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Seeking feedback/help on my eating itinerary


dimsumfan

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So, my partner and I (sometimes joined by a friend or two) are leaving later this week for our trip to Richmond/Vancouver. We primarily want to focus on Chinese food and will be staying in Richmond for four days/three nights. We can eat a lot, sometimes just sampling at restaurants (for example, we tried four xiao long bao restaurants in one day in Taipei to find the best!). With all the great comments in these message boards (thanks everyone!), here are our current picks:

1. Dim Sum (probably will have two dim sum meals)

a) Kirin

b) Shiang Garden (we've enjoyed it in the past)

Back-ups:

c) Yu

d) Jade

e) Gingeri

2. Lunch

a) Shanghai Wind (especially for xiao long bao)

b) Shanghai River (for xiao long bao comparison)

c) Top Shanghai Cuisine Restaurant (more xlb and other items)

d) Yaohan Plaza - for salmon sushi at Osaka Market (looked good last time, maybe as a snack?) and maybe Curry House

e) Richmond Public Market - to try the Xian place, Singapore Gourmet, Beijing-Shanghai Delicacies, and deep-fried Dungeness crab if still available

3. Dinner (in order of preference)

a) Sea Harbour (especially for crab w/pumpkin)

b) Golden Szechuan (in Richmond)

c) Traditional Taiwanese Cuisine

d) Shanghai Shin Ya

e) Ellie

4. Snacks

a) Mak's for wonton soup

b) Jeem Jai Gei for wonton soup

c) Richmond Night Market (Friday or Saturday night)

5. Other

a) Vij's (Sunday night - loved it in the past)

b) Chocoatl for hot chocolate

c) Westminster Quay

We have ambitious goals, so I'm hoping for the following help:

1. Does anyone have addresses for Yu, Jade, and Golden Szechuan (in Richmond, but perhaps with a different name)? Having trouble locating these on the Internet.

2. I know I need reservations for dim sum on the weekend. Do these places serve dim sum during the week? Do any offer discounts for early seating?

3. Are any of the places on my list open for breakfast? That would help us get to more places!

4. Any suggestions on moving any of the choices from lunch to dinner, etc.?

5. Anything interesting food-wise at Westminster Quay?

6. Anything obvious missing from my list? Anything outdated? Opinions about the dim sum choices?

Any and all opinions/feedback wanted, welcome - and greatly appreciated!

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Dude - I am getting a tummy ache looking at that itineray. I think that you have a very good listing - people may quibble on the ranking of stuff - but I don't see any out and out bad choices.

Make reso's for all your meals (except won ton houses) - all your dim sum choices serve dim sum every day. Stay away from Sea Harbour for lunch - blech (their dinner continues to be excellent).

Here are some addresses you were looking for:

Jade Seafood Restaurant

8511 Alexandra Road, Richmond

Tel: 604-249-0082

Golden Szechuan Restaurant

3631 No.3 Road

604 288 9058

I am not sure about Yu's address - sorry.

If you go to Shiang Garden - make sure get you get there baked bbq pork bun - the food is hot and fresh - but it is more rustic now. I think that they have discounted items depending when you start your lunch.

I was at Sea Harbour recently and I thought their soy braised live prawns were excellent. They prawns are no longer in season - so check with the service managers about how good they are. However - a meal with the crab (which may be as high as $50) AND prawns may be pretty stiff. Stick to their seasonal dish - and order the more home style items if you get the crab and/or prawns.

Note that Mak's is down to one location on Alexandra in Richmond.

For breakfast - are you thinking of congee. Congee House on Main and Broadway is good (though cleanliness is not so hot). But there are a number of places in Richmond that serve early meals - and will offer discounts if you show up early. May need to do more research.

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I haven't been to New Westminster Quay for about a year. Unless it has radically changed in that time, I would swap that for a trip to Lonsdale Quay instead.

There was nothing food wise there - no good restaurant, no interesting food stalls - it's all kind of low budget shopping mall stuff. I would have to say that it is the least interesting Quayside market that I have ever been to. Unless you have a burning yen to see the Fraser River and a bad casino, there are far more interesting places in Vancouver to shop and eat.

Don't try to win over the haters. You're not the jackass whisperer."

Scott Stratten

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Thanks for the helpful tips and addresses so far.

We enjoy congee, but probably won't be seeking that for breakfast. Will check to see if any of the places on the list open especially early.

Still looking for an address for Yu. Anyone have a more complete name for it? I read a few good reviews of the dim sum there, but no further info.

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For your lunch Xiao Long Bao comparison, I would sub one of the Shanghai's (wind or river) for Northern Dynasty on Alexandra Road. IMO the best Xiao Long Bao.

Northern Dynasty, 1180 - 8391 Alexandra Rd., Richmond, BC (604) 303-1192

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I'll confirm that! My only visit was for dim sum at lunch time and I have never returned. I have always read the rave reviews of them with that dim sum lunch in mind and really questioned what the heck was going on with these positive reviews and if it was somehow influenced by some random Chinese wine brought to a big dinner? :wacko:

Now that I know there is a big quality difference for dinner I feel a bit better and may actually give them a try for dinner sometime. :wink:

Cheers!

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Regarding early dim sum, Jade definitely has a discount - 20% discount. I'm not sure how early they open though.

