Kung Fu Fish

Yes, I chuckled a bit when I first heard about Kung Fu Fish.  The name can easily be mistaken for something found at a mall food court serving up North American Chinese fare.  However, that couldn't be further from the truth.  In fact, with over 51 locations worldwide, they served up grilled deep-water fish that comes with a kick (get it?  kick???).  They already have 2 stores in the Toronto area and the first one to venture in the British Columbia is of course located in Richmond, specifically Aberdeen Centre.  I was invited along with Diana for a small ChineseBites dinner to give the place a try where we had all of the available fish options.

Prior to that, we started with some appies including the Kungfu Peanuts.  Initially, I wasn't super excited to order this but in reality, they were pretty tasty.  Freshly fried and then wok-tossed with red chilis, green onion, salt and Szechuan peppercorns, the peanuts exhibited a progressive heat.  There was a roasted aroma that gave way to some spice and finally a touch of numbing from the peppercorns.  Loved the warm crunch of the nuts as the temperature activated the flavours.  Next, the Bobo Chicken turned out to be a familiar dish in the mouth-watering chicken.  Despite the visuals, it was not that spicy.  Rather, there was an aromatic nuttiness accented by a small amount of heat.  The free-range chicken was tender and gelatinized including the skin.

Then we had a trio of dishes including the Garlic Grilled Scallops, Garlic Grilled Prawns and Garlic Grilled Eggplant.  Yes, there was a theme here and when they put garlic into the menu description, they weren't messing around.  Let's just say one should bring mouthwash.  In terms of texture, the scallops were buttery with a nice rebound while the prawns were unexpectedly tender and buttery.  I was expecting more chew, but I enjoyed the sweet delicate prawns.  The eggplant was also tender and very soft.  It was completely covered in garlic.  Our last small dish was the Kung Fu Sausage which was sliced razor thin.  These were meaty and fairly lean with a caramelized sweetness and considerable spiciness.

Onto the main event, I tackled the Madam Halibut in Szechuan peppercorn soup base with  lobster ball, glass noodles, sprouts and squid rings.  For $59.90, we got 5 slices of halibut that was slightly over 2lbs in total.  Personally, that is a reasonable price for the amount of fish.  Of course, the additional ingredients were a surcharge of $3.99 for non-meat items and $4.99 for meat items.  The fish was soft and flaky with slightly crispy skin.  It wasn't as spicy as it appeared, but there was definitely a kick from the peppercorns.  This portion could easily feed 3-4 people dependent on how many appies are ordered.

Next, I sampled some of the Professor Swai (Basa) in pickled cabbage soup base with fish balls, quail eggs, imitation crab stick, rice cake and lotus root.  This was the least costly being only $39.90 for 3 large fillets.  Say what you want about Basa, but this was prepared expertly being soft, flaky and almost buttery.  Since Basa can be lacking in flavour, the pickled cabbage was a good match since it added a salty sourness.  I was pretty impressed with the infusion of flavours where it penetrated not only the fish, but the other ingredients as well including the rice cake.

The last option was our absolute favourite being the Top Secret Sea Cod in Chopped Chili soup base with bean curd skin, konjak, luncheon meat and fish tofu.  There was 6 slices of fish that equated to over 2lbs.  This was the priciest at $89.90, but seeing how it was black cod and being the tastiest, it was worth it.  The butteriness of the fish really came through with a robust flavour that stood up well to the soup base.  It wasn't spicy though.  Instead it was well-balanced with a certain umaminess. Overall, I enjoyed the offerings from Kung Fu Fish and although the pricing is on the higher side, it can feed many people.  Starting tomorrow on Feb 7th to the 12th, they are offering a Free Signature Fish Pot (up to $70.00 and with a group of 4) at both lunch and dinner to the first 8 tables.  Otherwise, everyone else can enjoy 10% off.

*All food and beverages were complimentary*

The Good:
- On point execution
- Large portions
- Impactful and balanced flavours

The Bad:
- Even though the portion size does justify the price, some might be scared off at the initial sticker shock
- Personally, I thought the prices were fair, but maybe one free ingredient would've been nice

Szechuan House (Aberdeen Food Court)

On my second go-around on the Dumpling Trail in Richmond, it brought us to Aberdeen Centre, specifically, the food court.  Of course there are many dumplings to be found there, but the Dumpling Trail only consists of participating restaurants.  In other words, Tourism Richmond did not suddenly have a brain cramp and forget to include some of the obvious spots.  Instead, they chose not to participate (for those who are scratching their heads as to why some of their favourite places are conspicuously missing).  I digress.  So we headed over to the place that was participating in Szechuan House.

