Coquitlam

Coquitlam

Tea for emperor, A self-proclaimed promise that has gone too far

If I was the emperor to receive this cup of tea as a tribute, I would have wiped out their civilization really quickly. Perhaps my expectation was set too high after reading Gong Cha’s business philosophy. Unfortunately, they did not live up to the standard they have set out on their own website. Today, I have had a cup of tea that fails at the forefront of the tea’s body, the topping, and even the size. I cannot think of any reason to recommend Gong Cha.

Fatburger American fast-food restaurant franchise in Vancouver

My burger was tightly wrapped in paper which caused the un-wrapped portion to open up and look extremely hard to bite. The beef felt weighty and was very satisfying to bite into. Onion and pickle provided the crispy texture. I really enjoyed this burger, but with a little bit of guilt as I see oil dripping off the wrapping. The entire burger held together quite nicely. Not much mess was made from inhaling this burger.

Bukjang (Bukchigo Jangguchigo) Korean Cuisine in Coquitlam

Bukjang is a small Korean restaurant. Tradition and authenticity can be observed throughout the store. The food was individually made to order and they are very tasty. We ordered 2 items and it cost us $20 per person so they are not exactly cheap. I think the atmosphere was set up for drinking, and that is what I am going to do on my next visit.

Meiji Milk Cookie Ice Bar

Normally, when I get an alternative flavour of the same product, the expectation is to have a consistent texture and flavour profile. With the taste and texture both lacking far behind its Milk ice bar counterpart, I cannot justify the $8.99 price tag. It is really rare to see someone screw up an Oreo product. I simply cannot recommend Meiji’s Milk Cookie Ice Bar.

Meiji Milk Ice Bar

Biting into the ice bar reveals the consistent texture of the interior. I could feel the slight icy texture, but that actually provided a little bit of the refreshing sensation. The taste is wonderfully designed. This ice cream bar has a very rich taste of milk. The sweet taste is complemented by some savory taste to make each bite interesting.

Sushi California Koreapanese Restaurant, A popular fake Japanese chain

Our server brought us tableware and tea. They are the generic plastic material with some graphic to resemble Japan. These tableware are light and feel cheap. It is quite fitting for the Sushi California to use these. They look Japanese, but cheap and lack integrity once you interact with it. I don’t understand how you can have a “Small Party Tray for 2” and give out 9 pieces of nigiri sushi. I mean… Who does that? Let’s not even talk about who gets salmon or the masago. One person is going to eat 1 sushi less and still fork out 50% of the price. This party tray should be called “The Breakup for 2” instead.

Chatime, The bubble tea franchise that started it all

Chatime’s drinks cost are considered average compared to most other bubble tea places. Grass Jelly Roasted Milk Tea costs $5.85 each. The Brown Sugar Pearls Fresh Milk cost $6.35. Most of the tea served here are pre-made and kept in different casks. They might not be the best bubble tea place, but the taste really entice my palate.

Freshslice Pizza

I ordered two slices of pizza for $4.90, one “basic”, one “feast”. The serving speed was instant. I even received a smile from the staff. The topping are not overly generous, but acceptable. Nothing taste out of the ordinary. we can see the crust rise evenly, an indication of a yeast with grease premixed dough. The texture is consistent. Nothing too hard to bite. The bottom crust has good structure. I was able to pick up the pizza by the crust without much dipping down. The bottom is not soggy. This is a decent pizza for its price.

Bubble Waffle Cafe, Cantonese Food Stand

The first bubble waffle cafe I tried was the one in Landsdowne Mall. I considered it a high-school kids operated food station at the time. Their bubble waffle are too awful to call themselves the “Bubble Waffle Cafe”. Obviously, their business model took off with all the people whose only consideration for food is the price. Bubble Waffle Cafe can now be found in most malls in the lower mainland. Bubble Waffle Cafe calls themselves “Hong Kong and Taiwanese Cuisine”. I can tell you right now that Bubble Waffle Cafe may give their food Taiwanese names, but their food are not Taiwanese cuisine. Their food has lots of carbs. It is similar to Cantonese Style Cafe food, so I guess it is Hong Kong Cuisine.

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