Lee Garden Seafood Restaurant 利苑海鮮酒家 : Dim sum

DINNER POST ON LEE GARDEN SEAFOOD RESTAURANT 利苑海鮮酒家 [HERE]

I wanted to have dim sum with my mother and I was given two options, Kirin or Fortune House. Pfft… how about none? My mother was not pleased with my attitude and brought up the time when I took her and my father to Top Gun in Burnaby for dim sum. Great, I suffered from a burned thumb which took weeks to heal, mediocre food, and now a former restaurant choice that will be used against me from now on. Well, after some persuading, I asked my mother if she wanted to try Lee Garden. I further showed her photos of the restaurant from my previous visit for dinner, insisted that Lee Garden is a newly renovated establishment and hey, it sold her!

We arrived on a weekday and the restaurant was not busy, which made parking very easy compared to finding a spot in a residential area like last time for dinner. After we walked up to the hostess' podium and stood by the sign which says "wait to be seated", we were greeted by a manager who yelled across from the dining room. This is when my mother said, "why let us stand here if you are going to yell across the room?" LOL...

SMALL ($3.88) || MEDIUM ($4.68) || LARGE ($5.18) || SPECIAL ($6.28)

Top Gun Hot Pot 尖東火鍋 : Dim sum

TOP GUN HOT POT 尖東火鍋 POST [HERE]

Top Gun Hot Pot is one of the five restaurants that belong to the Top Gun group. The restaurant is located in Crystal Mall and serves as a dim sum restaurant during the day, but turns into a hot pot buffet in the evening. I have never been here for dim sum before but my parents have many years ago and according to them, the only edible item was the salty rice pudding, which is no longer available. This probably explains why ever since I was a child, the only dim sum restaurant in Burnaby we would go to is Fortune House at Metrotown. Although I do not know why they even like Fortune House because the food is overpriced for the quality and the line up is always ridiculous.

Anyhow, fast forward to years later, I finally get control of where we go for dim sum! After begging my parents to come here with me for two weeks… My sudden interest in having dim sum here is because ever since I had dinner at Top Gun J&C in Richmond, I thought Top Gun may be a fine dining restaurant and serve good dim sum. I actually looked through some of the dim sum photos from Top Gun J&C and the food looked good, so I assumed Top Gun in Burnaby would serve the same dishes… But I was wrong. Oh well, I had nothing to lose because I received an e-mail that dim sum would be 40% off for members.

The restaurant has plenty of booth seating arrangements along with well spaced out tables. The seating arrangements are not cramped either and are fairly comfortable. But when considering that dim sum starts at $4.95, the atmosphere does not match the higher prices. With regards to the service, there were no plate changes as well so the service does not match the higher prices either. However, the staff were fairly polite. There is only a Chinese check list menu and when I asked if there was an English version, the manager mentioned I could tell him what I wanted to order in English and he could check the items off for me! Also despite that the order sheet is in Chinese, the actual menu has English.

Fisherman's Terrace Seafood Restaurant 釣魚台海鮮酒家

On a rainy afternoon, our original lunch date was supposed to be at Bacchus but the valet man was nowhere to be seen. You see, I really hate the rain. I love snow more than the rain and am surprised that many people are the opposite. I mean, I may be fine with the rain if I am wearing wellington boots along with a trench coat and carrying a huge umbrella. But if it is the last minute kind of rain and I am already dressed, I hate the idea of changing just because of the rain! So after waiting a few minutes, we decided to head to Aberdeen Centre because of their underground parking lot and also to try Fisherman's Terrace. Going to Floata would have been more practical, but I figured Fisherman's Terrace may be better.

Fisherman's Terrace is considered a "fine dining" Chinese restaurant because of the higher prices, cleanliness, supposedly above average service and atmosphere. The restaurant is somewhat long and narrow and the seating arrangements look fairly tight. We did not arrive on a full house too.

