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Ever since Old Buddies closed their location on Alexandra Road in Richmond, it meant that their famous wontons could only be found at their original sister restaurant, Ho Yuen Kee. So what's the problem you may ask? Well, the Fraser Street location is indeed more convenient for me and I don't have to fight with luxury SUVs either, but the whole reason I avoided the place was their equally famous service (or lack of). Alas, I returned to the place recently with Nora, Lesley and Joyce and had some of their greatest hits. A month later, I was back at it with my co-rec hockey team to celebrate the end of the season. This post focuses mainly on the most recent dinner, but I included one dish from my first meal as well.
What else would we start with other than their legendary Wontons? We got the large order and I swear, there were like 40+ of them (the picture shows the remainder after the first round). They used to be a whole lot bigger (like 2 times the size), but I think they made that up with quantity. No matter, they were still very good and did not disappoint. Comprised mostly of shrimp and a bit of mousse, there was a firm rebound that had a great mouth feel. In addition to the natural brininess, there was plenty of sesame oil and a touch of white pepper. The broth itself was fragrant and flavourful, if not a touch salty. The meal prior to this, we actually did something different and had the Fried Wontons. With the same great filling, these were juicy and texturally-pleasing. There was a firm crunch to the wrapper which was a great contrast. It was served with a side of sweet and sour sauce.
Okay, remember that one dish from the first meal? It was no other than their signature Lobster with Sticky Rice. There are many other versions out there, but they were one of the first places to do it in Vancity. This was solid as usual with chewy rice supplemented by sweet pops from the corn niblets. Of course the rice was the beneficiary of the lobster juices and sauce. The lobster itself was prepared just right being bouncy and sweet. One of the more surprising dishes we ordered was the Shredded Chicken Salad with wonton crisps, julienned veggies, pickles and jellyfish. I normally associate this dish with nearby Koon Bo, but this was a more-than-respectable version. This was actually 2 orders (as you can't order only one) combined into one plate. The textures were all there including the tender chicken, bouncy jellyfish and crisp veggies. However, the amount of cilantro was a bit excessive as it dominated the flavour profile of the dish.
Since we were on their greatest hits, it was only natural that we got the 2 courses of Peking Duck as well (in fact, we did it for both meals). The first course featured crispy skin where the fat was well-rendered. With that being said, the layer of fat was not very significant to begin with, hence they had used the right type of duck for this application. Since the fat was negligible, the layer of meat underneath was impactful and added more substance to the wrap. About that wrapper, the crepe was medium-thick, yet not doughy. It didn't dry out even when the last one sat out for most of the meal. The second course was the Duck Lettuce Wrap which was well-portioned. In fact, the chunks of duck were abnormally large. Not sure if they were just lazy or they meant to make it that big. Whatever the case, it made for a robust filling for the wrap. It was subjected to enough wok heat where there was caramelization while the veggies stayed crisp and most importantly of all, there was minimal moisture.
Onto 2 staples of Cantonese meals where there are children in attendance. Yep, we had the veritable Sweet & Sour Pork as well as the Peking Pork Chops. Although the plate of sweet & sour pork was paler than Taylor Swift at the beach, it ate a whole look better looked. Sure, some red food colouring would've made it more aesthetically-pleasing, but do you really want to eat all that dye? With that being said, it could've used a bit more vinegar since it was mostly sweet. As for the texture, it was aggressively fried, so some pieces were still slightly crispy while others had soaked up plenty of sauce. For some reason, they decided to add enough food colouring to make the Peking pork chops a deep shade of red. We liked how the pieces of pork were bite-size rather than the whole chop. The pork was tender while retaining a meatiness where the sauce was both sweet and tangy.
As requested, I added some veggies to the mix including the classic Gai Lan with Beef. Underneath the plethora of beef, the large stalks of gai lan were cooked just enough that they retained a fresh crunch. There was no chewiness since the gai lan were not old or dried out. As for the slices of beef, they were tender without being over-tenderized. The dish itself was not overly oily comparatively while the moisture on the bottom of the plate was minimal. In terms of seasoning, I found the dish to be flavourful without being over-the-top salty. Continuing on with the veggies, we had the 3 Types of Seafood with Broccoli. Once again, the veg was wok fried properly where it was fully cooked, yet still crisp. Seasoning was similar to the previous dish where it was impactful without being salty. All the seafood including the shrimp, squid and scallops were texturally on point.
