09.06.10
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It’s all Greek to Us

9th Annual
Victoria Greek Fest
4648 Elk Lake Dr.
Royal Oak, BC

E: Rain or shine, the 9th Annual Greek Festival happened with a blast and I was ready to go opa instead of oh no. By the time I was out the door, it was raining.

When James and I arrived at the venue, I was immediately lured to the tents with the wonderful smell of lamb roasting on a spit.

J: I was definitely shouting Opa. With a little wine, some Greek food and being entertained by lovely belly dancers, I couldn’t ask for more. The last time I had visited these grounds, it was an open gravel lot.

But now a beautiful Greek Orthodox church stands here. It’s a vast improvement.

The rain didn’t dampen my spirits; in fact I’m a self-confessed rain lover. I was saddened however that Ed and I had just arrived at the tail end of the last show. The Greek dancers were wearing authentic costumes.

E: And I would’ve been amused if James got up on stage to dance with them. Especially with the amount of spirits he was having, but I digress.

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08.30.10
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Back home for more food!

Okay, Victoria, B.C. is no true mecca for gastronomic goodness, but it comes close.

After Seattle and Portland, this city feels very smaller but at least we have a certain pride for locally produced products and a few gems which does get international attention.

But as I unwind, I’ll be processing through all the drafts I’ve written up (god bless my iPod touch) of the diners in the smaller towns Yvonne Fried and I visited. We toured through various parts of Washington State, and I went by instinct to see where we should eat.

Out of every place we went to, I’d say only one was disappointing. The rest made for worthwhile stops. I’ll get the articles hopefully posted during the course of the next two weeks.

And at the same time, I’ll nudge James out of his heat induced coma to get some product reviews up.

08.27.10
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The Shining Star of the Richmond Universe

Aberdeen Centre
4151 Hazelbridge Way
Richmond, BC
(604) 270-1234

Shopping malls can be evil and there’s not many I truly like to frequent in Victoria, or in Vancouver for that matter. But in Richmond, there’s one that I’d consider the galactic center of my universe for all the Asian food I can enjoy.

Back in the day I thought Yaohan Centre was good, but no, it pales in comparison to what Aberdeen Centre offers now. From Japan to China, you can almost find anything you remember from home here.

And my fondness for takoyaki can be found at Ajijiman Hanabi than at any other place in the district of Richmond or Vancouver. For $3.75, you can order 6 pieces of these warm gooey octopus balls. With shaved bonito leaves on top, it gives a great texture to complement the chewiness of the meal itself.

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08.27.10
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The Quest for the Perfect Cup of Tea

Tea India
A Harris Tea Company

Chai or in this case, Indian orange pekoe, has long been enjoyed by people from the Indian sub-continent. Promoted heavily by the British owned Indian Tea Association in the 1900’s, their campaign encouraged factories and businesses to give their employees tea breaks. It not only boosted the sales of British owned tea companies but also introduced the pleasure of tea to the uninitiated while creating a new social environment among the working class.

My first attempt at brewing ended up with a weak tea tasting like mud water (which I had not the pleasure of since I was a child). And a second chance was definitely required. I must’ve fouled up somehow. So I did what many males dare not to do; I read the instructions. Sure enough I corrected myself. The tea bag needs to be in the cup before the hot water was poured. I added milk and my usual spoonfuls of sugar to offset the stronger taste. The end result was a nice steady tea. I usually have trouble with higher caffeine teas, especially black but this one is manageable. It’s definitely not Red Rose by any means but it’s still a pleasant cuppa.

08.26.10
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Feed Me Amadeus!

Cafe Mozart Restaurant
829 Front Street
Leavenworth, Washington
(509) 548-0600

I’ve had German food before and usually, never found it hugely spectacular. Maybe that’s because there’s only one place back home (The Rathskeller) that I’m aware of which never really exemplified the best of what this regional style of food offers. To really enjoy the basics, I had to find more than just the differences in how the food is cooked.

While in a tourist town like Leavenworth, I set aside my reservations and parlayed into a restaurant named after my favourite composer, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. With a bit of Yvonne’s heritage in tow, she could tell me more about the intricacies of what makes a good sauerkraut.

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