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Ramen 101

Where is the Best Ramen in Vancouver?

Hokkaido Ramen Santouka

Kintaro Ramen

Benkei Ramen

I have been searching high and low for the best ramen in Vancouver and after many bowls of slurping the Japanese decadence, I have reached my final verdict. A great bowl of ramen is composed of the following 3 components and this is how my judging is based.

1) Soup Base

2) Noodle

3) Chashu Meat and Toppings

My Top 3 Ramen Picks in Vancouver:

1) Hokkaido Ramen Santouka (featured above - Shio Ramen, $8.95)

The #1 attraction at Santouka is their exceptional soup base. This is the closest thing outside of Japan. Their rich and creamy pearl-colored Tonkotsu soup is made by slow shimmering pork bones for 20 hours before adding vegetables, dried fish, kelp and other secret ingredients. I find their noodle a little bit heavy and doughy but still delicious. Their Chashu is well balanced made from the pork back ribs. Their secret topping that really complements their soup is their use of Japanese Kikurage which adds an incredible crunchy texture.

2) Kintaro Ramen (featured above - Miso Ramen, $7.95)

Their Fatty Chashu is hands down the BEST. Make sure to order the Fat NOT lean Chashu. Any Chashu lover would appreciate their melt-in-your-tongue layers of fat and meat combination. I also find Kintaro offers the best noodle - it is chewy and al dente. The only shortfall that put Kintaro in 2nd place is their soup base. I find that their soup is not as rich and flavourful as Santouka and also very salty and fatty.

3) Benkei Ramen (featured above - Shio Ramen, $6.95)

Benkei is the place I would go if Kintaro and Santouka are both full. They offer a solid bowl of ramen but the quality is not comparable to the other two. Their soup base is quite light and mild and also their noodle texture tasted like instant noodles. Their chashu is quite dry and lean - also the pieces are tiny. With the limited amount of toppings, meat and noodle, I was still quite hungry after a bowl.

Au Petit Chavignol

Cheese Lovers' Paradise.

Food - 4 stars

Ambiance - 4 stars

Décor - 4 stars

Service - 3 1/2 stars

Value - 3 1/2 stars

Au Petit Chavignol is located in the the Strathcona district on the corner of Hastings and Hawks street. This is a great little wine & cheese bar that is perfect for a get-together with a small group of friends for brunch, lunch, dinner or simply a glass of wine. The décor is minimalistic with a classic overtone accented with an extraordinary pink chandelier featured wall at the back of the restaurant. The ambiance is intimate and sophisticated.

In addition to offering a variety of cheese and charcuterie plates on their menu, they also feature delicious fondue and raclette, croque monsieur & madame sandwiches and last but not least, Vancouver's best "mac and cheese". Just to let you in on a little secret, the "Red Truck & Mac N Cheese" deal is available every Sunday through Thursday. You can order a glass of Red Truck Pale Lager and their famous four cheese Mac n Cheese for only $12 - it's a steal!

I visited Au Petit Chavignol for Sunday Brunch and ordered:

• Classic Four Cheese Mac N Cheese $ 9 - featuring Gruyere, white cheddar, orange cheddar and stilton - it is rich and creamy with a crunchy top broiled to perfection. This is a Must-Try.
• Poutine $10 - featuring hand cut fries with peppercorn gravy and cheese curds. I was a little disappointed with the poutine. The fries and gravy weren't hot enough to melt the cheese curds so the poutine was cold and soggy.

After your meal, step by next door at Les Amis du Fromage where you can purchase some cheese to bring home. This is Vancouver's premier cheese shop offering hundreds of cheeses including local, French, English, Italian, Spanish, Swiss and other specialities from around the world.

Nook Pizza

A Cozy Little Italian Bistro.

