Lee Garden Seafood Restaurant
Lee Garden Seafood is a somewhat new resto in Burnaby that replaced the infamous Grand Buffet. For many years, Grand Buffet was a solid, go-to spot for a cheap fill…the Uncle Willy’s of Asian fare. As the years went by, it slowly deteriorated into an unseemly dive with barely warmed chaffing dishes of nastiness alongside crunchy, past-due sushi and frostbitten ice cream. On our final visit, I pulled a ladle of soup from the tureen with a foot-long hair attached. Rock-bottom. They shut down, thankfully, a couple of years ago. This past spring the space was transformed into a rather luxurious new restaurant. Miss Vancouver Piggy captured the room beautifully in her post.
As is tradition in our office this time of year, we say goodbye to our summer students with a feast. This time around we went with a rather major meal at Burnaby’s newest Dim Sum joint.
Lee Garden is an extremely popular spot. On most days the parking lot is full by 11:30 a.m. with the overflow lining the side streets. Most dim sum items are in the $5 range so it ain’t bargains drawing in the crowds. It seems cleanliness, good eats and great service are the main attractions.
Har Gow will always be ordered. It’s a standard to go by. Here it’s labelled Lee Garden Special Prawn Dumplings. And these were pretty special. There’s a sizeable amount of fresh, firm prawn encased in a light wrap all steamed to a perfect degree. I haven’t come across many better executed.
Another standard, of course, is Sui Mai (Steamed Pork Dumplings). These were prepared very well. Tight, fresh ground pork, still juicy and full-flavored. The haphazard tossing of tobiko seemed odd. Why finish a nice dish so sloppily? Sherman noted this in his post as well. It’s very strange that a higher-end establishment would allow this kind of inconsistency to hit the table repeatedly.
From the Chef’s Specialty menu, we went with the rather inexpensive Pan Fried Noodle with Chive ($5.98). Nothing special but tasty, nonetheless. A good noodle cooked right.
Deep Fried Pork & Shrimp Dumplings. I love these mainly for the crisp and chewy wrap. The minced ingredients are on the minimal side but it is one addictive morsel!
For another crunchy, grease-laden treat, we grabbed a couple plates of Fried Shrimp Spring Rolls with Garlic. These were well-packed with crisp prawn and almost enough garlic. A sweeter dip would’ve helped but that’s just me being a gweilo.
Le Saigonnais…Upscale Vietnamese in New Westminster
New Westminster isn’t exactly a mecca for Vietnamese food in Greater Vancouver. Until now, we’ve had only three fairly average joints to speak of. When I heard of a new one advertising “Authentic” Vietnamese cuisine, I dragged Darciberger down to Columbia St. to see if Le Saigonnais was the real deal.
Unfortunately, the previous occupants, Royal City Thai, closed their doors. They put out some decent Thai food but I guess not enough New Westers gave them a go. It’s always sad to see it happen but in this case, it made way for some pretty damn good Vietnamese.
Le Saigonnais‘ menu is chock-full of authentic Vietnamese fare…not your average joint by any means. The fact that they used Vietnamese titles in a very non-Asian area gave me great hope. Of the four Vietnamese restos here, they’re the first. Bringing authentic Asian fare to this area is always a challenge. Here’s to hoping that it’s the beginning of a trend.
Their version of Bún bò Huế was pretty solid…stacked with flavor and loaded with meat. The broth was spicy enough but it lacked the lemongrass kick. The addition of beef balls in lieu of the pork knuckle was unique. It dropped the authenticity level down a notch but didn’t detract from the bowl a whole lot. The ultra-tender beef slices, great broth and chewy round noodles made up for things quite well.
Hanoi Phở
Normally, Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside isn’t my first choice for grabbing some grub. That’s pretty obvious. Then, one day, I heard about Hanoi Phở and their excellent curried soup. Always on the lookout for this variant on Vietnamese soup, I made a point to scope it out on the way downtown. My first reaction was, “Wow. That’s one crappy location”. Two blocks from Main & Hastings, next to a methadone clinic. Yikes. Upon further investigation here, here, here and here, it became pretty clear that this is one of Vancouver’s better Vietnamese restaurants.
