When Becky mentioned great big, spicy hot pots at Red 6, I made sure to check it out promptly.

Red 6 is a tiny Mom & Pop shop in Parkcrest Plaza on Broadway in Burnaby. The room seats maybe twenty and on a cold, rainy day it’s packed. The main attraction here are the ridiculously huge, steaming hot pots.

This past Thursday was particularly wet and chilly. After Becky described the bountiful, spicy bowls on offer here, we grabbed The Gut and the three of us dug in.

The standard set for the Assorted Hot Pot consists of a choice of meat…beef, pork, chicken or fish.    You can also opt for the seafood version (shrimp, mussel and fish ball). You choose rice or noodle and one of seven types of soup.

The Gut went for the Miso Soup with chicken. It looked darn good and due to the long amount of silence, I’ll assume it tasted just as good.

Becky went with the Hot Kimchi Soup with chicken. Again, a big and tasty looking bowl and nary a complaint.

My choice was the Hot Curry Soup with Beef and noodles. This is one ginormous bowl. There has got to be 30 or 40 slices of very tender beef here. A generous portion of enoki, fried tofu, cabbage and scallions all swimming in a dense, velvety curry broth. A bit mild for my taste but still oozing with flavour. This bubbling cauldron seemed to never end. I simply cannot believe the amount of food you get here for eight bucks. Extraordinary. A very solid fill.

On top of the huge bowl, we grabbed a plate of dumplings.

Fairly average, these were. The wrap was a bit too chewy…the filling, a plain bit of ground pork. The dip helped immensely.

So amazed was I at the incredible value and sheer volume of tastiness, I dragged three more hungry folk for a Friday lunch.

Another part of the menu offers Hot Pot with Udon at $7. Carl’s Jr. went for the Hot Curry with Chicken. A solid choice by the looks of things. Still trying to get over the scope of these bowls.

Jackie Chan chose from the spicier side of the menu as usual. This is the Hot Chilli Soup with Beef.  We asked for them to make things as hot as they could. On the heat scale, this turned out to be right around medium.

Again, as if the hot pots weren’t enough, we grabbed a side dish. The Wontons in Chilli Sauce were several steps up from the pork dumplings. Not as killer as Spicy Court’s but a tasty version, nonetheless.

This time around I followed Jackie’s lead (and our server’s as well) and went for the Hot Chilli Soup with Pork.

At the start there is a nice amount of heat. Not too crazy but enough to keep from reaching for the Sriracha. The addition of cumin makes for a well-rounded broth. It just teems with tingling heat and loads of satisfying flavour. A big, solid bowl that I’ll be going back for again and again.

Unfortunately, the previous occupants, Royal City Thai, closed their doors. They put out some decent Thai food but I guess not enough New Westers gave them a go. It’s always sad to see it happen but in this case, it made way for some pretty damn good Vietnamese.

Le Saigonnais‘ menu is chock-full of authentic Vietnamese fare…not your average joint by any means. The fact that they used Vietnamese titles in a very non-Asian area gave me great hope. Of the four Vietnamese restos here, they’re the first. Bringing authentic Asian fare to this area is always a challenge. Here’s to hoping that it’s the beginning of a trend.

Their version of Bún bò Huế was pretty solid…stacked with flavor and loaded with meat. The broth was spicy enough but it lacked the lemongrass kick. The addition of beef balls in lieu of the pork knuckle was unique. It dropped the authenticity level down a notch but didn’t detract from the bowl a whole lot. The ultra-tender beef slices, great broth and chewy round noodles made up for things quite well.

The Cánh Gà Chiên Nước Mắm (Saigon-style chicken wings) were tasty, crispy little critters. Fried to perfection and tossed in chile, garlic, scallions and Nước Mắm. A bit sweet, a little salty…good and garlicky. BTW, don’t forget to eat the greens…that’s a nice, crunchy, flavourful salad.

The Royal Platter…a plethora of tasty snack treats.

Going round the plate, first off, the Chả Giò (Vietnamese Spring Rolls).

Fairly decent, these were. The ground pork filling, again decent, was a touch on the mushy side. I found it strange that they would use the wheat wrap instead of the rice version. Turns out they offer both. If you prefer the rice wrap, order the Le Saigonnais Rolls.

