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Hakone Sushi

Hakone Sushi – A korean own sushi restaurant in the heart of Coquitlam centre. The vast menu selection with their own twist on specialty sushi rolls and comfort Korean food is a meld of two cuisines that caters to my gluttony very well. The location of this restaurant is hidden inside a plaza on the 2nd floor. It’s run by a husband and wife – husband is responsible for the sushi, whereas the wife cooks up all the cooked food. Although the space is small, there is a constant stream of people coming in to eat. The portion size and pricing makes it fairly attractive to many. As for taste – the sushi is done very well, although I would say the tuna toro was a little too frozen and less fatty than I had expected – which makes me think it wasn’t tuna belly or that quality of the Toro was medicore at best. Whereas their maki rolls – scallop and spider roll were nicely done. As for the cooked food – I had ordered a Korean spicy noodle dish – spicy seafood kal guk soo. When the dish arrived – I was literally caught off guard – the sizes of the noodle was large Pho bowl! I realize that perhaps I had over ordered and didn’t realize that they clearly went above my expectation on food portion size.  The noodles were so comforting and full of seafood goodness with every slurp. I would consider my tolerance for spice is decent, I was surprised on how spicy it was but I couldn’t help but continue going back in for more. Overall, I would give it 2 thumbs up for this place. It’s definitely on the top of my list of comfort food to go back to again and again.

@foodblogprec

hangry_bunny

food

Happy Valley Village Restaurant

山里屯灶台鱼 Happy Valley Village Restaurant – This restaurant caught my eye when I saw my friend post it on his facebook. The food is uniquely different as I haven’t had this type of Northern Chinese Cuisine before. I had initially thought it was originally a hot pot with grilled meat skewers on the side. However, as I took a clearer look – this type of style of food is more of stew where you have a choice of meats and flavours to decide from. Afters, you can select the choice of vegetables and other items to mix it together. The fun part of this is that it’s always different since there are numerous number of combination choices to choose from. The most interesting part is seeing the hand made buns get pushed to the side of the wok to get steamed and cooked. It’s definitely a place where it’s ideal to have a number of friends to go with in order to enjoy since it’s communal eating. Overall, what do I think of the taste? It’s not as loud of a taste or as memorable as I was expecting. I assumed since mainly Northern cuisine falls under the spicy and garlic taste I had expected the flavours to be of that. However, the flavours felt to be more earthly and mellow with number layers. I enjoyed the steambuns – it was a great medium to have to soak up all the stew and sauces. I can’t say that this type of cuisine is for everyone but it’s worth a try.  I would definitely consider going back to try out a few other combinations since I’m hoping there would be other flavours I would like better than the first one that I tried.

@foodblogprec

hangry_bunny

Bun Cha Ca Hoang Yen

Bun Cha Ca Hoang Yen – Again – I feel like I am completely lost touch and unaware of the Vietnamese cuisine scene. Like Hoi An Cafe – I have drive pass this restaurant numerous times over the years. I really can’t recall whether I have eaten here before or not. However, my friend raves about this place so much – saying it’s one of the best Bun Cha Ca Dac Biet he has ever had. Their specialty fish cake soup is what their known for. I wasn’t expecting how popular this place was! There was a line up right at 12pm – luckily the wait time wasn’t long at all. We quickly sat down and ordered. Ordered the Bun Cha Ca Dac Biet and Bun Rieu (Special Crab Meat Tomato Based Soup noodle). I had some high hopes for the Bun Rieu since I make my own at home and I was hoping it would blow me away since this place is famous for these two dishes. Perhaps I am pretentious or too picky but I think the one I make at home is better! As for the Bun Cha Ca Dac Biet – the flavours were very clean – a more pork broth flavour base is what I’m assuming to pair together with the dill and the tomatoes. The star of this dish is definitely the fish cakes is what many people come for. I love the fish cakes – the fried fish cakes with the mixed of dill and other ingredients makes the dish comes to life. I will say – this is one one of the best dishes which is what makes the restaurant stands out and have people lining up for it. Luckily for me – I don’t need to have to wait or go to the restaurant for it. So glad they opened up a store which exclusively makes the fish cakes for you to buy! I throw a couple of these bad boys into my noodles soup and it takes it a different level. A try for sure if you want to see how amazing the fish cakes are! 

