Fine China — Page 3

In many parts of the Lower Mainland there are excellent Chinese restaurants. Here, a discerning guide to the best grocery shops and dining rooms:


CHINATOWN GENESIS

DOLLAR MEATS
266 E. Pender St., Chinatown, 604-681-0536
Step into the store and you’ll experience the raw sights and smells of a real butcher shop. The prize here is the assortments of cured meats that have a fan base reaching all the way to Hong Kong (Dollar Meats ships to the U.S. and China). The lap cheong (cured sausages) strike a balance between salty and sweet, the air-dried pork belly is deeply aromatic and the pressed duck is like a Chinese duck prosciutto.

NEW TOWN BAKERY
158 E. Pender St., Chinatown, 604-689-7835
3484 Cambie St., South Cambie, 604-876-7288
4-6360 No. 3 Rd., Richmond, 604-270-2889
This Chinatown institution is famous for its hearty steamed buns, but try any of the other fresh-baked goods sitting on giant baking sheets, dark with the patina of use. Standouts are the apple tarts—the flaky pastry would make Jacques Pepin proud.


SUNRISE MARKET AND TOFU
300 Powell St., Strathcona, 604 685-8019
When Chinese people prepare tofu, they don’t pretend it’s something else. Tofurkey loaf? No thanks. Veggie burgers? Don’t think so. Enjoy it in its pristine state, sliced in a flavourful broth. Stir fried with spicy Sichuan spices, it takes on a soft scrambled texture that serves as the perfect foil to sharp heat and vinegars. Soft dessert tofu, which is usually accented with a sweet ginger syrup but also available in other flavours, is remarkably similar to a delicate pannacotta. Sunrise Tofu, sold in grocery stores nation-wide, began operations here more than 50 years ago.

HONG KONG ENERGY


SUN SUI WAH
3888 Main St., South Main, 604-872-8822
102-4940 No. 3 Rd., Richmond, 604-273-8208
Their annual King crab festival (March and April, alas) is a highlight in the Chinese culinary year. It’s prepared three ways: the legs are split and steamed with minced garlic, the deep-fried knuckles are tossed with an aromatic mix of chillies and garlic, and the carpace is heaped with fried rice brightened with curry and tomalley. Other seafood promotions are on offer throughout the year. The seasonal menu recently featured pea tips braised with ginko nuts and tofu sheets and a satisfyingly gamey lamb hot pot.

SEA HARBOUR
3711 No. 3 Rd., Richmond, 604-232-0816
Though the menu highlights many pricey delicacies, it’s the home-style items on the fresh sheet that are the real finds. The daily soup, a soothing broth served with stewed meats and a dish of soy on the side, demonstrates the kitchen’s command of Chinese cooking fundamentals. Chayote squash with minced pork is brightened with Chinese olives or pickled vegetables; braised pork belly is richly sauced; pillow-soft buns (with a pork or salted egg yolk filling) are a house specialty. Order the hot almond cream to finish, but ask for it without egg whites if you aren’t adventurous with texture.

GINGERI
323-5300 No. 3 Rd., Richmond, 604-278-6006
Go for boneless Eight Treasure duck stuffed with a mix of nuts and grains, stir-fried Dungeness crab served over pearls of sticky rice, and vegetables simply braised in a light stock, lifted by slivers of fresh ginger. The kitchen truly excels at Chinese desserts: baked tapioca pudding with taro is richly satisfying and the deep-fried sesame puffs are sweetly crunchy without being greasy.

KIRIN RESTAURANTS
102-1166 Alberni St., West End, 604-682-8833
2nd Floor, 555 W. 12th Ave., South Cambie, 604-879-8038
2nd Floor, 7900 Westminster Hwy., Richmond, 604-303-8833
2nd Floor, 1163 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam, 604-944-8833
Dim sum is particularly strong and service standards are exemplary at all four locations. Look for seasonal greens and fresh seafood to make appearances in unexpected places. Deep-fried smelts are topped with a decadent dollop of roe, steamed spare ribs are richly plump, and live rock cod is flawlessly steamed—extra bowls of rice should be ordered to sop up the luscious ginger, scallion and soy sauce.