As if this wasn't enough things in a shade of green, we also added the Stir-Fried Pea Shoots with garlic. Although the portion size was modest, much like the other dishes, the execution was consistent. It was just as good as the dish I had only a few weeks prior. There was enough wok heat to caramelize the flavours and activate the aromatics from the garlic. Hence, there was very little moisture left on the plate. Each tender pea shoot was still lightly crunchy. To balance all these veggies, we really had to get some protein and that we did in the form of a whole Crispy Chicken. Clad in a beautiful golden hue, the crispy skin was well-rendered. Underneath, the meat was tender, including the breast. There was a light brine that added some saltiness to the meat as well as keeping it moist.
For the kiddies and also acting as our carbs (since we didn't order any rice), we got a duo of stir fried noodles. The Stir-Fried Flat Rice Noodles with Beef was a fairly solid dish. It was only moderate greasy (as this dish can often be oily since the noodles can stick to the wok otherwise) and was well-seasoned. The noodles were not clumpy and still nicely chewy. There was a good amount of tender beef, but equally, there was too many sprouts. Our 2nd noodle was the Stir-Fried Yee Mein, which is typically found at the end of Chinese banquets. This was another good version where the noodles were chewy and subjected to enough wok heat. There was no moisture at the bottom of the plate which was another indication of proper wok temp. One thing I would've liked to see was a bit more colour (dark soy) and a touch more saltiness.
For some strange reason, the last dish to arrive was the Fish & Tofu Hot Pot. Despite the usual lettuce underneath to "prop" up the fish, there was actually quite a bit of fish as you can see (the lettuce is also there to prevent sticking and burning at the bottom). The fish was buttery and flaky while the fried tofu was silky. There was a good amount of salty garlickiness in the starch-thickened sauce for impact. As you can imagine, the 2 meals I had at recently at Ho Yuen Kee were solid and consistent. The portion sizes were adequate, but probably a bit smaller than other equivalent restaurants and the pricing is a tad more as well. On the other hand, solid execution and consistency makes up for it.
The Good:
- Solid eats
- Signature items are really good
- Consistent
The Bad:
- Service is so-so
- A tad pricey for this class of restaurant
- Portion sizes are small, but not very large either
Okay, this post on Oka-San has been nearly a year in the making. We've actually dined here on 4 separate occasions. Finally I decided to get down to writing the post! The whole reason we've done so many return visits is due to the kiddies absolutely loving Spam Musubis. Actually, I remember picking up one every morning while Viv and I were in Hawaii back in 2004. A few Summers ago, the kiddies got their first taste of it in Hawaii and they've craved it ever since. In addition to musubi, they serve other Hawaiian favourites with a Vancouver twist of course (like many other different cuisines).
Unlike our first visit, we decided to try their creamy srirracha Poke Bowl over the original. For me, I think both are good, but if you wanted a kick, then the spicy one is the way to go. Instead of the aromatic sesame oil, it was replaced by a mildly spicy creamy dressing that was just enough to coat each piece of buttery fish. The rice was chewy and slightly dusted with togarashi. Added into the mix was wakame, crispy seaweed, lettuce, avocado, crab meat, cucumber, tobiko, mac potato salad, red onion, radish and pickled ginger. As such, this was one hearty bowl with varied textures and flavours. Everything seemed to work well with each other but I thought there was a bit too much red onion as it was pretty pungent. To be honest, there was too much stuff to make this a legit poke bowl (should be fish and onion only), but it works in Vancity.
We got other Hawaiian dish in the Loco Moco featuring a hand-made beef patty atop rice and smothered in a mushroom and onion gravy. It was served with potato wedges and potato mac salad. The large beef patty was meaty and lean with bits of sweet onion strewn throughout. I thought it was nicely seared with caramelized flavours while the gravy on top was flavourful and rich. Once again, there was far too many onions in my opinion as it tended to throw the flavours out-of-balance. Maybe I'm being too picky, but I would've liked a classic mac salad on the side rather than it being mixed with potato. Also on the table was Chicken Teriyaki with Ebi Mayo and Tuna Tataki. Chicken was tender with only a touch of sweet sauce. It definitely could've used more.
