Khunnai Chang Madame Elephant Thai Cuisine

My parents and friends were in town and were keen to try some authentic Thai grub, so my requirements were that it had to be in the neighborhood and it had to accomidate a party of 6. This knocked out Thai Basil, Thai Away Home, and Urban Thai Bistro, my preferred Thai go-to places, simply because of size and location. My friend and amazing hairstylist Justine reccomended Madame Elephant and it fit us perfectly.

Being on Denman near Robson it was within walking distance, it was cozy, the service was adorable, and best of all it surpassed all my expectations in the taste department.

Yellow Curry with Chicken in Coconut Milk.

The Pad Thai.

Stir Fried Crispy Pork with Broccoli.

Stir Fried Prawns with Onion, Chili and Green Pepper.

It looks Authentic right?

Ps. Classic terrible deco made it all the more amazing.

Meat & Bread: A Man-Made Sandwich Shop.

Pointing out that I am blatantly bias, enjoy my skewed opinion!
Jumping right into all the things I hate about this place:

I hate that the space is designed way cooler than my appartment. Kudos to Craig Stanghetta and the team for pulling off a man-cave feel without it being harsh and bat-cave like. There are so many great details but my favorites include the punching bag (for obvious reasons), the terrible taxidermy, and the herringbone walnut bartop.

I hate that it's so conveniently located across the street from my gym at Cambie and Hastings, kiddy-corner to Victory Square Park.  The level of sexy Man-Meat in Gastown just skyrocketed with the arrival of Mr. Jarvie and Mr. Harrington.

I hate that this isn't a sandwich you can find anywhere else. Fuck cold cuts. Fuck deli meats. Fuck re-heated bacon. Fuck toasted subs. And Fuck You subway secret sauce. The talents of Chef Joe Sartor are evident as the insightful and full flavors follow-through with the the man-made theme. Those hands know how handle a big-ol' hunk'a meat in it's journey from freshly butchered-to the carving station-to a mouth near you.

I hate to admit that porchetta beats bacon. One can argue that bacon beats all, but porchetta is pork belly wrapped around loin with herbs, slow-cooked to deliciousness. Crackling is the new crack-cocaine.

I hate that even vegetarians can enjoy the Meat & Bread experience. With the grilled cheese sammich and daily soup and solid salad options (heck yes chickpea + onion + ovenroasted tomato) herbivors don't have to feel like the social outcasts they are. Vegans; you're fucked.
I hate the entire hearty experience, everything from the design to the details to the delivery.  I predict that boys are gonna flock for their fill of Man-Meat and girls are gonna clammor for their view of Man-Candy.



Ps. The good-quality photos I have pilfered from pkmedia.ca

Pho Central

Pho Central easily makes my top-ten list of locations frequented in my neighbourhood, and even though the banh mi was an epic fail, it hasn't deterred my loyalty. Especially since the rainy season is imminent, I predict many upcoming steamy noodle-slurping moments.

Everything that I know about Pho I have learned from my friends:

Trevy taught me about asking for the meat on the side, especially if you like it on the rare side, that way you get to put it in at your own pace (careful you don't wait too long and the boiling broth turns to luke-warm piss water that won't cook the meat at all).

Jordan showed me the hoisin sauce on your spoon trick, that way your broth doesn't get all hoisin-y.

 Mattchew introduced me to the house-made chili oil (prior to this I was all about the cock sauce in my attempts to increase my spice tolerance).

This little place on Davie between Thurlow and Bute is small, drafty, and generally dingy, but the service is lovely and I always leave feeling warmed to soul. Pho Central perfectly slides into the "dives" category.

Streetmeat: Cartel Tacos!

I am beyond stoked to finally be able to partake in some quality streetmeat from the mobile food vendor program. Located on the corner of Georgia and Burrard, the Korean tacos from Cartel are everything I could have hoped for. The two options, beef and pork (I had one of each), are marinated in whatever combination of  spices and sauces that is delicious. If you don't already know about it, the smell of the sizzling meat will draw you close. The soft 2-ply corn tacos are topped with either the beef or pork, then the onions and kimchi, for a combination of tastes that is close-your-eyes awesome. My only complaint is that there isn't anywhere to sit and enjoy your fare, unlike a hot-dog, a taco is a little harder to shove down your gullet while walking down the street.

Being a frequenter of La Taqueria 3+ times a week, Cartel is a worthy contender for Top Taco.