M A T C H S T I C K

Being from the corporate world, it isn't a surprise that I drink a lot of coffee. Sometimes it is just what I need to start a day or to jump out of the food coma that kicks in straight after lunch. Though I don't know that I drink it to stay awake - I think it is more of a placebo. I associate drinking coffee with getting me mentally prepared to do something that I have to set my mind to. Luckily in Vancouver, we have lots of good coffee shops. When I say good coffee, I don't mean your average Starbucks, Tim Hortons, or Blenz, I'm talking coffee that has a distinct taste. A taste good enough that you don't feel the need to have any additives. You know when you've had a good cup of coffee and I had the privilege of visiting a great independent shop called Matchstick this past weekend. The space was full of natural light. There was plenty of open space and a great picnic style table. More importantly, the coffee was smooth, pure, and had that extra depth of flavor that you don't always get in everyday coffee. Definitely one of the better coffee spots in Vancouver. It sits right next to Le Faux Bourgeois on Kingsway and Fraser. M A T C H S T I C K 639 E 15 Ave (Fraser & Kingsway) Vancouver BC, V5T 2R6

S H I R O

We consider ourselves to be fairly big sushi people. While we love all kinds of food, sushi is a staple in our diet. That's not really surprising seeing as how we live on the west coast; in Vancouver, you're going to find as many sushi restaurants as you would McDonald's. So when we heard from my friend that Shiro's was the place to go just south of the border, I put it on my radar right away.

For those of you that have watched the sushi documentary, Jiro's Dreams of Sushi, this place is a great alternative to flying to Japan so you can eat under the Ginza train station. For those of you that haven't watched the movie - just do. It is very artistically done and extremely interesting if you're a foodie. The chef that made the tamago, Daisuke, works here! He joined Shiro, a former apprentice of Jiro, about two years ago here, although the restaurant has been here for several decades.
Shiro is located in Seattle, a little bit away from the Pike Place Market. To get in this restaurant though, you need to get there early. Though the restaurant opens at 5:30, you're likely to be waiting a while if you get there during opening.

We both got there early (see picture of Janice below) and we had the omikaze. This restaurant is very comparable to Sushi Yasuda which we visited when we were in New York. Both are equally traditional (Shiro's even more so though given it's size and the clientele that they serve), serve amazingly fresh fish, and the chefs are all from Japan. They know their sushi and you can tell by the quality of the sushi served. Don't come here if you like modern style rolls (ie. dragon rolls, spider rolls, etc, etc), but come here if you appreciate sushi the traditional way. Some of the fish we had included, varieties of tuna and salmon, monk fish, herring, shrimp, geo duck, flounder, squid, and on and on it goes. Honestly, I would say Shiro's and Sushi Yasuda were pretty close. But I would highly recommend Shiro's and intend on coming back soon. Definitely worth the 3 hour drive! Right now, the only thing more authentic might be going to Japan's fish markets themselves.

S H I R O ' S S U S H I
2401 2nd Ave
Seattle, WA 98121

Hello!

I figured it was about time I made my first post to this blog (I'm new to this - please bear with me)! The weather is gorgeous today in Vancouver and K has gone snowboarding with his friends up on the mountains. We went down to Seattle last weekend for an early celebration of my birthday (too many work deadlines around my birthday :( ) and with a friend's recommendation, we decided to go try out Shiro's.

It was one of the best sushi experiences I've ever had and I found it quite comparable to Sushi Yasuda in NYC, although K seems to rate Shiro's much higher. I know K has all the pictures to go with the food details so I will let him post about the food and services at the restaurant (stay tuned!). Aside from the food, the best part of the meal was sitting next to an elderly couple who has been to the restaurant for over 60 times since the 1980s. It's always fun to meet new people and hear them talk about their life stories! You never know what inspiring stories you may come across. On that note, I was thinking that I would like to post some quotes I find inspiring in each of my posts. Let me know what you think and stories and comments are always welcome :)

“I do not think, sir, you have any right to command me, merely because you are older than I, or because you have seen more of the world than I have; your claim to superiority depends on the use you have made of your time and experience.” ― Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre 

 

 

Have a wonderful weekend :] - J

W A N D E R I N G

It has been a little while since the last post so I thought a post was warranted just to remind me how to blog. The new year is well underway now and it's gotten quite busy at work for the both of us. Still though, we find time to wander around - coincidentally something we both love doing.

C O F F E E B A R

We're lucky that in Vancouver, there are a bunch of coffee options other than Starbucks and Tim Hortons. Nothing really against those two but... let's be honest, if you like a good cup of coffee, there are far better options. One of those options is the Coffee Bar in Gastown. They serve 49th Parallel coffee and it is fairly evident upon first sip that it is a notch above the norm. Gastown is already a hip area but the space here is half the appeal. Lots of windows and natural light. c o f f e e b a r 10 Water Street Vancouver, BC