My son went to his go-to dish - Spam Musubi. Yep, the last time we were in Hawaii, he ate these like there was no tomorrow. As simple as these can be (essentially sushi rice topped with seared Spam and held together by nori), this has to be one of the better versions in town. In fact, there aren't many places that serve this period. The rice was chewy with the right amount of moisture while the Spam was caramelized with a sweet tangy glaze. They added a piece of fluffy tomago on top for good measure. These were a lot more filling that one would expect.
Of course this wasn't the only thing he ate, so he went ahead and had his other favourite being the Unagi Don with a side of Tuna Tataki and Wakame Salad. Again, the rice was on point with a chewy and not too wet texture where the buttery unagi helped flavour most of it. We could've used one more piece though. The tuna tataki was buttery and soft while seared just ever-so-slightly on the outside. Loved the sweet, salty and tangy dressing that also had sesame oil. My daughter wasn't in the mood for most things on the menu except the Masago Spaghetti. Portion size was modest, but the execution was good with al dente pasta enveloped by a fairly creamy sauce that had a bright brininess from the masago. Not sure of the onions though as it was a bit strong for the sauce.
Lastly, we tried their Butter Mochi Cake which was semi-sweet and aromatic. Loved the crispy exterior textures giving way to the soft and slightly chewy interior. So from all these visits, we can definitively say that the food at Oka-San is generally good. Sure, some creative license has been used on the dishes here, but nothing is offensive. Prices are on the higher side, but the quality makes up for up. However, one of the biggest issues is the time it takes for the food to arrive. Yes, in "Mother's" restaurant, it should take more time as she puts her love into making the food. On the other hand, don't expect to get out of there with a quick meal.
The Good:
- Unique food as not many places serve Hawaiian cuisine in Vancity
- Food is generally carefully made
- Super-friendly people
The Bad:
- Pricey
- Food takes a long time to come out
Similar to my visit to The Botanist, this dinner at St. Lawrence has been a long time coming. To be blunt, one reason it took so long was the rumour circulating that they do not appreciate picture-taking in the restaurant (flash or no flash). However, much like The Botanist, the reviews were solid and people were raving about the French Canadian cuisine. Fine, I'll bite. So I agreed to meetup with Maggi, Kristina and David for a meal among friends and early enough that there would be some natural light for some pictures (smartphone and camera). Turned out that they didn't say anything about the pictures, so the delay trying the place was stupidity on my part.
There was no doubt as to which dish we had to get no matter what - Oreilles de Crisse or fried pork rinds with maple syrup & spice. Whimsically plated in a maple syrup can, these crunchy little bites overflowed onto the plate. Whatever they seasoned these with, it should come with a warning that addiction is likely. Just enough of a hint, the maple syrup was lightly sweet while balanced off by the savory spice. I could literally eat a few plates of these myself. The next dish was something quite rare in Vancouver. As Kristina remarked, the Quenelle de Poisson resembled the French Canadian version of a Chinese fish ball or mousse. She wasn't far off, but the quenelle was a lot more delicate and airy than the Chinese version. It was sweet and fishy (in a good way) being complimented by the lobster cream sauce that was aromatic while easy on the salt. The side of shrimp were buttery and perfectly prepared.
Our next 2 small dishes were comprised of Steak Tartare with chèvre noire & potato chips and Chicken & Duck Terrine. If you know my tastes by now, I really like food that exhibits a certain level of acidity and tanginess. Therefore, my personal bias ensured that I would like this tartare. For others, it was a bit overwhelming in addition to the strong truffle essence. The chunks of
chèvre noire were pretty impactful which also took away from the tender beef. Again, I still enjoyed the tartare and the chips were the perfect vessel. As for the terrine, it was a nice portion that featured large chunks of tender meat, fat, pistachios and spices. All together, there was enough inherent meat flavours to make an impact. Of course, the mustard was a welcomed condiment too as it brightened things up.
