Chinese Restaurants

[Derrick]

I've only tried three so far (Hong Kong house, Dover (barf),Cantonese village), and so far I've liked Cantonese Village the best.

[corwin99]

Is there really no such place? I'd always assumed that though all the places serve American-Chinese food, they must also have something authentic on the menus that are only given to those who request it, or something. Because you'd think that some of the restaurants' owners would eat traditionally at home, and therefore COULD prepae stuff for those who want it. Maybe you have to call ahead and speak in Manadarin or Cantonese.

I mean the stuff here is all chinese food for the most part, its just its really more like chinese fast food than anything else. Its extra oily and overly sauced... when i'm talking about "real" chinese i guess i'm thinking more a long the lines of cantonese style seafood and dim sum... I'm big on quality chinese fusion cuisine too.

I want live fish like rock cod, live alaskan king crab, good dim sum that comes in more variety than Har Gow, Shui Mai, and BBQ Pork Buns. I want Rice Pots with chinese sausages and stuff... i want GOOD BBQ Duck... i want Congee... I want Cantonese style fried noodles with big butterflied prawns... I think its more that I miss vancouver food

[bamb00]

Hai Nan chicken fried rice man...eh Nel?

Edit: one place that I would like to try is Gateway to India.

[Derrick]

Edit: one place that I would like to try is Gateway to India.

Coming from someone who was raised on East Indian food, (my grandfather was born in Hublie(sp?) India) Gateway to India is garbage. Not to mention they failed a health inspection recently and were shut down for awhile. If you like Indian food you have to try Amrikko's by the sea Indian Cuisine.

[riverrat]

... is garbage. Not to mention they failed a health inspection recently and were shut down for awhile.

*Sighs* -I hope it's not as bad as it sounds. The matriarch of the Gateway lobby used to hold my infant while I ate my palak paneer.

corwin99: Sounds like you should hook up with some cook friends and have kickass Chinese potlucks. Spread the word! All you naysayers have inspired me to go get some Chinese, and not at the smorg this time.

It would be interesting to compare the "Chinese" food in Canada with the "Chinese" food in other countries. It would be an overview of cultural food patterns, and perhaps some other things would come up. I know Imogene Lim at Malaspina's anthropology department has done studies on the American chow mein sandwich. I wonder what she found...

bamb00: What's Hai Nan? Don't leave the rest of us hanging.

[corwin99]

Yeah! Hainan Chicken Rice! That stuff is the bomb. Its a chicken rice that is native to the Hainan province in China. The rice is actually steamed, not fried i believe, but it is steamed with oils and chicken extracts and stuff so it tasts like chicken flavour has been infused into it. It is traditionally eaten with a "white" chicken that is dipped in a green onion, ginger and oil sauce. Very tasty stuff.

[bamb00]

yeah that, apparently the Malaysian Fried Rice from Noodle Box in Victoria tastes somewhat similar to Hainan chicken rice.

[nathanenge]

New China for takeout.
Golden Inn for Buffet.

Huong Lang for pho, although...the pho at Saigon Kitchen is so much better.
For viet subs, Asian Deli.

Sushi we go to that place in Parksville, Sushi Ichi.

Bento Boxes at Sake house are ok, they also have all you can eat on certain nights.

I'm sorry if all this info has been posted, but these are some of my favourites, actually the only places we visit often enough to call favourites.

[corwin99]

the pho at Saigon Kitchen is so much better.

Tell me more please! I see this place by the remax office all the time but it seems so out of the way that I've never bothered to go.

[nathanenge]

I think they only have one pho dish, in anycase, ...compared to the pho place on bowen, I find the broth at saigon better. First of all, it is tastier, and the fat is actually skimmed. Because there is such a high turn over rate, the quality of cuts and such aren't as great...as compared to Saigon, who seem to put a little more heart into their food. I eat at both places, but I enjoy the pho at Saigon much more. You can just taste the difference. However...if I am in a lunch rush, then the bowen one suffices. Man, I miss Pho. I'm getting hungry.