is average at best

- Ramen isn’t that good. Go to a specialty ramen shop if that’s what you’re craving

- Cash only

Address:

Various locations. Check this website for locations and times:

http://streetfoodapp.com/Vancouver

Tel: (778) 990-2853

April 10, 2013 – Lunch

Written by: Second Stomach

Le Tigre Food Truck focuses on Asian cuisine – with a bit of a contemporary flair. Based on the menu options, I was seeing Japanese, Korean, and Chinese influences. Menu options included rice dishes, buns, salads, soups, and side dishes like “beet fries”.

If you blow up the picture below, you might be able to see the menu:

This was my selection today:

Kickass Rice with Pork Belly

Kickass Rice with Pork Belly – $8

- The kickass rice comes with your choice of pork belly, popcorn chicken, or veggie. I’m quite fond of pork belly so this was a no-brainer for me.

- The other ingredients in this bowl include dashi, sake, butter, poached egg, and fresh herbs.

- I love having a poached egg with my rice. I immediately popped it to mix in with my rice:

- The egg was perfectly poached. I believe the bowl was served with Japanese rice since the rice was sticky – which was perfect with the poached egg as it was able to absorb the egg and the fat from the pork belly. The pork belly was a bit fatty in spots and for the most part tender (although could have been more tender for more liking).

- Overall, I found this combination of flavors quite tasty and satisfying – it was a little bit spicy which gave it a bit of a kick. It’s not really like anything I’ve had before – so it definitely was a unique take on a rice bowl.

Taste: 4/5

Presentation: 3.5/5

Value: 3/5

Le Tigre Food truck offers some unique Asian menu items with a bit of a modern flair. The rice bowl I had today was quite good – although it looked like one of the few menu items that was truly an entrée. The rest of the menu items looked more like smaller side dishes and you might have to get a few of them to have enough for lunch.

The good…

- Modern take on Asian selections

The bad…

- Other than the rice bowls, other menu items are quite small in comparison

Address:

598 Union Street

Vancouver, BC

Tel: (604) 254-2746

April 4, 2013 – Lunch

Written by: Second Stomach

You wouldn’t necessarily know that Benny’s Market serves food unless you were a local. Benny’s Market is located in the heart of Strathcona area and from the outside, it’s apparent that they are a specialty grocery store focusing on Italian goods. When you walk further inside to the back of the store, you discover an array of fresh food items available for take-out!

Here’s the display of some of the pastries and sandwiches available:

Snowman and I each decided to go for a sandwich each and a couple of cookies to finish off. Here’s what we had today:

Hot Spot

Sweet Spot

Peanut Butter Cookie

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie

Hot Spot – $5.25

As you can see from the display, many hot spot sandwiches are available – each sandwich comes with capicollo, salami, hot eggplant, mozzarella, and marinara sauce. Once it was ordered, we had it grilled right away so that it would be served hot.

Here’s the hot spot sandwich grilled:

The hot spot is served on a Portuguese bun. The warm sandwich felt very comforting. I found the bun was quite soft but despite all the listed ingredients, there really wasn’t much filling inside. I really wish there was much more meat inside. The name “hot spot” did hold up, however. It really was spicy.

Taste: 3/5

Presentation: 3/5

Value: 3/5

Sweet Spot – $5.25

Again, with the sweet spot, once it’s ordered, it can be grilled. It comes with rosemary ham, garlic butter, roasted red peppers and mozzarella.

Here’s a cross section view of both the hot spot (on the left) and the sweet spot (on the right)

Again, as with the hot spot, the sweet spot was served warm in a Portuguese bun. There wasn’t much filling here – but surprisingly, the yellow pepper inside really did provide most of the sweet flavor from this sandwich. Since there wasn’t much meat, the pepper probably dominated most of the taste.

Taste: 3/5

Presentation: 3/5

Value: 3/5

Cookies: Peanut Butter  & Oatmeal Raisin – $1.29 each

It’s hard not to notice freshly baked cookies, especially when they are sitting right on the baking pan.

On the left here is the peanut butter cookie and on the right is the oatmeal raisin cookie

- These were still warm when we had them. Each cookie was reasonably sized.

- The peanut butter cookie wasn’t dry at all – which we find is sometimes the risk of getting a peanut butter cookie. The edges were perfectly crispy and there were a few peanuts throughout the cookie (although there probably could have been a few more for my liking).

- The oatmeal raisin cookie was thick – a good sign. Snowman’s favorite is the oatmeal raisin cookie but today, I think we both agreed that the peanut butter cookie was just as good, if not better.

