Dinner @ Tung Sing Chin

*Restaurant is now closed*

Some of you might wonder why my father and mother-in-law love to go to Tung Sing Chin so much.  The reason being is that my father-in-law is friends with the chef and the owner.  He used to run a large Chinese restaurant himself and hence, he practically knows half the Chinese restauranteurs in Vancouver.  Hmm... I guess I should've thought of that before I expressed my opinions about some of them...  Nah!  Gotta be honest right?  One things for sure, I'm so glad they changed their English name from Dung Sing Chin to Tung Sing Chin.  In a previous post, I did point out that they shouldn't be using "dung" when they are serving food.  Not good for business...  And yes, the picture you see of the front is an old stock photo.  I just didn't feel like crossing the street to take another!

The reason why we were here for dinner this time around was for my father-in-law's birthday.  We had a feeling he'd choose this place...  So, we started with a combination of Lobster & Crab on a bed of noodles.  Both of them were meaty and fried properly where the meat was cooked all-the-way through while maintaining a bouncy texture.  There was a lack of sauce though, where the large amount of noodles soaked it all up. The sauce itself was mildly seasoned and with so little, it was hard to actually taste it.  Next up was the Peking Duck which was carved table side. Despite it's golden appearance, the skin was not all that crispy.  Furthermore, the fat underneath was neither rendered nor removed.  Hence, most pieces were chewy and hard to eat.  Another problem was the duck meat that was attached to the skin, it was also quite chewy.  My son, the Peking Duck connoisseur, was not impressed.  

When there is Peking Duck, there is a good chance the next dish would be Duck Lettuce Wrap. First of all, I've never seen lettuce so hacked up in my life that was not part of a salad.  That made it difficult to wrap as things starting falling out.  The large chunks of duck were pretty chewy, however, the veggies were crunchy, which made it an okay dish overall.  I liked the addition of pickled vegetable which added more crunch and acidity.  With the duck courses out of the way, the Fish Maw & Crab Meat Soup arrived.  The soup was very mild with lots of crab and fish maw (which was cut up into good sized pieces).  The soup had a silky texture and stayed thick until the last spoonful.

Unexpectedly, the Sweet & Sour Pork arrived in a large portion plated in a hollowed-out pineapple.  Okay, I'm pretty sure this is not how serve it normally.  As for the dish itself, it was pretty good.  The pork was crisp while moist inside.  There was just enough sauce to coat each piece which ensured that some crispiness remained.  The sauce was more sweet than sour though.  Up next was finally a "healthier" dish being the Stir-Fried Pea Shoots. It was a pretty large portion which was not glistening with a layer of grease. Therefore, it was "healthier" than usual.  The pea shoots were just barely cooked, hence there was a crunch.  We could clearly see the garlic in the dish, but it was not that apparent.  In fact the whole dish was under-seasoned and could've benefited from more salt.

Excuse me if I don't sound too excited with the Steamed Live Tilapia.  I've never been a huge fan of the fish since the flesh can be rather soft and mushy.  However, it wasn't too bad in this case because it was barely cooked.  Therefore, the meat was still somewhat springy (in a mushy tilapia kind-of-way).  With that being said, I'd much prefer some rock cod (which is practically impossible to get or too expensive these days...). Lastly and ironically our least favourite dish was the Goose Hot Pot.  Depending on which piece, it would range from tender to chewy.  I didn't find the meat too gamy, but that was probably masked by the fermented tofu dip.  I found some of the fried tofu overdone and completely disintegrated in the sauce.  An okay dish, but I would've preferred lamb instead.  In general, I thought the food was hit and miss, where some dishes could've benefited from more seasoning. On a related note, I've returned for more meals since then and nothing has changed.  The Peking Duck really needs work and the rest of the food can be good, but can be pretty bad too.  Definitely hit and miss...  I wonder if my father-in-law will read this???

The Good:
- Fairly spacious dining space
- Good portions

The Bad:
- Food could use more seasoning
- Hit and miss
- Entire restaurant could use some renovations

McD's Giveaway Winner

Congrats to Cally S. for winning the McD's giveaway.  Please email me direct at admin@shermansfoodadventures.com to claim your prize!