We ended up getting 4 items including the Spicy Wontons and Boiled Dumplings.  In terms of overall flavour and impact, the spicy wontons were not lacking.  The spicy and tongue-numbing chili oil-based sauce was definitely at the forefront.  At the same time, it wasn't so spicy that we couldn't taste some saltiness to go with the background sweetness and a touch of tang.  The wontons featured a fairly dry skin that was semi-thick.  I found the filling to be a touch mealy where it lacked actual texture.  The boiled dumplings were pretty good despite looking rather sad.  I found the dumpling skin to be medium thickness, yet tender at the same time.  The filling was surprisingly balanced despite the plethora of green onions.  We just wished there was more of it.

One of the more surprising items was the Dan Dan Noodles.  By appearance alone, we weren't holding out much hope.  However, once we mixed in the ground pork sauce, the chewy noodles were completely seasoned and tasty.  There was a good balance of savoury and spicy elements to go with an aromatic essence.  I couldn't put my finger on it, but it was a bit smoky and incredibly savoury.  I would've finished the whole thing myself if I didn't have to pace myself.  Our last dish was the Mouth-Watering Chicken which was tossed rather aggressively in the chili-oil based sauce.  Although not particularly aesthetically-pleasing, the chicken was well-seasoned being salty and spicy.  However, the chicken itself was a bit dry and not flavourful on its own.  For food court eats, Szechuan House did the job and surprised with the Dan Dan Noodles.

*Food paid for by Tourism Richmond*

The Good:
- Inexpensive (it's a food court after all)
- Friendly lady but limited English
- Dan Dan Noodles good despite visuals

The Bad:
- Food was a bit awkward to eat with all the sauces (especially with the foam plates) 
- Dumplings could use more filling   

Golden Szechaun

Once there was a Knight & Day located on #3 Road.  Then there wasn't a Knight & Day on #3 Road.  I guess with all of the tasty options in Richmond and in particularly, on #3 Road, there was really no reason for Knight & Day to exist.  Currently, in its place, we find Golden Szechuan, which happens to be one of the nicer (and more expensive) Szechuan restaurants in town.  I had originally visited it awhile ago to try their pricey (but worth it) water-boiled fish.  Naturally, I couldn't do a post about one dish, so I returned again with Dee, Amy and Diana for more variety.

However, let's get to one of the best versions of Szechuan Water-Boiled Fish in the GVRD.  This was in fact, the Szechuan Water-Boiled Live Barramundi which was pretty darn expensive at $80.00.  What it lacked in value, it made it up in quality as the slices of fish were buttery and soft.  There was a natural sweetness that came through despite the spicy ingredients, we could taste the fish.  Only mildly, there was a tongue-numbing experience to go with the rest of the ample seasoning.  Plated like laundry, the Spicy Pork Belly hanging on bamboo was actually quite good.  The thin and meaty slices were gelatinous and tender.  Dunked into the chili oil soy underneath, we got saltiness, sweetness and of course a lingering kick.

On another visit, we went for some dumplings in the Boiled Pork and Cabbage Dumplings as well as the Spicy Wontons.  I found the boiled dumplings to be pretty good with a moist well-balanced filling.  The meat was soft with a bit of chew and the cooked crunch of cabbage.  A bit doughy, the dumpling skin was cooked just enough.  We all agreed that the Spicy Wontons were tastier due to the good amount of minced garlic on top.  Combined with the green onions and mildly spicy, tangy and salty dressing, there were many impactful flavours to be found.  The wonton itself featured a buttery wrapper encasing a tender and slightly bouncy pork filling.

Fairly large in size, the Mouth-Watering Chicken was more mild than it appeared.  Despite that, it was pleasant with enough savoury elements to go with the chili oil.  The chicken itself was free-range and hence, was lean and appealingly chewy.  The skin was nicely gelatinzed while the meat was properly seasoned.  Giving the impression that it was astronomically hot, the Boiling Beef was actually not.  With that being said, there was a noticeable spiciness that didn't linger much.  Most of the heat was centered around the bean sprouts rather than the tender slices of beef.

