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Inaccessible Dim Sum - where most typical diners cannot afford to visit often. It all started with Mott 32 where we found high-end Dim Sum complete with non-traditional Michelin-Star quality service and accompanying dining space. Then we found places like Ampersand and Blossom where fusion Dim Sum was served in modern digs without the old surly wait staff that could care less if you existed. Well now we have something that meshes new and old together without bastardizing traditional Dim Sum nor asking for your first-born to dine there. The name is Little Bird and this is within the same family that runs the iconic Flamingo House restaurant. So at the very least, we know that the eats will be legit. We essentially find traditional Dim Sum served in a non-traditional setting.
The main draw for me was that I could eat this for dinner, so I rounded up the fam and made the drive out to Kits. We decided to try an array of dishes including the usual Ha Gau and Siu Mai. Now you will noticed that they served the dumplings in threes rather than fours mostly to keep the costs down as the location isn't cheap and neither is the modern. Moreover, the wait staff are young, courteous and efficient - that means they cost more too. In terms of execution, the shrimp dumpings were indeed good featuring a semi-thick wrapper that had some elasticity. Inside, the whole shrimp and shrimp paste filling was moist, airy and of course bouncy. It was mildly flavoured with the unmistakeable hint of sesame oil. As for the pork & shrimp dumplings, they were on the firmer side consisting of the classic combination of processed pork, chunks of pork, shrimp and shiitake mushroom. So all of the usual flavours were there, yet at the same time, the dumpling was not salty.
Interestingly, most Dim Sum spots do not offer Shrimp Toast anymore, but they had it here at Little Bird! There was no doubt we had to order this. I'm happy to report that it was no mistake as each piece featured crunchy toast bottoms that were only somewhat soaked with oil (hard to not be when you throw bread into a deep-fryer) which makes it so tasty! On top, the shrimp mousse was perfectly moist and springy with the natural sweetness coming through. If you haven't tried this before, I recommend this as a must order. Staying on with the deep fried, we had the Deep Fried Wontons that were stuffed with a filling that was like the ha gau. As such, it was just as bouncy and miost. Once again, the seasoning was mild where the natural flavours came through. As evidenced in the picture, the outside was crispy and completely browned affording a noticeable nuttiness.
On the flip side, their Spring Rolls were of the traditional variety consisting of pork, wood ear mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, dried shrimp and bamboo shoots. It is true that I'm much more used to the all-shrimp variety that is more common on menus these days. However, this version was really good and brought back memories of my childhood (wait, I used to go to Flamingo House as a kid... makes sense...). Firmly crunchy on the outside and served steaming hot, these were on point with a varied textured filling. One of the more surprising dishes offered on the menu would have been the Deep Fried Chicken Knuckles. I surely didn't mind as each piece was large and meaty with the unmistakable crunch from the cartilage. Try it, don't be scared! The only thing I would've liked to see was a bit more spice and saltiness, but then again, we could get hot sauce on the side.
One of the largest items on the menu was the Sticky Rice served as one portion wrapped in lotus leaves. Very traditional as we normally find 3 mini versions at most places now. There are advantages with the larger version as it usually stays more moist and in this case, can be stuffed with 2 drummettes and a large piece of cured sausage (insert joke here...). Indeed the sticky rice was moist and still appealingly chewy with plenty of ground pork and shiitake. One of the more relatively expensive items on the menu was the BBQ Pork Bun for $3.00 each. Granted these buns were actually rather large (also insert joke here) as it took up most of the steamer all by itself. In terms of execution, the bun was good where it was fluffy and light while retaining some resistance. The lean BBQ pork filling was on the sweeter side yet not overly so.
Another table favourite had to be the Scallop Taro Puff. Normally, these are served in a football-like shape, but this one had an open top covered by a scallop. The scallop itself was delicate and buttery while caramelized on the outside. Light and crispy, the exterior was not overly greasy (as some versions tend to be). Just underneath, the medium-thick layer of mashed taro was airy and smooth. Inside, the ground pork and shiitake was fairly light and mildly-seasoned. Although the Pork Spareribs were full-flavoured from the plethora of minced garlic, the dish itself was a bit sloppy. There was far too much moisture and grease which made things goopy. With that being said, the rib portions were tender while still retaining a bite. Furthermore, the dish wasn't oversalted which meant that the garlic and natural flavours of the pork come through.
