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I would say that of all the neighbourhoods in the Vancouver proper, Kits is one of those places I never think of traveling to eat unless there was some planned in advance. It probably correlates with the fact I don't drive towards and away from UBC very often. However, Grace needed to head out there to get a dog carrier and I tagged along knowing there would be eats in the future. We stopped by one of the few spots that serve North Vietnamese eats in the Broadway location of the popular Mr. Red.
At Grace's suggestion, we had the Bánh Bột Lọc Lá Chuối or steamed pork & shrimp tapioca dumplings wrapped in banana leaves. These were on point with buttery soft tapioca and tender pork that had an appealing rebound texture. It was well-seasoned where the salty brininess of the shrimp came through. The accompanying fish sauce dip added another layer of saltiness as well. My choice of dish was the Xôi Xéo Hà Nội or sticky rice with mung bean and fried shallots. As simple of a dish this might be, I loved the soft glutinous rice topped with crumbled mung bean and aromatic crispy shallots. For me at least, adding some of the chili garlic vinegar made the dish sing.
Another appie of sorts was the Cánh Gà Chiên Mật Ong or spicy fried chicken wings with honey and butter. Despite the seemingly wet appearance, the wings were actually really crispy and not soggy at all. There was impactful flavours to be had including an initial hit of sweetness then tempered by a muted spiciness. Onto a larger item, we had the Bun Bò Lá Lốt or grilled beef wrapped in betel leaves served with vermicelli, cucumber, sprouts, cilantro and mint. This was our favourite dish of the meal since it was both impactful and texturally on point. I liked how the beef was juicy and tender with a rebound while naturally sweet and seasoned with fish sauce.
Our last item was the Phở Sốt Vang Hà Nội or Hanoi Beef Stew Noodle Soup. I found the taste to be subtle yet still meaty and flavourful at the same time. There was a rich beef quality to the broth while the anise, cloves and cinnamon were totally detectable. The slices of beef shank were tender while not becoming over soft from the braise. Slippery and chewy, the rice noodles were on point as well. So as you can clearly see, we enjoyed our meal where the food was on point and delicious. It's nice to see the Broadway location has kept the consistency of the original one on Hastings.
The Good:
- Well-prepared eats
- On point flavours
- Decent service
The Bad:
- We didn't order the Pho because the other dishes are better
Okay, we all have heard about Dine-Out Vancouver where restaurants offer special menus at different price points for 3 weeks at the end of January and into the first week of February. However, there is now a Chinese equivalent in the Chopstick Fest happening October 15-30th, 2016. To kick things off and create buzz, some participating restaurants have been hosting tastings featuring some of their best dishes. I was recently invited to Imperial City Bistro along with Jessica, Joyce, Curtis and Diana for one of those events.
We were started off with the Smoked Fish dressed in the usual sweet sticky glaze. I liked how it was sweet, but not overdone so that it didn't taste like candy. The meat itself was quite moist which meant there were minimal dry portions. Not that it can be exactly controlled, but there was a substantial amount of hard fish bones that I had to pick out. Next dish to arrive looked like a pile of Napa cabbage tossed in a spicy dressing. On closer inspection, there was jellyfish head mixed in. So it was by no surprise that it was called Shredded Cabbage with Jellyfish on the menu. However, there was far more cabbage than jellyfish though. Texturally, the crunch of the cabbage and the snap of the jellyfish was pleasing to eat. Although a bit heavy on the soy, the dressing had a good amount of chili and vinegar.
We were not even finished taking pictures of the 2 aforementioned dishes when the Sauteed Sliced Pork with garlic, pepper and cabbage hit the table. Again, this was heavy on the soy where the saltiness was only marginally balanced by the spiciness. I found the double-cooked pork belly to be fairly tender with some chewy portions. The crunch of the cabbage was appetizing though, especially when it was aggressively seasoned. While we were taking pictures of the pork, the Beef Tenderloin in Black Pepper Sauce arrived. Normally, when it says "beef tenderloin" on a Chinese menu, it means tenderized mystery beef. Not here though as the meat was soft and tender while retaining a natural texture. I found the black pepper sauce to be quite mild though as it wasn't very peppery.
