Chinese Take-Out in Vancouver

[appreciator]

Instead of starting a new thread (don't want Neil barking at my door ) I thought I'd revive this one, because.... I'm wondering about the difference between eating in at a Chinese restaurant and getting take out.

Recently, I have read several people extolling the virtues of Connie's Cook House on West 4th Avenue.

I've never sat down to eat there but have had delivery on two occasions and frankly, not been impressed.

Another place on 4th that I think is called "Great Wok" however, sometimes I get this confused with the "New City" on the opposite side of the street. Anyway... point being, I've ordered delivery a couple of times and not been impressed but then, one day I met up with some friends for a sit down dinner and low and behold, we had a great meal.

I just don't get it.

If you can pull something pretty decent off for a dine-in experience, why can't you do the same for delivery?

And speaking of which, I finally found a place that does delivery that I quite enjoy (they have northern style chow mein which is a big fav of mine and seems to be somewhat scarce in this fair city ). Szechuan Chili, 802 West 6th Avenue, 604-874-3737. Mind you, I've never tried to have table service there so perhaps that would prove disappointing. Who knows....

I would be curious to hear if anyone else has had similar experiences though.

Edited June 9, 2005 by appreciator (log)

[transfattyacid]

Instead of starting a new thread (don't want Neil barking at my door ) I thought I'd revive this one, because.... I'm wondering about the difference between eating in at a Chinese restaurant and getting take out.

Recently, I have read several people extolling the virtues of Connie's Cook House on West 4th Avenue. 

I've never sat down to eat there but have had delivery on two occasions and, frankly, not been impressed. 

Another place on 4th that I think is called "Great Wok" however, sometimes I get this confused with the other restaurant on the opposite side of the street.  The one I'm thinking of is on the north side.  Anyway... point being, I've ordered delivery a couple of times and not been impressed but then one day I met up with some friends for a sit down dinner and we had a great meal. 

I just don't get it.

If you can pull something pretty decent off for a dine-in experience, why can't you do the same for delivery?

And speaking of which, I finally found a place that does delivery that I quite enjoy (they have northern style chow mein which is a fav of mine and seems to be somewhat scarce in this fair city ). Szechuan Chili, 802 West 6th Avenue, 604-874-3737.  Mind you, I've never tried to have table service there so perhaps that

would prove disappointing.  Who knows....

I would be curious to hear if anyone else has had similar experiences though.

←

hi sarah

i`ll say one thing for Connie's , it has a certain charm . is it the interior ( it has a slightly latin american colour scheme ), or is it the servers ( i believe one of them is Connie herself ), or maybe the food ( it hasn`t disappointed me yet ).

and for take out , which i have only had on a few occaisions, you get the same deal , albeit minus the first two charms .

i`ll have to check out Szechuan Chili

[appreciator]

^ so TFA, to summarize your experience of Connie's it seems that other than service and decor, you've not noticed any appreciable difference between dining in and getting take out. Is that correct?

Quite contrary to my own experiences elsewhere. How intriguing.

Perhaps a few other peeps will weigh in. Sushi Cat? Anyone.......

Edited June 9, 2005 by appreciator (log)

[Ducky]

Connie's does what it does very well. It's low-brow Chinese food - perhaps better described as the sort of Chinese food expected by diners who don't know (or care to know) a whole lot about Chinese food. It's the sort of Chinese food that was standard fare in Vancouver 30 years ago, before the great influx of Chinese people with their more diverse and highly developed culinary traditions.

Connie's is the place ginger beef, won ton soup, pepper prawns, hot and sour soup, Singapore noodles etc etc etc. You will seldom see an Asian person eating at Connie's - except for the odd CBC - and there is a reason for this.

That said, everything we have ever had at Connie's has been well prepared and fresh - and of course cooked withour msg. In addition the place is clean and has a certain charm. What's not to like about this?

[appreciator]

Connie's does what it does very well. It's low-brow Chinese food - perhaps better described as the sort of Chinese food expected by diners who don't know (or care to know) a whole lot about Chinese food. It's the sort of Chinese food that was standard fare in Vancouver 30 years ago, before the great influx of Chinese people with their more diverse and highly developed culinary traditions.

Connie's is the place ginger beef, won ton soup, pepper prawns, hot and sour soup, Singapore noodles etc etc etc. You will seldom see an Asian person eating at Connie's - except for the odd CBC - and there is a reason for this.

That said, everything we have ever had at Connie's has been well prepared and fresh - and of course cooked withour msg.  In addition the place is clean and has a certain charm.  What's not to like about this?

←

Well, I wasn't really disputing that Connie's may indeed do something right, I just haven't experienced that via delivery as of yet, which was kinda the point.

I'm curious Ducky, have you had delivery from Connie's and enjoyed the same food as you have when eating in? Seems like TFA has so perhaps this phenomenon I'm suppositioning is purely a matter of taste.