Onto 2 pan-fried items, we had the Pot Stickers as well as the Shanghai Pork Bun. We enjoyed the semi-thin dumpling wrapper of the pot stickers as they were easy to eat as well as having a mouth-pleasing elasticity. Inside, the pork filling was tender and moist. It wasn't very dense either and had just enough cabbage. Once again, the seasoning was on the milder side and we were beginning to suspect that this was intentional considering that many of the clientele would be sensitive if there was too much sodium or MSG in the food. As for the Shanghai Pork Bun, it was an actual bun like the BBQ Pork Bun where it was fluffy and light. That made it a lot less cumbersome to eat like many other versions of this dish. On the other hand, it also was more wet as it absorbed the moisture from the moist filling as well as the oil in the pan.
We settled on 2 items for dessert beginning with the Egg Tarts. These were pretty textbook featuring a buttery and flaky puff pastry shell. The browning on it was a bit uneven, but the ultimate edibility and texture was not compromised. We found the silky egg custard centre to be aromatic and purposefully sweet. My son wanted the Steamed Sponge Cake and it arrived in 3 separate portions rather than the tall single version. This was also good where the cake was airy and light while having a sweet aroma. The cake itself was just sweet enough, but there was a side of condensed milk for those with a sweeter tooth. So as you can see, we tried a good chunk of the menu and most items were good. For all of the places that are offering overpriced fusion Dim Sum, it is nice to see a place reasonably-priced (with all things taken into account) authentic Dim Sum in a non-traditional space (and area for all that matters).
The Good:
- Authentic Dim Sum
- Attentive service
- Reasonable-pricing with all things considered
The Bad:
- Most items could've used more seasoning, but it might have been intentional
- Not a big restaurant, keep your party small
- Might offend some traditionalists, but that is not the target demographic
The corner of Kingsway and Salisbury in Burnaby is a deathtrap for restaurants. I can't even count the different establishments that has graced that corner, only to close down in favour of a new venture. It's not like there isn't any foot traffic, as it is across the street from Highgate. Furthermore, Nao Sushi and Anatoli's Gate are literally on the same block where they have survived for over a decade. Now, we find the Vancouver outpost of the Singaporean chain Eighteen Chefs taking over the spot, yet with a curious name. Due to bureaucratic red tape, they weren't able to secure the name Eighteen Chefs (as of yet) and decided to open under the old name of Queen's Cafe "Asian Cuisine by Eighteen Chefs" rather than not be in business while waiting for the approval.
We dropped by in the opening week to check it out along with Guy and Girl Smiley. One of the first dishes that caught our attention was the Salted Egg Yolk Fries. Sadly, it wasn't what we expected as they merely poured a very wet salted egg yolk sauce on top of generic soggy fries. Don't get me wrong, the sauce tasted great with the unmistakable saltiness from the creamy and luxurious salted egg yolk, but the amount of moisture killed the texture. This would've been much better if the fries were super crunchy and coated with dry salted egg yolk. One of the more surprising dishes was the Chicken Skewer with Truffle Curly Noodles. This was not an overly complex dish but the chicken was both plentiful and super juicy with a smoky char. They used a lot of rosemary which added a layer of earthiness. Although the noodles appeared to be of the instant variety, they were al dente and coated with enough black truffle paste that it was woodsy enough without being too much.
Onto 2 HK-style cafe type dishes, we had the Spaghetti Bolognese as well as the Baked Pork Chop Rice. By virtue of not being baked, the spaghetti was lacking in body and aroma. Even with the generous amount of meat sauce, the noodles ate plain and probably needed to be salted more when it was being boiled. I thought the sauce was decent with lots of tender nuggets of beef, but the flavour was somewhat one note and lacking in the usual combination of sweet, savoury, tangy and a hint of star anise like the usual Asian-version. The addition of arugula was a bit strange too. On the other hand, the pork chop rice was excellent. Underneath, the fried rice base was nutty and dry, which was the perfect compliment to the balanced tomato sauce topped with plenty of ooey gooey cheese. Best of all, the large panko-crusted pork chop was moist and tender with a crunchy coating.