SMALL $3.85 || MEDIUM $4.95 || LARGE $5.55 || SPECIAL $5.95 || TEA $1.00

Red Star 鴻星海鮮酒家 : Richmond Location

Being too fussy about where to have lunch, we crossed the Lions Gate Bridge to look for a restaurant Downtown. After circling around, I decided it was best to grab a snack at Mancakes to ease our stomachs while deliberating. I was leaning towards a non-Asian restaurant but it seemed like BF wanted dim sum. Turning down his suggestions and saying, "let's have pasta or steak instead for dinner" to every restaurant he suggested did not help either, whoops.

His original choice was Red Star in Marpole, but I honestly find their dim sum only average and suggested trying the location in Richmond! Ever since I had dim sum at Chef Tony, honest to truth I thought to myself, perhaps I actually like dim sum… but good dim sum. How is it possible that I could care less about the typical Kirin, Sun Sui Wah and Red Star?

We arrived on a weekday and shockingly, the restaurant was not busy! Going to any restaurant for dim sum regardless of the day of the week, will always be busy (with the exception of weekends when it is chaotic). Red Star in Richmond is located on the second floor of the Presidential Plaza, where I have torturous memories of. I remember having to frequently come her for hours as a child because my mother would always be looking at SOMETHING in this darn plaza, and my sister and I were always so bored. The mini arcade never helped either.

Walking in, the cashier/hostess was friendly and there were plenty of staff on the floor, perhaps around seven? The restaurant was very cold and we were not sure why the AC was cranked so high considering there was a miserable storm outside. We also waited around ten minutes for tea which is a bit odd because usually the staff are fairly prompt about that, plus it is a "fine dining" Chinese restaurant that was not busy.

As for the atmosphere, there are a few chandeliers, a high ceiling and comfortable padded chairs. The seating arrangements are not cramped too, but Red Star in Marpole looks more modern.

SMALL $3.95 || MEDIUM $4.75 || LARGE $5.75 || SPECIALS $6.95

TEA/WATER $1.00

Chef Tony 頤東大酒樓

There are a couple of things that I am not embarrassed of to admit such as having an appetite of a man, and occasionally being cheap. You see, I used to go for dim sum frequently but am not really a "huge" fan. So when the bill comes to $80.00 for two people because BF always decides to order too much food, it eventually got me. Why are we spending so much on dim sum when neither of us find it special? And as a result, we agreed to only go for dim sum with our families or spend no more than $60.00 together.

The plan kind of backfired however because our schedules never matched with our families' and neither of us have had dim sum for literally a whole year! So eventually we started craving for dim sum which is rare, because usually one of us wants only a specific dish rather than an actual whole dim sum meal. Anyhow, Chef Tony was my choice of restaurant for dim sum.

From what I have heard, Chef Tony offers a fusion twist on dim sum and the prices are not cheap. I honestly did not have any expectations and expected average food. As for the interior, it can be considered a modern Chinese style. There are lighted pillars, plenty of chandeliers and a large screen which showcases the menu. Furthermore, there is a row of VIP rooms which looks very Asian. In Asia, most of the VIP rooms are laid out in a row but in Canada the layout might resemble a karaoke joint.

Also judging by the prices, Chef Tony may be considered one of the higher end Chinese restaurants. However, the atmosphere is not quite there. The seating arrangements are cramped and the dining room is very crowded, not fancy at all. Diners should feel comfortable. In addition, the decor does not look "high end".

SMALL $4.00 || MEDIUM $4.80 || LARGE $5.75 || SPECIAL $6.95.

TEA $2.00

Kam Ding 金鼎海鮮苑

Too lazy to look for an interesting restaurant to try and without many options in Coquitlam, BF and I settled on Kam Ding. When we walked in, the restaurant reminded us of Rose Garden and Sing Kee; a "dirty ghetto" Chinese restaurant.

The restaurant may not be the cleanest but hey, the seating arrangements are not cramped. There are plenty of tables for four along with larger tables for groups of more than five. Asides from meh looking interior, the entrance to the washroom was quite scary. There is an oily door handle which looks like an entrance to a garbage room and the washroom is really creeping looking.

Dynasty Seafood Restaurant 皇朝海鮮酒家

Originally wanting to go for Sunday brunch, I settled for dim sum because my friend slept in. Dynasty Seafood is located in Vancouver along West Broadway, and is a "higher end" Chinese restaurant. When we walked up the podium, we stood in front of the manager for twenty minutes unacknowledged, as he continued to seat waiting customers.