Edited June 10, 2005 by appreciator (log)

[Ducky]

No, sorry. I have never tried their take-out.

[SushiCat]

Yes I'll weigh in on this topic, just don't make me get on a scale!

I haven't been to Connie's and I have been wanting to try Szechuan Chili (perhaps a small outing soon!).

Now that I have in my neighborhood a few good spots, and that I found my fav. Szechuan chef, I'm not hitting any westside Chinese haunts. Here is what I am into these days:

Long's Noodle House - Main between 32nd and 33rd - try their wine soaked chicken, it is amazing! They are also good at a variety of fun items I like, rice cake one of them, some noodles, dumplings etc.

Legendary Noodle as mentioned by others

Mui Garden - great brisket curry and everything else I have had there has been good. They make a different style of dumplings, but the ones I had were quite delicious, filled with green veggies and kind of fresh and light tasting - yum.

Shanghai Wind (Richmond on 3Rd. near Cook Street - across from Richmond Center). I have to go back, could only manage to try 5 dishes between three of us, so we need more!

Ba Guo Bu Yi - you need to order without the menu to get the authentic Szechuan. Also, I don't know which days the chef has off, but let Yu know I sent you and that you want some real Szechuan, she will help ... or let me know when you are going I'm due for my next drive to Richmond!

I haven't been yet to Shanghai Yan Yun on Main yet, too many drives to Richmond lately, and also have had a variety of non-Asian themed resto meals!

Note to ilovelivarot, I don't like oysters, but if they are only part of your meal, feel free to PM me and let me know if you want some company on your Chinese dining experiences here in Vancouver. There are more places, many more places, and for me it depends on where I am in the city and what I want at the moment ... I'm more likely to opt for trying a Chinese place in whatever neighborhood I'm in than a Western kitchen ... unless reputation preceeds.

now I want Chinese for my next meal (oh but wait, I always want Chinese for my next meal!)!!

[Daddy-A]

[forum host]

I've split this line of conversation into it's own thread ... focussing on take-out Chinese as per appreciator's post. Where's the best place to pick up kung pow on the way home from work? Or chow mein for that post binge nosh?

[/forum host]

Our favorite in Burnaby is The Pepper House ... or at least it was. Ordered from them last week and it sounds like there are new owners Smaller portions, and the ginger beef is nowhere near as good.

Any other Burnaby options?

A.

[peppyre]

It's always sad when your favorite chinese restaurant either closes up shop or changes owners. My mom and I still mourn the loss of Shum's in Delta. I think it's been closed for a good 12 years now, yet, we still crave their beef and lettuce wrap. I can still taste and absolutely nothing has come close since. In fact, of all the restaurants in this city that I have tried, not one has equalled Shum's in quality. Good luck finding a new spot Arne. I'm still looking.

[Keith Talent]

Shums? That's some kind of joke I'm not getting, right?

Anyway, I may be wrong, but I find that Canadian chinese restaurants do way better takeaway than Chinese chinese restaurants. Know what I mean? There's probably some algorithm to deduce the inverse relationship between the quality of takeout vs. dine in. Places that I'd never sit down in seem to do a decent takeout. I suspect it's because "real" chinese was never intended to be eaten a half hour after leaving the wok, but the places catering to caucasians have factored the drive/delivery time into the cooking.

Or maybe I'm totally wrong.

[Feedbag]

I feel your pain, Arne. The Burnaby Palace used to

be quite reliable for decent take-out but there's that

health board thing that stopped me going back.

Now I don't know of any other place, really.

There are lots on Hastings, but I've never given them a shot.

Same up around Metrotown, but again, I have no experience

with them. I tend to make the trip cross the border (Vancouver)

for Chinese, and even then it's not take-out, since I agree

some take-out just wasn't meant to travel far.

I'd be delighted to hear of a good place in Burnaby!

PS - There's a Chinese store on Hastings just east of

Willingdon on the south side that has lots of frozen dim sum

but they also have Chinese take-out. Looks good but I've

never indulged. Do you know of what I speak?

[Andrew Morrison]

The new Red Door on South Granville does take out. You call, they cook. You arrive. They run it out to your car. Pretty cool and the food is passable and inexpensive, too (plus it's pan Asian - so you get Chinese, Indian, Thai, et cetera).

[snacky_cat]

Our favorite in Burnaby is The Pepper House ... or at least it was.  Ordered from them last week and it sounds like there are new owners  Smaller portions, and the ginger beef is nowhere near as good.

It's not the Chili Pepper House, is it? Chinese-Indian hybrid on Kingsway at Rupert? That's one of our favourite places to go - the food is great and the fortune cookies have little Chinese lessons inside them. Last weekend I learned "I am a lawyer". Right on!