Sporting the same pork cutlet, the Nasi Lemak consisting of the usual ingredients including rice, crispy anchovies, cucumber, peanuts, fried egg and sambal. Nothing particularly amiss with this other than us choosing the pork cutlet over the chicken. Oh and yes, there is a fried egg rather than a boiled egg. For me, I'm not a stickler for complete authenticity and this was still fine when everything was mixed together. Again, the pork cutlet was the star as it was large, crispy and completely tender. Served with roti, the Curry Chicken was fairly large in portion size. About that roti, it was more like baked puffed pastry rather than the usual doughier roti found in Malaysian cuisine. With that being said, it was texturally a delight and really was delicious when dipped into the creamy coconutty curry. It had a nice viscosity and had a touch of spice. The large chunks of bone-in leg were tender and not overdone.
We also gave the Hainanese Chicken a go and it was acceptable. However, there were a few glaring issues. First of all, we got the wing and very little else, so there was barely any meat to go with the rice. Second, it was if they used a butter knife to chopped the chicken as there were bone fragments everywhere. Taste-wise, it was pretty good and the chicken oil rice was nutty and chewy. Loved the chili sauce as it was legit spicy rather than just sweet. We waited forever for our Spring Chicken & Striploin Steak Platter. Turned out it was not worth it because the steak came out rare when we asked for medium-rare. They even argued with us! We know what medium-rare looks like! As for the chicken, it was fairly moist with rendered fried skin. Too bad it was completely bland. The side of signature heart-attack rice was nutty and chewy, but not as flavourful as we expected (even though it is cooked with rendered fat drippings). Overall, there were some highlights to go with some duds. They just opened, so it is fair to give them some time to work out all the kinks.
The Good:
- Portions sizes are generally large
- Proteins were cooked right except for the steak
- Reasonable pricing for what you get
The Bad:
- Service was non-existent, didn't even cutlery for the longest time. Also, arguing with customers when something is clearly wrong is a huge no-no
- Some dishes need further refinement
Here we go with yet another restaurant in the burbs. This time around Grace and I ventured out to New West for some Italian eats at the newly-opened Artusi on 6th Street. If you are thinking that I've been eating a lot of Italian food lately, you would be correct. This hasn't been intentional, although I do in fact love Italian food, rather there are just a coincidental amount of new Italian restaurants opening up lately. What makes it even more interesting is that most of them have been out of the city of Vancouver itself. That makes me happy because the burbs deserve good food too!
After some complimentary bread, we got going with some appetizers including the Bagna Cauda featuring an array of fresh veggies, bread and the dip consisting of EVOO, anchovy and roasted garlic. If I had to compare to the one I had at Savio Volpe, this was actually saltier and fishier. For me, I enjoyed the pronounced flavours especially when paired with the plain veggies and bread. However, it was not subjected to the amount of emulsion like the one at Savio Volpe, which meant it was greasier and the flavours needed to be mixed around for full effect. Next up was the Vitel Tonne (aka Vitello Tonnato, that featured thicker-than-usual slices of medium veal. This meant that the meat ate much more robust with extra body. Since the veal was prepared perfectly, it remained tender and moist. On top, the tuna caper sauce was creamy, salty and fishy (in a good way).
Onto our pastas, we tried the Tagliatelle alla Papalina first and sadly, it was our least favourite item of our meal. It consisted of prosciutto crudo, free range egg cream and 24 month-aged Parmigiano, which sounded great on paper. In practice, the pasta was overdone and the "sauce" was far too heavy and goopy. The pasta could've done with half the amount of moisture (that probably helped it overcook too). We couldn't even get through 1/4th of it. On a positive note, it did taste good though with the nuttiness of the aged parm. We much preferred the Pici al Chinghiale sporting wild board and pecorino. Unlike the tagliatelle, the pici was al dente and did not soften from the ragu. It was creamy and rich, but the addition of tomato helped cut the heaviness. The ample morsels of boar was tender and gave the pasta an appealing meatiness.
