Tanpopo - Japanese, Vancouver, Canada

1122 Denman St, Vancouver, BC V6G 2M8

(604) 681-7777

Hours: 11:30am - 11:30pm daily

http://www.tanpoposushi.com/

Parking: street parking
 

Last Visited: July 2, 2009

Food: 2 to 3 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 2 to 3 stars
Price: $$

Nimish had been to Vancouver not too long before my scheduled trip and suggested we try Tanpopo. We decided to go there for lunch and learned about the two options offered – one was for a $10.95 menu and another for a $13.95. While both offered all you can eat style options, the types of items included varied slightly. We opted to get one of each. Pictures of those menus are shown here.

Tanpopo has been open since 1992 and is known for their all you can eat menu selections. You place your order and they bring you a serving of your choice. Unfortunately, sometimes this means you get less than you ask for, but you can continue to ask as long as you’re not shy about getting your waiter’s attention.

Checking their website, it appears that the menu has changed slightly in that there is only one lunch menu (which is also the late night menu) for $13.95 and dinner is $23.95. Lunch is considered 11:30am to 4pm, and dinner is 5pm to 11:30pm. They also have a menu for happy hour (3pm to 5pm, 9:30pm to 11:30pm) featuring your choice of four items for $7.95. Kids pricing is available.

We tried a variety of items. The picture here shows a couple of cones and sushi. We tried some seafood fried rice, tempura, agedashi tofu, miso soup, teriyaki, BBQ salmon neck and belly, oyster motoyaki, and a bunch of different items. I found the quality of the fish to be okay, but not spectacular. The noodles weren’t that good and the salmon neck and belly were grilled until they were too dry. In general, the quality of food is good if you have a large appetite and are trying to fill your belly or you’re not much of a sushi connoisseur.

While the price is very reasonable, the wait time can be a bit of a bother. I found service to be friendly, but a little slow because they rely so heavily on the kitchen’s turnaround time.

If you have a large party that is on a budget, or maybe some hungry teenagers that love sushi, Tanpopo is a good stop. If you’re looking for a high-grade sushi experience and you have a limited number of meals to enjoy in the Vancouver area, you’re probably better off looking for a different type of restaurant. Tanpopo is high on value.

McNoodle House - Chinese, Noodles, Richmond, Vancouver, Canada

Best: Won Ton Noodles

8291 Alexandra Rd, Richmond, BC V6X, Canada

(604) 231-8141

Parking: in parking lot

Last Visited: July 2, 2009

Food: 4 to 5 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $ to $$

If only I lived next to a McNoodle House, I would probably go there at least two or three times a week for their Won Ton Noodles in Soup.  Equally as much (ok, just a smidge more) of a treat as Tsim Chai Noodles, also in Vancouver, I would definitely stop into this place on my next visit.  Also, it's right next to Kam Do Bakery where you can stop in for some the best wife cake for dessert. 
Uncle James and Auntie Winnie had just gotten back from a trip to Vancouver and said that we would really enjoy the place, and indeed we did.  Like other Chinese restaurants in the area, this noodle house looked more like a cafe with warm colors and comfy cushioned booths.  The decor is really new and modern. 

We ordered a variety of items to get a better feel for what they had to offer.

- Preserved Egg and Shredded Pork Congee - The congee is cooked to the right consistency and the meat and preserved egg are not overcooked.  Great.  $5

- Wonton Noodle Soup - The noodles are al dente and the won tons have just the right amount of filling.  Just like you would find in restaurants in Hong Kong.  Excellent. $4.50

- Deep Fried Chicken Wings - I think there were half a dozen chicken wings and what a great price.  The outside is deep friend until crispy and the inside is super juicy.  Beware that it's very hot when it is served.  Another item that you must get if you go.  $3.25

- Gai-Lan - Fairly standard in preparation, the gai-lan was tender and even though the stalks were thick, it was still very good. $3.25

- Cold Lemon Tea - Lots of slices of lemon go into strong black tea sweetened with simple syrup.  Delicious and refreshing.  $2.50

- Hot Milk Tea - Very authentic and also inexpensive - some places will charge more for this drink - especially in the Bay Area, but this was yummy as expected.  $1.50

Although we went for dinner, I'm confident that it's equally good for lunch.  Great food and great prices - it's really hard to beat the value and quality McNoodle offers.  I give it a best rating for the won ton noodles and a thumbs up all around!