Food - 4 stars

Ambiance - 3 1/2 stars

Décor - 3 1/2 stars

Service - 3 stars

Value - 4 stars

Nook is located on the corner of Robson and Denman st in Vancouver - It's a cozy little neighbour pizzeria that serves the BEST Prosciutto pizza in town. The Décor is inspired by the modern classic Euro diner - a 12 -seated bar lined with chrome barstools with red upholstery and cream- tiled walls and floors. Surrounded by low lit lighting and Reggae/rock music, the atmosphere is very intimate and relaxing.

Their menu is simple offering salads, crostini, antipastos and 6 types of pastas and pizzas. Nook offers great value with nothing over $17 on their dinner menu. The star of the show here is certainly their Pizzas.

For Dinner - We had

• Spaghetti Bolognese $15 - Pasta noodle was not made in house. Sauce was not full bodied nor flavourful.
• Prosciutto Pizza $17 - Loaded with tons of roasted garlic and arugula - Simply to die for - Crust was done perfectly - thin and crispy.

Recipe: Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies

Very Yummy and So Easy to Make.

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 to 7 ounces very good semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the butter and 1 cup of sugar until they are just combined. Add the vanilla. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt, then add them to the butter-and-sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

Roll the dough 1/2-inch thick and cut with a 3 by 1-inch finger-shaped cutter. Place the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Allow to cool to room temperature.

When the cookies are cool, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Put 3 ounces of the chocolate in a glass bowl and microwave on high power for 30 seconds. (Don't trust your microwave timer; time it with your watch.) Stir with a wooden spoon. Continue to heat and stir in 30-second increments until the chocolate is just melted. Add the remaining chocolate and allow it to sit at room temperature, stirring often, until it's completely smooth. Stir vigorously until the chocolate is smooth and slightly cooled; stirring makes it glossier.

Drizzle 1/2 of each cookie with just enough chocolate to coat it.

Courtesy of Barefoot Contessa

Bob Likes Thai Food.

Authentic Home Styled Thai Cooking.

Food - 4 stars

Ambiance - 3 stars

Décor - 3 stars

Service - 3 stars

Value - 4 stars

Bob Likes Thai Food is located on the corner of Main and 22nd Street across from Front & Company - serves authentic Thai cooking outside of Thailand. The restaurant is unpretentious and offers exceptional value. The décor is simple but clean.

Their lunch menu is simple but offers all the Thai classic at a very reasonable price - featuring Pad Thai, Panang Beef Curry, Green Curry Chicken, Pad Pik King Chicken and Eggplant Pad Ka Pow.

For Lunch - I had their Pad Thai — ONLY $7.50 for a very sizeable portion.

• Thai classic of fried rice noodles, with prawns, tofu, peanuts, egg, bean sprouts and side green salad - Done exceptionally- noodle is dry not greasy and there is NO ketchup in this pad thai - sauce is made with authentic Thai spices, fish sauce and vinegar.

Great place for causal dinner or take out. Note that they only accept Cash.

West Restaurant

Contemporary Westcoast - Modern Interpretations of Regional Classics.

Food - 4 stars

Ambiance - 4 stars

Décor - 4 stars

Service - 4 stars

Value - 4 stars

West located on the corner of Granville and 13th street on the South Granville shopping corridor serves outstanding contemporary regional cuisine with a modern twist featuring pristine local ingredients and ocean wise friendly seafood. The elegant dining room has an incredible high ceiling highlighted by a magnificent temperature controlled wall of wine collection. Furnished with deep cherrywood fixtures and a cocktail bar, the decor and atmosphere offers a modern yet classic elegance.

I ordered the 2011 Dine Out Menu ( $38 three-course meal)

• Appetizer: Squid Tempura Quinoa, Herloom Radishes Salsa Verde - The tempura batter was done poorly and soggy.
• Main: Lois Lake Steelhead Trout with Braeburn apple and bulgur salad, arugula, horseradish sabayon - The steelhead was nicely done - moist and tender accompanied by the horseradish sabayon was to die for.
• Dessert: Coconut Tart featuring grapefruit curd, coconut, white chocolate ice cream and caramel - The medley of the coconut tart, grapefruit curd and ice cream was harmonious and mouthwatering.