Our favourite pasta of the night was the Calamarata Profumo di Mare with squid, clams, prawns, peppers, tomato and wine. First of all, the pasta was firmly al dente and was the perfect vessel to hold onto the tangy and seafoody tomato sauce. About that seafood, it was prepared just right without being overdone. We probably liked this the most because it was not as heavy as the previous 2 offerings. Onto dessert, we had the Tiramisu al Limon which essentially replaced the espresso with limoncello and added lemon to the marscapone. The result was a tangy and refreshing version of a tiramisu. I thought the thick marscapone did its best impression of a lemon cheesecake while the soaked ladyfingers were a bit too wet. If they lessened the limoncello, this would've been perfect. Overall, the food at Artusi was decent especially taking into account its location. Give it some time and we hope to see some improvements.
The Good:
- Okay pricing
- Friendly service
- Some twists with menu items
The Bad:
- Some refinement is needed
It's nice to see better dining options opening in non-traditional locations all over the Lower Mainland. Once upon a time, all we would find in the burbs were chain restaurants and "just good enough" spots for their given locations. More recently, we've seen outposts of established "good" restaurants popping in seemingly random storefronts. One of the newest is Bufala out in Edgemont VIllage in North Vancouver. I've been to the original one in Kerrisdale and came away satisfied with their Neapolitan-style pizzas. Whereas the menu is limited at that location, the new one sports a more comprehensive selection.
We decided to see if it was worth the drive through rush-hour traffic across the 2nd Narrows Bridge. Well, the place was definitely bustling for a Friday night where if we hadn't made a reservation, we would've been out of luck. To kick things off, we had the Arancini as well as the Polenta. Stuffed with mushroom risotto and mozzarella, these were crispy and at the right temperature throughout. We enjoyed how the risotto was not mushy and had a thick consistency where it didn't fall apart on contact. Underneath, there was a smoky aioli which was creamy and mild-tasting. Off to the polenta, they were fried in cubes topped with pecorino romano and served atop salsa verde. We thought the exterior of the fried polenta was too firm and dry. However, it was fluffy and light inside. Flavours were subtle, but the cheese provided a saltiness while the salsa verde was bright.
While we were dividing up the Meatballs, they seemed pretty firm to each cut from the knife. Our fears that it would be dense were alleviated as the pork and beef meatball was tender and juicy with a pleasant rebound texture. It was tasty on its own, but the muted tanginess of the marinara helped add another layer of flavour as well as the saltiness from the parmigiano. Now that was good, but the Burrata was even better. Majestically placed atop roasted squash and topped with hazelnuts in an aromatic oil, this was appetizing just to look at it. We added an order of prosciutto on the side for good measure and when we combined all of the ingredients atop toasted sourdough, the textures and flavours were impactful. There was the creaminess of the cheese as well as the crunch from the bread while the salty chewiness of the prosciutto added a hit of salt. Finally, the hazelnuts were the umami aromatic compliment that made this more than just meat and cheese.
Yes, it is true that the appies were pretty solid. In fact, I was curious about some of the other options on the menu. In the end, we knew that some greens was probably a good interlude before the main dishes. Therefore, we ordered the Kale Caesar with parmigiano, bacon and anchovy. What a great way to make a salad super tasty! I know, this probably took away from the "healthier" aspect, but who cares? We loved how they only plucked the most tender parts of the kale and served them in small bite-sized pieces. The briny saltiness of the anchovies really came though and the salad was not over-dressed. Predictably, the bacon only made the salad better with body and smoky saltiness. Onto the pastas, the first one to hit the table was the Spaghetti with albacore tuna, olives, anchovy and capers in a "Puttanesca" style. Generally, puttanesca is plenty salty and briny which I personally enjoy. Others at the table seem to think that the pasta was too salty. I guess taste is subjective, so if you prefer your pastas more mild, this would not be for you.
