We were going to try Neverland Tea Salon but they didn't have space for us without a reservation so we walked down the street and found East is East. I have passed by this restaurant before, not quite understanding what cuisine it is. Even after eating here I can't quite pinpoint it but the menu said it's cuisine from the East.

Upon entering, we were given some chai to try which was made with milk and spices. They asked us which side of the restaurant we wanted to sit at because one side was brighter and one side was darker. We opted for the brighter side but it wasn't quite as bright as restaurants usually are for lunch hour.

I ordered the Mango Butternut Squash Rice Bowl with brown lentil rice. The first few bites of my rice bowl was delicious with chunks of butternut squash and a sweet mango puree sauce. When I got halfway through I found it hard to finish because it was like eating dessert (much too sweet!)

Mango Butternut Squash Rice Bowl

My friend ordered the Wild Salmon Rice Bowl with basmati rice. She had the opposite problem where her rice bowl was too salty. I suppose the food is just more heavily flavoured  here.

Wild Salmon Rice Bowl

All in all, it was a cool experience dining here with its unique ambiance.

Teahouse in Stanley Park is located by Third Beach with a gorgeous view over the water. We went for Dine Out 2015 dinner which was $28 with the option of upgrading to a $38 menu. Parking was free after 6pm.

Appetizers - Tuscan Salad with sherry vinaigrette and Roasted Butternut Squash Soup. The salad was mediocre with a mix of greens and an overly sour dressing. The warm and creamy soup was the better choice of the two appetizers.

Tuscan Salad

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

 Mains - Almond Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin, Pan Seared Steelhead Salmon, 10 oz Prime New York Striploin

The pork tenderloin was accompanied by pan fried gnocchi, ratatouille and a garlic rosemary sauce. I liked that the meat retained some juiciness and wasn't overly dry and the gnocchi was great to soak up the sauce.

Almond Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin

The salmon was a pleasant surprise as it was more delicious than I expected with the skin pan seared to crispiness. The roasted potatoes made it a heartier meal.

Pan Seared Steelhead Salmon

The 10 oz striploin was an upgrade to $38 from the $28 menu. The smokiness of the grill added great flavour to the meat. I thoroughly enjoyed the sides of fried onion rings and thin cut fries as well.

10 oz Prime New York Striploin

Desserts - Raspberry Sorbet and Blonde Brownie

The sorbet was creamy and fruity without all the seeds that come in raspberry frozen yogurt which is great!

Raspberry Sorbet

The Blonde Brownie actually contains no cocoa despite it's brownie name. It is made from butterscotch and drizzled with an orange marmalade.

Blonde Brownie

All in all, the ambiance of the restaurant is beautiful and service was quick and professional. I definitely recommend coming here for special occasions!

Sushi Cali is a small but very popular sushi joint in Burquitlam. I've heard about their great value and long queues so I was glad that we got seated right away when we went at about 3pm (though it filled up quickly after that).

Crispy Avocado Roll - The amount of avocado in the roll made it creamy which was nicely balanced out with the crispy tempura flakes. The chipotle mayo added flavour and more creaminess to the roll.

Crispy Avocado Roll

 Spicy Salmon Sashimi - I remember seeing the chef put this dish up on the sushi bar and thinking, "Wow that looks good, wish we ordered that." To my pleasant surprise, that dish was headed right for our table! The cubes of salmon and cucumber were generously tossed in a spicy sauce that was slightly hot for my low spice tolerance. This yummy dish really expands your appetite to eat more.

Spicy Salmon Sashimi

All in all, service is quick and no-nonsense here. The only slow part was paying at the register with the take-out orders and sit-ins all queuing up for one cashier.

Honey Lavender and Salted Caramel Ice Cream

Miku is centrally located at Waterfront and boasts a great view of the Vancouver Harbour. We went to try the Dine Out 2015 lunch menu ($28) at Miku and it definitely lived up to the amazing reviews online.

Appetizer - from right to left: king crab salad, aburi albacore tuna, ebi fritter, braised beef shank

Although the salad was simple, it was one of my favourites of the four because it was fresh and lightly dressed.

King crab salad

The pieces of aburi albacore tuna cleansed the palate for the next flavourful appetizer.

Aburi albacore tuna

The ebi fritter is fried in a beer batter mixed with what seems like nori (seaweed) sprinkles. The sauce reminds me of chipotle mayo with a hint of curry. The shrimp was fresh and bouncy and the fritter in general did not feel greasy at all. Delicious!

Ebi fritter

The beef shank is probably the most substantial part of this meal that will help fill you up. The well-marinated beef was tender and rested on a scoop of mashed potato that could have been more fluffy.

Braised beef shank

Main course - the main course is a mix of aburi, nigiri and oshi sushi. This is my first time eating aburi sushi and I can definitely see why people like it so much! The hint of fire adds a subtle smokiness. Each piece is already flavoured so there is no need to dip in soy sauce.

Main course

Dessert - mango sorbet with frozen berries and a lemon coconut cookie. The mango sorbet was slightly tarte and quite creamy but not anything you can't find in places that make sorbet and gelato.

Mango sorbet

All in all, we had an excellent dining experience with a great view and friendly service. We arrived at 11:50am for our 12:00pm booking and was lucky enough to get a window seat. The restaurant filled up in the next 10 minutes! So if you want a good seat, arrive early.

Double Baked Brie