Baiyulan Shanghai Cuisine

November 18, 2018November 18, 2018Leave a comment

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Baiyulan is the new Chen’s Shanghai Kitchen after the old location was being used for redevelopment. The new location is quite spacious and even has a patio during the summer. I have to say it’s a bit odd to eat Chinese food on a patio though! The menu seems to be pretty much the same. During peak hours, there is a short wait as it seems to be quite popular.

03.jpg by info9813 on 500px.com

Xiao Long Bao

To start, we had the Xiao Long Bao with one order consisting of 6 dumplings. The skin was fairly thin and the inside was pretty juicy. Although I still much prefer the ones from Yuan’s Garden as they have the most soup. Still, these are fairly priced and pretty good.

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Beef Wrap

We also tried the Beef Wrap but this was pretty disappointing. The dough was very pale and white but the main issue was there wasn’t enough hoisin sauce so the wrap was rather dry.

02.jpg by info9813 on 500px.com

Pan Fried Shanghai Noodles

Last but not least, we had the Pan Fried Shanghai Noodles which is a staple dish we order at Shanghainese restaurants. The dish was large with the noodles being chewy and not overly oily. It was very flavourful and the amount of ingredients in the dish was just right.

Overall, Baiyulan is a great option for Shanghainese food in Richmond. Not my favourite one but it’s up on the list when I’m thinking of a spot to go to. Service was actually not bad and they were pretty responsive.

Pros:
– Decent eats at reasonable prices
– Service is pretty quick

Cons:
– Good but nothing to rave about

Price Range: $15-20 per person

1: Terrible 2: Poor 3: Average 4: Good 5: Excellent

Food: 3.5 Service: 3.5 Ambiance: 3 Parking: Free parking in complex Overall: 3.5

Yuan’s Garden Restaurant

October 8, 2018Leave a comment

03.jpg by SophiaHo on 500px.com

Jelly Pork

Yuan’s Garden opened up earlier this year in a tiny strip mall on Alexandra. It was previously called Shanghai Morning but looks like they renamed after the move. The interior is much nicer and seating is much more comfy compared to before.

To start, we had the Jelly Pork which which was served cold with a good ratio of jelly and meat. I liked how it wasn’t too salty.

01.jpg by SophiaHo on 500px.com

Chicken in Wine Sauce

Next up, we had the Chicken in Wine Sauce which again is served cold. The skin had a nice jelly like layer and the wine flavour was apparent in the chicken.

02.jpg by SophiaHo on 500px.com

Xiao Long Bao

My favourite were the Xiao Long Bao. These XLBs are so big and they are filled with so much soup! These are probably one of my favourite XLBs in Richmond. A must order!

05.jpg by SophiaHo on 500px.com

Shanghai Style Deep Braised Cabbage with Shredded Pork

The Shanghai Style Deep Braised Cabbage with Shredded Pork doesn’t look very appetizing but it’s a very tasty dish with a savoury broth. The saltiness is mainly from the Chinese shredded pork. A great veggie dish to pair with some of the oilier Shanghainese food.

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Sauteed Prawns

The Sauteed Prawns were paired with green peas and a fancy carrot carved into a rooster. We thought that was a funny addition given they don’t really focus on presentation here. Shrimp were moist and bouncy and coated in a nice consommé.

07.jpg by SophiaHo on 500px.com

Stir-Fried Beef with Honey Sauce

Another crowd pleaser was the Stir-Fried Beef with Honey Sauce which is served with fluffy mantou buns. The beef is flavourful and sweet and great to scoop into the buns.

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Deep Fried Mini Buns

A favourite of mine since a child are the Deep Fried Mini Buns paired with condensed milk. Probably not very healthy, but the pillowy soft interior with crunchy exterior is absolutely delicious!

04.jpg by SophiaHo on 500px.com

Shanghai Style Pork Meatball

Another favourite dish of mine that night were the Shanghai Style Pork Meatballs. There are three meatballs served in one dish, but they are huge! The pork meat is mixed with water chestnuts for a nice crunch. The meatballs are big but they are moist in the center and soaked in this savoury sauce. A must order as well!

Overall, I highly recommend Yuan’s Garden for Shanghai food in Richmond. Service is mediocre as expected in most of the Chinese restaurants and I found the crowd to be quite loud during dinner time. Parking is also quite limited in this strip mall, but quality of food and pricing is great here!

Pros:
– Quality of food is great
– Prices are quite reasonable

Cons:
– Ambiance can be quite loud
– Don’t expect much service

Price Range: $20-30 per person

1: Terrible 2: Poor 3: Average 4: Good 5: Excellent

Food: 4 Service: 2.5 Ambiance: 2.5 Parking: Free parking in strip mall Overall: 4

Yuan’s Shanghai Serendipity Cuisine

July 7, 2016July 7, 2016Leave a comment

Yuan’s Shanghai Serendipity Cuisine is one of the newer additions to Richmond’s Shanghai/ dim sum options. It took over the spot of a Korean restaurant and has renovated.

The decor is probably one of the fanciest in Richmond for Chinese food. There are blue velvet chairs, vases, and statues. Somehow we ended up in a private room too which was pretty cool as you got a lot of privacy.

Even their chinaware is nicer than most Chinese restaurants. With such nice ambiance, you would expect the prices to be rather high, but they were actually quite reasonable and in line with other restaurants.

Soy Braised Kaofu with Assorted Mushrooms

We started off with the Soy Braised Kaofu with Assorted Mushrooms. I really enjoyed the flavours of this dish and it was not overly salty. Loved the abundance of peanuts mixed in to give it some crunch.

Smoked Duck (half)

The half order of Smoked Duck was glazed in a plum sauce with the skin being crispy while the meat remaining moist.