Onto our larger plates, we started with the feature of the day which was Crispy Veal Sweetbreads with red wine & truffle sauce, onion ring, chanterelles and corn. This had to be some of the largest pieces of sweet breads I've ever eaten. As such, beyond the crispy exterior, the centre was soft, tender and moist (partly due to execution and partly due to thickness). With the woodiness of the mushrooms combined with the sweetness of the corn as well as the beautiful red wine sauce, there was enough umaminess for impact rather than relying on salt. Although the Côte de Porc with fromage Oka & sauce charcutière didn't seem like a sexy dish, it turned out to be delicious. Let's start with the pork chop itself, it was fully cooked while still moist and succulent. It sported a caramelized sear and sat atop pomme puree with Oka cheese which was decadent being smooth, creamy and nutty. The butcher's sauce was no slouch either being meaty and deeply flavourful (not salty though).
Staying with heavy and rich food (you get the theme here right?), we had the Steak St. Lawrence consisting of a medium-rare grilled hanger steak, bone marrow, sauce aux poivres & frites. Due to the cut of meat, its inherent natural meat flavour was definitely at the forefront. As evidenced in the picture, it was perfectly prepared. I enjoyed soaking up every drop of the silky demi that was full-of-depth and completely cooked down. Of course we couldn't dine at a French Canadian establishment without ordering the Tourtière de Ville au Cerf (Venison Meat Pie). Oh wow, this was very good featuring flaky pastry that held up to the ingredients. Inside, the meat filling was super tender, appealingly dense and flavourful. There was a pretty noticeable finish of cloves and nutmeg after the initial hits of meatiness and sweet onion. Not to be outdone, the jus was pretty rich and gelationous. Loved the sweet syrupy house ketchup on the side.
Onto the sweets, we got serious with the Riz au Lait Façon L’ami Jean (Rice Pudding with salted caramel). This was for the table and sported candied walnuts and their version of cinnamon toast crunch on the top. Usually rice pudding can be pretty plain, but this was nothing like that. Beyond the creaminess of the base, the caramel added depth of sweetness. This was all aided by the sweet crunch from the toppings. As a person who can't stand really sweet anything, the Tarte au Sucre
(Sugar Pie & vanilla cream) was not really something I preferred. However, it was actually quite good. Now I wouldn't be able to finish the whole thing, but the 2 bites I had were rich, deeply sweet and densely creamy. I guess this was the perfect way to end the meal as it represents St. Lawrence very well. The food is heavy, rich and in some ways, in your face. But they make no apologies as they offer up delicious traditional French Canadian cuisine.
The Good:
- They don't hold back and produce truly delicious French Canadian cuisine
- Attentive wait staff
- Developed flavours that aren't reliant on salt
The Bad:
- Really heavy (that is what the food is like)
- On the higher end of the pricing spectrum (I thought it was worth it)
What do you get when you combine 4 of the most talented chefs in Vancouver with some shipping containers? No, this is not a trick question nor does it imply anything illegal. Rather, Popina has "popped up" in the former parking lot adjacent to the Granville Island Market serving up quality eats crafted by the chefs Hamid Salimian, Angus An, Joel Watanabe and Robert Belcham. The shipping containers refer to the actual structure which it is built from. After a few weeks of their soft launch, I decided to drop by to try a few of their wares.
We ended up sharing the Chicken Fried Humboldt Squid to start. Mixed with onion and jalapenos, there was only a modest amount of squid. The batter was perfect though being crunchy, well-seasoned and not oily. I found the pieces to be cut up a bit too small for my liking though. Okay, the East Coast Lobster Roll has been a rather polarizing item on the menu considering its $26.00 price tag. Some would like to argue that it is overpriced. For me, I would say maybe it should be a few dollars less, but it is still worth the money due to large amount of buttery lobster. There was barely any filler other than a few bits of celery and the lobster pieces were of quality. Buttery and soft, the roll was texturally on point and held everything together. I've had lobster rolls in Boston, Maine, Nova Scotia and PEI and they aren't as cheap as one would think. The only one that blew me away was the one at Neptune Oyster Co. and that is currently $31.00USD (it is bigger though). Luke's Lobster charges $17.00USD and it is half the size of the one at Popina. So my point is, don't be surprised at the pricing because it is that way everywhere or more.