On the other hand, the 2 other pastas, Pappardelle and Rigatoni, were universally loved. Tender, yet still al dente, the pappardelle was delicate in terms of texture and taste. The combination of smoked pork hock ragu, caraway, black pepper and parmigiano created a creamy umaminess that was impactful enough without being salty. There was a background smokiness from the pork while the caraway added another layer of earthiness. Best of all, there was not a whole lot of moisture to the pasta (which kept it from being soggy), but all the flavours were there regardless. As for the Rigatoni, it was a more straightforward offering with firmly al dente tubes of pasta enveloped by a beef & pork bolognese finished with parmigiano. Rich and meaty while not heavy, the bolognese was balanced while somewhat one-note. However, that didn't detract from the overall eating enjoyment.
For our one pizza, we decided to forgo the basic Margherita and went for the Pepperoni instead since the kids lobbied for it. I actually wanted the bone marrow pizza, but that idea was shot down. In addition to the pepperoni, we found mozzarella, parmigiano, oregano and marinara sauce which created some classic flavours. There was enough tang in the sauce to keep things from being dull and the amount of pepperoni was just right. With enough charring, the pizza crust was nutty and crispy throughout, even at the centre (although it was predictably a bit softer there). For our mains, we shared the only 2 on the menu including the Heritage Flat Iron Steak. As evidenced in the picture, the 7oz Alberta beef steak was prepared rare. It was well-rested and the result was a tender chew with plenty of meatiness. While the steak itself wasn't aggressively seasoned, the topping of peperonata offered some sweetness and light spice. The side of polenta was super creamy and a good compliment.
One of the best dishes of the night was the Peach Country Lamb Shank served atop mushroom risotto. The braised and subsequently oven roasted shank was absolutely perfect. Beyond the caramelized exterior portion, the meat underneath was gelatinous and fork tender. It was full-flavoured from the braise with the promise of rosemary (from the menu). Now the shank was good, but the risotto was the proverbial icing on the cake as it was cheesy, rich, woodsy and perfectly executed. As we moved onto dessert, the selection on the menu was a little sparse as we ordered everything that was listed including the Tiramisu. This consisted of the classic lady fingers, amaretto, espresso and marscapone, but in terms of execution, it was different. Now it looked like a regular tiramisu, but the lady fingers were barely soaked. As a result, they ate drier, less sweet and with mild hits of espresso. For some, this would be texturally wrong, but for me, I enjoyed it since there was plenty of creamy marscapone to make up for it. I also liked how it was not as sweet too.
The other 2 desserts were a variation of soft-serve ice cream with the kiddies each snagging a Vanilla Soft Serve with chocolate sauce. Nothing particular unusual about the sundae as it was pretty straightforward. The soft-serve was a little on the melty side and not overly creamy, but it wasn't too sweet and the chocolate sauce wasn't overbearingly sugary. For the adults, we tried the Boozy Affogato with soft serve, espresso, amaretto and cookie crumb. Since the ice cream was melty, it became even more so after the espresso and amaretto was poured on top. It was more effective as a drink (as affogato should be) than a dessert. It tasted great though with the bitterness of the espresso bringing down the sweetness of the soft-serve. Not that the desserts were bad, yet compared to the rest of the meal, they were weaker. About the rest of the dinner... It was fantastic and we would gladly brave the traffic to come back.
The Good:
- Spot on execution
- Attentive service despite being busy
- Reasonably-priced
The Bad:
- Desserts were weak in comparison to the rest of the meal
- Dining room is lively, but the acoustics make it really loud
Over 6 years ago, Nikita and Bluebeard suggested that we meet up at Ban Dok Chee for Thai food out in Langley. Being residents of the community, I trusted their judgement and made the trek out there from Burnaby (actually not that far really). Turns out BDC happened to be a little gem of a place in the burbs with great Thai food at reasonable prices. I went back a few times on my own and also for some food challenges that they participated in. I had mentioned this to Mijune and she was game to try it out. However, instead of merely eating at the restaurant, we were treated to an exclusive peak into their private dining space nearby. Lavishly outfitted, the BDC Culinary Academy not only provides cooking lessons/parties, they can be booked for private events as well.
