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Sometimes, the best dining ideas come from reader suggestions. Frequent commenter LotusRapper gave me the heads up about China World Supermarket in Richmond, where he found inexpensive Chinese BBQ. At first, I wasn't sure if he was being serious or trying to con me into heading into Richmond to experience traffic purgatory and equally mind-numbing crowds in a supermarket complete with chaotic long lineups. Well, all of that was true when I headed into the city of courtesy cars, but I will travel for food (even if it means stress).
I was lucky to secure a spot in the parking lot and headed into the market. Let's just say the market itself was nothing to look at and neither was the BBQ stand. However, the guy was friendly enough and I proceeded to get a whole BBQ Duck (only half shown in the picture) for $11.99. Although it looked like the duck had an uneven tan, the skin itself was nicely rendered. The meat was quite juicy and not overly salty. The Roast Pork was on the lower end of the Chinese BBQ continuum as it was a touch dry and chewy. The crackling was crunchy, but not in an airy way, more like a harder texture.
I also got a BBQ Pork on Rice and it was a decent portion for $3.60. The piece of pork was a leaner piece, hence it wasn't overly juicy. It was still moist enough though with a decent bark where the marinade penetrated through the meat. It was more savoury than sweet and could've used more glaze. Overall, the BBQ items were passable and very well-priced. Not sure if I'd drive back to get it, but if I need a quick cheap lunch, it would be okay.
The Good:
- Cheap
- Decent portions for the price (rice box)
- Person at the counter was nice
The Bad:
- Average
- Could they make something like a lineup in Richmond anymore chaotic? Yes, I guess they can...
They say that when one of our senses is compromised, the remaining ones are heightened to make up for it. Well, that theory was about to be put to the test as Viv and I decided to finally see what all the fuss is about Dark Table. You see, the whole premise is to eat in complete darkness, where one needs to be pretty careful with their drinks and where they stick their fork. After being greeted by the host, we ordered first before going in. We were led to our table by our server (who is either blind or visually impaired), who would take care of us for the meal. I decided to forgo taking any photos (even in the kitchen), so that I could get the full experience.
After hilariously trying to butter my complimentary bread, our starter arrived. From what we could gather (it was a surprise dish), it was a Salad comprised of endive, arugula, watermelon, frisee, walnuts and feta. The vinaigrette was very light and due to the ingredients, the salad had this bitter, peppery and herbal quality to it. I would've liked to see more walnuts and feta as it seemed a bit sparse as a starter. For my main, I had the Beef Tenderloin with peppercorn sauce, potatoes and green beans. I asked for it to be medium-rare and since I didn't get a chance to actually see it, I could only judge it by texture. In that respect, it was far too tough for a tenderloin. In fact, some parts were sinewy. The peppercorn sauce was nice though being creamy with only a bit of pepperiness. The steak was already cut up a bit, but it was comical as I tried to cut it down some more in the dark.
For Viv, she had the Peppered Garlic Prawns with citrus risotto and seasonal vegetables. There were only 4 prawns in the dish, but they were prepared nicely exhibiting a buttery snap. They were more garlicky than peppery, yet well-seasoned nonetheless. Unfortunately, the risotto was not very good as it was underdone and mealy. Rather than the typical creaminess, we had sticky and gooey. We did get the citrus hit as well as plenty of veggies. For our dessert, it was also a surprise and we surmised it was a Chocolate Banana Cake with a cream which we thought was spiked with booze. I thought it was Kahlua, but it could've been something else. The cake itself was a bit firm, but not dry while the cream was quite sweet. As you can ascertain, the food was not the main draw here. Rather, the novelty behind the experience can be considered something worth trying.
The Good:
- Something different and novel
- Not overly expensive
- Wonderful server
The Bad:
- Food is below average
- Not sure if this is necessarily a "return visit" place
Generally, Chinese restaurants that serve both Dim Sum and dinner employ specific chefs for each service. There are times when one person does both, yet that is usually reserved for smaller restaurants and/or a very talented chef. Hence, it is a good idea try both Dim Sum and dinner service at a Chinese restaurant to get the full picture. We were having the same thought as we were doing Dim Sum at Lee Garden Seafood Restaurant. Therefore we made a reservation to come back within the week for dinner.