Xiao Long Bao

The Xiao Long Bao may make it on the list of one of the best in Richmond for me. The skin was extremely thin while the pork still remaining very moist and filled with lots of broth! A must order!

Pan Fried Juicy Pork Buns

Another favourite was the Pan Fried Juicy Pork Buns. These were decorated with white sesame seeds on the bottom and the inside was piping hot and filled with a lot of broth once again. I find that these can easily be dry in the center, but not these!

Shredded Chicken and Mung Bean Pasta Salad

Another cold appetizer we ordered was the Shredded Chicken and Mung Bean Pasta Salad. Not really a pasta salad, but Shanghai cuisine likes to use mung bean to make these clear jelly which are delicious when mixed with chicken, cucumber and a delicious peanut sauce. these had just the right amount of sauce and the texture was spot on.

Wok Fried Shanghai Round Noodle

Lastly, we tried the Wok Fried Shanghai Round Noodle which is a staple in Shanghainese cuisine. These were surprisingly not very oily like they usually tend to be. However, it lacked the wok flavour.

Overall, we not only impressed by the decor but also the quality of the food. Service, on the other hand, was slightly rude. We had a hostess come into the room initially accusing us of going in when another host had asked us to. The waiters also just drop off food without saying anything which is unfortunate as you would expect more at a restaurant that looks upscale.

Pros:
– Great dim sum items
– Beautiful decor

Cons:
– Service is lacking
– Some dishes are on the pricier side

Price Range: $15-25/person

1: Terrible 2: Poor 3: Average 4: Good 5: Excellent

Food:4 Service: 1.5 Ambiance: 4.5 Parking: 3 Overall: 3.5

Top Shanghai Cuisine 上海一只鼎

January 18, 2015Leave a comment

Baked Scallion Pancake

Top Shanghai Cuisine has been around for years. I still remember going to their previous location years ago, but I haven’t revisited since they moved to their Ackroyd location. We started off with the Baked Scallion Pancake, which was fluffy and well seasoned. I liked how it wasn’t too oily.

Stir Fried Noodles with Beef

Next, the Stir Fried Noodles with Beef arrived, and it was a decent portion. I found it to be very heavy in oil though. I guess this dish is usually very oily anyways though. This was average in terms of flavour. I think I’ve had better elsewhere.

Steamed Pork Dumplings (Xiao Long Bao)

A weird timing, but the Steamed Pork Dumplings showed up last. I found that the skin for these dumplings were thicker than the ones at Ding Tai Fung. However, I liked how the soup inside was still sizzling hot and although I would’ve liked more soup in it, the broth was very flavourful. Not bad!

Overall, Top Shanghai Cuisine has some decent eats. No wonder this place is so packed! Don’t expect much ambiance or service here. Tables are packed so close together and the waiting customers are basically standing next to you while you’re dining. Arrive before 7pm or you’ll be waiting around for seats.

Pros:
– Decent eats with reasonable prices
– Menu is filled with pictures for easy ordering

Cons:
– Don’t expect amazing service
– You’ll be sitting very closely to the table next to you

Price Range: $10-20

1: Terrible 2: Poor 3: Average 4: Good 5: Excellent

Food: 4
Service: 2
Ambiance: 2
Parking: 3
Overall:3

Din Tai Fung (Bellevue) – revisit

January 4, 2015January 4, 2015Leave a comment

It’s been over 3 years since I last visited Din Tai Fung located at the Lincoln Square in Seattle (Bellevue). Back when it first opened, the restaurant was bustling with long waits, and when S and I visited for lunch on Christmas Eve, it was quite the same. The wait wasn’t half as long though. You can watch the chefs prepare the dumplings and buns through the glass window while you wait. Their waiting system now offers a text to alert you that your table is ready, which is quite convenient. The restaurant is famous all over Asia, but it’s interesting to note that at this location, there are barely any Chinese employees. I guess they cater to the Caucasian population here.

Juicy Pork Dumplings

After a 20 minute wait, we placed our orders and first up were the Juicy Pork Dumplings. One order comes with 10 dumplings. I liked how the dumpling skin was very thin, but I found that the soup inside cooled down really quickly. I would have preferred it to be still sizzling hot. Nevertheless, they were pretty good or above average.

Rice & Pork Shao Mai

I suggested we order the Rice & Pork Shao Mai, which is essentially sticky glutinous rice with pork stuffed in the dumpling skin to appear like a shao mai. These were very sticky and rather filling. Not bad. Again, they one order came with 10.

Chicken Fried Noodles

Lastly, we ordered the Chicken Fried Noodles. A mix of chicken and vegetables along with the thick Shanghai noodles. I liked how the noodles had a good chewy texture to it and the dish wasn’t too oily or salty.

Pros:
– Good quality food at decent prices
– Ambiance is much nicer than your typical Chinese restaurant

Cons:
– Always a queue for a table
– Service was rather slow for us

Price Range: $10-20

1: Terrible 2: Poor 3: Average 4: Good 5: Excellent

Food: 4
Service: 3
Ambiance: 4
Parking: 4
Overall: 4

Shanghai Fusion Restaurant

April 3, 2012May 3, 2013Leave a comment

We had originally wanted to go to Sunway Restaurant for some Taiwanese food again, but it wasn’t opened yet at 11 am and we were in a hurry. We looked around Empire mall, and ended up trying Shanghai Fusion Restaurant. It was empty except for us and and another table, but it was a little early I guess. We decided to get a “build your own combo” for 4 people, with two appetizers, two dim sums, one soup noodle, and one fried noodle or rice. Unfortunately, I was only able to get 3 pictures of the food since I got caught up in a phone call, and my family ended up eating all the food before I could snap some pictures. Don’t exactly remember all the names of the food as well…Food was decent, nothing too special, and portions were alright. Price was quite reasonable as well, so not bad.