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.
My only weak spot for Kirin is that the restaurant offers fresh orange juice.
FISH MAW IN CHINESE HERBAL SOUP ($5.98).
We decided to order a healthy dish and were expecting a soup rather than a steamer of fish maw. The pieces of fish maw are very soft and there is a strong herbal flavour. However, the pieces are unappetizingly large. As for the chicken, it is there to provide that extra flavour. Honest to truth, we would have honestly prepared a soup variation than this.
SHREDDED PORK WITH DRIED OYSTER AND PRESERVED EGG CONGEE ($12.80).
The congee has a nice slow cooked consistency and is not watery one but, although it is on the bland side. If comparing with another Kirin location, the one in New Westminster servers better congee.
STEAMED CHICKEN FEET WITH GLUTEN IN BLACK BEAN SAUCE ($5.38).
The chicken feet tastes tender, flavourful and not too saucy. On top of that, the sauce tastes very light but tasteful at the same time.
STEAMED SCALLOP, PRAWN AND SQUASH DUMPLING ($5.38).
This is a "healthier" alternative to the traditional crystal prawn dumplings. The scallop tastes really moist and there is a fair amount of prawns which exhibit a nice snap, along with tiny dices of squash. If anything, the skin is noticeably extremely sticky compared to prior visits.
STEAMED GREEN ONION AND CHINESE DONUT RICE ROLL TOPPED WITH DRY SHREDDED PORK ($5.38).
The Chinese donut is perfectly fried, exhibiting a crisp exterior and does not taste oily one bit. Moreover, there is a thin, slippery and smooth layer of rice roll.
SPARERIBS STEAMED IN BLACK BEAN SAUCE ($4.58).
The spareribs taste tender and flavourful, without tasting salty. There is also a hint of sweetness and a rich sauce. Presentation wise, it looks a bit messy.
STEAMED HAIRY MELON STUFFED WITH PRAWN AND PORK IN DRIED SCALLOP SAUCE ($5.98).
This is my favourite dish, which happens to be a very healthy one too. The hairy melon tastes hard and not mushy (although most prefer it softer) and the dried scallops taste very rich.
Dim sum at Kirin overall is usually above average. But in my opinion, I think it is more about the atmosphere and selection of food rather than the quality. My parents and family friends may disagree though… With regards to the service, this is one of the worst dim sum services I have had. The restaurant was not busy and there were a good amount of empty tables. However, the servers were slow, lost and did not clear our empty plates/steamers. It also took a long time just to get a waitstaff's attention for the bill, which then took forever to get change. On top of that, we did not get hot hand towels too because the staff realized we were waiting forever just to get change and they were rushing.
POSITIVES
- Some items are above average
- For those who like the atmosphere
NEGATIVES
- Below average service in our case
- Not the best Kirin location for food
LITTLE THINGS
- Sun Sui Wah has a better food quality control
Food: 3/5
Service: 2/5
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