Despite it’s location and underwhelming signage, Hanoi Phở has one of the cleanest interiors I’ve come across in a Vietnamese venue. If your looking for immaculate restrooms, this place is for you! Just ask for the key at the front counter.
This is one impressive little joint. A burbling waterfall off to one side. All sorts of knick-knacks here and there. Soothing Andean panpipes on the stereo. Highspeed wi-fi is on offer as well as a fax/printer if you require it. A very colorful, warm and comforting space.
Talay Thai
A couple weeks back, while waiting on a table at Red Star Seafood, we noticed Talay Thai right across the street. Even with a reservation, we’d been waiting almost thirty minutes. We were three empty stomachs dying for a feed. The thought of Thai curries and spicy noodles was starting to overwhelm us. Just as we were about to head over, the hostess called us in. Ah well, dim sum it is…
Talay Thai is a spot I’ve been meaning to hit up for a long, long time. With a continual stream of raves around the web, I got to figuring that this place was a sure thing.
This is one vibrantly colored, tiny room. It’s about as clean as you could imagine, to boot. The moment you enter there’s a warm, comfortable vibe. I’m sensing a great feed!
Por Pia Tod ปอเปี๊ยะทอด (Vegetarian Spring Rolls). Nothing too spectacular yet really well made. Knowing the plum sauce is homemade gave these a step up. It’s not too often a place will take the time and effort to create their own.
The Satay Chicken were sensational. Just plump enough to withstand the grill time without getting dry. A good, long marination gave these so much flavor that the peanut sauce was almost unnecessary.
Lhy Thai
Back in ’94, when Lhy Thai opened it’s doors, it was the go-to place in Burnaby for great Thai. Soon after that, Boua Thai arrived. With it’s lower prices and heftier portions, Boua became our favorite lunch spot two, sometimes three times a week. It was that good. One day, in the middle of lunch, they were shut down. To this day it remains a mystery. I can’t wait to hear, one day, that Boua has been reincarnated. They were, after all, devout Buddhists! One can only hope…
After Boua closed we visited Lhy Thai several times only to be disappointed by bland fare and small portions. One time, I went on my own for a plate of Pad See Ew. It was the absolute worst plate of Thai food imaginable. Undercooked broccoli, overcooked beef, tough noodles and burnt garlic, to boot. The Tom Yum Gai was as watery as you could make it. I vowed never to return. Then, last week, Benzie and a buddy of his wanted to check out some Asian fare in Burnaby. They wanted to try Lhy Thai. I caved and wound up having one of the best meals of my life.
Lhy Thai is located on Edmonds just east of Kingsway. Not exactly a culinary mecca but there’s a few decent spots in the area. Even on a late Wednesday evening, right before closing, Lhy Thai was around half full. Most lunchtimes the place is packed…most tables reserved. Even the local MLA was seen waiting for a seat!
On our first visit, last Wednesday, I showed up with a dead battery in my camera. I had to resort to my trusty iPhone for a few unspectacular shots.
Some really good Spring Rolls here. They’re jam-packed with carrot, black mushrooms, cabbage and vermicelli. The sprinkling of crushed nuts on the sweet chili sauce was a nice little addition.
The Som Tam (Papaya Salad) was, to put it simply, outstanding. A cool, crunchy combination of shredded green papaya, chili, sugar, lime, fish sauce, tomato, peanuts and shrimp paste. Huge, bright flavors…extremely refreshing at the outset. As one gets to the middle, things start to intensify. Near the bottom, especially beneath the lettuce leaf, you know exactly why it’s labelled “Thai-style” on the menu. By the way, if you ever want things supremely spicy in a Thai resto, just mention “Thai-style” while ordering. That’s the real deal.
Along with those two appies our dinner also included:
- Stuffed Chicken Wings
- Chicken Satay
- Tom Yum Gai
- Panang Neua (Panang Curry with Beef)
- Gapow Gai (Basil Chicken)
- Phat Peaw Wan Gai (Sweet and Sour Chicken)
An absolutely incredible feast all around. So good, in fact, that I got together another gang two days later to try and re-create it for a Friday lunch.
