Special Features - Let's Eat - Fall 2015

let’s eat

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cheam sushi

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his town is lucky to have Changhwan Hwang and Sandie Cho. They are the co-owners of a brand new sushi joint that recently opened in downtown Agassiz. It’s Agassiz’ first sushi restaurant and the lineups prove in its short time here, Cheam Sushi is already a success.

Cheam Sushi opened its doors to the public July 22 and has been filleting fish, rolling rice and deep frying gyoza for the hungry hordes since then. Coowner Sandie Cho says they are happy to offer fresh, healthy, homemade fare and are glad that locals are enjoying their food.

“It’s not fast food. It’s healthy, it’s all homemade,” says Sandie Cho. Changhwan and his wife Yun Shin have been living in Agassiz for the past eight years since emigrating from Korea. They started talking about opening a restaurant locally because there was no sushi restaurant here. This year,

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verything is freshly made at the Royal Cafe

Weekends are always a little extra special at the Royal Cafe.

Proudly run by Devika and Graydon Gillette for the past five years, the downtown family restaurant offers a fresh approach to making home-style food.

“We sell a lot of prime rib on Friday nights served with our homemade sauce,” says owner Devika Gillette.

What really sets them apart is that everything is made from scratch, including their delicious gravies made from roast drippings.

“We never make gravy by tearing open a package. We make our food fresh, we’re not just reheating.”

they finally made the big jump into owning their own business with business partner Sandie Cho. The reviews have been positive so far, with people raving about the volcano roll (spicy scallops, tuna, avocado, crab meat, four kinds of homemade sauce and crunch on top), anything off the teriyaki menu and the specialty Korean dishes. The co-owners are especially pleased to offer the Korean dishes as they are all Korean. They recommend customers try the bibimbab, a popular Korean speciality dish.

Cheam Sushi’s fish comes direct from Vancouver two times a week and they buy all their veggies from a local produce store.

The restaurant is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

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On Saturday nights, the house dinner special is St. Louis style ribs with a house-made barbecue sauce.

cooking at the café inside the Royal Hotel, there’s always the Dynamite Catering option.

“We really want to urge people to come and try us for supper some time.”

One of the tantalizing dishes she whips up is Chicken Cordon Bleu from scratch and barbecue chicken with a zesty glaze.

They get a solid crowd for lunch but some Chilliwackians don’t seem to venture downtown after dark.

But she wants them to know it will be worth it.

They put a strong emphasis on good customer service, high quality ingredients and a wide variety of menu items.

They make all their own sauces and desserts, like fresh fruit pies, in-house as well.

If you can’t get enough of Devika’s

“Our roast beef is so tender, we get lots of compliments when we present one for a catering crowd.”

The Yorkshire pudding served with the roast beef is a big hit, too.

Back in the restaurant, Devika’s signature dish is the Fiji Rice Bowl, a homemade curry simmered in coconut milk and served with steamed rice and naan bread.

They offer the choice of chicken, salmon or prawns.

“Our customers just love our rice bowl.”

They don’t mess with the menu too often because their regular customers appreciate the consistency and high quality dishes.

Catering for larger groups is where she gets to be creative, making striking elements like a bassinet shape carved out of a watermelon.

“I enjoy catering events,” she says, even cutting platters of dainty fruits and veggies into appealing shapes.

It’s fun to make food beautiful.

“You have to love what you’re doing, and we do!”

See more at www.ddcatering.ca, or visit them at 45886 Wellington Ave. or call 604-392-9355.

agassiz deli

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he Agassiz Delicatessen is a staple of downtown Agassiz. This authentic deli features imported cheeses, meats from more than 20 vendors, fresh baked goods and a wide variety of lunch menu items.

“We have fantastic lunches,” shares Katrine deBrouwer, deli manager.“It’s down-to-earth, plain good lunches with wholesome food and great coffee.”

Katrine shares that the best selling sandwich at the deli is definitely the schnitzel sandwich, a regular feature in the case made fresh on-site.

Shepard’s pie, quiche and most of the soups come hot out of the back kitchen, while fresh muffins, sausage rolls, cinnamon buns and more tempt from the top of the case.

offers gourmet coffee creations. Try a pumpkin spiced latte or espresso from the trained baristas happy to serve.

Everyone knows and loves this authentic downtown establishment. The deli has been around for more than 25 years, with Katrine in charge for nine as an owner and now a manager. She loves knowing her customers and appreciates every one of them.

