Vancity Vibes | DAY 6: Groceries, Steveston Stopover + Wasuta Pasta

Note: Images from majority of this day were lost in transit. From Swiss roll varieties at La Patisserie to Raspberry Frozen Yogurt from Timothy's, it pains me to admit that these images could not be relocated even after countless attempts.

​There was no doubt about it: for the duration of my stay, I would need to undertake at least one grocery run.

Plans had been made the evening prior to facilitate the acquisition of daily necessities for self-sufficiency. Following a breakfast of iced Starbucks Medium Roast and a thawed Blueberry Muffin from McD's, I was whisked away for groceries and errands.

With ample time to prepare my getup, I reached for my contacts, only to find a distinct tear in the right lens. No wonder my eye was hurting!

I would remain contact-less for the rest of my West Coast journey.

We would first stop at Superstore for cake-making ingredients. Being unable to find cake flour, I requested cornstarch for mixing with all-purpose; the 1 kg bag would be more than sufficient for my short-lived baking endeavours.

La Patisserie, which had opened in new plaza called Central at Garden City, emerged as the go-to spot for Chinese-style bakery items, "Honey Cakes", and Swiss rolls. A $7.99 bag of Russian Walnut Cookies, two Honey Cakes (which emerged as nothing more than standard cupcakes brushed with a layer of honey), a Prune Swiss Roll, and Coffee Swiss Roll were procured at this stop.

I accompanied a series of errands at Parker Place before we ventured back in time for lunch.

​La Patisserie's Coffee Swiss Roll would prove itself light and airy, yet utterly deficient of buttercream. Moreover, the cream was thin, greasy, and exhibiting signs of separation. My own renditions were concluded to be far more gratifying.

​Easing into mid-afternoon, I proceeded southbound towards Steveston. Arrangements had been made with a kind local for the temporary usage of her bicycle. Over two years of virtual interactions later, we would meet again - this time for bike sharing.

​The idea had come about when evaluating the city's transit system. Despite the improvements made in recent years, the Translink network is nowhere near a functional standard. That said, there are plentiful bike routes and multi-use paths within the city - and they're interconnected too!

We strode about Steveston for about an hour, pausing briefly by Rocanini and exploring a lookout point I had never knew existed. Descending down towards the dock, it was observed that fish market had been relocated to accommodate more vendors. A delectable raspberry frozen yogurt was obtained from Timothy's for a measly $4.50. Then, we parted ways, leaving me to decipher the wonky gear settings for myself.

Despite some initial confusion finding my way out of Steveston Community Park, I eventually landed upon the Railway Greenway, a bi-directional, asphalt pathway traversing parallel to Railway Avenue. Directions were shown on the MUP, along with ample signage along the route. It connected to the scenic River Road trail - one side paved, one side gravel - via Westminster Hwy (non-bike friendly).

Nearing a scenic point along the Fraser River, I paused to take in the glorious view. It wasn't long before I was ushered out of my space, however, for bugs began crawling into view.

I continued eastward past the Olympic Oval. Construction along the paved pathway nearing Gilbert Road induced reduced speeds and careful navigation, for the 90-degree bends had created tremendous blind spots for trail users.

Wasuta Pasta was an eatery that had been discussed with the Thai ahgase for exploration. Though, given that its coordinates weren't exactly transit-friendly, we had foregoed in on the basis of convenience.
Finding the eatery on foot wasn't exactly easy either. Two rounds about the commercial plaza were made before finally spotting the restaurant name on the second floor. I locked my bike against the railing and trekked up a dilapidated, rusty staircase. Accessible Wasuta Pasta was not.

A duo of Sakura Shrimp & Shirasu Spaghetti and Hamburg Steak were taken to go. The City of Richmond's ban on plastic bags led many businesses to undertake brown paper bags for transport of food. While I would have normally encased the food in a layer of plastic, the stapled brown bag was far too bulky. I resorted to laying trust in the restaurant's packaging.

Lo and behold, the 12-dollar Hamburg Steak had leaked: its sauce strewn about the lined paper container, at the corners of the paper bag, and permeating a hefty section of my backpack's interior lining. Frustrations were exhibited as I hangrily dabbed away at the garlic-scented stains.

​The Sakura Shrimp & Shirasu Spaghetti had set me back $21, a whopping price tag for the portion size. There had been an option of upgrading to squid ink spaghetti for an additional two dollars, though I had found the steep price more than adequate for a solo dinner.
In spite of its price, it was quite tasty overall. The sakura shrimp was salty and crunchy, while the noodles were on the noodles on the softer side and tossed with oil for fluidity.

Scrumptious was the Hamburg Steak, especially when topped with Parmesan for a contrasting boost of creaminess.