So Crab So Good

Here we go again.  Another seafood boil.  Man, Vancouver does like its fads eh?  First, we had Crawfish King, then Cray Kitchen and followed up by Glowbal's Fish Shack. Now all of a sudden, and quietly I might add, another one has popped up in North Burnaby of all places.  At first, I was perplexed as to where it was located as I drove by twice without noticing it.  Well it turns out they took over the space once occupied by El Mariachi (but the signage had not been changed yet, now it is!).  I met up with Choobee, Rich Guy and Gordo for lunch as we immediately noticed that the place was completely no-frills.  No mariner-themed decor (like Crawfish King), no attractive waitresses (like Cray Kitchen) and no hype (like The Fish Shack).

We were greeted by the owner, Steven, who was very attentive and aimed to please.  We ended up sharing 2 orders of the Combo A (Shrimp, Clams, Mussels, Red Potatoes, Corn and Sausage) for $15.99 per person and 2 orders of Combo B at $25.99 per person.  The only difference between A & B is the addition of crab to B. As with most of these types of establishments, there was a choice of sauce and spice level.  We had the sauces on the side consisting of Hala-Cajun, White Wine and Holy Smoke (a combo of all the flavours).  Normally, the seafood would be tossed in the sauce, but we specifically asked for them on the side to try more than one flavour.  We liked the holy smoke the best because it had a multitude of flavours including sweet, spicy, savoury and garlic.  The sauces were on the thicker side and if the seafood was dressed in them, it might've been plenty wet.

As for the seafood itself, everything was fresh (well, the white shrimp were frozen) including the crab, which was fluffy and cooked just right.  The corn was sweet and plump while the potatoes could've stood for more boiling.  A decent amount of food for 4 people considering the fact the bread was complimentary (which we got a second order).  This was not the sexiest seafood boil I've ever been to, but for once, the costs were controlled and it was an acceptable value.  Yes, this type of eating will never be inexpensive, but consider that you can easily spend the same amount of money at a chain restaurant, at the very least, this was a fun, if not messy way of eating.

The Good:
- Fixed cost option where you don't get a surprise at the end of the meal
- Seafood was cooked properly
- Owner that cares about his customers

The Bad:
- Not an "authentic" seafood boil, more "Asian-style" (if you care...)
- Although we thought it was a decent value, some may still find it pricey

McDonald's McCafé Festive Beverage Giveaway

Wow, it's been awhile since McDonald's has contacted me about anything.  I guess it had something to do with my indifference to the Angus burgers?  Well, give them props for dropping me a line to try their new McCafé festive beverages.  Actually...  I've already tried them prior because they were like only $1.00 each (not anymore tho...)!  And...  Well, the Peppermint Mocha is pretty good.  Viv has been actually getting them every time she has a chance.  Essentially a mocha topped with whipped cream and mini-candy cane-like thingys on top, the drink is sweet, but not too sweet.  I could still taste the coffee while the mint flavours make it almost refreshing.  I'm not that much of a coffee drinker, but I don't mind it.  Could be due to the fact it is not hard-core coffee. Is it better than other gourmet coffees?  Well, not really a fair comparison is it?  Let's just say, I'd drink it again.  As for the Hot Chocolate, it is more of a sweet drink than anything.  Not bad, but I actually would prefer a coffee hit to balance the sweetness.  Of course the kiddies might prefer the hot chocolate.  Oh, and yes, there is a giveaway here.  Leave a comment of sorts with your first name and last initial and by 12:01am Monday, I'll draw a winner for a $25 McDonald’s Gift Card, McCafé branded travel mug, Be My Guest cards and chocolate covered espresso beans!

Naam

"I really want a salad", exclaimed Gadget Girl as we were discussing what to eat after hockey. Okay, this was my chance. My chance to slip in the suggestion of heading to The Foundation for late night grub. All these years, I wanted to try the place out with no takers. Even Milhouse, my trusty dining companion, wasn't too keen every time I mentioned "no meat". So Gadget Girl agreed, but there was a big problem - Bear. He wanted nothing to do with the place. Don't Bears like berries? Well, he didn't want to go and hey, we didn't want to anger a hungry bear! Continuing on the theme of a meatless meal, he suggested we go to The Naam instead. Ah yes, I've been there a few times... Not bad for vegetarian joint. Open 24 hours to boot!