@foodblogprec

hangry_bunny

Hoi An Cafe

Hoi An Cafe – I’ve drove by this place numerous times but never had the urge to go inside to try it. I decided to have a late lunch with my friend there since she recommended it and saying their Bun Bo Hue is pretty good. We also tried their Cao Lau which is a specialty dish which only this restaurant serves. The Bun Bo Hue was nice and spicy which hit the spot for the something to warm you up and has a nice kick and deep broth flavour. The Cao Lau was something very different which I have never tried. It’s very pretty and unique. It reminded me of a Thai or Malaysian dish due to the tamarin flavours. The dishes are flavourful and refreshing from the typical pho places that I usually get. I will have to say – Victoria Drive is definitely making the scene for a new little Saigon with more unique flavours and dishes which helps each place have a niche and plenty of patrons to go from one place to another without worrying about losing out on the competition. I’ll definitely have to come back here to try out their other dishes. A complete win for me. The Vietnamese flavours and dishes are booming and coming back full swing!

@foodblogprec

hangry_bunny

Food for Thought on Real Estate – September 2019

  •  Seller’s market – A seller’s market is when there are more people looking to buy then there are homes available. This causes a rise in price above the long-term average rate of inflation. Typically this is indicated by a sales-to-active listings ratio of 20% or higher.
  • Buyer’s market – In contrast, a buyer’s market is when there are many more homes for sale than there are buyers. As a result, prices increase slower than the long-term average rate of inflation. In extreme circumstances this can cause prices to decline. Typically this is indicated by a sales-to-active listings ratio below 12%.
  • Balanced market – A balanced market occurs when supply and demand are about the same, with home prices rising in line with long-term average rate of inflation. Typically this is indicated by a sales-to-active listings ratio between 12% and 20%.Summary Over a sustained period of time:
    • a seller’s market is represented by a ratio of 20% or higher
    • a buyer’s market is represented by a ratio of 11% or lower
    • a balanced market rests between 12-19%

Highlights From the Real Estate Board, September 2019

Home buyer demand has returned to more historically typical levels in Metro Vancouver* over the last three months.

“We’re seeing more balanced housing market conditions over the last three months compared to what we saw at this time last year. Home buyers are more willing to make offers today, particularly in the townhome and apartment markets.”

“This is a more comfortable market for people on both sides of a real estate transaction,” said Smith. “Home sale and listing activity were both at typical levels for our region in September.”

Sales of detached homes in September 2019 reached 745, a 46.7 per cent increase from the 508 detached sales recorded in September 2018. The benchmark price for a detached home is $1,406,200. This represents an 8.6 per cent decrease from September 2018 and is virtually unchanged compared to August 2019.

Sales of apartment homes reached 1,166 in September 2019, a 43.6 per cent increase compared to the 812 sales in September 2018. The benchmark price of an apartment property is $651,500. This represents a 6.5 per cent decrease from September 2018 and a 0.4 per cent decrease compared to August 2019.

“NOTE: this representation is based in whole or in part on data generated by the Chilliwack & District Real Estate Board, Fraser Valley Real Estate Board or Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver which assume no responsibility for its accuracy.”