“It’s not just customers - it’s almost like we’re a happy family,” she says.

The Agassiz Delicatessen is open Tuesday - Saturday, 9-5 p.m. They are located on Pioneer Ave. next to the Red Apple.

While many regulars come in for a cup of joe every morning, the deli also

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osh Long is the head cook at Little Trattoria (8-45840 Yale Road), and he smiles when people walk through the doors, scan the menu and order two or three things.

“Are you sure?” he asks them. “It’s a lot of food.”

The look on their faces when the food arrives is priceless.

“The calzones and panzerottis, they’re the size of footballs,” Josh says in a completely serious way. “They’ll be eating for a week!”

At suppertime, Little Trattoria’s huge pasta plates and sandwiches, calzones and panzerottis are great.

Many a new customer has come in saying, ‘My friend told me I absolutely have to eat here.’

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“At lunch though, people order something humongous and all they want to do when they get back to the office is nap,” laughs Nelson MacMorran, who owns the business with wife Ali. “And of course it’s bad when the boss sees you sleeping!”

“We’ve got pizza and veal meatball sliders, and our customers can watch us make everything they order. We think we provide a fairly unique experience.”

something and that’s how you have to have it. You can’t say you don’t want peppers or onions. Because we make things specifically for you, you get exactly what you want.”

A fresh one too.

Their solution is a newly-introduced lunch and appetizer menu, with smaller portions at smaller prices, (averaging $10) to appeal to the midday crowd.

Nothing at Little Trattoria is pre-made.

Dough. Sauces. Desserts. Everything is made from scratch. They smoke and BBQ for hours every Saturday, with rotating choices of smoked turkey legs, butterflied leg of lamb, smoked ribs and a slow grilled prime rib of beef.

Little Trattoria is nearing its one year anniversary, and Nelson says they’ve been blown away by the response.

Initially a ‘take-out’ restaurant, they’ve added indoor seating, and outdoor seating on a new patio. In addition, they are now fully licensed to serve liquor.

“We’re famous for our panzerottis, and our pastas (penne or rotini) with 20 different sauce combinations,” Ali says.

“A lot of places nowadays, stuff is pre-packaged and brought in to make things easier, but you can taste the love in our food,” Long says.

“We control as much as we can, the product is better and people notice.

And, in most restaurants you order

“We just kinda threw the open sign on and had customers right away, and it’s kept building and building,” he says.

“Customers say they can taste the freshness and we do have something that is unique. We offer something that’s uncommon. The panzerottis, calzones and type of sandwiches we do, I haven’t seen them anywhere else.”

the embassy

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ou know it’s a passion when you go from being raised in the restaurant industry, then toil as a dishwasher to full on running a restaurant, all by the tender age of 19. Chef Dan Cool is no stranger to hard work in a hot, bustling kitchen.

His latest venture is with a long time friend & business associate, Deanna Johnston.

That name will sound familiar to anyone that has been in & around Chilliwack for any length of time... Deanna is the General Manager at the Best Western Rainbow Country Inn where they’ve recently made some exciting changes.

For the past 29 years, where there used to be the hotel, a cafe, a pub, and a fine

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dining room, there is now one exceptional restaurant & lounge, The Unofficial Fraser Valley Embassy.“This is a place where community comes” says Deanna,‘They come for fresh, local food, fundraising events & drinks with friends” Now, cooking demos, dinner & wine pairing evenings will be hosted as regular events, such as Flavour of Fusion on Saturday, June 13th.

Chef Dan has streamlined the menu, made sure there are gluten free & other dietary restriction options & insists on using as much local product as he can get his hands on. The pork comes from Johnston’s Butcher Shop, the chicken from Rossdown Farms, the freshest eggs from Vanderpol’s Eggs & delicious cheeses from Smit’s & Co. Farm Cheese, to name a

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few. Chef Dan & Deanna have a lot of fire power on their team, including a pastry chef & 5 Red Seal chefs. They continue to help shape the dreams of other young chefs by offering apprenticeships.

Some things haven’t changed: they’ll still be known for the best Sunday Brunch around, and they will still host & cater events, both in their banquet rooms & offsite. Now, they’ll become synonymous with Friday Night Carveries where mouthwatering Prime Rib, fresh local vegetables & a crisp salad bar will be offered.

Chef Cool describes a meal of Ossobuco,a Milanese specialty of veals shanks slowly braised in vegetables, broth

& white wine, as his favourite to prepare.