We were started off with a literal bite (Ma Hor) in the form of minced shrimp, ground peanut, sweet preserved radish, palm sugar, garlic, coriander root, ground pepper, cilantro served on heart-shaped pineapple. Even though this was small in size, wow this was quite the flavour bomb. Essentially, the diced prawn was only there for texture as the combination of peanuts, palm sugar and crunch from the salty radish hit on all of the notes. Add in the sweet and acidic pineapple and it was truly an appetizing start to the meal. Next, we had Miang Kham consisting of shallots, red bird's eye chili, ginger, garlic, lime and rind, roasted coconut, tamarind palm sugar, peanuts and dried shrimp on a betel leaf. I've had this before at Bob Likes Thai Food and this was very similar except more spicy. All of the flavours came through in layers with the initial hit of sweetness coming first and the heat coming at the end.
Next, we had something really simple in the Pla Haeng Taeng Mo, where it was curiously complex tasting. It was merely cubes and balls of fresh watermelon topped with crispy shallots, sugar and crunchy snakehead fish jerky. If you can imagine, the one ingredient that made each bite unique was the snakehead fish jerky. It was mildly salty, fishy (in a good way) and of course crispy with a slight chewiness. Think of salted watermelon and this would be it with a twist. Refreshing palate cleanser of sorts that was also savoury. Onto something more typical, we had the Appetizer Platter consisting of Chicken & Pork Satay, Golden Wontons and Spring Rolls accompanied by Thai peanut sauce, Num Jin Jaow and plum sauce. I've had this before and this was good where the skewers were nicely seared and tender. Wontons were super crunchy with a moist meaty filling with garlic, cilantro and black pepper.
Continuing with the small plates, we had the Pla' Goong or herb prawn salad with prawns, lime leaves, lime juice, tamarind juice dressing, red onion, lemongrass, mint, green apple & Thai chili on a bed of butter lettuce. This was definitely on the sweeter side, but still nicely complimented by the acidity of the lime juice as well as little nuggets of pomelo. Again, there was noted spice due to the addition of red bird's eye chili. The prawn itself was large and cooked perfectly exhibiting a meaty snap. Next, we were served both the Tom Kha Gai in a coconut shell and the Tom Yum Goong. Although both were good, I really enjoyed the tom kha gai due to the coconut milk. So aromatic and fragrant combined with hits of lemongrass, lime leaves and spice. The tom yum was appealingly tangy with an appealing amount of brininess and noted spiciness.
Things got serious when the Larb Moo was presented in custom carved pumpkin kabocha and butter squash. As much as this was impressive to look at, the actual product was even better. Often, larb can be dry and somewhat bland at many of the Thai restaurants in town. This one was moist, light and full of flavour from the fish sauce and especially the spicy chilis. We ate this with the provided sticky rice. Even more majestically plated, the Kanom Jeen Nam-Prik sported rice noodles served with minced prawns nutty, sweet and coconutty spicy curry sauce and fresh vegetables including dill, cucumber, dried Thai chilies, green beans and banana blossom. Lots of intricate knife-work was needed to prep the ingredients. When we mixed all of the ingredients together with the sauce, we got slippery noodles with plenty of sweetness and brininess as well as a multitude of textures. Add in the chilis (including the seeds) and the spice level went into overdrive.
Of course we didn't forget the more typical dishes including a duo of curries. As much as Chicken Green Curry can be somewhat of a clichéd dish at a Thai restaurant, this one was really good. Sure, it sported the usual creaminess and aromatics from the coconut milk, but there was balanced spice, sweetness and brininess as well. However, what made this even better was the tender chicken as well as the plethora of baby eggplant. Normally, we'd find the long Chinese eggplant, but this was made more authentically. Next, we were presented with the Lamb Shank Massaman Curry. This was also a flavour bomb with an initial hit of sweetness giving way to the classic comfort from the cinnamon, cloves and star anise. There was some heat, but traditionally, Massaman curries are more mild and this didn't deviate. The luxurious meat of the lamb shank was a perfect match to the spices in the curry. It was generally tender and gelatinous.