Download The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver’s September statistics Package. Click Here

Download Fraser Valley’s Real Estate Board’s September Statistics Package. Click Here

 

 

 

 

October 2019 Newsletter Introduction

Hello  Real Estate Interestee –  

It`s been a long while since I’ve done a newsletter update. My sincerest apology for not keeping up with the newsletter the last couple months. It`s been hectic with weddings, family from out of town, balancing the roles of being the President and Chair for my club, and work. How quickly we’ve reached to Fall already. I still haven`t done enough hiking nor took enough advantage of the short summer we had this year! So – what`s happening in the market now? As we roll into the Fall the sentiments that I’m sensing could possibly be: October/November is a crucial time on how this impact our market due to the elections – this will set the tempo for the real estate markets for both major cities (Toronto and Vancouver) – however the government policies on making claims to their promises will take time. So these new policies may start to take effect in early winter but it we may not feel the impact until the Spring So what does that mean? . There may be anticipation of taking on the opportunity and the risk during the remainder of the year to consider jumping to buy or sell because there is less competition and more selection. Where others may hold their breath and wait till early next year to determine the impact and jump in then. 

– Sam

Michi Craft Kitchen

Michi Craft Kitchen– Drove by this place a few times when I drive back home. I’ve been been curious of what this place serves since the outside decor looks very chic and appealing. Plus, I had came to the location for vegan food which was pretty delicious, so I’m a little sad that it closed down. This place serves fusion taiwanese food. Their signature dish is stuffed boneless chicken wings! Their menu is pretty limited but each item sounds pretty tantalizing. I ordered the 6 piece stuffed chicken wings. I had original, spicy and the duck yolk. I ordered the creamy squid ink pasta as well. The chicken was nicely fried and the stuffing is all different. Mainly glutinous rice is stuffed inside the chicken – how the flavours paired with the rice is pretty unique. I was pretty surprised at how large the stuffed wings were. I would say the Spicy flavour is my favourite since the other flavours tasted better when you add the dipping sauce with it. The pasta was nice wasn’t soggy or anything. Overall the uniqueness and how the dishes were prepared is interesting and different. However, the flavour profile of the items weren’t amazing or spectacular. I would definitely try it out and give thumbs up for their creativity but the flavour needs a boost to kick it up to a higher level to get my taste palette going.

 

@foodblogprec

hangry_bunny

Matcha Cafe Maiko

Matcha Cafe Maiko – Canada– I’m a big fan of Matcha as many people can guess. I had done a review on them before when it first launched it’s Canadian store here in Richmond. Their taste and quality is definitely what stands them out from the rest of the Matcha players in Vancouver. Their matcha can only be sourced from Japan to ensure consistency and the deep umami flavour from the tea leaf. So I was super thrilled when the cafe launch their summer item – Shaved Ice Matcha. A wide disc with matcha ice, mochi and red beans topped on it with a serving of Matcha ice cream. I was so shocked on the portion size and how much you get for the item. It was really huge! I was told by the owners that it’s best to use a straw to drink and to mix the bottom of the ice since it can be bitter or too strong for some people to handle. I loved every minute of it since it’s so picture worthy and portion wise – you need at least another person to share this with you. You can’t go wrong with this item. Enjoy the Summer with this treat! 

 

@foodblogprec

hangry_bunny

Food for Thought on Real Estate – June 2019

  •  Seller’s market – A seller’s market is when there are more people looking to buy then there are homes available. This causes a rise in price above the long-term average rate of inflation. Typically this is indicated by a sales-to-active listings ratio of 20% or higher.
  • Buyer’s market – In contrast, a buyer’s market is when there are many more homes for sale than there are buyers. As a result, prices increase slower than the long-term average rate of inflation. In extreme circumstances this can cause prices to decline. Typically this is indicated by a sales-to-active listings ratio below 12%.
  • Balanced market – A balanced market occurs when supply and demand are about the same, with home prices rising in line with long-term average rate of inflation. Typically this is indicated by a sales-to-active listings ratio between 12% and 20%.Summary Over a sustained period of time:
    • a seller’s market is represented by a ratio of 20% or higher
    • a buyer’s market is represented by a ratio of 11% or lower
    • a balanced market rests between 12-19%

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