Taste: 4/5

Presentation: 4/5

Value: 4/5

It was a nice change to stopover at Benny’s Market today. They are really a local gem in the neighbourhood. The quality of the food is good- although, I felt that the sandwiches were more like a snack today probably because they weren’t very filling. As the local market, you can also purchase a number of Italian specialty grocery items at very reasonable prices.

The good…

- Quick take-out service for sandwiches/pastries

- Neighbourhood gem serving the locals in the area

The bad…

- Sandwiches are a little small – great for a snack

Address:

Various locations. Check this website for locations and times:

http://streetfoodapp.com/Vancouver

Tel: (778) 898-1419

April 12, 2013 – Lunch

Written by: Second Stomach

Jj’s Trucketeria is a food truck that focuses on Asian food with mainly a Filipino fusion flair. Menu items include salads, fried rice, panwiches, and a vegetarian market bowl. Today’s line-up was about 15-20 minutes but once my order was placed, it took about 5 minutes before it was ready.

My selection today:

Market Bowl

Market Bowl – $5

I was intrigued to try the market bowl since it was touted as the winner of the best market item at the 2013 Nat Bailey Winter Market. I don’t normally select a vegetarian choice but the combination looked interesting.

Here’s a closer look at the bowl:

The market bowl is a hodge podge of brown rice, bean of the week, fresh herbs, carrots, chickpeas, and “Jj’s sauce”. Today’s fillings included: brown rice, carrots, pinto beans, yams, fresh herbs, caramalized leeks/onions, and “Jj’s sauce”.

It’s really a colorful combination – here’s a closer look:

This was surprisingly quite hearty. I’m always not sure with vegetarian dishes – but I think the rice and beans made this dish quite filling. I believe the “Jj’s sauce” is some form of curry – it wasn’t very strong – but this bowl was very much like a fusion curry vegetable bowl.

Taste: 3.5/5

Presentation: 3.5/5

Value: 3.5/5

The market bowl is a good choice for vegetarians or non-vegetarians – it’s warm and comforting and just what I needed, on this cold and rainy day.

The good…

- Unique menu items – Filipino fusion food

The bad…

- Wait times can be longer with longer line-ups

Address:

1007 W. King Edward Avenue

Vancouver, BC

Tel: (604) 738-3198

April 6, 2013 – Afternoon beverage

Written by: Second Stomach

After an afternoon of walking around enjoying the beautiful scenery of the cherry blossoms, we were thirsty. We were in the area to drop in at Dragon Ball Tea House. Snowman and I haven’t been here for years and Dragon Ball brings back lots of good memories. We remember the long line ups, the tight space, but most of all, the excellent bubble tea.

We were hoping we might not see a line-up today given that it was late afternoon. When we arrived, there was a small line-up so I was relieved. I remember the days when the line-ups would be out the door and it would take almost half an hour before your order would be placed and sometimes another half hour until your order was ready. Those were the days when we called ahead.

As we lined up, I noticed a plaque on the wall from 2011:

I wasn’t surprised to see this. I think Dragon Ball has some of the best bubble tea in the city.

Here’s the hot drink menu:

And the rest of the regular menu:

And the menu for special drinks:

Here’s what our group had today, from left to right:

Tofu, Longan, Chinese Pear, Honey Milk Green Tea

Actually tofu is one of my favorites from Dragon Ball. I think it’s the best version that I’ve had – it’s very fresh and tastes just like tofu dessert. It’s very filling though – which is why I didn’t end up choosing it today.

Instead, I went with chinese pear:

- You will always be asked with your order whether you want slushy or non-slushy. I’m not a fan of too much ice, so I always go with the non-slushy version. I think you get more juice out of it too. I found the chinese pear to be quite refreshing and it really did taste like I was eating chinese pear.

- Snowman went with honey milk green tea – which is usually his favorite. It was just right and not too sweet (which I find some bubble tea cafes make that mistake).

Dropping by at Dragon Ball Tea House was a good choice for a late afternoon on a Saturday. The space is incredibly small and tight here – so it really is designed for take-out. Despite the line-up being relatively small today, we found ourselves waiting about half an hour from when we lined up, to when we placed our order, to finally when we received our order. It’s still a long wait for what seemed like a slower period in the day. Because of this, I would highly recommend calling ahead your order!

The good…

- All bubble tea is good – especially tofu!

- Can “customize” bubble tea – slushy/non slushy

The bad…

- Long line-ups and long waits. Call ahead to place your order.

- Very limited seating. Not for large groups.