Our last meal there was veggie pakoras, haaji prawns, Manchurian chicken and hakka style sweet chow mein. All the dishes were awesome, especially the pakoras. Instead of the dough balls with a few unidentifiable vegetable shreds that most places turn out, these are bigger-than-a-golf-ball sized balls of nothing but veggie. Cabbage, carrot, onion, even little chunks of broccoli. When you slice one open it's impossible to understand how these things maintain their structural integrity during cooking - there is no sign of dough anywhere. Delicious. And served with an amazing spicy sauce that is a complete mystery to me.

Mr Cat also likes it because they bring all the entrees at the same time. Staggered serving is one of his great pet peeves.

[Paul B]

Here on the North Shore, we order take-out from a little place on Marine called C-Wok. Terrible pun, I know, but the food is good and they deliver in good time. It's also well priced.

[Daddy-A]

PS - There's a Chinese store on Hastings just east of

Willingdon on the south side that has lots of frozen dim sum

but they also have Chinese take-out. Looks good but I've

never indulged. Do you know of what I speak?

Yep .. the dim sum is pretty good ... cheap too. Haven't done the take-out because until now, I've had Pepper House! I'll keep you posted if you'll do the same. We suburbians have to stick together!

It's not the Chili Pepper House, is it? Chinese-Indian hybrid on Kingsway at Rupert?

Nope ... different place completely.

A.

[Vancouver]

I'll put in my vote for Sam Po BBQ for their BBQ Pork by the pound.

Cheers!

[Paul B]

PS - There's a Chinese store on Hastings just east of

Willingdon on the south side that has lots of frozen dim sum

but they also have Chinese take-out. Looks good but I've

never indulged. Do you know of what I speak?

Yep .. the dim sum is pretty good ... cheap too. Haven't done the take-out because until now, I've had Pepper House! I'll keep you posted if you'll do the same. We suburbians have to stick together!

It's not the Chili Pepper House, is it? Chinese-Indian hybrid on Kingsway at Rupert?

Nope ... different place completely.

A.

←

I've been to this place. It's just east of Willingdon on the south side of Hastings, beside a Chinese restaurant. The take out is just fine, though because a lot of the stuff is kept in steam tables it's not as fresh later in the day as it is around lunch. They also have Chinese baking. Don't know the name, but I'll be driving by it on the way home today and will try to remember to check for it.

[Paul B]

PS - There's a Chinese store on Hastings just east of

Willingdon on the south side that has lots of frozen dim sum

but they also have Chinese take-out. Looks good but I've

never indulged. Do you know of what I speak?

Yep .. the dim sum is pretty good ... cheap too. Haven't done the take-out because until now, I've had Pepper House! I'll keep you posted if you'll do the same. We suburbians have to stick together!

It's not the Chili Pepper House, is it? Chinese-Indian hybrid on Kingsway at Rupert?

Nope ... different place completely.

A.

←

I've been to this place. It's just east of Willingdon on the south side of Hastings, beside a Chinese restaurant. The take out is just fine, though because a lot of the stuff is kept in steam tables it's not as fresh later in the day as it is around lunch. They also have Chinese baking. Don't know the name, but I'll be driving by it on the way home today and will try to remember to check for it.

←

Here it is: Top Qaulity Ltd. Chinese Food Square. How's that for a name?

[Feedbag]

That's it, thanks, Paul.

Good to hear of an OK review. I've tried their frozen

dim sum (purdy good) but will now try their take-out,

preferably around lunchtime.

Agree, Arne, I'm "starved" for news of places to go

nearby, so I'll definitely post new finds.

Not Chinese, so I'll slip this in quick, but there's an

Indian take-out in the same block as the Top Quality,

other side of the street, called Heavenly Bites. Once

I try that, I'll add it to the boonies thread, or whatever

it's called.

[Zucchini Mama]

Some Questions about Take Out Chinese Food

This thread got me thinking about some of the differences between Canadian Chinese Food and "Authentic Chinese" food. First off, I remember reading a story or an essay in which a woman described an essential part of eating at a good Chinese restaurant. The challenge is to bring all the dishes to the table sizzling hot, as if they are all orchestrated to sizzle and sigh as they reach the table. I think there was even a word for this sound. (If anyone can remind me of this I would much appreciate it.) However in Canada, we have been ordering Chinese takeout for a long time-it is even associated with fifties kitsch in terms of the take-out containers with the wire handles. A few places in town even serve selected noodle dishes in these nostalgic containers in house-Zin and maybe Wild Rice? Take-out Chinese food would be the antithesis of the "sigh" theory. I grew up with Canadian Chinese food, and part of my comfort food reperatoire is definitely reheated almond chicken, etc. It seems to me some dishes fare better as take-out or reheats. For instance, the spicy peanut noodles we took home from Legendary Noodle the other day. I really like it reheated. I put extra peanuts on top and some chili sauce and it's just so perfect for lunch on a cloudy day in June. Some of the sauce gets absorbed into the noodles and it gets less slimy and more sticky, like peanut butter. I think Kung Pao chicken reheats nicely too. I'd be interested in thoughts/observations people have on which dishes in particular are good as takeout or reheats from specific places in Vancouver.

Zuke