Oregon Road Trip - Day 2 ~ Photo-log

Back during the spring, it was my family's annual road trip down to Oregon, USA! This time our itinerary was a little different. Since my niece has gotten a bit older, we decided to deviate away from spending all our time shopping in Portland and instead head out west towards the coast to see new places and create new memories!

"By the way," you ask, "where is day 1 of the road trip?" Well, I decided to start with day 2 because nothing particularly interesting happened on day 1 as it was mostly us on the road making our way down south. 

Ok, there were SOME interesting things, like seeing a military tank driving beside you down the highway @_@ We also had a late lunch trying different food carts in downtown Portland.

Now, back to day 2. After having breakfast at our usual haunt, St. Honore Boulangerie, we drove west to Tillamook to visit the Tillamook Cheese Factory.

The cheese factory was a family friendly place with a gift shop, and exhibits explaining the history of their factory and the importance of cheese making to the community. In fact, the ship on display outside was a replica of the exact ship that the cheese-makers sailed on through the Columbia River to distribute cheese to communities around Oregon.

There wasn't much cheese-making action going on that day... The factory workers were just packaging up large blocks of cheddar while we were there in the early afternoon.

I think the most exciting event was sampling all the different kinds of cheddar cheese! There were the common mild, medium, and sharp cheddars, and there were also cheddar cheese curds (very squeaky, but kind of on the salty side) and jalapeno cheddar cheese for trying. As the line-up was quite short, we went around and sampled 3 times LOL...

 Deep Fried Cheese Curds - Battered and fried, served with chipotle ranch sauce

Even though we had more than our fair share of cheese samples, we did order some items from the cafeteria for a late lunch. W really wanted to try their deep fried cheese curds. I found them too salty (just like the ones from the sample line) and dense after frying. W didn't mind though, he ate the majority of them.

 The Tillamooker - Medium cheddar on sourdough, served with a side of tater tots

I went with the classic grilled cheese sandwich. The bread was crunchy and savoury (but very oily due to all the butter) while the cheese was perfectly oozy and stringy after hitting the grill. I think the perfect pair for a grilled cheese sandwich would be a nice cup of tomato soup, not tater tots, but oh well...

 Smooth Sailing - Penne noodles topped with creamy Sharp and Medium Cheddar cheese sauce

To appease my niece and bro-in-law, my sister ordered a mac n' cheese for sharing...except it was penne and cheese =P I didn't like how the cheese sauce was ladled on top of the pasta rather than incorporating them all together... It didn't scream real mac n' cheese to me somehow.

Oregon Hazelnut & Salted Caramel Ice Cream

We couldn't leave without having their ice cream! We were all cheesed out from lunch so having something sweet was a nice way to end the meal. After looking at all their flavours for probably the fourth time, I finally decided on their Oregon Hazelnut and Salted Caramel. So glad I chose this one! There were crunchy hazelnuts embedded in the creamy ice cream and was full of hazelnut aroma! The salted caramel provided a slightly salty contrast to the sweet cream. The texture of the ice cream was also spot on...so thick and creamy! So so good!!

From Tillamook, we made our way up the Oregon Coast Highway to the little resort town of Seaside. With the weather being so nice we, of course, made a couple pit stops along the way to stroll along the beaches and shorelines. I love being by the water, it's so calming and beautiful.

By early evening, we arrived just in time to watch the sun setting down the horizon along the beach and take in the evening light while we walked along the main promenade. Seaside wasn't just a typical small-town ocean-side resort and tourist location.

This was the final landing spot of the Lewis and Clark Expedition in November of 1805. Beginning in St. Louis, Missouri, Captain Meriwether Lewis and Lietenant William Clark led a team of volunteers, crossing the western part of the United States to explore and map the newly acquired territory. A little bit of history lesson for you there!

Norma's Seafood & Steak

20 North Columbia Street

Seaside, OR

We randomly chose a place to have dinner since we were not that familiar with the area. A short walk from the promenade was Norma's Seafood & Steak Restaurant. Being in a touristy town, we had to wait a while for our table. Highly recommended to make reservations if you do come to Seaside for dinner.

 Norma's Clam Chowder

Since the evening became quite chilly, we started off with a bowl of clam chowder to warm our tummies. This one was pretty good! It was thick and creamy with small chunks of soft potatoes and lots of clam bits inside the soup.