We decided on their set menu ($128.00) and added a Peking Duck for good measure. The first dish to hit the table was the Fish Maw with Crab Meat Soup. It was mild with only a hint of sweetness. The starch-thickened broth was silky and filled with ingredients. The lumps of crab were okay with a fluffy texture, yet the diced fish maw itself was crunchy. It was either lower quality or needed to be soaked longer. Next, we had the first course of the Peking Duck. Sporting a beautiful roasted colour (thanks to a quick deep-fry), the skin was crispy where some of the duck fat was rendered. They left a significant amount of meat on each piece of skin which made each wrap substantial. The crepes were thin and slightly chewy. We weren't big fans of the watered-down hoisin sauce though.
Moving along, we had the Lobster with consomme sauce. For a set menu, the lobster was a fair size at approximately 2lbs. With a buttery bounce texture, it was fried just right. As much as the sauce was flavourful without being overly salty, it was too goopy. At least there wasn't too much of it though. The second Peking duck course, being the Duck Lettuce Wrap arrived next. The fresh crunchy lettuce was trimmed and cut properly where it was uniform in shape without any tears. As for the filling, it was full of moist duck meat. The veggies retained their crunch from the stir-fry that exhibited adequate wok heat. The addition of Chinese sausage added the necessary saltiness.
Much like many Chinese restaurants, the food was arriving faster than we could eat it. With a large mound of Basa atop celery, the Stir-Fried Fish with Broccoli was impressively portioned. As evidenced in the picture, the broccoli was vibrant and crunchy as well as the celery (but it was rather greasy). The fish was moist and soft being well-seasoned with ginger and garlic. A somewhat different dish was the Pork Chop Hot Pot with ginger and green onion. Even before we dug in, the aroma from the onions and garlic was intoxicating. Although the dish was deep fried then wok-tossed, it wasn't extremely greasy. Due to the aforementioned aroma, the flavours were solid as well, but they did overdo it with the salt though.
Finally, we had the Marinated Free-Range Chicken. If you look closely, the side of grated ginger was not mixed with anything else (like green onions) - a rarity these days. Too bad it was really salty. As for the chicken itself, the skin was gelatinous while the meat was fairly moist for free-range chicken. For dessert, we were served both Mango Pudding and Sweet Mung Bean Soup. The pudding wasn't too sweet but it wasn't particularly full of mango flavour. As for the soup, it was not overly sweet, but I'm personally not into sweet soup for dessert. As with our previous Dim Sum visit, the dinner at Lee Garden proved to be above-average. Again, it is nice to see a good higher-class Chinese restaurant in an area usually devoid such establishments.
The Good:
- Decent eats
- Nicely appointed interior
- Fairly good service
The Bad:
- On the pricier side
- Food comes out too fast
For the longest time, I wondered to myself why Grand Buffet was still in business... Gosh, at one point they had 2 locations! Brings back memories though... I remember one meal when the birthday girl was surprised by her boyfriend with a Dairy Queen Christmas Log. Apparently it was 50% off since it was after the 25th. Nothing says "I love you" like a log... Suffice to say, they are not together anymore. I truly digress... So the former Kingsway location is now occupied by Lee Garden Seafood Restaurant. Turns out my mom was ahead of the game and already knew about it before I could even ask if she wanted to try their Dim Sum service. So off we went...
We liked how they had renovated the place that featured spacious seating arrangements. Tastefully appointed with floor-to-ceiling windows, there was no shortage of natural light. Onto the food, we began with 3 orders of rice noodle rolls including the Donut Rice Noodle Roll, Shrimp Rice Noodle Roll and Mushroom Noodle Roll (not pictured). We found the rice noodle to be thin, soft and at the same time retaining some elasticity. The salty donut was crispy and easy on the grease while the shrimp was meaty rather than having a buttery snap. A smattering of flowering chives were a nice addition as it added a nice essence. Consisting of shiitake, button and enoki, the mushroom rice noodle roll was Earthy and flavourful on its own.
To make us feel better about the meal, we got an order of Stir-Fried Pea Shoots as the obligatory green thing at our table. I guess this was somewhat all-for-naught because it on the greasier side. On the other hand, it was cooked properly retaining a crunch where it was seasoned just enough that we could still taste the vegetable. Naturally, we moved from veggies to something fried in the Shrimp Spring Rolls. Piping hot and crunchy, these were obviously fried in the proper temperature as there wasn't much grease. The shrimp filling was garlicky and shrimp-tasting, but lacked snap. Much like the rice noodle roll, it was meaty in texture.