We also got 2 noodles in the Dan Dan Noodles and the Braised Beef Noodles.  We opted for the dry version of the dan dan noodles since we didn't want anything goopy or too saucy.  This was decent with starchy noodles that were a bit soft, yet sauced with a tasty concoction of ground pork, bean paste and chili oil.  It was by no means super flavourful, but again, pleasant nonetheless.  As for the braised beef, the noodles were more al dente while the soup was sweet and somewhat savoury.  The sliced beef was thin and practically melted-in-my-mouth.  

Unlike the last time, the Twice-Cooked Pork was very good.  The slices were thinner and had an appetizing chewiness.  It wasn't dry though, which made it even more appealing.  There was plenty of wok heat to go around creating a smoky caramelization to go with the chili oil.  The garlic scapes were crunchy, vibrant and a touch spicy.  Now "a touch spicy" was not exactly what we were looking for.  That would be the theme of the meal as the food was well-prepared, but the spice level was rather tame considering the authentic Szechuan cuisine served here.  With that being said, the meal was still pleasant, albeit pricey.

*Partially paid for by Tourism Richmond by gift card*

The Good:
- Nice spacious dining space with high ceilings
- Generally attentive service
- Food is carefully prepared

The Bad:
- Dishes were not as spicy and impactful as we would've liked
- Pricey       

Dragon House

While doing my research for late night eats on the computer, I stumbled upon Dragon House. A quick look at its location and it didn't seem to ring a bell, especially since I drive by that area often. Even a quick peak at Google Street View and all I got was an Indian restaurant. Well, apparently it does exist. Driving by late one night, the place was bustling with activity. Late night spicy Szechuan eats? Not sure how that would "sit" with everyone. After our weekly Friday night hockey game, I suggested to the group that we give it a go. The promise of Szechaun beef noodles seemed to seal the deal. Yes, I realize that there are many more than that in terms of representing Szechuan cuisine, but Milhouse, Gordo and Emilicious aren't exactly fans of super spicy food.

With that in mind, we kept the extreme spicy dishes to a minimum starting with a mild one being the - Beef Pancake. We loved how they grilled it so it wasn't overly oily on the outside. Instead, it was crisp and pleasing visually. The beef filling was moist and flavourful with a sweet onion slant. I've had many version of this dish where the meat is bursting with oil, yet this one did not have this problem. A few drops of vinegar really brought the pancake to life. So our next items were their specialty - Skewers. We had 2 each of the Lamb, Pork and Beef. The spice level was pretty mild since the rest of the gang requested it. Not it wasn't devoid of flavour by any means. There was still a kick and well-seasoned. The meats were moist per se, yet they weren't too dry either. The lamb was super fatty though.

Now these were the smaller skewers which were about $1.00 - $2.00 each. There were much larger ones going for around $3.00 - $5.00. The one that caught Milhouse's eye was the Bacon-wrapped Fish Balls. Yes, that drew a reaction from all of us and he insisted we try the balls. I asked if they would be "salty"... due to the bacon... Well, they weren't salty. In fact, for something I didn't have high hopes for, it was pretty tasty. The bacon was fried up crisp and the mayo/spicy seasoning really completed the flavours. Who doesn't like mayo on their balls? One dish I insisted on trying was the Double-Cooked Pork (no, not more balls!). I really liked their version as the sauce consisting of black beans, chili oil, chilis and soy hit my tastebuds with authority. It wasn't too spicy (again, we requested medium). If I was here by myself, I would've asked for a few notches higher. The entire dish was cooked with plenty of wok heat where the caramelization of the ingredients was visually evident as well as a smoky flavour. The pork was fatty and tender (a touch dry from the cooking), however, the dish could've stood for more of it.

Now for the dish that lured everyone here in the first place - the Szechuan Beef Noodle. When we started to eat it, the Szechuan peppercorns started to do their thing and the numbing sensation settled in. I liked this spicy flavourfulness while others were yearning for the milder Taiwanese version. Wimps! Anyways, the hand-pulled noodles were the best part. They were chewy and fresh. How fresh? They were made-to-order. The beef was fairly tender, but since they were in small little bits, there were some drier portions. We also got the Fried Noodles with Lamb and Cumin (insert joke here). Hey, nothing like lamb and cumin eh? And yes, there was a definite cumin hit (get your minds outta the gutter!). The noodles were chewy while completely covered in grease. The lamb was tender though and with a decent amount of spice coupled with the copious amount of cumin, we enjoyed this dish nonetheless.

