Thursday, August 28, 2008
2008 Fall Premiere Schedule
As some of you may know I have a pretty healthy TV addiction so without further ado here is the fall premiere schedule I've put together. Please feel free to comment if you can think of anything I've missed. (Especially new series).
Gossip Girl (CW) Sept 1 8PM
Prison Break (Fox) Sept 1 8PM (2 Hours)
One Tree Hill (CW) Sept 1 9PM
New 90210 (CW) Sept 2 8PM (2 Hours)
Bones (Fox) Sept 3 8PM (2 Hours)
Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles (Fox) Sept 8 8PM
House (Fox) Sept 16 8PM
Survivor: Gabon (CBS) Sept 18 8PM
Smallville (CW) Sept 18 8PM
Big Bang Theory (CBS) Sept 22 8PM
Heroes (NBC) Sept 22 9PM (2 Hours)
CSI: Miami (CBS) Sept 22 10PM
Boston Legal (ABC) Sept 22 10PM
NCIS (CBS) Sept 23 8PM
Law & Order: SVU (NBC) Sept 23 10PM
New Knight Rider (NBC) Sept 24 8PM
Criminal Minds (CBS) Sept 24 9PM
CSI: NY (CBS) Sept 24 10PM
Ugly Betty (ABC) Sept 25 8PM
Grey's Anatomy (ABC) Sept 25 9PM (2 Hours)
The Office (NBC) Sept 25 9PM
ER (NBC) Sept 25 10PM
The Amazing Race (CBS) Sept 28 8PM
The Unit (CBS) Sept 28 10PM
Dragon's Den (CBC) Sept 29
Chuck (NBC) Sept 29 8PM
Private Practice (ABC) Oct 1 9PM
Ghost Whisperer (CBS) Oct 3 8PM
Everybody Hates Chris (CW) Oct 3 8PM
Numb3rs (CBS) Oct 3 10PM
CSI (CBS) Oct 9 9PM
My Own Worst Enemy (NBC) Oct 13 10PM
Gossip Girl (CW) Sept 1 8PM
Prison Break (Fox) Sept 1 8PM (2 Hours)
One Tree Hill (CW) Sept 1 9PM
New 90210 (CW) Sept 2 8PM (2 Hours)
Bones (Fox) Sept 3 8PM (2 Hours)
Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles (Fox) Sept 8 8PM
House (Fox) Sept 16 8PM
Survivor: Gabon (CBS) Sept 18 8PM
Smallville (CW) Sept 18 8PM
Big Bang Theory (CBS) Sept 22 8PM
Heroes (NBC) Sept 22 9PM (2 Hours)
CSI: Miami (CBS) Sept 22 10PM
Boston Legal (ABC) Sept 22 10PM
NCIS (CBS) Sept 23 8PM
Law & Order: SVU (NBC) Sept 23 10PM
New Knight Rider (NBC) Sept 24 8PM
Criminal Minds (CBS) Sept 24 9PM
CSI: NY (CBS) Sept 24 10PM
Ugly Betty (ABC) Sept 25 8PM
Grey's Anatomy (ABC) Sept 25 9PM (2 Hours)
The Office (NBC) Sept 25 9PM
ER (NBC) Sept 25 10PM
The Amazing Race (CBS) Sept 28 8PM
The Unit (CBS) Sept 28 10PM
Dragon's Den (CBC) Sept 29
Chuck (NBC) Sept 29 8PM
Private Practice (ABC) Oct 1 9PM
Ghost Whisperer (CBS) Oct 3 8PM
Everybody Hates Chris (CW) Oct 3 8PM
Numb3rs (CBS) Oct 3 10PM
CSI (CBS) Oct 9 9PM
My Own Worst Enemy (NBC) Oct 13 10PM
Sunday, August 03, 2008
Hapa Izakaya
While I was out in Vancouver during the summer someone recommended this little restaurant, I REALLY enjoyed myself and wanted to put my thoughts out there for everyone else.
Their website is still under construction (currently just addresses and phone numbers).
I dined at the following location:
1479 Robson St, Vancouver
Tel: 604-689-4272
When we arrived (we walked from our hotel), we were greeted immediately at the open front door. Once inside the greeter said something in Japanese and all the staff in sight welcomed us (as they did for everyone that came in while we were there). To some this may seem obnoxious but it really wasn't. We were promptly given the choice of a 'normal' (North American) table or a more Asian table (you take your shoes off and put them on a shelf, sit at a low table with room for your legs to dangle). We chose an Asian table (as we would have had to wait for normal table.
We'd previously gone out for Sushi at another place so we tried for the same Sake*. Unfortunately they didn't have it but suggested another cold unfiltered sake that was pretty good (Pearl Momokaw).