Onto something a bit different, we tried the Bean Curd Sheet Rolls in soup. Normally, these are filled with pork and served in a thickened diluted oyster-based sauce. Instead, the filling was fish mousse and as evidenced in the picture, it was sitting in broth. The light fish filling had a rebound texture while being sweet and lightly salted. With a good amount of greens in the mix, it broke up the monotony of the mousse. Next up, we had the Phoenix Talons (aka Chicken Feet). With 6 pieces, this was a substantial portion. However, they were somewhat overdone as the cartilage underneath was very soft. Flavours were good though with plenty of garlic and a touch of spice.
Of course we had to get to the most important dishes eventually in the Haw Gow and Sui Mai. With the shrimp dumplings, we found the skin to be just right being chewy while not doughy. The filling featured whole shrimp which were consistent with the rest of the dishes being meaty with only the slightest of snap. It was well-seasoned with a pleasing hint of sesame oil. They weren't too careful with the sui mai as one of them was completely missing tobiko on the top. As a whole, they were chewy with a touch of rebound. In terms of taste, the natural pork flavour was dominant with a touch of sweetness. Yet it was missing something, like maybe more shiitake, salt or shrimp (or maybe all of them?).
And filling in the offal quota, we had the Tripe and Tendon. The tripe was soft with some chewiness, yet pretty gamy. They should've done a better job rinsing them. As for the tendon, they were on the stiffer side which meant more cooking was needed. The dish was well-seasoned though with plenty of garlic and ginger. Now the Steamed Pork Spareribs didn't have any textural issues as they were on point. They were chewy with a moist bounce. The seasoning was also quite impactful with garlic and the peppers really coming through. Furthermore, the rib pieces were really good where it was minimal on the fat and cartilage.
In an unusual twist, we ordered 3 desserts, partly because my daughter ate an entire Mango Pudding by herself (in addition to the other desserts). It was pretty typical though where it was a gelatin rather than pudding. It did have some mango essence though and wasn't overly sweet. Next, we had the Steamed Custard Buns which were fluffy and light. Even the custard filling wasn't crazy sweet, which made it bearable to eat. Finally and arriving last (yay!), the Egg Tarts were flaky but a touch too soft. The custard was silky and light
being easy on the sugar. Overall, for a new restaurant, Lee Garden held its own in terms of Dim Sum service. Devoid of glaring errors and featuring fairly decent service, we may have a good higher-class Chinese restaurant in the Edmonds area.
The Good:
- Pleasing decor with spacious seating
- Decent eats
- Decent service
The Bad:
- Shrimp could be prepared better
- Prices are on the higher side
When I used to live in Yaletown, I would frequent some of the local restaurants (oh how I miss that now I'm in the 'burbs). One time (no, not at bandcamp...), I met up with Choobee at Urban Thai. To be honest, my memory of the place is pretty indifferent. Also, I was too busy listening to Choobee's endless yammering to create a lasting memory. She can make Joan Rivers look reserved... I digress. Also, I did do a Thai cooking lesson there a few years ago, but that didn't count as a visit per se. Therefore, when I was invited to a tasting of their new menu from their new chef, I thought why not? So with Miss Y as my trusty eating companion, we headed off to see what interesting things awaited us.
We were started off with a plate consisting of Cho Maung (Steamed homemade flower shaped dumpling stuffed with minced chicken, ground peanuts and Thai spices) and Jalapeno Shrimp (Fresh jumbo jalapeno stuffed with shrimp paste served with house sauce). The flower exhibited a soft and glutinous texture while the filling was sweet and nutty. I didn't mind it, but the filling to "flower" ratio could've been better. The texture of the shrimp mousse was pleasing with a buttery rebound. Combined with the jalapeno and sweet sauce, there was no absence of flavour (and a nice lingering spice). However, we felt it was a bit too sweet.
On the next dish, it featured Avocado Roll (avocado, mango, lettuce, onions and fresh basil with homemade mango sauce), Beef Cucumber Roll (BBQ beef rolled with cucumber and tomato with spicy sauce) and Spicy Soft Shell Crab (marinated and breaded with beer and served with spicy apple shallot sauce). We found the avocado roll to be refreshing with a big hit of basil which was accented by the just-sweet-enough sauce. The beef roll was somewhat chewy with a nice crunch from the cucumber. We liked the spicy sweet sauce at the bottom of the shooter glass. As for the crab, it was crispy and light while being easy on the grease. The spicy dip was salty, sweet and not lacking in acidity.