To counteract the fried food, we got the Salade Niçoise with tomatoes, mixed lettuce, potato, green beans, olives, egg, pickled onion and olive oil poached tuna with a Japanese curry dressing. Beyond the traditional ingredients found in this salad, the dressing changed everything. I thought it went really well with mild hits of curry, tanginess and sweetness. Back to the ingredients, the tuna was perfectly rare with only the slightest of cook on the outside. It was buttery soft and sweet. Egg was not overdone while the green beans were still crunchy. On that note, the same olive oil poached tuna was employed on the Tuna Toast sporting other ingredients including pickled onions, olives, capers, dill, tarragon, parsley and yogurt. There was a lot going on here compared to the description on the menu. We would've preferred a little less herbs, but there was no denying that they went with the concoction. The toast was crunchy and did not wilt under the wet ingredients while the tuna was buttery soft . Despite the plethora of ingredients, the flavours were still subtle.
My son didn't deviate from his eating habits and went for the Grassfed BC Cheeseburger with lettuce and tomato. On the surface, it didn't really look like much and didn't photograph sexy. However, it ate well with a thick, well-charred patty. It was naturally-flavoured and still moist despite being cooked all-the-way-through. There was plenty of wet ingredients to keep things messy (the patty kept sliding out). The bun somewhere between soft and chewy, so it held everything together without falling apart. That was good, but the Crispy Free-Run Chicken Sandwich was better. This thing was texturally on point. The chicken was aggressively battered, but wasn't heavy nor dense. In fact, the crispy, well-rendered skin was light and almost airy. Juicy and moist, the chicken meat was also seasoned properly. It wasn't actually spicy per se (nothing is as spicy as DL Chicken), but it was flavourful. Again, the nicely toasted bun held everything together without being dry.
Of course we had to get a side of their Crinkle Cut Fries to go with the burger and sandwich as well. Despite the visuals, the fries weren't spicy. Rather it was a mild-tasting seasoning salt that wasn't actually very salty. The fries themselves were hot and crunchy while not greasy. Nothing particularly exciting about these fries, but they were prepared properly at least. For dessert, we tried their Puff Cream which was soft-serve within choux pastry (replaced the cream or custard with soft-serve in a cream puff). Some have said that the choux is too dry, but for me it was fine and in fact, considering the amount of melting ice cream, it softened up quick. The soft-serve was creamy, yet melted quickly as mentioned. We got caramel sauce on top and it wasn't too sweet. Overall, I thought the lobster roll and chicken sandwich were the highlights while the rest held their own. Prices are definitely not cheap, but the ingredients were high quality and prepared properly. Remains to be seen how budget-conscious customers will take to the concept.
The Good:
- Quality food
- Menu has a little bit of everything for everyone
- Fresh ingredients
The Bad:
- Pricing is on the higher end
- They might want to offer a smaller seafood platter as the lowest priced one is $120.00
Over the years, I've been fortunate to visit Miami on 3 separate occasions. Loved the beaches, the nightlife and of course the food. There is a definite Cuban flair to their food scene and of course I haven't shied away from it! So when it came time to find a Cubano back in Vancity, the closest I've come to the real thing is watching Chef on Blu-Ray. Yes, I've had the one at Havana (they've changed hands recently, so this might not be up-to-date) and it was laughable (they served it on a hamburger bun!). So when Tocador opened up in the former Charlies (and Habit before that), I rounded up the softball team to check it out.
Since it was a Monday, it was happy hour all day with discounted appies and $5.00 draught beers. Score! We shared the the appie specials including the Croquetas con Cerdo featuring spiced pork, corn, peas and potatoes for $8.00 (normally $14.00). These were really good served piping hot and crispy on the outside. They weren't greasy at all. On the inside, the soft and airy potato filling was flavourful but somewhat one note. Also on special was the Plantain Chips served with house-made guacamole. These were also good being crunchy and none-too-oily. They were lightly salted and the side of guacamole was fresh and vibrant. However, I would've preferred something with more punch like a mojo.