Phở 24 Express…Burnaby’s Newest Vietnamese
Phở 24 Express is Burnaby’s newest Vietnamese restaurant. It took a long while. Last June, this spot was Numero Uno Pizza. The new façade went up quite quickly when Numero Uno vacated. For a couple of months I waited and waited with baited breath for more phở in Burnaby. They teased me by wallpapering the windows with their menu. How cruel is that??! I’d drop by occasionally to check on the progress only to be teased yet again. Finally, around New Year’s, they opened their doors.
Phở 24 Express is a reincarnation of Gold Train Express II out on West 10th in Point Grey. Years ago it was my go-to spot before work at Provence. They made a killer bò kho as well as some great phở. It’ll be interesting to see if they’re still as a good as I remember.
On my first of three visits, this past Thursday, I went with the Bún Cà Ri Gà (Curry Chicken Vermicelli Soup).
I gotta say, this was a fantastic bowl. A solid curried broth jacked with lots of black pepper. Several big hunks of dark-meat chicken…nary a bit of gristle or bone. Plenty of roasted peanuts and chips of roasted garlic…great textures and an abundance of flavor. My only quibble was with the vermicelli. A bit too thin…verging on angel-hair…next time I’ll ask for the egg noodles. Can’t say enough about the broth, though. Great stuff…bowl drained.
Dim Sum at Spicy Court Chinese
During a recent visit to Sun Sui Wah we decided to start a gluttonous run through the vastness of Vancouver’s top Dim Sum spots. Next stop…Spicy Court Chinese on Cambie at 41st.
Upon arrival, it was obvious that street parking nearby wasn’t gonna happen. That meant only one thing…scary underground parking. Having read about Spicy Court’s parkade, I got a tinge nervous. A parkade four levels deep with tiny stalls and no exit…yikes!
Spicy Court’s spots are on the third level down. Being Sunday at peak hours, this is a ridiculous situation. With the upper two levels completely empty, Spicy’s spots are near fully packed. Can’t y’all work something out?
Funny. It was much easier getting out than getting back in some twenty or so dishes later.
As with Sun Sui Wah, we arrived on an early Sunday afternoon, absolutely famished. Even worse, Benzie and I had to wait for a couple of stragglers. Being somewhat polite diners, we held off ordering for fifteen minutes. When they still hadn’t shown up, we chucked the politeness out the door and started ordering like it was a death row meal. As the first plate arrived, so did the other half of our crew.
Before the dishes arrived we were sure to grab a saucer of Spicy Court’s fermented bean chili paste. This has a nice, dense flavour with a mighty kick. Perfect for virtually any dish. Especially this one:
Grand Dynasty Seafood Restaurant
A couple of months ago a new, up-scale Chinese restaurant opened its doors in Burnaby. Grand Dynasty Seafood Restaurant is located in the Grand Villa Casino complex. With a mix of high-quality Dim Sum and top-notch plates, it seems to be the go-to place for well-heeled locals.
Upon arrival, we asked for a table for six. There were a few tables available but we were seated at the biggest one, a ten-top. When I asked why we were given a table so big, the service captain said, jokingly, “So you order more food!”. I knew he was kidding, but in the end, he was spot on.
The service here, it must be noted, is well above average. There’s a small army of suited waiters looking out for their customers. While waiting for the other half of our party to arrive, I realized I hadn’t plugged the parking meter. On my way a server actually followed me outside to offer suggestions on where to park for free. As I was parked just outside, and it was a dollar an hour, I just paid the meter. You’ve got to appreciate that level of attention.
Seeing as how we are a group of five and a half Caucasians, there was a small amount of trepidation. Three of us were adorned in our finest work clothes, the other three nattily attired in office gear. But, as Kim says, “I’m only here for the food!”.
We started with an array of dim sum. The price points are a tad higher than most. Small $4.50, medium $4.95, large $5.25, special $5.50 and Chef’s Special $6.50.
Phở Tân
Once upon a time, there was a cool, house-shaped restaurant in Burnaby called Phở Saigon. As I mentioned in that post, it was my very first bowl of phở. They, through a variety of owners, put out a very good product. For a while there, I was visiting two, three and sometimes four times a week. A few months back they shut down and re-opened as Phở Tân.
