Chef of Dumplings - Roti, Spicy Squid, and Dumplings in Aberdeen

I am not ashamed to admit that I really enjoy eating at the Aberdeen food court. Heck, when my friends ask me where I want to go for lunch, I even suggest coming here! 

  

Recently they opened up a new stall called "Chef of Dumplings" near Jang Mo Jib and Tofu Hotpot. My mom was enticed by their inexpensive combo so we decided to give them a try. After all, handmade dumplings are always more delicious than store bought ones.

Their Chef of Dumplings Trio Combo ($7.75) came with handmade roti, spicy squid/pork/lamb, four dumplings of your choice, and imitation shark fin/hot and sour soup. First, the hot and sour soup was nowhere hot enough so my mom didn't really enjoy it. Second, the dumplings tasted actually like the ones I could make at home, which leads me to believe they don't either hand make them or it's just not executed well.

The roti however was magical. Flaky, oily, and oh so delicious. It was definitely an incredibly indulgent piece of pancake. It tasted quite good when wrapped around the spicy squid. The squid was abundant but SOO spicy and fragrant. The spices were so strong that it was actually overpowering everything else. Weirdly enough, I still enjoyed it. Haha.

All in all, Chef of Dumplings was okay but by no means is it a stall I'd return to over and over again.

Service Rating: N/A
Food Rating: 2.5/5
Price: $

Overall Rating: 2.5/5

Happy Eating!

 

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Double Double Restaurant - Legit Housemade Rice Rolls

My mom recently introduced me to this new restaurant called "Double Double Restaurant & Wonton" in Richmond. They specialize in congee, chinese donuts, wontons, noodles and comfort HK food.

 Their parking lot is free and slightly difficult to manoeuvre around. If you can't find parking, there's additional multi-level parking in the building right next to it.

Chinese Donut wrapped in Rice Roll ($4.75) is one of their specialities and my parents loved it. Everything is made in house and you can really taste the difference.

I absolutely adore the Steamed Rice Roll with Mixed Sauce ($3.50) and its one of the best rice rolls I've had in a while. My dad chose the Hong Kong Style Congee ($5.25).

I always get the Preserved Egg and Salted Pork Congee ($4.99) whenever I eat congee and while this congee was flavourful and satisfying, it tasted a bit like msg. I also would've liked to see the pork shredded instead of chunks as it gets a bit chewy.

The Special Cuttlefish Cake Lo Mein ($7.50) was highly anticipated because my mom said their cuttlefish cakes here are housemade and delicious. They were indeed bouncy and fresh. Not mind blowing though.

Service Rating: 3/5
Food Rating: 3/5
Price: $-$$

Service Rating: 3/5

Happy Eating!

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Western Lake Chinese Seafood Restaurant - Why am I the Last to Know?

A couple days ago, Meta Knight and his family brought me to Western Lake Seafood Restaurant on 33rd and Victoria for his brother's birthday dinner. Apparently this is their go-to place for dim sum and it's highly rated on Urbanspoon. 

After some investigation, I realized it IS highly rated on Urbanspoon! Yet, I don't think I've heard of this place before.

In any case, we waited only five minutes and were escorted into the back of the restaurant to get seated. The place is noisy, crowded, and service is crappy...typical Asian restaurant.

We started off with the Crab Meat with Fish Maw Thick Soup ($15.50) which was super tasty and filled with large chunks of real crab meat.

This was a Sizzling Beef Brisket Pot and had tendon, brisket, and radishes. The brisket was a little tough and stuck to my teeth whenever you try to bite into it. 

This was my favourite dish of the night. It's made of whipped egg whites, seafood, and tobiko on top of steamed broccoli. It may look bland but it was incredibly light, savoury, and went perfect with rice. I can devour the whole plate myself, no joke!

The Deep Fried Crispy Skin Chicken ($18.00) was delicious and was not dry at all, even the breast. 

I don't know what this dish is called in English but its essentially stewed veggies and air bladder of the fish. It's hard to describe but the air bladder that allows fish to float in water (and what turns them upside down when they die) is the thing that is cooked and eaten. It's delicious and packed full of collagen which is SUPER good for the skin.

Some people may find the Diced Chicken with Salted Fish Fried Rice ($12.00) a bit too salty because of the salted fish but I really liked it. Great dish.