Miss Y got some happy hour Oysters for half-price (which meant she could get double-portion). These were shucked properly without shell fragments and were nicely briny. I ended up sharing a Cubano and the Pollo Confidencial with Bear since we both couldn't decide on one dish. Consisting of the usual ingredients (the Miami version), it included smoked ham, lechon asado, dill pickle Swiss cheese and mustard on a house-made Cuban roll. It was pressed to order and the result was pretty good. The bread was crunchy while not dense. Inside, there was enough filling for impact where the salty, cheesy and tangy notes came through. For those expecting something mind-blowing in terms of spice, you won't find it. That's not a Cubano, nor is it Cuban cooking in general (although the Cubano originates in the state of Florida). The Tampa version would be more of your fancy since they use Italian salami.
For our second dish, the Pollo Confidencial didn't look like much when it hit the table. I didn't properly read the description because I thought it was braised chicken. That it was, braised in citrus and spices (such as oregano, cumin etc...), then breaded and fried. So what we had was fried chicken. But oh wow was it good fried chicken. The breading was crunchy and wasn't as heavy as it appeared to be. Underneath, the meat was succulent and super tender. As for the braising liquid have much impact on the chicken, well it was rather mild. However, the accompanying gravy was potent and full of depth. Hence the chicken was amped up once dipped into it. On the side, there was a carrot and jicama slaw.
JR went for the Filete en Rodajas which was a mojo-marinated skirt steak prepared medium-rare and served with chimichurri, arugula salad and tomato relish. This was also quite good with well-prepared steak that was tender and moist. It had been marinated enough that we could get mild notes from the mojo. Again, Cuban food isn't known for being in-your-face flavours, so this was actually fine. The chimichurri was decently flavourful being garlicky and bright. For dessert, we go a couple orders of their Churros served with spiced Cuban chocolate. Unlike the ones you find at the PNE or any other fair and theme park, these were soft and less crunchy. They were almost eggy-like. Personally, I would've liked more crunch, but they were good nonetheless. The chocolate dip was lightly bitter and not overly sweet. Hey, the stuff we had at Tocador gave us a reason to go back and especially on Monday since the deals make it easy on our wallets.
The Good:
- Lively vibe
- Decent eats
- Open late
The Bad:
- Plantain chips were kinda cold, would've been nice if they were warm
Oh look! Another Ramen joint on Robson Street! Yes, I guess there is never enough of a good thing when it comes to Japanese Ramen in Vancouver. Seemingly, it doesn't matter how many there are in a small area, there will always be the clientele. To be fair, Ramen Koika only replaces the short-lived Hapa Ramen in the adjacent spot where Hapa Izakaya used to reside. I've tried their original Davie location and have enjoyed their offerings. Recently, I was invited to check out their new location to sample some of their specialties in addition to an interesting new creation.
Before that, we got down to some appies including the Puri Puri Ebi and Spicy Chicken Karaage. These two are some of the more popular items on the menu and we could see why. Crunchy with a thick breading, the ebi actually ate a lot lighter than it appeared. The ebi itself was buttery and moist with a light snap. Despite the copious amounts of tartar on top, it did not make things too creamy nor greasy. At first, the spicy karaage looked like they just squeezed some spicy paste on top of a regular order. Oh wait, they did do that! But appearances aside, this was super yummy. Although there was good kick from the sauce, there was still layers of flavour. The chicken itself was tender and moist with a lightly crispy exterior.
Continuing with more appies, we tried their Housemade Ebi Gyoza and Pork Bao. One bite and I could really appreciate the freshly-made gyozas. The dumpling skin was medium-thick and delicate. There was a certain tender texture that was also supported by an elasticity. Moist and balanced, the filling was mildly-seasoned and tender. As with the puri puri ebi, the shrimp in the gyoza was meaty and had a buttery snap. I only wished that the bottom was more crispy. We finished with 2 Pork Bao featuring shredded pork, marinated onion, green onion, sauce and mayo in a Chinese bao. We requested for less mayo so we could see the pork, however, their default amount of mayo is the perfect amount (since we were wanting more of it as we ate the bao). I found the pork to be tender and moist while the saltiness to be just enough. The bao itself was soft and fluffy.