KOON BO
5682 Fraser St., East Side, 604 323-1218
Tucked away in a non-descript mini mall at Fraser and 41st, Koon Bo is a favourite with large families. Ignore the décor—the kitchen is a powerhouse. The Chinese chicken salad with strips of fried wonton skins is the best in the city. Barbecue duck is crackling crisp and juicy, and pork stir fried with house-pickled vegetables is satisfying.

MAK'S NOODLE HOUSE
185-8291 Alexandra Rd., Richmond, 604-231-8141
Originally an outpost of the most famous wonton noodle house in Hong Kong, Mak’s is now run by local partners. Though the portions seem small, the famous wonton noodles pack a satisfyingly deep flavour. Do as they do in Hong Kong and decide on your second order as you round the plate on your first; the succulent fried chicken wings are an excellent accompaniment.

MICHELE CAKE SHOP
6033 W. Boulevard, Kerrisdale, 604-261-3284
The legendary flaky caramelized Portuguese egg tarts give the original Pastéis de Nata a run for their money. Cakes are layered with whipped cream and fruit, then wrapped like a present with slices of ripe mango. The thick-cut white bread and accordion-like milk bread are the foundation for the most delicious buttered toast.

NEW CHINA EXPLOSION


XIAN HENG RESTAURANT
7-6340 No. 3 Rd., Richmond, 604-278-0709
Opened over 100 years ago as a wine shop serving light snacks, Xian Heng—with 20 locations in China and abroad—is now run by a restaurant group. The Nanjing-trained chefs provide a tour of Zhejiang cuisine: Nanjing salty duck is gently poached, concentrating the cured meat flavours; pork belly with braised vegetables highlights the region’s use of sweet and savoury flavours; deep-fried sesame mochi balls (the first of two items oddly named “Fried Dates” on the dessert menu) are gratifyingly sweet and chewy.

CHEN'S SHANGHAI KITCHEN
8095 Park Rd., Richmond, 604-304-8288
Shanghainese dim sum is the focus here and the xiao long bao are arguably the best, though the pan-fried pork buns are also satisfying. Shanghainese wontons are smaller and lighter than their Cantonese cousins, with chopped pork and vegetable filling. Their version of dan dan noodles are bathed in a peanut sauce spiked with chilli heat. Deep-fried red bean pastries come in the guise of sweet spring rolls.

GOLDEN SZECHUAN RESTAURANT
1788 W. Broadway, Kitsilano, 604-738-3648
Cold-poached free-range chicken is served with a spicy sauce and topped with crunchy peanuts. Cumin lamb is warm with earthy spice and the dan dan noodles are the real deal: lightly sauced with the piney, citrus bite of Sichuan peppercorns. Dial down the heat with garlicky green beans and sour plum tea.

DINESTY CHINESE RESTAURANT
160-8111 Ackroyd Rd., Richmond, 604-303-7772
A Taiwanese take on Northern Chinese dim sum, the steamed soup buns are bite-size packets of brothy goodness. Noodles with shrimp and crab are luxuriant and the house-made pickled cabbage (kimchi) is brightened with fresh shredded ginger and chopped red chillies. The room is modern and the menu has useful descriptions and a clear layout.

VOGUE RESTAURANT
1121-3779 Sexsmith Rd., Richmond, 604-244-8885
The offerings here zip around Northern China with a sweet Taiwanese influence, best seen in green onion pancakes and five-spice beef served pinwheel style. The spicy shredded pork is a riff on a Sichuan classic and the Taiwanese fried rice noodles are typical of the speedy fare of Taipei. Service is remarkably capable in this buzzy room.

CABIN 5555
5555 W. Boulevard, Kerrisdale, 604-263-5155
A surreal mix of Taiwanese hip hop, giggly teenaged girls, and cloud shaped mirrors—though the interior is worn, there’s no denying the fun factor. In tune with Vancouver’s small plates obsession, appetizers let you test-drive new flavours. Crispy pieces of boneless salt and pepper chicken kick McNuggets in the pants; thinly sliced pork is dressed with an insanely garlicky sauce. Don’t overlook the beverage menu: the bar is devoted to the art of bubble tea.

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