I’m just going to go ahead and assume this is an off-shoot of Phở Tân at Main & 30th that a small section of the local blogosphere has written about. Based on those posts, I figured I was in for some great grub.
They’d really spiffed things up. New furniture, a lick o’ paint, a few new plants. Really an all round, clean and comfortable space.
The service is friendly and attentive. A lady is busy shining up the glass on the entrance door. She notices my camera and suddenly the owner drops by for a chat. He asks what kind of camera I have, chats a bit about a camera he used to have then wanders off. If you’re in this situation, you may figure they’d take notice and bring out the good stuff…don’t bet on it.
Hittin’ The Rails To Hội An
Here’s a good travel tip: When booking an early morning train trip in a foreign country, make sure you’re well caffeinated.
I arrived at the train station in Huế, Vietnam at about 7 a.m. to head to Da Nang. The plan was to book a first-class ticket on the Livitrans car ($17) for the two and a half hour train ride.
Not quite understanding the ticket agent (aside from the phrase “air-conditioned”) I wound up purchasing a $3 “soft-sleeper” ticket. Ooops.
Le Petit Saigon
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about Bảo Châu, a Vietnamese restaurant and self-described “Spring Roll Specialty House” on East Hastings. It quickly became my “go-to” place on Saturday afternoons before going to work. Recently, in the interest of a head-to-head comparison, I made a couple of visits to a neighboring restaurant, Le Petit Saigon.
After perusing their quite extensive menu, I decided to see how their Bún bò Huế stacked up to Bảo Châu’s.
Royal City Thai
Writing a review for a restaurant can, at times, be tricky. In this case, I visited an incredible Thai restaurant (Tom Yum Thai) two days before this visit to Royal City Thai. Unfortunately, ANY meal that close on the heels of Tom Yum Thai will suffer in comparison.
As with Tom Yum, Royal City Thai used to be a coffee shop/diner. Weirdly, both left the old cafe sign above their new awning.
Royal City Thai offers an all-you-can-eat menu on Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 to 2:30 for $12.95. I had assumed that meant a buffet table. When I arrived, I was pleasantly surprised to find that there was an AYCE menu to order from.
Phở Saigon
Phở Saigon is the very first place I tried phở…it was where my addiction began. About eight or nine years ago I was mesmerized by a hot, steaming bowl of Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup. The amazing fragrant broth, tender rice noodles, coriander, scallions and thin slices of rare beef were a combination I couldn’t get enough of. What really intrigued me was being able to add in all the various ingredients and sauces. It simply made dining so much more interesting. To this day, phở is the one dish I crave more than any other.
Back in those days, Phở Saigon was as consistent as a place could get. Over the years the management changed as did the level of quality. I’d visited once or twice but it was never the same. This recent visit, however, has made me a believer, once again!
The condiment plate arrives! Good, crunchy bean sprouts, lemon and very fresh basil.
Le Do Vietnamese Restaurant
Another rainy Saturday afternoon, another chance to check out a different Phở restaurant. This week’s pick is Le Do Vietnamese on East Hastings. What makes Le Do a bit different is their unique Le Do Spicy Roll. Plus the fact that they serve both Bún bò Huế and Bún Chả Cá, a rarity amongst most phở joints.
Aside from being really clean, the condiment selection is much better than normal. Along with hoisin and Sriracha, there’s chile oil, pickled jalapeñoes and sambal. Everything neat and tidy…a good signal.
Another sign that you are about to have great phở is the freshness of the basil and sprouts. Right away I knew I was going to be a happy customer.
Phở Century
Well, I guess it’s bound to happen. The more restaurants one visits, the better the odds for a bad experience. My recent visit to Phở Century isn’t what I’ve come to expect from a decent Vietnamese restaurant. Some of it I can put down to lack of staffing but the poor quality of beef is unforgivable.
When I arrived, shortly after they opened, there was one other table occupied. Soon the room filled up, leaving the solo server rushing from table to table. I placed my order, Bò Kho (Vietnamese Beef Stew) and spring rolls. After a few minutes the condiment plate arrived.
The bean sprouts and lemon were both very fresh. Usually though, with Bò Kho, basil is served alongside. One time, at Green Bamboo, it was omitted. Therefore, not a problem…it can be optional. I requested and got a sprig of basil slightly past its prime. Why not simply remove the wilted leaves?