Tsim Chai Noodles - Chinese, Vancouver, Canada

8251 Westminster Hwy, Richmond, BC V6X 1A7
(604) 273-6288
Parking: parking lot
Hours: Mon-Thu, Sun 11am-11 pm, Fri-Sat 11am-12 am

Last Visited: July 3, 2009

Food: 4 stars

Atmosphere: 3 stars

Service: 3 stars

Price: $$ to $$$

Some friends brought us to Tsim Chai Noodles for an evening snack and the place was completely packed despite it being rather late. We managed to come here two days in a row, once for a late night snack and the next day for a light lunch. Lunch was a little less crowded and noisy, but you can guess that if we went back so soon, the food was fabulous.

A restaurant of the same name is located in Hong Kong, but I don’t know if they have any affiliation. The style of food, soup noodles and the like, is also served at the Hong Kong restaurant. This restaurant’s atmosphere is like that of a café – a lot of hustle and bustle and very casual.

For late night snacks, Chinese people often turn to sweets, so I enjoyed a steamed milk, but before I got to that, more food came along for us to try.

- Steamed Chicken: The chicken was tender and flavorful, not overcooked. While it’s not the best that I’ve had, it was very good. The fact that Asian folks are willing to pay this price for half a chicken shows you that it has to be pretty good. $10.95 (half)

- Kang Kung (Ong Choy) with Bean Curd Sauce: This seasonal vegetable has very thin stalks and long leaves. The leaves are tender like spinach and the section of stalk that is close to the leaf tend to be more tender. The vegetables were fresh and tasted good.

- Steamed Milk Dessert – Smooth and creamy, the steamed milk was available hot or cold. I chose hot because the creaminess seems to come out more. Yum. This item wasn't on their main menu, but written as a special on the wall, so you may need to ask for it.

Although we had just eaten dinner a few hours before, this was a fine snack and I heard the place is busy all of the time. The population is able to sustain this kind of eating.

Lunch on a weekday had about half the room full and the pace was a little less frenetic.

- Wonton and Shui Kau with Noodles in Soup – It’s a gorgeous bowl of noodles and dumplings. Both the wontons and shui kau as just as they should be – thin skinned wrappers surrounding fresh ingredients of shrimp, pork, and in the case of the shui kau, a little bit of black or wood fungus. Terrific. $6.45

- Beef Brisket and Wonton with Noodles in Soup – Another spot on bowl – the beef brisket is tender and the noodles are al dente. A few stalks of fresh greens accompany this dish. Also terrific. $6.45

Congee, fried rice, chow mein, and other similar dishes are available all day. Prices are very reasonable and although the service may leave opportunities, the food is available rather quickly and has a great value. Food here is a lot like the quality found in Hong Kong, and the atmosphere tends to be more comfortable. I would come here at least once a week if I lived close by – it’s no wonder it’s busy even on a late night. Fabulous.

One item to note – they only accept cash, so come prepared. 

Kam Do Bakery - Chinese, Vancouver

Best: Wife Cake Pastry
8391 Alexandra Road, Richmond, BC, Canada
(604) 231-9216

Last Visited: July 2, 2009

Food: 5 star wife cake
Atmosphere: N/A
Service: N/A
Price: $ to $$

James and Winnie gave us a heads up to try out this bakery while we were visiting the Vancouver area. Apparently, they had spent several days eating at the strip mall next door at McNoodle House enjoying their wonton noodle soup.