 Pork Chops - 10 oz. porterhouse cut, bone-in, broiled and served medium to medium-well with no sugar added applesauce

Going family style, we ordered a bunch of entrees to share between the 6 of us. We had grilled bone-in pork chops with a side of coleslaw. It was supposed to come with applesauce as the condiment but they had forgotten it when they brought out the pork chops. However, even with the applesauce, we found the pork chops bland and overcooked...

Fish & Chips Combo - Cod, Albacore, Salmon, Halibut

This was a bevy of fish and chips! Covering up all the fries were 2 pieces each of cod, Albacore tuna, salmon, and halibut. I found the batter a bit thick but the fish was fried up nicely. I liked the white fish (the cod and halibut) more than the tuna and salmon pieces as it was a little more juicier and the meat softer. This combo also came with coleslaw and tartare sauce for dipping.

We also had the Captain's Platter, consisting of salmon, prawns, halibut, calamari, scallops, oysters, and razor clams cooked in a buttery garlic sauce, and a Seafood Fettuccine to round out the meal. I just forgot to document these dishes with photos... The pasta was typical and average but the seafood medley was delicious!

Although the drive back to Portland was long and arduous (1.5 hours back in pitch black darkness @_@), it was worth checking out a new place with incredible views and interesting history.

Ramen Butcher

223 East Georgia Street
Vancouver, BC

Back in early February, Ramen Butcher had their soft opening and offered a promotional $5 soft-opening ramen deal! Due to work and logistical matters, I wasn't able to partake in this awesome offer during that time...boo!! With all that hype going on through social media and the interwebs, I convinced W to go to the grand opening straight after work. The shop opened at 5pm but we (and a dozen other people) arrived early to line-up and be the first to slurp up their noodles on grand opening day.

The design of the interior was more modern and sparse than the other ramen joints around town. The RAMEN sign hung above the bar area was made out of nails and it matched the contemporary, industrial look of the restaurant.

The menu was also a little different. The names were colour-coded to describe the type of tonkotsu (pork) broth it represented. 

Red = tonkotsu broth with a spicy garlic paste 
Green = tonkotsu broth with a fresh basil paste and Parmesan cheese
Black = tonkotsu broth with roasted black garlic oil
Orange = tonkotsu broth with rich miso marinated ground pork

There is also a chicken broth version and a vegetable-based broth for the herbivores.

Okonomi Gyoza

The rice bowls and fried chicken karaage were not available at the time of the grand opening so we gave their Okonomi Gyoza a try first. Although the dumpling skin was thin and smooth, it was not pan fried enough to give it a crispy exterior. The filling inside was juicy and seasoned just right though. The okonomi toppings (green onions, bonito flakes, mayo and tangy okomoni sauce) brought an otherwise regular gyoza another life. Gyoza sauce/vinegar definitely not needed for this dumpling!

Black ($8.95) - Tonkotsu broth with roasted garlic oil. Freshly made noodles with aburi pork chashu and a medium boiled perfectly marinated egg 

The Black ramen was my choice. The pork broth was quite good, but I found the addition of roasted garlic oil made the soup too salty. Also, Ramen Butcher uses thin ramen noodles which is not my favourite type of noodle. Nearing the end, my noodles became too soft from sitting in the hot broth.

Classic ($10.95) - Signature tonkotsu broth simmered to perfection.

W decided to go with the classic to gauge Ramen Butcher's quality. He also added an Ajitama (medium boiled, lightly marinated egg) to his bowl. The classic tonkotsu broth was not as salty as my Black version so that was good. However, W was not that impressed with the ramen. He too, like me, did not like the thin ramen noodles, and he found the egg a tad overcooked and not as flavourful as Marutama Ramen. 

Overall, I found the hype amped up our hopes and expectations which then caused some disappointment after trying their ramen. By no means the ramen at Ramen Butcher was not good but after having many bowls of ramen all over Metro Vancouver (and worldwide!), we have developed our own personal preferences when it comes to ramen!

Starbucks Reserve Roastery & Tasting Room [Seattle, WA]

1124 Pike Street
Seattle, WA

"In 1971 Starbucks opened in Pike Place Market and began a journey that has taken our coffee around the world. Now we are honored to share with you this one-of-a-kind roastery just nine blocks away from our original store."

For any Starbucks Coffee fanatic, a visit to the Starbucks Reserve Roastery & Tasting Room is a must, especially if you live around the Pacific Northwest.

