
If you know me, there aren't many places I
won't eat at. In fact, there are times I intentionally visit places most people wouldn't dare set foot into. Call it stupidity, stubbornness or just plain disregard for my personal well-being. Sometimes it's almost a game of "I dare you..." with
Kim and
Karl. Yah, let's see who can eat at the crappiest looking establishment we can find. Well, I think it's quite safe to say that some of the best places
are the least appealing. Well, this time, I finally chickened out. Yes, I admit it. I was scouting this banh mi joint right next to
Pho T&A in Whalley. I was just about to walk in when I got a case of the

nerves. There were many unsavory characters around and for some reason or another, I just balked. I headed straight for my car (not before updating an exterior photo for
Pho T&A), and got the heck outta there. Maybe it was not my day, probably off my game...
So what to eat now? How about something that is relatively safe? Located right next to
Pho Tam is the Surrey location of
New Town Bakery. Mostly known for their excellent apple tarts and dai bao (big bun), they also serve up Chinese food and the occasional Filipino dish. On the topic of uninviting,

the interior of New Town is not a work of art. Of course, I wasn't expecting as such; yet, after all the aforementioned things about crummy looking places... I leave one and end up at another. I suppose I'm drawn to these places subconsciously. Not knowing the system, I just grabbed a menu and seated myself. There wasn't a staff member available for a little while.
When a server did notice me, I have to admit she was pretty friendly. I ended up ordering the
Salted Fish & Chicken Fried Rice and the
Filipino Style Vermicelli. Although the rice had a nice

salty kick to it, it was far too mushy. Obviously fresh rice was used rather than dry day-old rice. Chock full of squid, pork, fish balls and shrimp, the vermicelli was quite good. This was more of a Chinese version of this dish; but I liked the subtle flavour. I got an order of
Sweet & Sour Pork on rice to go for Ma. I didn't get to try it; but she remarked that the pork was moist and the sauce was indeed flavourful. To me, it looked quite good! So in addition to their wonderful bakery products, New Town succeeds in offering decent eats at reasonable prices.
The Good:- Well-priced
- Decent portions
- Very good bakery products
The Bad:- No, you're not going there for ambiance or attentive service
- Mostly decent food, but there is better
4 comments:
best steamed buns and apple tarts in town!!
Holly... Ditto!
I see this all the time when I take the Skytrain from Surrey Central. The location is pretty intimidating... especially when I get there, it's dark, and lots of shady characters around. I've never bothered going in because I've been judging it by its appearance. By now that it's got your stamp of approval, I think I might give it a shot :)
Boy, you give me too much credit! But I do believe it is decent for the money. Yes, give it a shot and really try their baked goods such as the ones Holly mentioned.
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