This was my favourite dish of the night and a favourite all around the table. Deep Fried Prawns with Salad Dressing and Walnuts is exactly as it sounds. Deep fried prawns, slathered in a creamy savoury salad dressing, and garnished with candied walnuts. I don't know what it is about this dish but you've got to order it. Especially if you like prawns, because this is amazeballs. Yes I said it. Amazeballs.

Overall, Western Lake Chinese Seafood Restaurant really impressed me so I can't wait to come back for dim sum. Parking is free around the restaurant and not too hard to find. I feel like most people know about this restaurant already but to me, this is a new hidden gem and I'm glad I was finally introduced to it!

Service Rating: 2/5

Food Rating: 4/5

Price: $$

Overall Rating: 4/5

Happy Eating!

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No.1 Shanghai Cuisine - Decent Shanghainese Cuisine

To call your restaurant 'No.1 Shanghai Cuisine' is pretty bold. You are pretty much announcing to everyone who enters that your Shanghainese cuisine is the best of the best.

I haven't been to this restaurant in a really long time, so Meta Knight and I decided on coming for a quick lunch.

It is located on No.3 Road across from Aberdeen Center.

Xiao Long Bao (aka Shanghai Soup Buns) is the staple item to get in any Shanghainese restaurant so obviously we had to start with it.

The XLBs were actually done quite well with a large amount of piping hot soup in each one. There could've been a little more flavour in the broth, but I can't complain.

The Taiwanese Beef Noodle in Soup came in a huge bowl so just having this alone would be a substantial lunch for one. 

While this dish was good, nothing stood out or wowed me.

The Drunken Chicken appetizer dish is something I always like to get at Shanghainese restaurants. Its an acquired taste because of the rice wine that is used to marinade the chicken in, but once you do enjoy the taste, this dish is divine.

Meta Knight and I were disappointed at the Wontons in Red Chili Sauce because they just couldn 't get it right. There wasn't enough heat, the wontons were slightly too small, and the portion did not reflect the inflated price. Thumbs down.

All in all, this restaurant is definitely not the No.1 place to go for Shanghai cuisine. But it does provide some decent xiao long baos if you are ever in the area.  If I'm not mistaken, this restaurant is now closed (or so it says on Urbanspoon). I'll have to drive by it and double check before I can confirm.

Service Rating: 2/5
Food Rating: 2.5/5
Price: $-$$

Overall Rating: 2.5/5

Happy Eating!

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Top 8 Places To Eat in Richmond

For a lot of Vancouverites who rarely venture into Richmond, finding a place to eat can be overwhelming, especially if you know there are over 800 restaurants to choose from!

To make it a little easier on you, I've compiled a list of my Top 8 (for luck! Asians will know what I'm talkin' about) favorite places to eat in Richmond.

8) Deer Garden - Incredibly Flavourful Fish Broth


Richmond is home to two Deer Garden locations, one on Alexandra road, one on Cambie road. Their house made fish broth is to die for and is the perfect remedy for a chilly night, starving tummy, or quick bite with friends. Not recommended for chatting and catching up with old friends because Deer Garden is more of a 'eat and go' type of place.

7) Flying Beaver Bar & Grill - Perfect Spot to Chill, Watch the Game, and Eat a Burger


Located near the YVR airport, this seemingly casual neighborhood pub serves up amazing and meaty burgers. Try their Bison Burger w/ Guinness Cheese or the Kahuna Burger with Fresh Pinapple.

6) Bubble Queen - All Hail The Ferrero Rocher Cheesecake!

Bubble Queen is one of the most popular bubble tea houses in Richmond solely because of their incredibly fresh fruit slushes. Their most famous one? Fresh Mango Slush with Mango Cubes. MUST GET ITEM.

5) Chen's Shanghai House - Awesome Xiao Long Baos and Salty Soy Milk 


Some people might disagree with me on this one but my favourite 'bang-for-your-buck' Shanghainese restaurant is Chen's Shanghai House located on Park Road (across from Richmond Center). It has a sketchy looking exterior but they offer the best xiao long baos aka Shanghai soup buns I've ever had. Tip: its best to come with at least one Asian person because the waitress' English skills are limited.