Next up, we had our favourite dish being the Duck Noodle Soup consisting of sliced BBQ duck with rice noodle, bean sprouts and gai lan. With an appealing roasted flavour, the mostly moist duck exhibited plenty of natural flavours. The star of the show was the impactful broth that was sweet and kissed by a touch of soy. There was depth to match the rich meatiness of the duck. Moving onto the Pork Hock with Rice, things got even more sinful as the tender meat was accented by a fatty gelatinous rind. The flavours were mild with a hint of 5-spice, however, things were amped up by the accompanying spicy sauce. Although it is a small detail, we liked how the egg was not overcooked.
Continuing with more food, we had the Mussel Omelet with homemade chili sauce. This was really crunchy and resembled a fritter/pancake rather than an omelet. It could've used a bit more moisture as it was dry inside despite the mussels. On the other hand, my next piece was not as dry. We found the sauce to be more akin to sweet chili rather than straight-up spicy chili. Our last savoury dish was the BBQ Jumbo Prawn topped with tamarind sauce. This was more like a langostino than a prawn in terms of texture and taste. The meat was sweet with minimal spice. There was just enough tamarind for that signature tang without being overwhelming.
For dessert, we were served Deep Fried Ice Cream which featured a crispy shell encasing hard mango ice cream. With all the interesting food we sampled, this was a bit ordinary. Not that it wasn't any good though as the execution was there as the ice cream stayed hard while the thin batter on the outside was crunchy. Overall, we were surprised at how enjoyable our meal turned out to be. Definitely something different than what you would find with the existing menu items.
*All food and beverages excluding tips were comped*
The Good:
- Different and interesting new dishes
- Not lacking in flavour
- Reasonable pricing for Yaletown
The Bad:
- Not sure about the present, but in the past, the regular menu items were average
Sometimes, a restaurant's location can make an experience more positive than the food might suggest. That is usually the case where there is a view and/or if the place is located near the water. This is true for fish n' chip joints such as Pajo's and Go Fish (although Go Fish is decent). However, location is one thing, the food has to speak for itself as well. Yah, I'm a sucker for razzle dazzle sometimes because there is something called the complete experience. So I had to keep that in mind when we headed out to White Rock for a visit to Moby Dick.
I started with a bowl of Creamy White Boston Whalers Clam Chowder which was thick and rich. I wouldn't say it was creamy though, rather it was more floury. That didn't take away from the overall enjoyment as it was chock full of tender clams with only a minimal amount of potatoes. With a kiss from the sea, the broth was sweet and unmistakably clam tasting. I felt there was a balance of flavours which made it a bowl-licking experience. For my main, I had the 1st Mates Seafood Plate consisting of 2 breaded shrimp, 2 breaded oysters, 2 battered scallops, one filet fish, garden salad and Yukon gold fries. I won't comment on the fish as I'll leave it to the actual dish later. As for the shrimp, they were crunchy with a meaty snap while the oysters were a bit wet, subsequently moistening the batter. I wasn't a huge fan of the scallops as they were wet too and a bit rubbery. The fries were slightly disappointing as they were not crispy despite its dark shade of brown.
Onto the actual Fish & Chips, Yodeling Girl decided on the 2 piece, which actually was a 3 piece because they like to add a piece with every order. I guess it is like Chinese BBQs where one asks for one pound and ends up with a pound and a half... except you pay more. As you can probably guess, the fries were still soggy while the fish itself was rather moist and flaky. However, the bottom side was not crisp anymore due to the excess moisture. Furthermore, the fish seemed to be rather bland. Well, cue the tartar sauce to save the day as it was fantastic being tart and creamy. Devo added a side of Poutine to his order of fish and it looked legit. However, the cheese curds were not squeaky. The gravy was decent though with a nice consistency and easy on the saltiness. Too bad the fries got even soggier as a result.
Klutz inexplicably had the Deluxe Burger instead of any seafood dish. I think he was doing his best impression of Miss Y... Surprisingly, the burger was okay as the frozen patty was not overly dry and had a good sear. Nothing too exciting with the rest of it, but it was more than acceptable given the venue. And about that venue... Well, as I mentioned before, the location rocks, but in this case, the food is only average.
The Good:
- Nice location
- Big portions
The Bad:
- Food is average
- Long lineups
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