W and I took a small road trip to Seattle with the purpose of experiencing the Roastery and trying out their exclusive Reserve coffee beans. We were pretty wowed when we arrived at the store! The architecture retained its heritage appearance and the design of the store had a modern, west-coast feel while also exuding an industrial vibe.

One part of the space had all their exclusive wares and products for sale. Because of its exclusiveness and quality, the prices were significantly higher than your regular Starbucks products.

Inside, it was very spacious and clean. Although the place was bustling with people and the baristas were running around preparing coffee for customers, for both W and I, we felt a sense of warmth and calmness! We just fell in love with the place! Everywhere, there was something interesting to look at. We just marveled at all the details and features that the designers put in there!

At the main coffee bar, there were 5 differently-shaped canisters that held the day's freshly roasted Reserve beans. You could sample a tasting menu of various beans brewed using different methods such as the coffee press, the pour-over, or using their Clover machine. You can also order their Roastery exclusive coffee drinks, classic espresso beverages, as well as cold brewed coffee. It's definitely a new experience for me, sitting at the coffee bar, sipping on a coffee, and watching the baristas work their magic with all those machines and gadgets. If you're there long enough, you could even catch the moment the roasted beans are transported through the copper pipes, from the roasting plant at the back to the canisters at the main bar!

Taking up some major square footage, the roastery room is open-air so you can watch the process from beginning to end. On the lower level is the micro roaster, a small-sized machine that allows extra control and roasting precision of its beans. On the upper level is their small-batch roaster which roasts their Reserve beans for shipping worldwide. In between the two roasters is a huge, tall copper cask. Inside is where the freshly roasted beans go to rest afterwards.

Off on one side are the storage silos, where the raw green coffee is housed, waiting for their time to be roasted.

There is another smaller coffee bar on the lower level as well. A Coffee Master mans this coffee experience bar as its purpose is to engage the customers, experiment and discuss all things coffee. This is also where siphon coffee is served. Looks so cool right?! It's like they're conducting science experiments!

W and I decided to sit at the main bar so we could take in all the sights and sounds happening right in the middle. We opted for the brew comparison flight where we could try one Reserve coffee brewed using the pour-over method and the Clover brewer. We picked Starbucks' Pantheon blend coffee, a Reserve coffee bean that is exclusive to this Seattle Roastery. Can't find it anywhere else!

Now, I am by no means a coffee connoisseur. As long as it is well-balanced, I am A-ok! I liked the taste of the Pantheon blend using the pour-over method. It was lighter, smoother and its flavours were not as overwhelming. The Clover brewed one, on the other hand, had a stronger, more robust flavour and I thought it was a tad on the sour/citrus side.  

The next day, W and I dropped by for breakfast and more coffee. We just had to go one more time! This time, I had their latte and W tried their cold brew coffee. I think the main reason why W wanted the cold brew was that he wanted to have the re-usable plastic cup as a souvenir LOL! 

We also ordered two of their breakfast sandwiches and a chocolate croissant. I don't know if it was my emotional attachment to the place or what but I thought the latte tasted better than the ones I've had back at the Starbucks at home. W and I were quite sad to leave. For sure, we are going to go back in the near future!

Cafe Medina

780 Richards Street
Vancouver, BC

After Cafe Medina moved from their old location at 556 Beatty Street to their current one at 780 Richards Street, K-chan, W and I went there to have brunch on a wintery morning (yes, I know it is summer right now...I have a tonne of back-logged posts @__@).

Latte & Lavender Latte ($4.25 + $.50 for additional flavours)

Since Cafe Medina does not accept reservations, we arrived early in the morning to garner a table. I desperately needed a caffeine jolt so I had the latte to start off brunch while K-chan tried their lavender version. Smooth and milky with a nice hit of espresso, their latte was a great wake-me-up.

La Santé ($13) - 1 Soft Boiled Egg, Marinated Tomato Salad, Olive Tapenade, Avocado, Oyama Charcuterie with Grilled Ciabatta

We perused the menu while we waited for a table and we decided to share 3 dishes. The first to arrive was the La Sante. From the description on the menu, I wasn't expecting it to be plated on a wooden board like a charcuterie platter. Although the slices of grilled bread made sharing easier, the soft boiled egg was a little difficult to divide between the three of us. I liked the tomato salad though as it was juicy, tart and it soaked in all the flavours from the olive tapenade. 