4) Gokudo Shabu Shabu - This Shabu Shabu is Not Too Shabby


For hot pot, I've recently gravitated towards Gokudo Shabu Shabu located inside Continental Plaza on Cambie road because it is not All-You-Can-Eat and I enjoy their healthy combo sets. Seating is quite limited so its best to make reservations.

3) Sushi Hachi - Saba Battera is Amazing!


Sushi Hachi is a hidden gem in Richmond for authentic Japanese sushi. It is operated by a couple and they only open for three hours a day (Tues-Sat). Its a little on the pricey side but the quality of seafood you get is well worth it. Their Saba Battera and Amaebi nigiri are highly recommended.

2) Gyo-o - Fresh Seafood, Authentic Ramen, Mouth-watering Dons


I've written about Gyo-o at least three to four times now and it is one of my go-to Japanese restaurants whenever anyone asks me where to eat. I absolutely adore their Seafood Tonkotsu Ramen and Seafood Yukke Don (pictured above) and all of their items are extremely affordable. Great food, cute decor, welcoming ambiance, I just can't say enough good things about Gyo-o.

1) L'Opera Patisserie - J'adore Paris

I recently discovered L'Opera Patisserie located on Minoru Road and Westminister, and honestly, it has changed my life. I now no longer have to transit all the way to downtown just to get my hands on some macarons because these at L'Opera are even better. They offer high tea, pastries, desserts, and tea, so it is a great little spot for catching up with friends. I absolutely love love love this quaint little patisserie and I never want it to leave my life.

So there you go! These are my Top 8 recommendations for restaurants in Richmond. If you think another restaurant in Richmond was tragically snubbed by me, please let me know in the comments below. :D

Follow me on Instagram (eatingwithkirby) for daily foodporn and all things Kirby.

Happy Eating!

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Shanghai House Restaurant - Won't Be Coming Back

I wouldn't say I have very high standards when it comes to food. Sure, I like to eat... but it's pretty apparent that I can enjoy a 4 dollar meal as much as a 40 dollar one. 

I think for me the most important quality is whether the food was worth the price. I'd gladly pay top dollars for amazingly fresh seafood. However, I get super cranky when I have to pay average to expensive prices for low quality food. Which is the case of this restaurant here.

I went to Shanghai House Restaurant in Richmond for Mother's Day. Having heard multiple good reviews, I was pretty stoked to finally be trying it out.

First came our Marinated Jelly Fish ($8.98) appetizer. I think the chef that day had a heavy hand because every dish we had was over salted. This jelly fish was pretty good aside from the overbearing saltiness. Not worth 9 bucks in my opinion.

These Chinese Donuts ($2.98) were done pretty well and would be good with a bowl of congee.

Maybe my expectations were too high after trying the Beef Roll ($5.28) from Peaceful Restaurant, but this in comparison was a complete fail. There was no flakiness in the roti/pancake, it was poorly assembled, and the whole thing tasted like mush.

I enjoyed the Shanghai Wontons in Soup ($6.98). It was over salted though.

Another disappointing dish. We ordered the Wontons in Spicy Sauce ($4.98) which is a traditional Sichuan dish. Normally, the wontons should be soaked in a bed of spicy tangy chili oil sauce but the spicy sauce (as indicated in the name) was nowhere to be found.

courtesy of cookism

This is what 'Wontons in Spicy Sauce' is supposed to look like.

Their Steamed Shanghai Dumplings ($4.98) aka Xiao Long Baos were pretty good with a decent amount of soup in them. Had a funky taste to it but it could have been just me.

Although the Rice Cake with Pork Chop ($6.58) was also quite salty, it was our saving grace. This was the only dish that we deemed acceptable in the entire lineup of dishes we ordered. The rice cakes were soft and drenched in the gooey sauce which made for great comfort food, and the pork chop was fried nicely.

All in all, I cannot foresee myself coming back again to give this restaurant another try. It saddens me because I don't know what happened. Maybe it was an off day for the chef or maybe our family just ordered the wrong items. Although... every item on their menu SHOULD be good enough to be served... so I don't truly believe that.

What do you think? How was your experience at this restaurant? Let me know in the comments below.

Service Rating: 2.5/5
Food Rating: 1.5/5
Price: $$

Overall Rating: 1.5/5

Happy Eating!


courtesy of http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/25/gordon-ramsay-jokes-memes_n_2935189.html

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