It's no wonder that Kam Do Bakery was a must try place. When I was little, my grandpa lived with us and he loved wife cake (also known as sweetheart cake - a nicer translation). Those melon paste centers surrounded by pastry were just okay to me. Kind of dry in fact. I just remember thinking that although the center was soft, it wasn't that exciting. That is, until I tried Kam Do's wife cake. The center melts in your mouth. The flaky pastry on the outside is a beautiful golden brown and the winter melon center has a nice melon flavor without tasting fake. It's scrumptious. Really.

For those that are unfamliar with wife cake, consider the center to have a texture such that when you bite into it, it resists a little - like a soft centered chew of a See's candy confection, but not as gooey. You can bite into it cleanly. The pastry is shaped like a disk and about half an inch thick. It's called wife cake because back in the olden days, when a couple was announcing their marriage, these pastries would be shared with friends and accompany the announcement as a gift to those receiving the news. The ceremonial gift included these cakes as well as Chinese barbecued meats.

If you're in the Richmond, Vancouver area, you absolutely must try the Wife Cake at Kam Do. It's the best I've ever had.

Kirin - Chinese, Vancouver

7900 Westminster Highway, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada
(604) 303-8833
Parking: pay parking lot or mall nearby
http://www.kirinrestaurants.com/

Last Visited: July 1, 2009

Food: 3 to 4 stars
Atmosphere: 3 to 4 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $$ to $$$$

We walked into Kirin after driving in from Seattle earlier that morning. While we were unfamiliar with the area, we had no idea that we would be told that the wait would be more than an hour - about an hour and a half. The hostess was insistent that it was impossible to get a seat and that we should have made reservations. With that disappointing news, we went to use their restroom and were about to depart when she let us know that there was a sudden cancellation and now there was space for us. Sounds incredible and I still don't know how it all worked out, but God was blessing us today with some good food.

The setting is nice, but not spectacular. Maroon wallpaper with a large silver flower pattern, white tablecloths, dark brown wood chairs with cushions, and white plates with black chopsticks give a modern feel to the dining room. It was quite crowded today with lots of hustle and bustle.

Kirin is pretty well known in the area as having very good dim sum. Of the dishes we tried, here's the verdict:

The Best:
- Shrimp Dumpling (Har Gao) - Nice wrapper, good flavor, served hot.
- Pork Dumpling (Siu Mai) - With shrimp on top and so steaming when it gets to the table that it fogs your camera lens, this pork dumpling is a greta example of what good pork dumplings should be.
- Deep Fried Egg Crisp - Very flaky, lightly sweetened with a honey syrup drizzle, and topped with sesame and shredded dried coconut. That's the sign of a good egg crisp - flaky without any aftertaste of yeast or baking powder.

The Good:

- Spareribs with Black Bean Sauce - Presented in a square dish (usually you see them in a round dish), these were good spareribs flavored with jalapeno and black beans. The juice from the meat runs clear and the meat had a good texture.
- Braised Chicken Feet - You can see the beautiful brown color of from the braising. The best chicken feet I've had look whole and then when you serve them on your own plate, they are so tender that they almost fall apart. These were still good though.

The Not So Great:
- Deep Fried Tofu - Oh the tofu - what happened here Kirin? The meal was going so well, until we ordered this dreadful dish. Sure, it was still edible, but if food has been circulating the room for long enough, it gets cold and the outside of the tofu loses its crisp texture. This one should have been removed from dim sum service. Had it been hot, it could have been delightful, but alas, this dish was blah and dropped the food rating from a solid 4 stars to 3 to 4 stars.

All of these items cost less than $30 before tip. Reasonably priced and fairly comparable to the San Francisco Bay Area in cost. It wasn't the absolute best overall, but many dishes were very good. Considering the wait time, I suggest calling ahead with a reservation to make sure you have a table when you arrive. Service is a bit abrupt at times, so there is room for improvement with that, but you could see from where I was sitting that they have the potential to run like a well-oiled machine.