Nướng Xiên (Grilled brochettes). These were stellar. A combo of pork and chicken, grilled to perfection, still juicy and completely jacked with great flavours.

The Nem nướng (Grilled pork patties) are basically Vietnamese bologna. In that I mean it’s bologna taken to the next level times two. The mix of sweet and savoury with a big hit of garlic make these outstanding. Pretty sure the dose of MSG thrown in helped things immensely. Very, very addictive. There’s a great recipe here for Nem nướng spring rolls. Gotta try making these real soon.

Chạo Tôm (Prawn Supreme on sugar cane). Here you’ve got a mix of minced pork and prawn, garlic, shallot, fish sauce, palm sugar and pepper wrapped around sugar cane. I’ve had better and I’ve had worse. These were a touch rubbery…a moment too long on the grill.

Hoành Thành Chiến (Crispy wontons)…great little packets of minced pork and prawn.

The last item on the platter was, unfortunately, on the average side.

It’s not that they were bad, but the Gỏi Cuốn (Salad Roll) was just a bit top-heavy on the noodles…they diminished the fresh prawn and Vietnamese Ham a bit. The saviour here was the dense and delicious peanut sauce. Rich, deep flavour through and through.

I usually get my Vietnamese fix at Green Bamboo and other assorted locales throughout Vancouver. It’s good to know there’s a place nearer to home that offers up a variety of interesting Vietnamese fare. Le Saigonnais is a clean, comfortable spot to experience a wide variety of Viet cuisine. Very highly recommended.

Khyber Pass is right near Kingsway & Victoria in East Van in what was formerly the Red Fort. They offer Afghan and Pakistani fare in a cozy, kitschy, old-school dining room.

Not the most modern or elegant of settings but a nice sense of comfort sets in immediately. We had originally planned for a dozen or so diners. Fmed had wangled us a set rate of $14 a head. Come mealtime, we were down to seven folks. Not sure if the kitchen got word of the down-size because we got hit with a massive amount of food.

We had a rough idea of tonight’s menu…some kebabs, some curry, some rice. The appies, however, were to be a mystery. The first plate was a simple form of spring roll.

About as simple as you can make it. There’s cabbage, carrot, pepper and a bit of seasoning. A mildly spicy tamarind dip alongside.

The Mantoo are Afghanistan’s (and neighbouring regions’) dumpling. They are full of spiced beef or lamb and covered in a minty yogurt sauce. They’re then topped with a ratatouille of beans, corn, peas and peppers. Not sure why the addition of the stewed veg…seems to obscure the mildly flavored dumpling and delicate sauce.

The Naan was hot, fresh and tasty…just a bit flat. That’s flat as in not quite leavened enough. A bit too chewy, not very flaky. It is, however, a great vehicle for this:

Bouranee Baunjan (Afghan Eggplant with Yogurt Sauce). A nice, rudimentary sauté of eggplant, tomato, onion and garlic. The minty yogurt sauce makes another well-placed appearance.

After the appetizers I took a walk around to check out the room. Right next to the lobby/entrance is the front counter. This doubles as the tandoor station which was being manned by our helpful server, Abdul. With little prodding he happily posed with his handiwork.

The Chicken Kebobs were just right. Tender, succulent and shot through with flavorful herbs and spices. Big, juicy chunks perfectly tandoorified.

Maybe even better, depending on your taste, were the Lamb Kebobs. Great char, still tender, superb flavor.

The Beef Kebobs didn’t quite hold up to the heat of the tandoor. Although tasty, they came out dry and a bit chewy. A dunk in the yogurt sauce fixed that right up.

Qabili Palow. Nicely oiled basmati topped with fried carrot and raisin. A well prepared, solid accompaniment.

The Curried Lamb Shank was a perfect example of slow food being hurried. This was sooo very close to being great. The curry itself was bang on, the real deal…deep, dense and bursting with myriad flavors. The shank, on the other hand, was about thirty minutes of braise time short. Still tough, still clinging to bone.