I would definitely add Empire to your list of back-ups for dim sum. I went for dim sum last Saturday and really enjoyed it. I have to agree with the raves about their bbq pork buns - WOW. BY FAR the best bbq pork buns I have ever had - just meltingly soft, with a slightly crunchy top, moist filling with a bit of sauce. I could eat a whole plate of these myself... :wub:

Other stand-outs were the shrimp dumplings (while the wrapper was ok (ie. not chewy enough), the filling contained sesame oil & good quality (ie. flavourful & not mushy) shrimp), and the "ja leung" (Chinese "donut" (you tiu) wrapped in cheung fun (flat rice noodle)). The cheung fun was smooth & slightly chewy without being hard, & wasn't falling apart soft; there was also a layer of pork floss (yook soong ("rou song" in Mandarin)) between the you tiu & cheung fun.

PLUS Empire opens quite early for dim sum (our waiter was saying that some regulars trickle in around 9ish). Empire is located at the old Fisherman's Terrace space, corner of No. 3 Road & Westminster Highway, where the London Drugs & Milestone's are (2nd floor). Almost forgot - 30% discount for early dim sum. Of course, there are certain things that aren't included during that time, like their weekly specials (last week was a cold appetizer of jellyfish & thinly-sliced spiced soy marinated beef...brisket? I can never remember the cut of meat).

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^ :blink: I'm hungry and want to go to Richmond now.

I love the Roti Canai at the Richmond Public Market as well. Very cheap too!

"There are two things every chef needs in the kitchen: fish sauce and duck fat" - Tony Minichiello

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... thinly-sliced spiced soy marinated beef...brisket? I can never remember the cut of meat).

Is it circular with specks of collagen? I think that's shin of beef - I love it too - beefy and good.

I think so... I think it's called "ngo jeen"? Not to be confused with that other circular thing with the layer of translucent skin/fat around it that's also often found on the cold appetizer plate. Is the other thing pork?

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Interesting update on the dim sum situation:

Shiang Garden, Gingeri, Jade and Empire all open at 9am (Shiang Garden actually 9:30) and offer a 20% discount for ordering by 11am.

Kirin opens at 10am and offers no discount.

Does that make Kirin the high-class king of dim sum???

And still no contact information for a place called "Yu."

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I like Kirin best out of the places you've listed (with the exception of Gingeri--haven't been there yet), but the shrimp dumplings and the radish cake aren't the best there. I love their egg tarts, though, when they are hot out of the oven! Perfectly flaky 'sou pei' and the custard is more delicate than most dim sum places.

ETA: Where did you read about "Yu"? Is that the full name? I haven't heard of it. Is it in Richmond?

Edited by Ling (log)
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ETA: Where did you read about "Yu"? Is that the full name? I haven't heard of it. Is it in Richmond?

At this point, I myself am starting to wonder if I've simply imagined this place! Actually, I'm sure I read about it on one of the message boards here, but at this point "Yu" is a difficult search term. Might be easier to search for it in person in Richmond.

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^ Wait a second, I think I actually have a business card for Yu in my house, if nobody's thrown it out yet... I'll look for it tonight :) I can't remember the Chinese name for it though.

Speaking of egg tarts, Empire also has really good ones too - good "sou pei" & lots of filling.

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^ Wait a second, I think I actually have a business card for Yu in my house, if nobody's thrown it out yet... I'll look for it tonight  :)  I can't remember the Chinese name for it though.

Wow... great if you can find it! I leave early tomorrow morning for Richmond, but will likely have my computer and can check the forum. Thanks!

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I found the Yu Restaurant reference: it was canucklehead.

Google is a wonderful thing :wink:

Thanks, Deborah. And I thought I was a great googler. You're an expert sleuther.

And am glad to know I can cross it off my list. One less place to try!

One of my nicknames is Surfer Betty.

I look forward to reading about your Chinese Dining Extravaganza :smile:

Agenda-free since 1966.

Foodblog: Power, Convection and Lies

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Hi all... Just a quick report from Richmond. It was a good first day of eating. Went to Shanghai Wind for lunch and enjoyed the xiao long bao plus other goodies. Then on to Shanghai River for lunch #2, which included a xiao long bao comparison and again a few other dishes. What contrasting restaurants! The xiao long bao is as described by others here: rustic at Shanghai Wind and smaller and more delicate at Shanghai River. Both good, but not as good as what we've had in Taiwan, and not as good as Joe's Shanghai in NYC. Just my humble opinion, of course.

Then, a mid-afternoon bowl of prawn wontons at Tsim Chai Noodles, or Jeem Jai Gei (I think it's called both). Good prawn taste. This was after walking through the Richmond Public Market and hoping to eat more xiao long bao at the Beijing-Shanghai Delicacies Stall. But no xlb there - maybe we were supposed to try the ones at the adjoining stall?

Lastly, a dinner at Sea Harbour which included the very delicious crab with kabocha.

The upcoming days will likely include Shiang Garden, Kirin, Golden Szechuan, and Top Shanghai, Mak's, and the Richmond Night Market. We've scouted out a few more places should time allow.

Mostly wanted to say "hello" from the field and thank everyone for all the great advice. I'll send a fuller report after returning to Seattle!

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