Fricassée ($17) - 2 Fried Eggs, Braised Short Ribs, Roasted Potatoes, Caramelized Onions, Applewood Smoked Cheddar, Seasonal Greens with Grilled Focaccia

Next up was my choice, the Fricassee. With the weather being chilly, I wanted something hearty and warming. The tender and savoury braised beef short ribs, roasted potatoes, and fried eggs, along with sweet caramelized onions....yummm! This was perfect for a cold winter day!

Coca - Lamb & Fig Ragout, Salsa, Baba Ganoush, Egg, Chevre and Flat Bread

The Coca was on the special-of-the-day board. On the plate, the flat bread was topped with a lamb and fig ragout, salsa, baba ganoush and a sunny-side up egg. This was another hearty and filling dish.

Les Boulettes ($17) - 2 Poached Eggs. Spicy Moroccan Lamb Meatballs, Roasted Pepper, Black Olive & Tomato Stew with Raita and Grilled Focaccia

Our tummies were not quite satisfied, even after polishing off 3 dishes! We went ahead and ordered a 4th dish being Les Boulettes. The meatballs were soft and juicy, while the tomato stew was super flavourful and delicious. However, it was just too spicy for me to handle so after trying a couple bites I left the rest for W and K-chan to finish.

It's no wonder that Cafe Medina has a crazy long line-up in the mornings. The food was delicious and full of spices and savoury flavours. The new space was also clean, airy, and comfortable. For you early risers out there, it's definitely worth a trek to downtown for their brunch. As for me, the night owl....well, I might choose sleep over early brunch haha... 

Shishinori Japanese Eatery

2328 Cambie Street
Vancouver, BC

Late in the winter, W and I met up with a friend to catch up and chat for a bit. After seeing lots of colourful and pretty pictures of their meals, I suggested heading to Shishinori to try out their rice bowls.

The eatery was actually a small shop with a limited number of tables and an "order-at-the-counter" type of self-service. Definitely a place for a quick and healthy bite.

Wild Salmon Paradise Bowl ($12)

We perused the menu for a bit as we found their options to be quite attractive! Our indecisiveness acted up again! W finally decided on the Wild Salmon Paradise Bowl. Beautifully plated with plenty of different colours, the bowl (well, more like a plate) had a bed of brown rice topped with thinly sliced wild salmon sashimi, a side of spring mix veggies, and half of a hard-boiled egg. It was also drizzled with a sweet soy vinaigrette. W opted for a combo which came with a cup of loose leaf tea and a bowl of miso soup (or dessert if you choose not to have the soup).

I found the portions to be just right for me but for W, a meat and potatoes kind of guy, it was a little lacking. But hey, it's supposed to be a healthy meal so no oversized portions here!

 Hawaii Ahi Poke Bowl ($12) - choice of spicy, shoyu, or wasabi

Still reminiscing over my Hawaiian holiday, I immediately went for the Ahi Poke Bowl. I loved loved LOVED this rice bowl! The sweet shoyu sauce with the Ahi tuna cubes and chewy brown rice was a delicious combination! The fresh green veggies and raspberries added a vibrant element to the bowl.

Wild Salmon Cheese Bake Rice ($11)

Our friend chose one of the hot meals which was the Wild Salmon Cheese Bake. Brown rice was topped with salmon and a slice of melted processed cheese on top. It came in a tiny, cute, rustic casserole dish, flanked by a bowl of miso soup and spring mix salad with hard boiled egg on each side.

Even though they used processed cheese instead of real cheese for the baked rice, I thought it was acceptable because the creaminess of the processed cheese helped moisten the salmon and rice underneath while the saltiness seasoned the ingredients underneath.

 Matcha Parfait ($6.70)

After such healthy and lean dishes, we needed some dessert to balance out the meal! I was enticed by the Matcha Parfait because I love anything matcha. Starting from the bottom, the tall cup had layers of coffee jelly, corn flakes, chocolate soft serve ice cream, whipped cream, berries, green tea soft serve ice cream. a sour key soother candy, mini marshmallows, a green tea cookie, a cookie straw and dollop of whipped cream on top for good measure! Whew! This sure satisfied my sweet tooth but I was disappointed with the amount of matcha-ness in the parfait. I was hoping for more matcha goodness.