This is when the sinking feeling began to set in. It became obvious that an attention to quality and/or detail might not be part of the plan.
Chili Pepper House
There was a time, many years ago, when going out for Chinese food meant choosing between Combo A, B or C. Or, if you were lucky, your folks would take you to the Rickshaw in Surrey for the Saturday night smorgasbord. All the different and new flavors and textures…the garlic, the ginger, the won tons, deep-fried pork and prawns. But that was the 70’s, and it was all we had. Now our choices include Szechuan and Shanghainese, Punjabi and Sri Lankan, xiǎlóngbāo and sui mai, dosas and paneer. For a lover of Asian cuisine, it’s all wonderfully mind-boggling.
One of the best parts of the culinary “Asian invasion” are the restaurants that serve up the food from where the cultures mixed. In particular Hakka and Desi cuisine. All of those favorite Chinese standards are re-imagined with Indian spices.
The Vegetarian Spring Rolls were fairly standard. The best part was the tart & vinegary slaw served alongside. Pickled cabbage and carrot with a spice I just could not put a finger on. Whatever it was, it worked perfectly.
Purple Lotus
Due to the lack of Vietnamese restaurants in New Westminster, it is always intriguing when a new one opens up. Recently, Purple Lotus Viet-Asian Cuisine took over the spot once held by Young’s Cafe on 12th Street. By all accounts, Young’s was a popular Chinese/Canadian greasy spoon. Purple Lotus still offers up burgers and breakfast but with a variety of Vietnamese and Thai dishes on the menu.
So, on one of those chilly, wet Sunday afternoons, I got a major hankering for soup. Not wanting to go on a major excursion, I stayed local and decided to check out their phở.
Pattaya Thai Restaurant
Once upon a time, there was a restaurant in Burnaby called Boua Thai. Boua Thai was, looking back, a mythical place. Those who frequented it regularly, still speak of it as the last, great Thai restaurant in this area. It was where I discovered Pad Thai. Their version was perfectly made…always moist noodles bathed in a chile-laden tamarind sauce amidst a bevy of prawns, shrimp and chunks of golden tofu. Their Pad Gai Gra Prao (Thai Basil Chicken) was always served as it should…loaded with Thai Basil. The term ‘I got sumoed’ was coined at Boua because the size of the portions made you feel like a sumo wrestler. It was common for us to visit two or three times a week and then again on the weekend. We were there on the day they were forced to close their doors. What happened that day still remains a mystery.
Since then, I have been on the hunt for a local Thai restaurant of that quality. Thai Cafe and Lhy Thai have come close. Another one on the radar is Pattaya.
Pattaya Thai Restaurant is located on 6th Street in New Westminster beside Hon’s Wonton House. It’s a very small room (six booths) run by a Thai family. They offer a common lunch special menu with all items at $6.99.
Tamarind Hill Malaysian Cuisine
There are far too few quality restaurants in New Westminster. There. I’ve said it. We suck. If it’s dinner-time in New West for food-lovers, there are way too many cars heading towards Burnaby (and, of course, Vancouver). I won’t even mention Surrey. Oops.
Luckily, for us, there are still a few good options. Tamarind Hill is definitely one of them.
To me, the best part of Asian cuisine is it’s complexity. The variety of flavors and textures is literally endless. Therefore, the quest.
Sông Hương
Over the last few years I’ve been searching throughout Vancouver for excellent Phở, the best Vietnamese Beef Stew and a killer spring roll. When you embark on that kind of mission, invariably, you will discover all the other amazing delicacies. So far the most intriguing has been Bo 7 Mon. Bo 7 Mon is Beef 7 Ways. Not many places offer it. The only one I know of is Sông Hương. If I’m wrong, let me know. Please!
Sông Hương is an authentic Vietnamese restaurant in East Van. Their cuisine is from the city of Huế in Central Vietnam. I went there initially to try their Bún bò Huế, a spicier version of Phở loaded with a pig’s knuckle and congealed pork blood . But that’s another post…
I had a pretty good idea of what we’d be feasting on but it was pretty cool to see it all laid out before us.
The Friday Lunch 
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