Sherman's Food Adventures: Danny`s Wun Tun Restaurant

Danny`s Wun Tun Restaurant

I've been reading quite a few reviews of this place on the internet and really didn't know what to think of it. Some people have said it's authentic Chinese food and others have called it "Westernized". That seems like polar opposites to me! So I wasn't planning on visiting the place anytime soon, since I don't live close to Richmond. But we decided to watch Slumdog Millionaire at Silvercity Riverport, which is quite close to Ironwood Plaza (where Danny's is located). Before I talk about the food, I must say that Slumdog Millionaire is a great movie - great cast and plot. Also, the end credits song "Jai Ho" is quite catchy. But before I turn this into a movie blog, back to the food...

After we parked, we approached Danny's and noticed the front display case full of BBQ duck, pork and roasted pig. This was a good sign, only authentic Chinese restaurants would have that. We were warmly greeted and seated promptly. The restaurant is clean and I really liked the decor. Also, the washrooms are clean too!!! In addition to the extensive regular menu, there are some lunch specials that include both wonton soup and rice. Some of the choices include Sweet and Sour Pork, Broccoli Beef, BBQ Pork, and Honey Garlic Spareribs. Now I have read a few reviews that call Danny's "non-asian friendly" (actually, they wrote something else, but I'm being PC). I would agree with that sentiment, most of the staff speak good English, the menu is in English/Chinese (trust me, in Richmond, it's not all like that), and the specials are not threatening (like pig's ear or beef lung).

I ordered off the regular menu to try the 2 things that judge a wonton restaurant - Wonton Noodles and Congee (rice porridge). The wonton noodles weren't bad, the soup tasted like wonton soup (made of shrimp shells, pork bones, and chicken). However, the noodles were a bit soft and not chewy enough for me. The wontons, made of shrimp and pork, were pretty average since they lacked filling and the shrimp was not crunchy. I suspect that the shrimp was not run under cold water long enough. This process makes cold-water shrimp, where the appearance becomes glass-like and the texture becomes quite crunchy. I had the Century Duck Egg and Salted Pork Congee. The congee itself was pretty good, it was thick and was not salty; however, the pork was not salty at all. This would indicate that the pork was not made in the proper manner. The proper way to make salted pork is to marinate it with loads of salt overnight, wash off the excess salt, then boil in water or in the congee itself until tender. The pork in my congee was tender as a result of baking soda and it was flavourless.

Other dishes at the table included Sweet and Sour Pork, Broccoli Beef, Almond Chicken, BBQ Pork and BBQ Duck. All were quite decent; but not spectacular. I thought the sweet and sour pork had a good balance of sweet, salty and sour. The broccoli beef was cooked well, with the broccoli being a bit crunchy still and the beef being tender. Quite surprisingly, the BBQ duck was excellent, it was perfectly cooked (being juicy inside and not too salty) and the skin was crispy. So is Danny's authentic or Westernized Chinese food? Well, I would say somewhere in between. I don't think the food is good enough for it's location - Richmond, the Chinese food capital of Canada. You must have outstanding Chinese food in Richmond to be considered good. I would say that Danny's is hit and miss. If Danny's was in out further in the burbs, where there is less competition, it would rate a bit higher. I'm not saying that Danny's is horrible, it's actually okay; but compared to the endless competition in Richmond, it's below average.

The Good:
- Staff is friendly
- Restaurant is very clean
- Lots of parking

The Bad:
- Food is hit and miss
- Food is not bad, but you can find better in Richmond
- Prices are a bit high for this type of restaurant

Danny's Wun Tun Restaurant
#3050 - 11666 Steveston Highway
Richmond, B.C.
604-277-3317

Business Hours:
11:00am - 10:00pm (7 days a week)

Danny's Wun Tun Restaurant (Ironwood Plaza) on Urbanspoon

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