Our last 2 dishes consisted of 2 more classics including the Chicken Cashew Nut and Pad Thai. Exhibiting plenty of wok heat, the chicken cashew nut was flavourful with a touch of spice to balance off the sweetness. Unlike many versions I've had, the chicken in this dish was super tender and moist while still exhibiting the caramelized crispiness from the wok fry. I particularly enjoyed that the dish was not wet with any residual moisture at the bottom of the plate. What you see in the picture of the pad Thai was what happened after I opened up the omelette. Inside, the rice noodles were dry and al dente with plenty of tang and sweetness from the tamarind and palm sugar. We also found the traditional pressed tofu and preserved radish as well. In addition to the egg being on the outside of the dish, something a bit different was the perfectly seared scallops on the side.
For dessert, we were presented with a beautiful Strawberry & Raspberry Ice Cream dessert. Also on the plate was taro custard, khanom thuai (Thai coconut milk custard). Although the ice cream was on the icier side, it was truly refreshing and natural-tasting. It wasn't very sweet, which was prefect since the custards made up for it. They were aromatic and had a good mouth feel. Our last dessert was the Bua Loy Khai Whan or taro rice dumplings in coconut milk. Traditionally it's served with sweeten boiled egg, but here they used meringue for a French-inspired twist. I found this to be quite good with relatively fluffy taro dumplings. Loved how the meringue added a creaminess, yet at the same time, it was pretty sweet too. These desserts pretty much summed up the meal here at the BDC Culinary Academy. Except for a few creative alterations, the food was authentic Thai with a wealth of flavours and noted spice. Yes, you can get most of the same dishes at the main Ban Dok Chee restaurant. But if you want the food you see in this post, it needs to be part of a private booking at the Academy.
*All food and drink were complimentary*
The Good:
- Gorgeous (if not over-the-top) venue
- Elevated BDC food
- Higher end exprience
The Bad:
- Only available for private bookings and cooking classes
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Inaccessible Dim Sum - where most typical diners cannot afford to visit often. It all started with Mott 32 where we found high-end Dim Sum complete with non-traditional Michelin-Star quality service and accompanying dining space. Then we found places like Ampersand and Blossom where fusion Dim Sum was served in modern digs without the old surly wait staff that could care less if you existed. Well now we have something that meshes new and old together without bastardizing traditional Dim Sum nor asking for your first-born to dine there. The name is Little Bird and this is within the same family that runs the iconic Flamingo House restaurant. So at the very least, we know that the eats will be legit. We essentially find traditional Dim Sum served in a non-traditional setting.
The main draw for me was that I could eat this for dinner, so I rounded up the fam and made the drive out to Kits. We decided to try an array of dishes including the usual Ha Gau and Siu Mai. Now you will noticed that they served the dumplings in threes rather than fours mostly to keep the costs down as the location isn't cheap and neither is the modern. Moreover, the wait staff are young, courteous and efficient - that means they cost more too. In terms of execution, the shrimp dumpings were indeed good featuring a semi-thick wrapper that had some elasticity. Inside, the whole shrimp and shrimp paste filling was moist, airy and of course bouncy. It was mildly flavoured with the unmistakeable hint of sesame oil. As for the pork & shrimp dumplings, they were on the firmer side consisting of the classic combination of processed pork, chunks of pork, shrimp and shiitake mushroom. So all of the usual flavours were there, yet at the same time, the dumpling was not salty.