This was supposed to be the last of our dishes, but somehow Milhouse became fixated on the Frog Legs. Was he watching Sesame Street in the morning and had Kermit on his mind? Whatever the case, we had it as an add-on. The legs were fried and tossed in red chili peppers, sesame seeds, salt and fried Szechuan Peppercorns. The legs were moist while the batter was soft and greasy. There was some spice, but it really wasn't as bad as it looked. Ultimately, we never requested a higher spice level, so the meal could've been hotter. For most of the group, the flavours were fine. We were pretty satisfied with the food, especially for late night.

The Good:
- Plenty of flavour
- Okay pricing
- Open late

The Bad:
- Greasy
- Tight seating

Connie's Cookhouse

Typically, finding good, cheap Chinese food on the Eastside of Vancouver is as easy as having your parking spot stolen in Richmond. Hence, good little dives don't drum up much excitement since there are so many. However, this is not the case on the Westside. Generally, we will find much more fancy establishments that are neither inexpensive nor guaranteed to be any good. At first, I figured that the popularity of Connie's Cookhouse could be attributed to the "novelty" factor. You know, much like the token Asian on a rec hockey team. Or in the case of Richmond, the token non-Asian on a rec hockey team. Yes, there are smaller Chinese restaurants on the Westside. There are just not that many of them. So I was thinking that Connie's fits the "token" Chinese restaurant among coffee shops, cafes and high end restaurants along West 4th. Of course it would be popular... since there is nothing much to compare it with, right? Well, Viv and I with the kids were about to find out.

Naturally, we weren't out in Kits for the sole purpose of trying out Connie's. I'm dedicated to eating; but not that much so. Rather, I had purchased a Groupon for the Candy Aisle and that is only a block away. Sure I saved $5.00 with the Groupon; yet I probably spent more in gas just driving there! Anyways, the great thing about Connie's is that they have an extensive lunch menu where eat dish includes soup and rice (unless it is a noodle dish). With 2 choices of soup, we one of each (well, 3 soups really; but 2 were the same). The Wonton Soup was a pretty typical non-wonton restaurant version. Consisting of all pork, it was alright. The meat didn't have much in the way of texture while the soup was pretty one-dimensional in flavour. As for the Hot & Sour Soup, it was tart with a surprising kick. However, it lacked depth. Once the initial flavour wore off, the soup was quite thin. Viv had the Black Bean Chicken on Rice and it was a decent portion for the price. Lots of barely cooked zucchini, onions and peppers with tender chicken in a flavourful black bean sauce. There was definitely good "wok hay" which means the wok was hot enough so that there is caramelization and ensuring nothing is soggy.

I ended up with the Szechuan Beef which curiously looked a lot like ginger beef with veggies. What I mean is that the beef was deep-fried; rather than wok-fried. The beef was in big pieces so it didn't end up being dry or anything like that. Although slightly spicy and sweet, it didn't resemble ginger beef in flavour. Thus, I suppose it could be called Szechuan... It wasn't bad. It went well with the rice. For the kiddies, we got them an order of the Stir-Fried Flat Rice Noodles with Beef. Or what we really mean as in, "the kids eat the noodles and we eat the beef and veggies". Too bad for them because the beef was both plentiful and tender (of course tenderized). The bean sprouts and onions were crisp while the noodles were soft; yet held together. The knock on this dish is the copious amount of oil used to prevent the noodles from sticking together and the wok. I'm glad to say this was not too oily and had a nice caramelized dark soy flavour. Hey, I wasn't exactly expecting too much from this place, especially since we were the only Asians eating there. However, the food is generally decent enough for the price. So in the end I actually didn't mind it. Yah, it's not exactly in the mold of what you'd find in East Van. But the food ain't bad and it's both plentiful and inexpensive.

The Good:
- Inexpensive
- Good portions
- It's not bad

The Bad:
- Some dishes suffer from slight "North Americanization" but they are only catering to their clientele
- Family-run, thus you need to be patient with the one server