Matcha Ice Cream Float ($4.30)

On the other hand, my friend's matcha ice cream float had more matcha flavours than my parfait! With green tea soft serve ice cream immersed in strong matcha tea and topped with a green tea cookie, her cup was significantly amped up with matcha flavours. I liked this one more because when mixed together, the float was not too sweet. It was a nice balance between the sweet (the ice cream) and the healthy (the unsweetened matcha tea). Full of antioxidants that's for sure!

With such pretty plate presentations, healthy and balanced options, and my favourite matcha desserts on the menu, Shishinori would be a good place for quick, casual Japanese eats any time of the day!

Alaskan Cruise - Day 7: At Sea ~ Photo-log

Our last full day on the ship was spent at sea. The voyage during the previous night was so choppy that all of us didn't have a good night's sleep...

After doing some last minute souvenir shopping, napping, and playing board games, I dragged W to go have afternoon tea at Cova Cafe. Along with Murano and AquaSpa Cafe, Cova is another place that patrons have to pay for their orders. However, your choice of cake or cookie is served with your (paid) beverage.

Latte and Carrot Cake

I chose the carrot cake to go with my latte. There was also a small biscotti on the side of my drink. They weren't amazing but it was relaxing to sit back and enjoy an afternoon snack while people watching on the ship.

Heading to our last meal at The Grand on Century was sort of bittersweet. It would be the last time being served by the professional and funny duo of Roy and Francis and it would be our last time ever cruising on Century. We learned that after her last voyage in April 2015, Celebrity would retire the Century line and she would no longer make trips around the world! :(

Crispy Frog Legs - with green pea puree and garlic-parsley sauce

Back to the food, my first appetizer was a pair of frog legs, fried until crisp, and placed on top a creamy pea and garlic sauce. The garlic overpowered the peas in the sauce but I think that actually worked better with the frog legs. And yes, frog legs DO taste like chicken!

Salmon Tartare - with celery root puree, trout roe caviar, dill, apple and pumpernickel

W was not a fan of frogs legs so he had the salmon tartare instead. The mix of chopped raw salmon was colourful and nicely presented! 

Yellow Corn Soup - with chopped chives

Although my second appy was plain looking, the soup was comforting with its sweet, corn flavour. 

Seared Duck - with “fried” wild rice, swiss chard, parsnip and orange duck jus

Time for the main course! I went with the seared duck and it did not disappoint! Tender, juicy, and cooked to the right pinkness in the middle, the duck breast was delicious! Just like how apples are paired with pork, oranges go hand in hand with duck. Somehow, this sweet citrus fruit just makes the duck taste better!

Celebrity’s Signature “Beef Tournedo” - medallion of beef tenderloin, ragout of morel mushrooms and pearl onions and roasted potatoes, served with haricot verts and black truffle sauce

Can't escape the meat and potatoes can we?! W had the beef medallion topped with morel mushrooms, a side of roasted potatoes and the black truffle sauce. It certainly looked good and it tasted just the same as well! Yum!

Roasted Colorado Rack of Lamb - served with mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli florets, glazed baby carrots and rosemary lamb jus

The roasted rack of lamb was my sister's choice. Smeared with a garlic and rosemary crust and rested on the lamb jus, the meat was juicy and flavourful. However, she had to send it back to the kitchen because it was done too rare for her liking. Otherwise, it didn't seem like anything else was amiss with the plate.

Warm apple crumble a la mode

It was time for our final course and W chose the apple crumble topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. He asked if I wanted to try some of his dessert but I had my own to focus on!

Vanilla Bean Semifreddo - with strawberry coulis and graham cracker cookie pieces

As it was our last dessert on the cruise, I had to go big or go home! I ordered both the semifreddo AND the creme brulee to round out my meal. Speckled with real vanilla beans, the smooth and creamy semifreddo was a delight. The fruity and tart coulis balanced out the sweetness too. The graham cracker pieces were a little odd but I think it was supposed to mimic a deconstructed cheesecake.

Crème Brulee 

With a crunchy torched sugar crust, the creme brulee was just the way it's supposed to be. It was sooo sooo good! I finished it to the last spoonful even though I was stuffed to the max!

I have to say, our first cruise vacation was a blast despite its ups and downs. The staterooms were good, the atmosphere was relaxing, there were slow boring times but also fun and awe-inspiring times. Of course, the food was excellent and indulgent too! After this trip, W and I are looking forward to our next cruise! I wonder where we will sail off next?