Seven diners stuffed. Two major sacks of leftovers. One really good deal. Although I probably won’t revisit anytime soon, I really did enjoy this meal. Perhaps it was more about the ambiance…being amongst a group of interested, adventurous eaters. Happy travels, Ben! Can’t wait for the stories…

Aside from the great fare, the room is full of interesting knick-knacks. Some traditional Japanese, some quirky eye candy. There’s the requisite paper lanterns but there’s also a cool collection of action figures.

The detail on Tony Montana is freaking eerie…right down to the five o’clock shadow!

I’ve been meaning to hit this place up for quite awhile. Since I first saw their vibrant menu and then read the continuing stream of positive commentary, it was obvious that this was a spot to go to for stellar eats.

Sushimoto offers up some pretty decent lunch specials. One of them is the Maki Roll, Miso Soup, Sunomono Combo. For $9.99 you choose from one of eight specialty rolls and your choice of Vegetable, Tako or Ebi Sunomono.

Quite a substantial sunomono. Nearly double the size I’ve become accustomed to in a combo setting. Clean, cool and very fresh.

The Red Hot Chili Roll really hit the mark. Great sushi rice to start…perfectly cooked and seasoned. A nice, creamy scallop filling topped with spicy tuna and drizzled with spicy sauce & mayo. It has a bit of zip…no serious heat factor, though.

While Dino and I opted for a wide array of dishes, our third wheel struck out on his own. From all accounts, the Miso Udon was a hit. Looked damn fine. His other pick was the Ocean Roll.

A basic California Roll topped with smoked salmon and spicy mayo. Again, by lack of complaint, I’ll guess this was fine as well.

After splitting the lunch special, we went with a trio of appy items.

When seeing these were dubbed Mad For Garlic Gyoza, the salivary glands perked up immediately. What hit the table were fairly pedestrian, almost grocery-store-freezer-department quality. Quite tasty but very standard. A minor hint of garlic. Not the truckload I was anticipating.

The Takoyaki, on the other hand, were top-notch. A good balance of soft, sweet and salty with a chewy bit of tako (octopus) inside.

Though a bit pricey at five for eight bucks (Okonomi gives you seven), these are great Prawn Tempura. Not as crispy as most, due to a different type of flour, I’m guessing. It’s a smoother texture than normal. Any ideas, folks?

After a very decent stream of plates we had a hankering for just one more.

This is the Amusement Roll. I’m not too sure how it got that handle. My guess is that it’s very amusing to watch someone (me) shovel this gigantic disc into his face.

This is one massive roll with a big roster of ingredients. There’s crab, salmon, unagi (BBQ eel), ikara (salmon roe), cucumber, soybean skin, cream cheese and a topping of wasabi mayo and unagi sauce.

A very sturdy roll this is. I’ve had me some ginormous rolls. They’re usually bigger in width. This is the size of a hockey puck split lengthwise. The fact that it holds up to being held up shows how well it’s made. I expected it to crumble before my eyes. Sushi architecture at its best!

Although some things are a buck or so higher here, the food is well worth every penny. The cool vibe and friendly staff make a return visit inevitable.

I’ve heard mention of their excellent AYCE Hot Pot but the lunch-only menu posted on the door was flush with intriguing items. Unfortunately, it’s only available from 11:30 to 2:30. Click on the image for a much bigger and clearer view.

As this was an unexpected visit, I was without my DSLR. I took a bunch of iPhone snaps but they just didn’t do the food justice. We returned a few weeks later for another meal and a batch of somewhat decent photos.

Spicy Legend is a medium-sized, very colorful room. Lunchtime, it seems is fairly quiet…at least on our two visits. I’m guessing the crowds come later for the AYCE Hot Pot.

To get things started, spice-wise, we were given a complimentary bowl of Sichuan snack treats.

Although many are mild, a few are crunchy sticks of dynamite. Sort of Chile Pepper Russian Roulette. A fun, albeit, painful start to today’s meal.

We started with a pair of $1.99 appetizers. Slivered Cucumbers with Sesame Paste. Or is it tahini? Either way, a great little dish. Cool, crisp, very flavorful. A nice antidote to the parade of heat coming up. This was a double portion, BTW.

The Dry Tofu is slathered in sesame oil, red chillies and scallion. Another excellent snack and also two portions.