This was kind of annoying considering that I just wanted to know how long the wait would be. However, apparently you have to be rude to get his attention. Three people behind us walked up to the manager, yelled, and got their name written down LOL. My friend mentioned not everyone counts every second, but twenty minutes? I would like to make use of my time. I mean, I could have walked around the bock to take a photo of the restaurant rather than standing there for twenty minutes waiting to be acknowledged. Which I did. As for the interior, the restaurant has a nice atmosphere and window wrapped walls.

Top Cantonese Cuisine Restaurant 食為先酒家

DINNER POST AT TOP CANTONESE [HERE]

Top Cantonese is a Chinese restaurant located in Vancouver, on Kingsway Street. I have never been here for dim sum before, however, some of my friends regularly come here for dim sum. On a weekday  morning at 10:30am, the parking lot was full, giving the impression of a possibly busy restaurant.

Walking in, the restaurant was only half full and despite the plenty available tables, we were seated in an empty room at a tiny table. There is only one small table in the entire restaurant, what are chances of getting that one eh? After ordering, we asked the waiter if we could get a larger sized table. Unfortunately, the request was denied by the manager. For those who regularly read my blog, you know how much I always order and that I hate table issues.

The Jade Seafood Restaurant 玉庭軒海鮮酒家

One of the reasons I have always wanted to try Jade Seafood is because of the chandler which can be seen from the outside! Furthermore since I was getting my car cleaned, my friend and I decided to walk fifteen minutes here for dim sum.

Jade Seafood is a typical "cleaner" Chinese restaurant which gives the impression that one will get good service and with their above average prices, the quality of food will be good.

Sun Sui Wah 新瑞華海鮮酒家 : Richmond location

Sweet and sour prawns with lychee, fresh mango crepes, and fresh orange juice are the reasons why Sun Sui Wah is a regular dim sum restaurant of mine I come to Sun Sui Wah for dim sum. I always consider Sun Sui Wah comparable to Kirin too regarding the atmosphere, prices, service and food. However, I do believe Sun Sui Wah does have a better quality control than Kirin.

When I have dim sum at Sun Sui Wah, I make it a goal to come around 11:00am to noon because I have been traumatized from the mango crepes being sold out! On our visit today, we arrived around noon and the parking lot was full on a weekday. Reservations are recommended for those who hate waiting, but fortunately we did not have to wait!

SMALL $3.50 || MEDIUM $4.25 || LARGE $4.95 || SPECIAL $5.50 || DELXUE $6.80

Yan's Garden Restaurant 潮樓海鮮酒家

When I went to SFU, I used to come here for dim sum a few times since it is only 10 minutes away. Then I realized it was not worth coming here anymore, Hastings is 10 minutes away as well, and any other dim sum restaurant would be better.  I have been here for dinner before and I find it average, not bad for the Lougheed and borderline Coquitlam area. I will admit that the soup for the 3 course peking duck is not bad and they only messed it up once because 2 tables ordered it (I guess they combined everything so the soup was really bland).  The only reason why Yan's Garden is somewhat busy is because it is one of the only Chinese restaurants in the area, and before it was just Yan's Restaurant (when he had his show Wok with Yan) before they expanded the restaurant.

Anyways, my boyfriend has not been here as much as I have and he does not understand why I boycott Yan's. The reason is because I hate the service and it is not just your "typical" chinese restaurant service. The servers always act like they are doing you a favour and if you ask for something, they look at you like you owe them. Even the manager today looked annoyed and forgot my pop. I am a really reasonable person, but when any restaurant is not at least 50% full and they are over staffed, I would like average service. 

The photo I took makes the inside so nice. I like the flowers, I have never seen any here before.

This is the quieter side of the restaurant and where you are seated if the main room is full.

Meh, this is the same room. I was too embarrassed to take a photo of the main room. I can tell you the main room is not very big though, which means the restaurant is extremely loud and everyone is trying to over talk the next person.