I'm not sure who wrote their menu, but somehow the descriptions weren't very descriptive. Our next dish was the Salted Vegetable with Sliced Tofu. For us, that could've meant many different things. What it turned out to be was preserved snow cabbage with tofu skin ribbons, edamame and pea tips. I've had this dish many times before and this one was on point texturally. On the other hand, I would've liked to see more seasoning though. Yet another poorly described dish was the Pan Fried Shredded Cabbage. It is true that the dish was 50% shredded cabbage, but the other 50% was flat cellophane noodles. I liked this dish very much as the crunch and sweetness of the cabbage was nicely accented by the hot chili peppers as well as the chewy noodles.
Onto the most nicely plated dish, we had the first course of the Peking Duck served Beijing style (yes, it is not lost upon me that Beijing > Peking). Anyways, the considerable amount of meat attached to the skin meant that each wrap was more fulfilling. I thought the skin was fairly crispy while the layer of fat was minimal. The crepes were thin and appealingly chewy which made this dish a winner. The second course consisted of the Duck Lettuce Wrap that was subjected to caramelizing wok heat. However, the chunks of meat were pretty small which also meant it was dry. On the other hand, the veggies were crunchy and the seasoning was spot on. I know this maybe a minor point, but I liked how the lettuce cups were large enough to hold the ingredients while being properly dried.
Saving the best for last, we got the Sweet & Sour Deep Fried Whole Cod with pine nuts and canned fruit. Yes, they might not sound that great, but believe me, when prepared properly, it is a fine dish. This one was pretty good with a crispy exterior and a well-balanced sauce. I found the fish a touch dry, but nothing the sauce couldn't solve. For dessert, we were served Sticky Rice Roll stuffed with sweet red bean paste and dusted with granulated sugar. I thought the rice was nicely glutinous with enough moisture. The red bean paste wasn't overly sweet, but the copious (a bit too much) amount of sugar made up for it. Overall, I found the meal to be enjoyable and well-prepared. If you are in the area, Imperial City Bistro would be a decent choice for Chopstick Fest.
*All food excluding gratuities were complimentary*
The Good:
- Well-seasoned food
- Proteins were prepared properly
- Nice dining room
The Bad:
- A few dishes were on the saltier side
- On the pricier side
Posts
I would say that of all the neighbourhoods in the Vancouver proper, Kits is one of those places I never think of traveling to eat unless there was some planned in advance. It probably correlates with the fact I don't drive towards and away from UBC very often. However, Grace needed to head out there to get a dog carrier and I tagged along knowing there would be eats in the future. We stopped by one of the few spots that serve North Vietnamese eats in the Broadway location of the popular Mr. Red. 
At Grace's suggestion, we had the Bánh Bột Lọc Lá Chuối or steamed pork & shrimp tapioca dumplings wrapped in banana leaves. These were on point with buttery soft tapioca and tender pork that had an appealing rebound texture. It was well-seasoned where the salty brininess of the shrimp came through. The accompanying fish sauce dip added another layer of saltiness as well. My choice of dish was the Xôi Xéo Hà Nội or sticky rice with mung bean and fried shallots. As simple of a dish this might be, I loved the soft glutinous rice topped with crumbled mung bean and aromatic crispy shallots. For me at least, adding some of the chili garlic vinegar made the dish sing.
Another appie of sorts was the Cánh Gà Chiên Mật Ong or spicy fried chicken wings with honey and butter. Despite the seemingly wet appearance, the wings were actually really crispy and not soggy at all. There was impactful flavours to be had including an initial hit of sweetness then tempered by a muted spiciness. Onto a larger item, we had the Bun Bò Lá Lốt or grilled beef wrapped in betel leaves served with vermicelli, cucumber, sprouts, cilantro and mint. This was our favourite dish of the meal since it was both impactful and texturally on point. I liked how the beef was juicy and tender with a rebound while naturally sweet and seasoned with fish sauce.
Our last item was the Phở Sốt Vang Hà Nội or Hanoi Beef Stew Noodle Soup. I found the taste to be subtle yet still meaty and flavourful at the same time. There was a rich beef quality to the broth while the anise, cloves and cinnamon were totally detectable. The slices of beef shank were tender while not becoming over soft from the braise. Slippery and chewy, the rice noodles were on point as well. So as you can clearly see, we enjoyed our meal where the food was on point and delicious. It's nice to see the Broadway location has kept the consistency of the original one on Hastings.