We grabbed a couple of items from the “Sichuan Style Snack” part of the menu. The Sichuan Wonton with Spicy Oil are a must-try. Twelve large wonton drenched in a moderately spicy yet incredibly flavorful bath.

The Cold Noodle, at first glance, looks fairly innocuous. A few bites in your palate is aflame but, oddly, you can’t seem to get enough. The mix of cool, chewy noodles and bursts of red chile are very addictive. A very, very good dish.

The lunch menu contains a well-rounded selection of fourteen soups. We went with something other than the “Sichuan” on offer. This is the Spicy & Sour Seafood Soup (Thai Style).

For a mere $7, you are presented with a rather large bowl stuffed with a great amount of varied seafood and tofu in a rich & spicy Tom Yum broth. A heckuva deal.

Another very well made, non-Sichuan dish is the Fried Rice Noodle (Singapore Style). This is a dish we regularly order so it was interesting to see Spicy Legend‘s take on it. Damn near perfect, this was. The vermicelli well curried, crunchy slivered veg, silky scrambled egg and a good whack of salty dried shrimp…a great mix very well executed. Spot on!

Fried Rice with Fried Pork (Sichuan Style). More often than not, when ordering a fried rice with pork dish in a Chinese resto, you get a bland combo of rice, tiny pork bits and frozen mixed veg. Here, it’s a load of rice fried with chile sauce, big, sweet peppers and a lot of tender hunks of pork belly. The photo barely does it justice. There’s easily twenty beautiful slabs of pork in this plate.

There are fantastic, bold flavors all over the place here. Every single dish, from snack to appetizer to soup to main, hit the mark. Along with the wide-ranging and authentic tastes, there is tremendous value as well. Five diners were very well fed and completely satisfied for an astonishing total of $45. By the way, there’s free jelly beans, to boot! You can’t beat free jelly beans!

The latest addition to New Westminster’s growing Asian restaurant scene is Okonomi Sushi on Sixth St. They recently took over the spot that The Orange Room previously occupied. Okonomi has another location in New West down on Fourth St. I was a bit surprised to see a second one open so close. Then again, this stretch of Sixth St. is in definite need of quality Japanese.

Sherman and I arrived on a Monday at noon to a warm and inviting yet deserted room. Knowing we’d be eating large, we grabbed a four-top for extra room. Our very friendly server presented us with one of the heftiest menus I’ve come across.

Weighing in at around two pounds (at least it felt like that!) this menu is absolutely loaded with options, 199 to be exact. To get a good sense of the fare, we opted for the Okonamiyaki & Tempura combo as well as the Special Assorted Combo A.

As the main parts of our meals were being prepared, we were peppered with an assortment of appies and sides.

A decent salad…fresh, cool and crisp.

Same goes for the Ebi Sunonomo. A nice little snack to get the appetite revved up.

A very decent Miso soup…not too heavy on the sodium, good ‘n satisfying.

Crunchy, meaty and simply prepared Chicken Karaage. Although the menu says two, they gave us one more. Great. What’re we supposed to do? Pass the third one around like a doobie?!!

This is the first time I’d come across Chawanmushi. Literally put Chawanmushi means “tea cup steam”. It’s egg custard prepared with mirin, soy and dashi and in this case, prawn. Wiki has a good little write-up.

When the Sashimi and Nigiri plate hit the table we were slightly stunned. I don’t know about Sherman but I can’t remember getting such a large cut of salmon and tuna. You can literally wrap the fish all the way around the rice and then some. The tuna was a bit spotty but the salmon was pretty near perfect. Great value going on here.

Next time I hit up Okonomi, the salmon sashimi is first on the list.

An interesting aspect here is the purple shari…steamed rice with red cabbage juice. It doesn’t add much flavor just a cool aesthetic.

The Okonomiyaki, AKA Japanese pizza. When it hit the table (with a thud) the bonito flakes were waving about, somewhat creepily, like butterfly wings. This is due to the heat given off, so I’m told.