Interestingly, most Dim Sum spots do not offer Shrimp Toast anymore, but they had it here at Little Bird! There was no doubt we had to order this. I'm happy to report that it was no mistake as each piece featured crunchy toast bottoms that were only somewhat soaked with oil (hard to not be when you throw bread into a deep-fryer) which makes it so tasty! On top, the shrimp mousse was perfectly moist and springy with the natural sweetness coming through. If you haven't tried this before, I recommend this as a must order. Staying on with the deep fried, we had the Deep Fried Wontons that were stuffed with a filling that was like the ha gau. As such, it was just as bouncy and miost. Once again, the seasoning was mild where the natural flavours came through. As evidenced in the picture, the outside was crispy and completely browned affording a noticeable nuttiness.
On the flip side, their Spring Rolls were of the traditional variety consisting of pork, wood ear mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, dried shrimp and bamboo shoots. It is true that I'm much more used to the all-shrimp variety that is more common on menus these days. However, this version was really good and brought back memories of my childhood (wait, I used to go to Flamingo House as a kid... makes sense...). Firmly crunchy on the outside and served steaming hot, these were on point with a varied textured filling. One of the more surprising dishes offered on the menu would have been the Deep Fried Chicken Knuckles. I surely didn't mind as each piece was large and meaty with the unmistakable crunch from the cartilage. Try it, don't be scared! The only thing I would've liked to see was a bit more spice and saltiness, but then again, we could get hot sauce on the side.
One of the largest items on the menu was the Sticky Rice served as one portion wrapped in lotus leaves. Very traditional as we normally find 3 mini versions at most places now. There are advantages with the larger version as it usually stays more moist and in this case, can be stuffed with 2 drummettes and a large piece of cured sausage (insert joke here...). Indeed the sticky rice was moist and still appealingly chewy with plenty of ground pork and shiitake. One of the more relatively expensive items on the menu was the BBQ Pork Bun for $3.00 each. Granted these buns were actually rather large (also insert joke here) as it took up most of the steamer all by itself. In terms of execution, the bun was good where it was fluffy and light while retaining some resistance. The lean BBQ pork filling was on the sweeter side yet not overly so.
Another table favourite had to be the Scallop Taro Puff. Normally, these are served in a football-like shape, but this one had an open top covered by a scallop. The scallop itself was delicate and buttery while caramelized on the outside. Light and crispy, the exterior was not overly greasy (as some versions tend to be). Just underneath, the medium-thick layer of mashed taro was airy and smooth. Inside, the ground pork and shiitake was fairly light and mildly-seasoned. Although the Pork Spareribs were full-flavoured from the plethora of minced garlic, the dish itself was a bit sloppy. There was far too much moisture and grease which made things goopy. With that being said, the rib portions were tender while still retaining a bite. Furthermore, the dish wasn't oversalted which meant that the garlic and natural flavours of the pork come through.
Onto 2 pan-fried items, we had the Pot Stickers as well as the Shanghai Pork Bun. We enjoyed the semi-thin dumpling wrapper of the pot stickers as they were easy to eat as well as having a mouth-pleasing elasticity. Inside, the pork filling was tender and moist. It wasn't very dense either and had just enough cabbage. Once again, the seasoning was on the milder side and we were beginning to suspect that this was intentional considering that many of the clientele would be sensitive if there was too much sodium or MSG in the food. As for the Shanghai Pork Bun, it was an actual bun like the BBQ Pork Bun where it was fluffy and light. That made it a lot less cumbersome to eat like many other versions of this dish. On the other hand, it also was more wet as it absorbed the moisture from the moist filling as well as the oil in the pan.
We settled on 2 items for dessert beginning with the Egg Tarts. These were pretty textbook featuring a buttery and flaky puff pastry shell. The browning on it was a bit uneven, but the ultimate edibility and texture was not compromised. We found the silky egg custard centre to be aromatic and purposefully sweet. My son wanted the Steamed Sponge Cake and it arrived in 3 separate portions rather than the tall single version. This was also good where the cake was airy and light while having a sweet aroma. The cake itself was just sweet enough, but there was a side of condensed milk for those with a sweeter tooth. So as you can see, we tried a good chunk of the menu and most items were good. For all of the places that are offering overpriced fusion Dim Sum, it is nice to see a place reasonably-priced (with all things taken into account) authentic Dim Sum in a non-traditional space (and area for all that matters).
