If you haven't stumbled across Sherman's Food Adventures, the iconic, mind-blowingly extensive food blog that covers every type of food imaginable in Metro Vancouver, you should check it out right away.
The author, Sherman Chan, has reviewed more Chinese restaurants than just about anyone (just shy of 200). I asked his recommendations for high-end budget and inexpensive noodle/wontons to celebrate Chinese New Year and to enjoy the Year of the Dragon to the fullest.
Here are his picks:
Expensive, delicious Chinese restaurants
8511 Alexandra Road
Richmond, BC
V6X 1C3, Canada
604-249-0082
"It's one of the more expensive Chinese restaurants in the lower mainland, for a reason," said Sherman. "It's got nice décor, service is pretty good, it has an award-winning chef – Tony Luk -- He's produced award-winning dishes in the Chinese Restaurant Awards."
"Jade is best known for their dim sum. Their dinners are also pretty good, but their dim sum is one of the best in town. One of their winning dishes is the steamed mushroom dumplings, and there is 'Grandpa's smoked chicken.'”
"It's expensive, though, so if money is no object, go there. But with Chinese food, it's pretty good value, even if you get to the highest highest range. If you wanted a table of 10, even if you went totally extravagant, it's probably $100 per person."
Mushroom dumplings photo courtesy of Sherman's Food Adventures.
Amazing Chinese food on a budget
Western Lake
4989 Victoria Dr.
Vancouver, BC V5P3T7
(604) 321-6862
"It's not particuarly high-class -- not the place you would think of going for a formal meal," said Sherman of the popular East Vancouver restaurant. "But the food is very solid, portions are good and prices are reasonable. It's one of those places that if you didn't know about it, you would never know about it." But don't be surprised by the line-ups: it's always packed.
It's really good value Cantonese food."
Lucky dumplings and noodles:
8580 Alexandra Rd
Ste 1160
Richmond, BC V6X 4B3
(604) 276-0882
"It's on Alexander Road, which is like Chinese restaurant road in Richmond. The place is not a dive – a lot of wonton noodle places are – and it's not that cheap," he warns. "But it makes really good wonton, all shrimp. Many people settle for the pork wonton, but if you're Chinese, that's unacceptable. It's so 70s and 80s. Now, modern wonton noodle places are either all shrimp, or a mix of shrimp and pork."