As the menu states, you have three options…meat, seafood or vegetable. It also says you can include all three. Of course, we had to go for the full meal deal! This is one large pile of food. Tasty, yes, but the excess of batter in the mix tipped the scales. Sherman managed to choke back a quarter of it…I struggled to get half-way through one piece. Seriously heavy stuff.

The highlight of the day was the Okonomi Special House Roll.

As I mentioned, the scope of Okonomi’s menu is huge. With an offering of a whopping 27 specialty rolls, there’s something for every taste. With the Special Assorted Combo A, you’re given a choice of five. As is usually a good move, we opted for the restaurant’s namesake.

I’ve often wondered how far you could jack up your basic California Roll. These folk have taken it north several degrees. Lightly tempurafried with spicy tuna, a smoky & creamy bacon-avocado mix, drizzled with mild chile and their ”Special Sauce”, this out-sized roll is something to behold.

If there’s one thing to be noticed here, it’s that the portions are freakin’ huge! Granted, the Okonomiyaki had it’s shortcomings but the Special Combo was well worth it’s $17 tag. A huuuge roll, karaage, 8 massive pieces of sushi, salad, sunomono, miso, chawanmushi and edamame. A steal.

Despite it’s location and underwhelming signage, Hanoi Phở has one of the cleanest interiors I’ve come across in a Vietnamese venue. If your looking for immaculate restrooms, this place is for you! Just ask for the key at the front counter.

This is one impressive little joint. A burbling waterfall off to one side. All sorts of knick-knacks here and there. Soothing Andean panpipes on the stereo. Highspeed wi-fi is on offer as well as a fax/printer if you require it. A very colorful, warm and comforting space.

Although I knew what I wanted beforehand, the table-talkers threw many more options at me.

Hanoi Phở offers up quite a wide-ranging, “homestyle” menu. All the usual suspects are here, as well as a strong vegan/vegetarian section. I, however, favor the meatier part of the menu:

I came here looking for Bún Cà Ri Gà (Curry Chicken Vermicelli Soup).

This is a rich and sturdy curry soup…full-flavored and dense with a slow, lingering heat. You really start feeling it about midway. Chicken breast wouldn’t of been choice #1…dark meat usually works better here. The addition of broccoli and cauliflower didn’t work for me either, initially. Turns out they’re just fine bathed in the phenomenal curry broth! I think this is where the “home-style” kicks in.

When the Chả Giò (Pork Spring Rolls) hit the table I was a tad disappointed. I figured this “authentic” Vietnamese restaurant would go with the traditional rice wrap instead of the wheat version. In this case the wrap didn’t matter much as the filling was exceptional. Well seasoned and crunchy with jicama and carrot, these are solid rolls.

The next weekend I dropped by again to check out their Bún bò Huế.

As with the Bún Cà Ri Gà, the Bún bò Huế is more home-style, less traditional. There’s no pig’s knuckle or blood cubes here. In fact, the meat quotient consists only of a few tender slices of flank. There’s a lot of fresh prawn and an over-abundance of scallion. The broth is a work of art. Deep, rich, oozing chile and lemongrass…the heat factor’s bang-on in my books. A solid whack of cilantro brightens it all up nicely.

Alongside a stellar Bún bò Huế, a refreshing salad roll.

The Gỏi Cuốn (Shrimp in Rice Paper Rolls) here are exceptionally fresh. Although at $3.50 a pop, about a buck more than standard.

Everything here is one or two dollars more than I’m used to. That don’t matter much. Quality ingredients and an extra-clean restaurant are always worth it.

So, on an absolutely horrendous rain-soaked day, seven hearty souls trundled to the northern reaches of Burnaby to see what was really up at Wah Lun.

The checklist menu here has most of the usual suspects as well as a boatload more. What jumped out right away was the assortment of interesting dessert items. Not just egg tarts and coconut jello here. Unfortunately, no one had room after the dim sum feast.

After many, many dim sum lunches of late, I figure I’ll order at least one or two items I’ve yet to try. There’s always the must-haves, but variety is…well, you know. One item here that caught my attention was the Deep Fried Crispy Seafood Salad Roll. Damn tasty. Not what we’d expected, tho.