With skepticism, Milhouse agreed to go as well. I guess it didn't help that the place was hot as an oven when we arrived. Yet, everyone happily played along including Gordo, who went about his best Mijune impersonation (ordering food that is). He got a whole plate of Naam Nachos (with cheddar, mozza and tomatoes) for an appie. Suffice to say, we had to share this as he had no hope in the world of finishing that and his entree. Oh and he got a huge smoothie too! Hey, the nachos were good being piled high with tonnes of melted cheese on top. The fresh salsa was the highlight as it had a good mix of spice, tang and tomatoness. As for his main, he went for the Super Chili Burrito Platter. It was a massive amount of food that barely fit on the plate. The chili filling was good with a mild spice level and a sufficient amount of flavour. Rather than meat, there were chunks of tofu which we liked because it mixed in well with the rest of the ingredients.

For myself, I had the Tofu Dog Platter which included their baked sesame potato wedges with their popular miso gravy. The tofu dog was well... a tofu dog. It would never have the snap of a meat hog dog, but it was fine as there was plenty of melted cheese. Loved how they wrapped it in a chapati rather than a hot dog bun. Since their "fries" were baked, they had a hard crunchiness to it rather than being crispy. I'm okay with that especially since the miso gravy rocked. I love how it was super flavourful with a nice tang. I didn't miss meat gravy in this case. Sweet Tooth went for the Crying Tiger Thai Stir-Fry and it was a humungous plate of food. It consisted of a bed of rice topped with veggies, potatoes and tofu in a Thai curry-coconut sauce. There was good flavour with a noticeable spice level and just enough coconut milk for aromatics and thickness. The veggies were still vibrant and overall, it was a solid vegetarian dish.

Gadget Girl and Milhouse had the Naam Burger and Tempeh Rueben respectively (only the Tempeh Rueben pictured). I didn't bother trying their burgers since I had it before. They pretty much echoed my sentiments as it was good as a meat alternative. Lots of fresh toppings and a "meaty" patty consisting of organic tofu, nuts & grains. Lastly, Bear, being our requisite dessert aficionado, went for the Double Fudge Cake with complimentary "a la mode". Anyways, it was a touch dry, but it had a dark chocolate slant which wasn't very sweet. The fudge topping was welcomed moisture and flavour while the ice cream definitely helped the cause. He enjoyed it for what it was. And that pretty much is what the Naam is about. It's vegetarian, yet it is decent vegetarian. If you're a dedicated meat eater like me and Milhouse, you might need to get mentally prepared, but in the end, food is food and it did the job.

The Good:
- It's decent vegetarian, even for non-vegetarians
- Large portions
- Open 24 hours

The Bad:
- Service can be inconsistent, but we got good service
- For hardcore meat eaters, you might want to stick to a BBQ joint

Hanoi City

Probably one of the most accessible Asian cuisines, other than Japanese and Chinese, is Vietnamese.  Think of it, you can practically stop anywhere along Kingsway and find some Pho.  Even in the burbs, you can probably find one, in particular Surrey.  However, North Delta has not been blessed with a wealth of such eats.  In fact, for the longest time, there has only been one choice - Stanley Restaurant.  And due to the lack of competition, the fact that their Pho is pretty average, it becomes the default Vietnamese Restaurant.  Not anymore.  Taking over the space once occupied by Crystal Elephant Range, Hanoi City tries to bring some form of competition for Pho supremacy in North Delta.

My plan of attack for the place was to do at least 3 visits so I could get a good sense of the menu.  Of course, the first thing I tried was the Pho Dac Biet. This must've been one of the more flavourful pho broths I've had as of late.  However, it was quite obvious from one sip that there was some MSG action going on. Despite this, there was a good balance of sweet and savoury.  The portion size was pretty moderate with al dente noodles and tender meat.  On my second visit, I went for my second favourite item - Bun Bo Hue. When they asked if I wanted it spicy, they weren't kidding.  Although it wasn't blow-my-mind hot, it definitely had a kick.  There was a huge slick of chili oil on top of a flavourful broth, however, the broth itself was mostly one-note.  No lemongrass hit, nor any other distinguishing flavours.  The noodles had a nice texture while the meats were sliced thin and tender.  I was a bit dismayed to not find a pork knuckle nor pork blood.  Not the most authentic Bun Bo Hue, yet at the very least, it was not weak.