We moved onto 2 of their classic offerings in the Triple Black Garlic Ramen and King's Seafood Ramen. The thin noodles in the garlic ramen were completely on point being firm and chewy while cooked through. Each noodle pull (no not for the picture, but to eat) was subjected to the silky and aromatic nuttiness of the black garlic oil. There was no mistaking its presence and influence on the already meaty broth. I found the chashu to be evenly fatty and subsequently buttery tender. Most impressively plated (or bowled?), the seafood ramen sported green mussels, clams, blue crab, veggies, Thai chili and red pepper powder. Considering how expensive ramen costs in Vancouver, this was only $15.95 (which we considered as a fair price especially on Robson). We asked for medium spice and it was noticeable without being overwhelming. The broth was sweet and briny. Seafood was on point as with the noodles.
Saving the best for last, we tried the new their new creation - Beer Soba with a side of regular chicken karaage. Okay, I know what you are thinking - this looks strange and seriously beer? Don't worry, it is actually a cold dashi with house made noodles. The only beer is the froth on top. Hence, it ate like a zaru soba with firmly chewy noodles and a rich and slightly sweet dashi. I didn't think I would like this, but it turned out to be really good. Great dish for a hot day. So as you can see, there is some creativeness with the food here. For me, I thought they are able to incorporate their unique touches successfully. You really can't go wrong with the 2 bowls of ramen we tried (as they are the best on the menu) as well as their new beer soba.
*All food excluding gratuities were complimentary*
The Good:
- Solid eats
- Reasonable pricing
- Good portion size
The Bad:
- Gyoza needs to be crispier
- Some might want more standard ramen, but this is not what they are about either
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Ever since Old Buddies closed their location on Alexandra Road in Richmond, it meant that their famous wontons could only be found at their original sister restaurant, Ho Yuen Kee. So what's the problem you may ask? Well, the Fraser Street location is indeed more convenient for me and I don't have to fight with luxury SUVs either, but the whole reason I avoided the place was their equally famous service (or lack of). Alas, I returned to the place recently with Nora, Lesley and Joyce and had some of their greatest hits. A month later, I was back at it with my co-rec hockey team to celebrate the end of the season. This post focuses mainly on the most recent dinner, but I included one dish from my first meal as well.
What else would we start with other than their legendary Wontons? We got the large order and I swear, there were like 40+ of them (the picture shows the remainder after the first round). They used to be a whole lot bigger (like 2 times the size), but I think they made that up with quantity. No matter, they were still very good and did not disappoint. Comprised mostly of shrimp and a bit of mousse, there was a firm rebound that had a great mouth feel. In addition to the natural brininess, there was plenty of sesame oil and a touch of white pepper. The broth itself was fragrant and flavourful, if not a touch salty. The meal prior to this, we actually did something different and had the Fried Wontons. With the same great filling, these were juicy and texturally-pleasing. There was a firm crunch to the wrapper which was a great contrast. It was served with a side of sweet and sour sauce.
Okay, remember that one dish from the first meal? It was no other than their signature Lobster with Sticky Rice. There are many other versions out there, but they were one of the first places to do it in Vancity. This was solid as usual with chewy rice supplemented by sweet pops from the corn niblets. Of course the rice was the beneficiary of the lobster juices and sauce. The lobster itself was prepared just right being bouncy and sweet. One of the more surprising dishes we ordered was the Shredded Chicken Salad with wonton crisps, julienned veggies, pickles and jellyfish. I normally associate this dish with nearby Koon Bo, but this was a more-than-respectable version. This was actually 2 orders (as you can't order only one) combined into one plate. The textures were all there including the tender chicken, bouncy jellyfish and crisp veggies. However, the amount of cilantro was a bit excessive as it dominated the flavour profile of the dish.
