Kirin Se
afood Restaurant used to be known as the Chinese restaurant for fine dining, before restaurants like Peninsula at Oakridge Centre and Chef Tony in Richmond surfaced. Apart from being known as a fine dining establishment, the Kirin chain is known for their peking duck (or should I say used to be...) so when my sister and her friend had a craving, I suggested to come here. Let me get this straight however, I suggested Kirin not because their peking duck is amazing... but because everyone should try Kirin's just to say they have.
The most convenient Kirin restaurant for us to try would have been the one on Alberni Street in Downtown Vancouver, but that is the worst location I have been to - service and food wise, on multiple visits! So this brings us to Kirin on West 12th, which is another location I do not prefer because of their lack of service unless you are here with your family and the food is just not that good. The best Kirin I have been to is the location in Richmond, from the atmosphere and service to the food quality.FIRST COURSE, "Peking duck skin with crepes".
Rating: 1/5.
The first course of peking duck is the skin, which is poorly executed. It is an embarrassment for any higher priced restaurant to serve the skin with thick and coarse hair that was not bothered to be removed. More than occasionally some restaurants do not bother with fine hair, but in this case the hair is very coarse and left on a large portion of the duck. Keep in mind this is "Kirin" too.
In addition to the hair, only a few slices of skin are crisp and majority are on the softer side. There is plenty of inedible fat that remained on the skin as well and not the melt in the mouth kind. The skin exhibits a nice golden hue however. As for the crepes, they are easy to chew and not too elastic even though there was not enough, which we did not mind because we left at least five slices of skin behind.Rating: 3/5,
For the second course of peking duck, the minced meat tastes tender as well as juicy and there is a crunchy element to the dish from the celery, carrot and watercress nuts.Rating: 2.5/5.
For some reason the restaurant cheaped out and there are only six scallops. The scallops are perfectly cooked however, tasting tender and not a second over. On top of that, the crunchy asparagus tastes juicy and there is a sweet chilli bean spiral sauce flavour along with a hint of spiciness.
SPICY SZECHUAN GREEN BEANS ($?).
Rating: 2/5.
The string beans are mediocre, limp, lack wok flavour and taste salty rather than spicy. I appreciate how the green beans are not prepared the same as the scallop dish, but it is neither spicy nor Szechuan.
COMPLIMENTARY RED BEAN SOUP.
Rating: 2/5.
Wanting to order more dishes but put off by the peking duck, we ended dinner with a complimentary bowl of red bean soup. The red bean soup has a mild flavour and a hint of dried tangerine peel. The consistency is not too thick or goopy too, but the flavours could have been stronger.
Dinner at Kirin was a disappointment overall because of the peking duck. As for the other dishes, it is unfair to rate a restaurant based on only a few plates, but hey, what can you do when you lose your appetite and do not want to order more food? In regards to the service, the staff are friendly but it is hard to wave someone down even when the restaurant is not so busy.- Friendly staff
- For those who like the "atmosphere"
- Prices are not as high compared to newer Chinese fine dining restaurants
NEGATIVES
- Very mediocre food
- One of the worst Kirin locations
- Peking duck should not have been served
Food: 2.5/5
Service: 3/5
KIRIN SEAFOOD RESTAURANT 玉麒麟海鮮酒家
#201 555 West 12th Avenue Vancouver, BC V5Z 3X7
Telephone (604) 879-8038
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