2010-01-16 Dim Sum @ Garden City Hot Pot

ADDRESS :  #1205 - 8788 McKim Way, Richmond, BC (Cosmo Plaza)

PHONE #   :  604-303-0909

We met up with couple friends at Garden City Hot Pot.  Since this restaurant is also owned by Top Gun Group, we can use our membership card to get 10% discount!  There are more varieties at this place then at Top Gun J&C, plus, if you want, you can also have hot pot for lunch! 

Steamed Lo-Bak-Goh - very flavorful!

Egg Custard Bun - hehe...we already ate two before I realized I forgot to take a picture of it...OOPS!

Thai-Style Chicken Feet

Can't remember the name of it...I think it's something like green onion pancakes...

Veggie Goose

Har-Gow - good!

Sticky Rice Stir-Fry

Buddha Boy's must-haves - Deep-Fried Shrimp Spring Rolls - this one was interesting as they also have seaweed and wasabi rolled together with the shrimps.  Quite yummy!

Pan-Fried Rice Rolls - as you can see from the plate, not too greasy!

This was the reason we met up.  Our friend brought us some pastries from Taiwan.

Pine Nut Puff Pastries - not really for us, we still prefer the pineapple pastries!

2010-01-15 Veggie Day @ Chez Buddha

ADDRESS :  Buddha Family Kitchen

PHONE #   :  xxx-xxx-xxxx

Since we're trying to eat a little healthier, we decided to have a veggie day every 1st and 15th of Chinese calendar.  This was my first time cooking a veggie meal at home.  Gotta love Chinese supermarkets...never knew you can have so many varieties in Buddhist-style veggie dishes.  Keep in mind that these were all VEGGIES.

Deep-Fried Chicken Patties

Taiwanese Crispy Popcorn Chicken

Ham & Cabbage Stir-Fry

Satay Fishballs

Cold Platter - bought from a veggie restaurant on Fraser.

Braised Pork Stew - bought from Lu Lu at Crystal Mall.  Lu Lu is gotta be one of the better places for veggie meals.  However, since it's a food court stall, they do have limited selections.

Cold-Marinated Green Beans

Combo Platter - bought from Lu Lu at Crystal Mall

I made some Vietnamese Salad Rolls.

2009-12-31 NYE @ Chez Buddha

ADDRESS :  Buddha Family Kitchen

PHONE #   :  xxx-xxx-xxxx

It's NYE 2009!!!  As I mentioned previously in one of my post, my mother-in-law is somewhat a party animal.  It's an annual thing for her to throw a Christmas Party AND a NYE Party, PLUS a New Year's Day Brunch the next day...OMG!  Buddha Boy and I found it stupid that most of the people are her friends, but during the party, she would go into a room with three ladies to play MJ (before and after dinner).  We don't even know these people but we were left to entertain them!!!  Anyways, this year, we told her that if she wants to throw a party, then no MJ because we are not going to entertain her guests.

 

 We had a total of five pots going.  This was the "oldies table" with three pots.

 

 To make things easier, I divided the meats into three trays so they don't have to pass the trays back and forth.  The big trays had sliced pork cheeks, sliced pork shoulder, sliced pork loin, sliced chicken, and sliced lamb.

 

We also had two types of fish (can't remember what types), chicken feet, quail eggs, and various types of fish balls and meat balls.

 

 We even had five different types of veggies!

 

 Kids table - two pots!

 

 Our friends made the desserts for us...can't remember what's in this one...

 

 Lemon Tarts and Cranberry Sugar Cookies!

 

  Again, can't remember the name of this dessert...

2009-12-25 Christmas @ Chez Buddha

ADDRESS :  Buddha Family Kitchen

PHONE #   :  xxx-xxx-xxxx

It's Christmas!!!  Every year, we always have a Christmas Party right on Christmas Day since most places are closed and people are just looking for a place to hang out.  We're not Christians nor Catholic, in fact, we're Buddhists, however, we treat it as a holiday to get-away or to be with family and friends!

Appetizer/Cold Platter - tofu noodles, shredded seaweed, conch (sea snails).

Poached Pork Belly with Garlic Sauce - used Taiwanese thick soy sauce and garlic for the sauce.

Century Egg Tofu - this dish is usually presented in two ways: 1) mash regular tofu and century eggs together and add in the soy sauce, green onions, vinegar, and sesame oil, then topped with cilantro and green onions; or 2) plate a whole cube of regular tofu with the century eggs cut in wedges and sprinkle the ingredients.  But I found using an egg cutter for the century eggs and cut them in slices was so much easier and great for presentation.  I sliced the egg tofu and placed a slice of century egg on top of each tofu slice...then I sprinkled Japanese light soy sauce (less sodium), lime juice (instead of vinegar), sesame oil, and green onions.

Simple party finger food - Cocktail Shrimps - bought from Costco.

Vietnamese Salad Rolls - Vietnamese ham, Vietnamese sausage, vermicelli, basil, and shrimps.

Buddha Boy's Honey Garlic Wings!

My request - Hot Wings - Caution!  They are HOT!

Buddha Boy's attempt to make Salty Egg Stir-Fried Deep-Fried Pork Chop (known as Gold Sand Pork Chop in Chinese)...work in progress...not bad for his first try!

Of course, Buddha Boy's famous Taiwanese Crispy Popcorn Chicken!

For spicy lovers - Spicy Shredded Pork - the picture don't look spicy, but...it's SUPER SPICY!

My Braised Pork Belly

Buddha Boy's attempt to make...can't remember the name of this dish...

Again, by request, my Pork Pasta Sauce.

Buddha Boy's Coconut Curry Beef - great with rice!!!

2009-11-19 Dinner @ Bubble World (Burnaby)

ADDRESS :  4300 Kingsway, Burnaby, BC

PHONE #   :  604-434-5551

Some colleagues asked me to join them for dinner at Bubble World in Burnaby.  Since most of them knows Buddha Boy, I have asked him to join in.  This place is always busy!  The prices are quite reasonable, but unlike other BBT shops...you do have to pay taxes on top of the prices because it's a dine-in restaurant where service is provided.

Satay Lamb

I ordered a Passion Fruit Green Tea with Coconut Jelly...oh btw...just for your info...about 70% of the coconut jelly out there are NOT made from coconut and lychee...instead...they are made from agar-agar with coconut and lychee flavoring...just FYI...

 I ordered Twice-Cooked Pork.

 

 Buddha Boy's Three-Cup Chicken.

 

 Of course...Buddha Boy must order his Taiwanese Crispy Popcorn Chicken - these were not crispy enough and the chunks were too big...also tasted quite fatty...

 

 Satay Beef

 

 Taiwanese Beef Noodles

 

 Deep-Fried Fish