SNAPSHOTS | YVR 2013 | DAY 2

Day 2 of our Vancouver adventures started at Denny's. Yes, Denny's. It was attached to our hotel so we decided to have breakfast there for convenience sake. What can I say about the food? Well, for one, it's certainly filling. And glistening with grease, but it definitely provided us with the calories we so desperately needed for the rest of our day.

Below is a picture of SC's lumberjack slam (it's hilarious when you know how tiny she is) and my blueberry pancakes (which they topped with strawberries...) which also came with the usual eggs, hashbrowns, and sausages.

After breakfast, we took the skytrain and a bus all the way to Stanley Park. Our main goal for the day was to visit the Vancouver Aquarium which is also located in the park. Besides that, our entire day was up in the air.

Since it was the peak of summer, the aquarium was filled with families and tourists. Crowds and heat, not a great combination. Regardless, my favorite exhibit was probably the jellyfish. I can literally stare and get mesmerized by them all day.

After a couple of hours at the aquarium, we decided to take a walk along the seawall on a quest to get SC's perfect cover photo. Unfortunately, we underestimated how long the "walk" would be and ended up going around the entire park which took nearly the entire day. At least it made for some pretty photos. 

Dinner serendipitously ended up being at the Teahouse in Stanley Park. It was almost like the light at the end of the tunnel. Maybe it was the hunger and deliriousness I felt after our day-long walk, but it was honestly the best food I've ever had in my life. No joke.

I didn't partake in any appetizers, but this was the Coal Harbour Clam Chowder ($9), served Manhattan style and the Sesame Crusted BC Albacore Tuna ($12) served with seaweed salad and wasabi soy mustard dressing.

Our entrees included the Brome Lake Duck Confit ($24) with fig demi-glace and herb crushed potatoes, the Grilled Salmon Caesar which is no longer on the menu, but I believe it was around $20, and the Linguine Vongole ($19) with manila and Artic clams and prosciutto.  

And then the highlight of the dinner, which was my choice, the Pacific Roasted Sablefish ($35) with miso marinade, local potatoes, broccolini, and asparagus. BEST THING I EVER ATE IN MY ENTIRE LIFE. Not even an exaggeration. This dish has prompted me to order sablefish at every restaurant from then on if it was on the menu, but none has ever come close to how good the Teahouse prepares theirs.

SO BUTTERY AND SOFT.

I'm getting a little bit too hungry reminiscing about this at night... so let's go on to the desserts. The waitress recommended the White Chocolate Cheese Cake ($9) with graham crust and cherry compote, and rightfully so. Normally cheesecakes are quite heavy and rich, but this cheesecake was so light and smooth.

The Chocolate Milano Cake ($9) would be a chocaholic's dream. Triple chocolate mascarpone mousse on top of an almond wafer crust.

And for my dessert, I was debating between the final three choices on the menu: lemon tart, raspberry sorbet, and the crème brûlée. Since I found it hard to justify $9 for sorbet and the waitress remarked that the lemon tart was just a lemon tart, I chose the Crème Brûlée ($9) which ended up being a recurring dessert for me on this trip.

Not the best crème brûlée I've ever had, but it was decent. REGARDLESS YOU GUYS SERIOUSLY NEED TO GO HERE AND ORDER THE SABLEFISH. Order it, and then thank me later.

- CT