The first push cart. I remember they used to have order forms, but I guess it is just push carts now because they raised their prices ($2.95 -> $3.95 -> $4.30-$4.80). I find it kind of silly because their push carts are so limited and I cannot always remember what I want.

The sticky wrap with chinese sausage ($4.30). The wrap is really plain and I guess it is kind of nice there is a slice of chinese sausage and a bit of sauce with beef for the price you pay. I prefer T&Ts more.

The steamed spareribs with black bean sauce ($?). The spareribs are not salty or oily and just average. The pumpkin is sliced super duper thin and drenched in oil at the bottom, which kind of sucks for me since I could not eat it.

The chicken claws with black bean sauce ($?). The chicken feet is not bad and average. The skin is soft which is different and nice.

The second push cart.

The deep fried stuffed eggplants ($?). I find this average, I like how I stopped her in time and she did not put any sauce on. The eggplant is not really tasty and a bit undercooked (this is coming from someone who prefers their eggplants less cooked too).

The baked egg custard tarts ($?). The egg tarts are below average and one of the worst ones I ever had. A newbie to baking can make a better crust if they follow the recipe. The crust is not flaky and has the texture of bread. I like the color of the custard but it tastes below average.

The baked barbecue pork pastries ($?). I will admit these used to be really good! Now I find them average. The pastry is nice and flaky, and the filling is sweet but not overly sweet.

K, seriously what's up with this lady? She passed my boyfriend and I (as well as the table across from us), and my boyfriend waves her down asking for some congee. She stops to comes back, then suddenly asks the table across from us if they want congee before serving us the congee that my boyfriend asked for. The other table did not even ask or want congee, or wave her down. She actually CLOSED the congee lid and was about to push the cart away and my boyfriend had to remind her again we wanted congee. At least the dim sum ladies at Pink Pearl back then were all friendly and positive. I swear they sold their items like they were based on commission! 

The congee with lean pork and century egg ($?). The congee is not bad and is flavourful. The only thing is that the pork was all clumped together and it was really hard to get it apart.

Meh. Dim sum was only $2.95 before (who will complain over that?), then it bumped to $3.95, and now it is in the $4.30-$4.80 range (not including speciality or kitchen dishes). Yeah, it is the only dim sum restaurant in the area for locals and I am sure many of them do not mind the restaurant. But then there are many people like me and will spend the extra 20 minutes driving elsewhere for better dim sum if it is the same price anyways.

I managed to find a photo of dinner from here. This is the first time we ordered the 3 course peking duck and it was good. The second time was really bad and our server did not even know how to cut it properly. Knowing my boyfriend, he would probably want to try it again sometime this year.

Food: 2/5
Service: 0.5/5

Tin Tin Seafood Harbour 天天漁港 : Dim Sum

DINNER POST ON TIN TIN SEAFOOD HARBOUR [HERE]

We decided to try out Tin Tin Seafood Harbour because it is located at the former location of Sea Harbour, and we wanted to compare the two. The interior looks fairly nice and clean, but the decor is nothing special compared to other Chinese fine dining restaurants.

Kirin Seafood Restaurant 玉麒麟海鮮酒家 : City Square location

The Kirin chain of restaurants in Vancouver are known their fine dining atmosphere and above average food. Kirin is also considered a must visit for those visiting Vancouver and the chain is pretty much a favourite or regular restaurant for many Chinese people. For myself on the other hand, I find the restaurant only average for dim sum because the menu is limited. The Alberni Street location is also the worst Kirin to go to because service does not exist unless you are with a party of more than four. Plus, the food is not good either. As for the second worst location, it has to be City Square in my opinion. Ironically this is the most convenient location for my family to go to though.

Honestly, another reason I dislike this location is because the food comes out so slow. If there is only one table at the restaurant, the food will still arrive as slow as a full house! On top of that, I dislike coming here with only BF because service does not exist unless we are here with our family or at least three people.

The two of us arrived around 10:50am because we had to start our day early and the restaurant does not open until 11:00am. We were surprised when we arrived because there ere quite a few people waiting for a table already! From previous visits, I have noticed the restaurant does not get busy until the late afternoon (1:00pm-2:00pm) and reservations are highly recommended.