The word “salad” in the description actually refers to “fruit salad“, as in Del Monte Fruit Salad. You know, the one’s Mom packed in your lunch. Along with shrimp and mayo we each got a hunk of fruit…some grape, some peach, etc. I snagged a cube of pear. Weird. Unique. Salty. Sweet. Crunchy. Delicious.

The Bean Curd Wrap with Oyster Sauce was, to me, exceptional. A nice, thin tofu skin surrounding minced pork and diced celery bathed in a thickened stock with just enough oyster sauce.

Next up, more delicious deep-fried goodness.

Deep Fried Shrimp Puree Dumplings. AKA Fiery Hot Mouth Bombs! I’m much more used to dim sum plates arriving on the tepid side. These were about thirty seconds outta the fryer and dangerously hot…fresh as could be. They’re served with a bit-too-sweet of a sauce. A dip in chile oil worked well here.

There’s something about deep-fried tofu skin. I think maybe it’s the texture…how it bubbles up and becomes ultra-light and crisp. It’s also got a great chew to it. Whatever it is, it works very well. The Deep Fried Crispy Bean Curd Wrap with Shrimp and Veggie hit all the marks.

Big, snappy shrimp and crisp green beans encased in fried tofu skin…very crunchy on one side yet still soft on the other. A great palate-pleaser.

Keeping on with the bean curd theme we got some Deep-Fried Tofu with Peppery Salt. Very light with barely a hint of oil. Fried garlic chips and jalapeño slices added some flavor but not nearly enough. A quick toss in an oiled pan after the deep-fryer would’ve helped mightily. Let those dry cubes soak up some garlicky, greasy jalapeñoes, I say!

The Har Gow (Crystal Prawn Dumpling) were big, plump and very fresh…steamed perfectly. Good value at around a buck apiece. Things around here seem virtually made-to-order…no wilty, over-cooked nonsense.

One of my all-time favorites is Wu Gok. These deep-fried taro pastries are usually prepared with minced pork. Wah Lun’s version uses duck meat instead. The taro paste is still the predominant flavor so whatever meat filler there is doesn’t matter much.

A very good, solid Wu Gok all round.

To top it all off, we grabbed a couple bowls of congee.

Silky smooth and seriously satisfying. One loaded with chicken and mushroom, the other jam-packed with seafood. The perfect antidote for a very rainy, blustery afternoon.

I must say that I was mightily impressed by the range and quality of dim sum on Wah Lun’s menu. There’s definitely much more to explore…

Talay Thai is a spot I’ve been meaning to hit up for a long, long time. With a continual stream of raves around the web, I got to figuring that this place was a sure thing.

This is one vibrantly colored, tiny room. It’s about as clean as you could imagine, to boot. The moment you enter there’s a warm, comfortable vibe. I’m sensing a great feed!

Por Pia Tod ปอเปี๊ยะทอด (Vegetarian Spring Rolls). Nothing too spectacular yet really well made. Knowing the plum sauce is homemade gave these a step up. It’s not too often a place will take the time and effort to create their own.

The Satay Chicken were sensational. Just plump enough to withstand the grill time without getting dry. A good, long marination gave these so much flavor that the peanut sauce was almost unnecessary.

After having an excellent Som Tum ส้มตำ (Spicy Green Papaya Salad) at Lhy Thai, I thought we’d be in for a letdown. Not to worry. This hit the mark. It’s a veritable explosion of flavors. Crisp green beans, tangy shredded papaya, crunchy toasted peanuts swimming in a sweet and sour chili-lime mix with savory fish sauce and shrimp paste to round it all out. Thailand on a plate.

Pad Med Mamuang Himaphan ไก่ผัดเม็ดมะม่วงหิมพานต์ (Cashew Chicken). Another extremely well-executed dish…not a shortcut in sight. I found an interesting tidbit about this dish from Colonel Ian F. Khuntilanont-Philpott, an immeasurable source of Thai recipes:

“There is a little confusion in the name of the dish: mamuang is mango, but in the full formal Thai language mamuang himaphan is a cashew nut; the logic is as follows: himaphan refers to the Brahministic equivalent of the Garden of Eden, and the bean in which the cashew nut grows is similar to a small mango, hence the cashew is the “mango of paradise”. However this leads to one of those delightful double recipes, which is a sort of culinary pun, which the Thais seem to be particularly fond of. To add an element of piqancy to the dish you can include a small amount of shredded mango – it is however quite optional if you prefer to leave it out.”

