Happy Family |MISSVANCOUVERPIGGY

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Happy Family

I did not really plan on posting about an experience of Happy Family Restaurant because it was a small take out order, but decided to do so to make my man happy. Plus, we recently stopped at a red light literally in front of the restaurant and it seemed like it was meant to be - to take a photo of the restaurant's exterior!

On my first visit here, we did not stay. This was last year when business was really busy and we had to settle for late night Chinese food. Every. Single. Day. I miss those nights, not. It was countless dinners of Kwan Luck, Sing Kee, Rose Garden and Congee Noodle King! Geezus. Anyways, so doing the whole "trying late night restaurants along Kingsway Street", Happy Family was one of them. When we walked in, the place resembled a typical "ghetto, dirty and old looking" Chinese restaurant. After seating, we asked if the restaurant had live oysters and the owner went on about how it is impossible during the season as well that no restaurants have any. But the thing is, more than a few restaurants had live oysters! So we left. Also because the type of restaurant is a dime a dozen.

I have this weird tendency to not like being cheated when it comes to food (IE overcharged by 1/2lb on seafood or if something was dead but is played off as "live"), or when the owners just… lie when there is no need. We then headed to Sing Kee *cringe* for oysters.

HOUSE SPECIAL CHICKEN CHOW MEIN ($10.95).

Anyways, about the post… I was still at the office while BF grabbed a small take out order and waited for me to get home so we can cook. It was not until he got home when he realized that $20.00 for two dishes is high, especially for the calibre of this restaurant. Why the even $20.00 too? I told him to take photos because I did not believe him LOL and so I could write about. He broke his phone so the camera was pretty crappy, but it was nice to see his attempts. Also, he is even more OCD than me and always has to eat on paper for easier clean up. The cheap Chinese genes in me gets mad when he uses the "expensive" art paper from Michaels.

The chow mein has a very fishy flavour; smell and taste wise from the sauce. We are not sure why, but none of the ingredients have gone bad. Included in the house special is broccoli, squid and a few slices of pork. The broccoli tastes a bit overcooked and soft, lacking that slight crunch (which was fine for take out I guess). As for the squid, fairly chewier than usual and could not be broken down. Last up, the slices of pork taste dry and all the ingredients have a fishy flavour from the sauce.

HOT AND SOUR SOUP ($5.95).

The soup has an okay syrupy consistency and is not too watered down, but the flavours are a bit weak. There is a mild spiciness and tartness, but the flavours could have been stronger considering how many Chinese restaurants there are in the area. Some of the ingredients in the soup include green onion, carrot, fungus, chicken and a couple of shrimp.