Note also that Kirin has locations in Vancouver West, Coquitlam, Richmond and New Westminster, in addition to the original in Downtown Vancouver.

Sun Sui Wah Seafood Restaurant - Chinese, Vancouver

Best: Deep Fried Oysters

3888 Main Street, Vancouver, BC V5V 3N9
(604) 872-8822
102, 4940 No. 3 Road, Richmond, B.C. V6X 3A5
(604) 273-8208
Parking: in parking lot
Hours: Lunch 10am-3pm, Dinner 5pm-10:30pm
http://www.sunsuiwah.ca/

Last Visited: July 1, 2009

Food: 4 to 5 stars
Atmosphere: 4 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $$ to $$$$

Sun Sui Wah came highly recommended. Friends have talked about it, and the foodie boards give it high praise. We parked in their private lot and took the elevator into the restaurant.

From the outside, you can't tell what you're about to get into - the elevator is fairly nondescript, but walk into the dining area and see a ceiling that has been transformed into something elegant and soft with artistic lines. The cushioned chairs, white tablecloths, and modern light fixtures elevate the decor. The room had been divided so that there was a private dining area to the left of the main dining area that remains hidden behind a wall.

Today, they were offering a winter melon soup special. Since only the two of us were dining, it wasn't possible to be able to enjoy the soup without taking home leftovers, and since the hotel room didn't have a refrigerator, we had to pass this time. It was unfortunate because the soup would be cooked in the whole melon itself and steamed with lots of yummy seafood. I smile just thinking about it. If only we had four more people with us to enjoy this delicious soup.

- Deep Fried Oysters - My mother has been on a quest for deep fried oysters for years now. There has never been a place that matched the quality of deep fried oysters found in Hong Kong...until now. This plate of plump oysters is lightly battered and deep fried. They are served with several large wedges of fresh lemon and garnished with a beautiful rose carved out of carrots. While it's a large appetizer for two, it was scrumptious and memorable. The oysters were juicy and served right out of the deep fryer - super hot. If you weren't careful, you would have burned your tonge. They were so good that they receive a best rating. Love at first bite.

- Sauteed Geoduck and Prawns with Fresh Vegetables - While we were hoping to order a geoduck served two ways (soup and sauteed), the wait staff told us that it would just be too much food, not to mention that it would have been quite expensive for two people since the geoduck would be ordered by the pound and the smallest one they had was about four pounds. Instead, he recommended we try this sauteed dish. It was a great way to enjoy the slightly crisp mouth feel of the thinly sliced fresh geoduck with large prawns. Yellow chives, carrots, straw mushrooms, and broccoli provide beautiful color and add to the saute. It was a flavorful dish and the quality of seafood was very good.

- Braised Tofu with Vegetables - A clay pot is filled with flavorful braised tofu and large black shiitake mushrooms, sitting on a bed of fresh yau choy. Sauteed with pieces of ginger, each piece of tofu is soft on the inside and has soaked up the braising liquid. The tofu is very fresh and quite good.

- Red Bean Dessert - To finish off the meal, Sun Sui Wah provides a complimentary dessert. The color is a bit lighter than usual because of either cream or milk. It's a nice way to leave stuffed.

While I can't recall the cost of the individual dishes, the overall meal was $57 before tip. Although the price is a little high for dinner for two at an Asian restaurant, once you take into consideration the quality of the seafood and the dishes themselves, I think it was well worth it.

Service was okay. The oysters took a little while to come out and sometimes it felt challenging to get the server's attention, but I appreciated the recommendations and their trying to help us decide what to order when they learned we wouldn't have a place to house leftovers.

Sun Sui Wah is definitely worth a stop, especially if you're a seafood lover. Go early to find parking and avoid the dinner crowd. Try their deep fried oysters and be satisfied.

Vancouver Eats

Rob recommended the following sites if you're looking for food in Vancouver:
http://www.chowtimes.com
http://urbandiner.ca