Since we were on their greatest hits, it was only natural that we got the 2 courses of Peking Duck as well (in fact, we did it for both meals). The first course featured crispy skin where the fat was well-rendered. With that being said, the layer of fat was not very significant to begin with, hence they had used the right type of duck for this application. Since the fat was negligible, the layer of meat underneath was impactful and added more substance to the wrap. About that wrapper, the crepe was medium-thick, yet not doughy. It didn't dry out even when the last one sat out for most of the meal. The second course was the Duck Lettuce Wrap which was well-portioned. In fact, the chunks of duck were abnormally large. Not sure if they were just lazy or they meant to make it that big. Whatever the case, it made for a robust filling for the wrap. It was subjected to enough wok heat where there was caramelization while the veggies stayed crisp and most importantly of all, there was minimal moisture.
Onto 2 staples of Cantonese meals where there are children in attendance. Yep, we had the veritable Sweet & Sour Pork as well as the Peking Pork Chops. Although the plate of sweet & sour pork was paler than Taylor Swift at the beach, it ate a whole look better looked. Sure, some red food colouring would've made it more aesthetically-pleasing, but do you really want to eat all that dye? With that being said, it could've used a bit more vinegar since it was mostly sweet. As for the texture, it was aggressively fried, so some pieces were still slightly crispy while others had soaked up plenty of sauce. For some reason, they decided to add enough food colouring to make the Peking pork chops a deep shade of red. We liked how the pieces of pork were bite-size rather than the whole chop. The pork was tender while retaining a meatiness where the sauce was both sweet and tangy.
As requested, I added some veggies to the mix including the classic Gai Lan with Beef. Underneath the plethora of beef, the large stalks of gai lan were cooked just enough that they retained a fresh crunch. There was no chewiness since the gai lan were not old or dried out. As for the slices of beef, they were tender without being over-tenderized. The dish itself was not overly oily comparatively while the moisture on the bottom of the plate was minimal. In terms of seasoning, I found the dish to be flavourful without being over-the-top salty. Continuing on with the veggies, we had the 3 Types of Seafood with Broccoli. Once again, the veg was wok fried properly where it was fully cooked, yet still crisp. Seasoning was similar to the previous dish where it was impactful without being salty. All the seafood including the shrimp, squid and scallops were texturally on point.
As if this wasn't enough things in a shade of green, we also added the Stir-Fried Pea Shoots with garlic. Although the portion size was modest, much like the other dishes, the execution was consistent. It was just as good as the dish I had only a few weeks prior. There was enough wok heat to caramelize the flavours and activate the aromatics from the garlic. Hence, there was very little moisture left on the plate. Each tender pea shoot was still lightly crunchy. To balance all these veggies, we really had to get some protein and that we did in the form of a whole Crispy Chicken. Clad in a beautiful golden hue, the crispy skin was well-rendered. Underneath, the meat was tender, including the breast. There was a light brine that added some saltiness to the meat as well as keeping it moist.
For the kiddies and also acting as our carbs (since we didn't order any rice), we got a duo of stir fried noodles. The Stir-Fried Flat Rice Noodles with Beef was a fairly solid dish. It was only moderate greasy (as this dish can often be oily since the noodles can stick to the wok otherwise) and was well-seasoned. The noodles were not clumpy and still nicely chewy. There was a good amount of tender beef, but equally, there was too many sprouts. Our 2nd noodle was the Stir-Fried Yee Mein, which is typically found at the end of Chinese banquets. This was another good version where the noodles were chewy and subjected to enough wok heat. There was no moisture at the bottom of the plate which was another indication of proper wok temp. One thing I would've liked to see was a bit more colour (dark soy) and a touch more saltiness.
For some strange reason, the last dish to arrive was the Fish & Tofu Hot Pot. Despite the usual lettuce underneath to "prop" up the fish, there was actually quite a bit of fish as you can see (the lettuce is also there to prevent sticking and burning at the bottom). The fish was buttery and flaky while the fried tofu was silky. There was a good amount of salty garlickiness in the starch-thickened sauce for impact. As you can imagine, the 2 meals I had at recently at Ho Yuen Kee were solid and consistent. The portion sizes were adequate, but probably a bit smaller than other equivalent restaurants and the pricing is a tad more as well. On the other hand, solid execution and consistency makes up for it.