When we placed our order and were asked for a heat level, the consensus was “medium”. Therefore, I threw on an order for Phrik Nam Pla พริกน้ำปลา (Thai chilis in fish sauce). This ranks on the upper end of any heat scale. A great combo of flavors but the level of fire here blew away the roof of my mouth. The smallest of spoonfuls was enough to set me ablaze.

For a curry, we went with an all-time favorite, Panaeng พะแนง. Talay Thai’s version is stellar. Rich, dense, nutty and incredibly creamy. Although served with pork, this would be perfect without any choice of meat. The pork almost gets in the way of the myriad flavors going on here. Incredible.

Instead of the traditional Pad Thai, we went for another, intriguing noodle dish…Pad Kee Mao ผัดขี้เมา (Drunken Noodles). This can a very versatile dish. In this case there’s beef, peppers, celery and onion decked out with fried basil in a mix of sweet soy, oyster sauce, garlic and fish sauce. Aside from the slightly overcooked beef, another great plate.

From great service and a warm, welcoming environment to the carefully prepared food, Talay Thai ranks up there with the best Vancouver has to offer.

JB Malaysian’s location is rather unfortunate. It’s just on the east side of the Royal Oak/Kingsway intersection. Traffic tends to fly past it’s tiny storefront. The lack of street parking isn’t helping neither. This particular room was the location of Penny Farthing many moons ago. Sure miss their killer fish ‘n chips…the real deal, right down to the newspaper wrap. Asian 54 and Miki Ramen then came and went in rapid succession.

The room is quite small seating maybe 25. We arrived Sunday afternoon to nearly a full, bustling house. Great sign, that.

We started with a couple orders of Roti Prata. Right about average, these were. Nice and greasy, a good chew but not near enough of the stretchiness of Bo Laksa King’s heart-cloggingly amazing version.

The accompanying curry dip was also workmanlike. A good depth with a hint of heat. It reappeared in the Kari Ayam (Malaysian Curry Chicken).

A fairly solid bowl. A bit too mild for my liking. I was hoping for more flavor bursts i.e. fennel seed, ginger, lemongrass to jump out…coconut, maybe? The chicken itself was OK. A few more minutes braising time would’ve done this dish a world of good.

The only other time I’d had Gado Gado was at Kedah House. Because it was part of their buffet, all the items were separate. So, if you’re like me, and had no idea how it’s assembled, your first try would be a minor, albeit tasty, disaster. JB’s Gado Gado was truly delicious. Big hunks of chewy, fried tofu covered with bean sprouts and julienned cukes, smothered in a rich peanut sauce and sprinkled with powdered peanuts. Great fresh flavors and textures. It’s not the most authentic version but it’s got enough decent elements to make it work.

The Bak Kut Teh (Pork Bone Tea Soup) wasn’t quite what I’d expected. One sip was enough. The broth is very bitter with strong medicinal qualities. Apparently this is a great health booster and hangover cure.

One dish I’ve always wanted to check out is Rojak (Fruit and Vegetable Salad). Simply put, Rojak means “mixture”. In this case, the mixture is pineapple, cucumber, green beans and sprouts tossed in a combination of lime juice, shrimp paste, sugar and chili topped with peanut powder. Along with the Gado-Gado, my favorite on the day. A simply fantastic mix of flavors…the best kind of vegetarian fare. It’s not on the menu but was offered on the daily special page.

Penang Fried Kway Teow (Stir-Fried Ricecake Strips). I wanted to try this dish simply because I’d had it at JB’s previous incarnation in Crystal Mall. That was a bit of takeout I’d just as soon forget…mediocre would be a stretch. This plate was a good step up. Much more wok char and a good amount of ingredient. Not too authentic…missing prawn and cockles, some fishcake. Chinese sausage or squid would’ve been nice.

The food here at JB Malaysian ranges around middle of the road. There are some definite standouts but they take a few shortcuts here and there. All round, it’s good, honest fare at a decent price. Most definitely a place I’ll revisit.