Chinatown

ADEGA
Since opening their doors in 1972, brothers Dennis and Manual Resendes have been schooling Vancouverites on the rustic country cooking of their native Portugal. Ostensibly peasant food, this is hearty, flavourful fare. Start with the caldo verde ($3.05), a traditional soup of potato, onion and finely shredded kale, before moving into the hefty carne alentejana ($16.75). In the Portuguese custom of blending fish and meat in the same dish, these are cubes of marinated pork, served over a steaming bowl of cilantro-scented clams and spicy Adega fries. The decor is charmingly outdated, but with the familial service, generous portions, and a few glasses of the refreshing vinho verde (spritzy Portuguese green wine) you’ll hardly notice. 1022 Main St., Chinatown, 604-685-7818. $$

BA LE FRENCH SANDWICH
Tucked away in a nondescript pan-ethnic strip mall, Ba Le French Sandwich sees a steady stream of customers in search of food-in-hand at bargain prices. A photo board helps to decipher the succinct Vietnamese menu, but newcomers needn’t look any further than the banh mi. The Vietnamese equivalent of a sub sandwich, it’s filled with pickled carrot and daikon, cilantro, the meat of your choice and served on a crusty halved baguette. Pick up two banh mi and a coconut water to wet your whistle, and you’ll still get change back from a $10 bill. 21-701 Kingsway, 604-875-6322; 121-633 Main St., Chinatown, 604-662-8108. $

FLOATA
In a room the size of Coquitlam, you’re offered an à la carte menu that reads like a short novel. Find baked Dungeness crab in a curried cream sauce, presented in its carapace, plus all the standard Cantonese favourites. Banquets are often held here, so phone ahead to see if they’re privately booked. 400-180 Keefer St., Chinatown, 604-602-0368. $$$

FOO'S HO HO
Cheerful stop with heart warming prices. Good wonton soup is $3.75, and Singapore-style, curry-enhanced rice noodles pop, too. Regulars order the special chicken platter. For two it’s dinner and, at $19.95, very good value: A whole deboned chicken is stuffed with slightly sweet sticky rice that combines Chinese sausage, chicken, mushrooms and pepper. The room recalls the era when this block of Pender vibrated with neon signs. 102 E. Pender St., Chinatown, 604-609-2889. $-$$

HON'S WUN-TUN HOUSE
Chainlet of quick, efficient, budget-conscious Chinese food. Hon’s is known for their potstickers: pork, beef, chicken or vegetarian served pan-fried, steamed or in broth. The special vegetarian menu is vast, featuring items such as vegetarian goose (bean curd skin roll) and hearty hot and sour vegetarian soup. Hon’s are always packed, the kitchen is always in a hurry (sometimes sacrificing quality), but the price is right. 1339 Robson St., Downtown, 604-685-0871; 108-268 Keefer St., Chinatown, 604-688-0871; 101-4600 No. 3 Rd., Richmond, 604-273-0871 (also in New Westminster and Coquitlam). $

PHNOM PENH
A favourite of both Julia Child and Anthony Bourdain (now that would have been a dinner party), this Cambodian-Vietnamese restaurant is distinctly different from run-of-the-mill pho shops. The extended Huynh family’s sparely decorated Phnom Penh might survive on one dish alone: their apocalyptic deep-fried garlic baby squid (with piquant lemon pepper dipping sauce) will ensure that you’ll never eat wedding ring calamari again. Tissue-thin-sliced beef, barely seared, is dressed with lime, cilantro, and fish sauce then spread across a plate like the petals of a flower and sprinkled with crunchy deep fried garlic. Regulars also know to pre-order garlic-flamed cracked Dungeness crabs, paired with a platter of shimmering, sautéed lotus roots, and to drink their Tsingtaos straight from the bottle. 244 East Georgia St., Chinatown, 604-682-5777. $$

WILD RICE
Chic room with diverse menu and feng shui sensibilities continues to push traditional boundaries with its modern take on Chinese cuisine. An illuminated aquamarine bar is the centrepiece under lofted ceilings and low couches. Get started with the popular veggie spring rolls with sweet citrus garlic sauce ($8). For dinner, the charred beef tenderloin with candied fennel, sweet scallop, and white truffle and oyster mushrooms in rice pontneuf impresses. Luminous cocktails, an exemplary wine list and an impressive selection of exotic teas amplify an already elevated dining experience. 117 W. Pender St., Chinatown, 604-642-2882. $$-$$$

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