Of course not far from his mind is the fact that the Christmas season is fast approaching! There are a lot of events they’ll be catering, but also the New Year’s Eve party that they’ll be hosting in the ballroom… I wouldn’t wait to get tickets for that!

All of the things that have made this venue a part of the community for many years, have now just been enhanced by the emergence of The Embassy, and have propelled the Best Western Rainbow Country Inn to #2 in the Fraser Valley for places to stay & dine. Take time to go with friends and see for yourself.

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We smile. We’re friendly. We ask people around lunch-time and the smell alone Mike creates his own gluten-free lowike Wettig uses a numbersystem to maintain order in his how their day is going and we care is attracting people.” sodium sausages, in fact, just creates his ownand gluten-free lowWe smile. We’re friendly. We ask people around lunch-time and the smell alone Mike ike Wettig uses a numberbusy Multi Pack Foods and Deli about the answer. You don’t find that about all of his meat is low injust salt.

Another people.” of Multi Pack’s ready-to-eat system to maintain order in his how their day is going and we care is attracting sodium sausages, and in fact, (9382 Nowell Street). in other places where you are just a items is the German burger, a massive about busy Multi Pack Foods and Deli about number.” the answer. You don’t find that If ever he’s doing allhe of doubts his meat is low in things salt.

Another of Multi Pack’s ready-to-eat With customers all-spiced pork-and-beef patty that 2 Nowell Street). coming in and out,in other places where you are just a right, he’s re-assured by the familiar itemscan is the German burger, a massive it’s the only way he can track whose Multi Pack has everything you’d expect If ever he doubts he’s doing things be eaten cold, or heated up and number.” faces that keep coming back. customers coming in But andtoout, all-spiced patty that next to be helped.

Mike, his wife from a deli and a whole lot more. servedpork-and-beef with burger fixins. right, he’s re-assured by the familiar e only way he can track whose Multi Pack has everything you’d expect can be eaten cold, or heated up and Astrid and his staff of five, customers “They’re what coming keeps it fun for us and talks a proudly some of their faces that keep back.

“You need to cut it in half because to be helped.

Butmore to Mike, from a Mike deli and whole about lot more. are so much thanhis thewife number served with burger fixins. they provide the joy at the end of take-home-and-eat dinner offerings, really, it’s this big,” he says, laughing d and hishold staffinoftheir five,hand. customers they “They’re what keeps it fun“I’ll forchat us and Mike talks proudly about some of their quick and delicious fare that harkens“Youand the rainbow,” Mike says. with need to cut it in half because holding his hands out.

“You just o much more than the number they provide the joy at the end of take-home-and-eat dinnerheritage. offerings, Multi Pack’s regulars are friends Mike back to his German them after they try a new product really, it’s this big,” he says, laughing about get lock-jaw.” hold in their hand. quick and delicious fare that harkens already knows. New people through theand rainbow,” Mike says.

“I’llliked chat with holding his hands out. “You just ask them how they the “We make our own pork or chicken and Homestyle Canadian AAA roast-beef them after they try a new product his door are friends he just hasn’t met Pack’s regulars are friends Mike back to his German about get lock-jaw.” schnitzel, whichheritage. is chicken breast German burgers or Greendale farmers’ with au jus is another favourite, as is yet. ady knows.

New people through and ask them how they likedwhen the I hear that’sour been fried uporwith our spices,” “We make own pork chicken sausage.

And it’s satisfying the ham-roll, a hard-to-explain treat Homestyle Canadian AAA roast-beef oor “Sometimes are friends he just hasn’t met I get in trouble from Astrid he which explains.

“We put itbreast in a bun here schnitzel, is chicken German burgers ored Greendale that they’re satisfi with whatfarmers’ we’ve that is very tasty. favourite, as is with au jus is another because I’m out here talking too that’s been with all theup condiments, or customers fried with our spices,” sausage.

And it’s satisfying when I hear done. They’re why we do this.” the ham-roll, a hard-to-explain treat Sausage rolls and cornish pastys are much,” Mike chuckles.

“ButAstrid that’s the can take home, it up and serve metimes I get in trouble from he explains.

“Weit put it inheat a bun here that they’re ed with what we’ve is very fresh tasty.on the premises.

Call Mike satisfi at 604-795-9544 with everyone withcondiments, veggies. We or bring these out that baked ausesame I’m out here talkingwho too works here. with allitthe customers done. They’re why we do this.”

Sausage rolls and cornish pastys are h,” Mike chuckles. “But that’s the can take it home, heat it up and serve