My third visit didn't involve anything soupy, as I went for 2 more typical including the Grilled Chicken with Rice, which was a modest portion. This version was sans lemongrass.  And if there was, I didn't get any hint of it.  But that didn't mean the chicken wasn't flavourful.  In fact, it was very tasty as a result of being marinated for a significant amount of time.  Due to the brine effect, the chicken was tender while still exhibiting a good amount of grilled texture.  There was one side that was a bit dry, but the rest was okay. For my second item, I had a Banh Mi Dac Biet which was pretty good, considering where the restaurant is located.  The baguette was toasted until it was crunchy while still somewhat airy on the inside.  There was enough pate to make an impact while the amount of meat was adequate.  The pickled daikon and carrots could've been more flavourful, but they did provide a good crunch.  For all the things I've tried on my 3 visits, I can confidently say that Hanoi City has dethroned Stanley as the best Vietnamese restaurant in North Delta.  Now that may not mean a lot in that sense, but compared to the rest of the GVRD, it does a decent job.

The Good:
- Above average food
- Friendly service
- Decent variety on the menu

The Bad:
- Portions are modest to small

Sang Thai

Normally, I don't head out to PoCo for eats.  It is a curiousity that I would travel to Richmond instead when the distance is nearly the same.  Yes, imagine that.  But when it comes to meeting up with Rich Guy, it suddenly becomes convenient since he lives in the neighbourhood.  He was craving Indian food, so we decided on Namaste just on the Western edge of PoCo.  Pulling into the strip mall, I quickly realized that Namaste was no more.  Instead it was Indian Star (which I thought was located in New West).  Then Rich Guy called asking where the heck Namaste was located.  That was when I looked across the street and noticed "Dim Sum".  Yah really?  But the place is named Sang Thai!  And it serves Vietnamese food too???  Thai, Vietnamese and Dim Sum in one restaurant?  That appeared to be a veritable food orgy!  Perfect, we chose to eat there.

Formerly Pearl Castle, the place is indeed a Thai restaurant, in decor and menu items.  But then they decided to throw in some Vietnamese items as well as Cantonese Dim Sum.  The place is Chinese-run, so we weren't expecting authenticity at all.  But to be fair, we were going in with no prejudices.  The food would do all the talking.  To get a sense of the menu, we got one dish each of Thai and Vietnamese along with Dim Sum.  We started with the Pad Thai which had the appearance of Chinese stir fried noodles.  One taste and it was really sweet with only the slightest hint of tartness.  We resorted to adding hot sauce which somewhat brought the flavours into balance.  I liked the al dente noodles as well as the tender chunks of chicken (which were very moist in a Cantonese-type of way).  There was pickled turnip, tofu, sprouts, eggs and peanuts, so it wasn't completely a Chinese stir fry.  If we didn't look at it as a Pad Thai, it wasn't too bad.

Next up was the Lemongrass Chicken with Rice.  It was another stirfry that featured moist "bouncy" Cantonese-style chicken with veggies, garlic and only a hint of lemongrass.  Again, if we looked at it as a non-Vietnamese dish, it was fine for what it was.  The chicken was plentiful, the veggies were crisp and there was no absence of flavour.  It just wasn't Vietnamese.  Onto the Dim Sum items, we had the classic Haw Gow (Shrimp Dumplings) first.  Surprisingly, they were decent with large whole shrimp.  They had a nice snap and were deveined. However, the shrimp were rather bland and in need of seasoning, in particular, sesame oil and white pepper.  The rice flour dumpling skin was a tad thick, but it didn't kill the dish.  Unfortunately, the Sui Mai (Pork & Shrimp Dumplings) were not as successful.  The pork was chewy and stiff while being underseasoned as well.  There was no shiitake mushrooms to add that Earthy hit, which the dumpling desperately needed.  On the bright side, the shrimp was good though.

Onto the Black Bean Spareribs, we were happy to see there was actually black beans in the dish.  Therefore, the dish didn't lack flavour.  The spareribs themselves were the good pieces being attached to the bone.  The meat was on the chewier side, but there was a good bounce texture.  The button mushrooms underneath were a nice addition.  At my urging, we had the Honeycomb Tripe (which I ate all by myself).  It was a healthy (ironic I know) portion which looked promising.  However, it was a tad too chewy and could've used more cooking.  Flavourwise, it wasn't bad with a decent hit of garlic and sweetness.  Lastly, we had the Gai Lan and it was fine being crunchy and not overcooked.  Okay, the meal wasn't as scary as we thought.  Of course being a 3 cuisine restaurant, compromises needed to be made, such as authenticity.  For us, we didn't really care because our expectations were low anyways.  Not surprisingly, the strongest part of the meal was the Dim Sum (relatively-speaking).

The Good:
- A lot of choice I suppose
- Nice decor
- Service we got was good

The Bad:
- For those seeking authenticity, move along, nothing to see here...