After reviewing the menu we decided on the following:
Kimchi - Pickled Spicey Cabage
The co-worker I was out with suggested this, it was interesting and I ate more that I expected when it was first described to me. I don't think it's something I'd eat all the time but a few times a year when I'm traveling, definitely.
Yaki Udon - Thick Noodles
This was a really tasty Udon with pork and veggies, if you enjoy noodle dishes I'd definately recommend this.
Bintoro - Grilled Tuna w/ Mustard Seed Sauce
If you don't like Sushi/Sashimi then you probably won't enjoy this. The tuna is grilled but very rare. I thought it was really tasty, and the Mustard Seed sauce was prepared perfectly (not too hot not too mild).
Ishi-Yaki - Hot Stone Bowl cooked rice, egg, pork, scalions, etc.
This was really cool, they bring out a stone bowl that's been headed in the oven (or whatever) filled with steaming rice, etc and mix it up table-side. You wait a few mins for the egg and stuff to cook then dig in.
Kakuni - Steamed Pork Buns
We expected this to be kind of traditional Chinese style steamed BBQ pork buns (well maybe what I'm used to isn't actually "traditional", but there is definitely an expectation of Pork buns that I've seen from restaurants in North America). We were wrong, it came as an assemble your own kind of thing. A few big chunks of pork in a very nice sauce, cooked nice and tender. With a steamed bun that looked more like a pita which you folded like a taco and loaded up with pork. The people next to us seemed to enjoy it more than we did, the buns we received were actually a little tough. (I'd go for the pork without the buns next time :) )
Kabocha - Whipped Japanese Pumpkin with Whipped Cream and Melba Toasts.
This item was on the appetizer menu but once we saw it we saved it for desert. It was very tasty with just the right amount of sweet vs savory.
* For anyone that is keeping score the sake we'd had at our sushi dinner was Hakutsuru Sayuri Sake. It's an unfiltered Nigori Sake which is meant to be served cold (Nigori is generally the sweetest of all sakes). I just checked quickly and it is available from the LCBO.
Their website is still under construction (currently just addresses and phone numbers).
I dined at the following location:
1479 Robson St, Vancouver
Tel: 604-689-4272
When we arrived (we walked from our hotel), we were greeted immediately at the open front door. Once inside the greeter said something in Japanese and all the staff in sight welcomed us (as they did for everyone that came in while we were there). To some this may seem obnoxious but it really wasn't. We were promptly given the choice of a 'normal' (North American) table or a more Asian table (you take your shoes off and put them on a shelf, sit at a low table with room for your legs to dangle). We chose an Asian table (as we would have had to wait for normal table.
We'd previously gone out for Sushi at another place so we tried for the same Sake*. Unfortunately they didn't have it but suggested another cold unfiltered sake that was pretty good (Pearl Momokaw).
After reviewing the menu we decided on the following:
Kimchi - Pickled Spicey Cabage
The co-worker I was out with suggested this, it was interesting and I ate more that I expected when it was first described to me. I don't think it's something I'd eat all the time but a few times a year when I'm traveling, definitely.
Yaki Udon - Thick Noodles
This was a really tasty Udon with pork and veggies, if you enjoy noodle dishes I'd definately recommend this.
Bintoro - Grilled Tuna w/ Mustard Seed Sauce
If you don't like Sushi/Sashimi then you probably won't enjoy this. The tuna is grilled but very rare. I thought it was really tasty, and the Mustard Seed sauce was prepared perfectly (not too hot not too mild).
Ishi-Yaki - Hot Stone Bowl cooked rice, egg, pork, scalions, etc.
This was really cool, they bring out a stone bowl that's been headed in the oven (or whatever) filled with steaming rice, etc and mix it up table-side. You wait a few mins for the egg and stuff to cook then dig in.
Kakuni - Steamed Pork Buns
We expected this to be kind of traditional Chinese style steamed BBQ pork buns (well maybe what I'm used to isn't actually "traditional", but there is definitely an expectation of Pork buns that I've seen from restaurants in North America). We were wrong, it came as an assemble your own kind of thing. A few big chunks of pork in a very nice sauce, cooked nice and tender. With a steamed bun that looked more like a pita which you folded like a taco and loaded up with pork. The people next to us seemed to enjoy it more than we did, the buns we received were actually a little tough. (I'd go for the pork without the buns next time :) )
Kabocha - Whipped Japanese Pumpkin with Whipped Cream and Melba Toasts.
This item was on the appetizer menu but once we saw it we saved it for desert. It was very tasty with just the right amount of sweet vs savory.
* For anyone that is keeping score the sake we'd had at our sushi dinner was Hakutsuru Sayuri Sake. It's an unfiltered Nigori Sake which is meant to be served cold (Nigori is generally the sweetest of all sakes). I just checked quickly and it is available from the LCBO.
