BON BON BAKERY’S GATEAU ST. HONORÉ

One of my favourite cakes:  Gateau St. Honoré

MINI CI DARK CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES WITH SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

The Mini rendition of the Best Chocolate Cupcakes Ever

When you go mini, timing is critical.  I decided to use my favourite Best Chocolate Cupcake Ever recipe in mini cupcake liners.  I was able to get about 36 mini cupcakes and used a tiny ice cream scoop to fill the liners half-full.  I watched the cupcakes bake…like a hawk (a distracted hawk).

HIGH TEA AT FAUBOURG

A lovely cup of “Provence” Green Tea/Vert Provence


In the heart of Kerrisdale right across the street from the Starbucks, there is a relatively new little patisserie called Faubourg.   When I walked down the south side of 41st  one evening on the way to dinner a few months ago, I noticed the patisserie and took a mental note to come back for High Tea.   The display window was quite enticing.  Usually, my favourite place to have High Tea in Vancouver is at The Secret Garden, which is a hop and a skip away—located on West Boulevard.  I go to The Secret Garden at least 2 times a year and now that my daughters are older, I intend to go more often.  Often though, you’ll find nary a male in this store.  It’s very proper and very English and your pinky just automatically starts to stick right up as you sip tea from your beautiful fine bone china teacup. 

VALENTINE’S DAY CUPCAKES

Chocolate Cupcake decorated with Pink Vanilla Buttercream and a Marshmallow Heart

There’s nothing like my daughter’s class Valentine’s day party to get me inspired to bake cupcakes again.  Yes, it’s been a long time.  I’ve made so many other things other than cupcakes.   This isn’t to say cake hasn’t been on my brain!  Let’s get real now!

HOKKAIDO RAMEN SANTOUKA, ROBSON STREET

Toroniku shio ramen. With a side of egg.   $12.95 (gulp!)   Rating:  6/6

OMG.  I have gone to pork cheek heaven.  This particular dish is a special that is offered by Santouka ramen.  If you order early enough, you can get it.  However, it states clearly on the menu that it may be sold out and is subject to availability.  I would be so disappointed if I had a hankering for pork cheek and couldn’t have this.
The shio broth had great depth and was milky thick and savoury.  The vats of steaming broth in the kitchen could be seen in the back.  It tastes as if the broth’s been reducing for hours.  It’s rich and unctuous.  I can’t say enough about the tender pork cheeks.  The side dish egg is my favourite when I go for ramen.  The yolk is golden yellow and runny when you cut into it.  Yum!

ATHENE’S GREEK RESTAURANT

Lamb shoulder casserole with lemon and white wine (special).  Rating:  4.5/6

I knew I should have ordered the regular roast lamb!  But the special sounded enticing with the white wine and the fork-tender description.  Though this was not a bad dish, I know that the regular roast lamb is really good and I think I would have been happier.  Don’t you hate it when you regret trying something new? argh.




I’m glad we didn’t forget to order the calamari because this was not disappointing at all.  The batter was light as a feather and the calamari was tender.  Rating:  6/6




















Bebe’s favourite Greek dish is spanakopita.  She even knows how to say it properly with the stress on the second from last syllable.  Her rating:  6/6

















A kiddie meal is only complete if there’s a carby sort of noodle of some sort.  Here we have a Baked Lasagna…Bebe’s favourite.  Her rating:  5/6














Bib ate the garlic bread and I must say she was a trooper because she wasn’t into having Greek food today though everyone else was!  You can’t have Asian food all the time you know (even though it looks as if we do) because you get oh-so-tired of it!  The kids always say something like “oh no…not Chinese/Japanese/dimsum again!”  I actually am not crazy about going out for Chinese in particular for dinner (unless it’s good banquet food)!  But Stomach and Bib love Asian food.  Bebe and I have palates that yearn for European flavours.  I love French/bistro fare and Bebe loves all Italian food.  She also likes Greek and to some degree Stomach likes it too.  However, Bib is the lone one out of the family but we’re training her slowly and she’s opening up to different foods.

I can’t wait until the kids can tolerate spicy foods.  Whenever I want Indian I have to order out for myself (my birthday usually!)  Or Thai! oh yum! 

You can’t go far in Vancouver without spotting an Asian restaurant, so though I yearn for all these other cuisines, we often end up eating Asian food because it’s cheap and Bib will get fed. 

Athene’s is one of my favourite Greek restaurants.  We’ve been coming here for years.   Service is good and the food is consistent.  I especially like a trio of dips:  tarama, humous and tzatziki with pita.  I didn’t get that this time because I thought I’d be too full.   The souvlaki is also good and I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad meal here. 

Athene’s is located on W. Broadway near Alma.  There’s parking on the streets and there’s transit nearby.

COPA CAFE

Shredded Meat Chow mein.  Rating:  5/6