Au Wing Kee - Burnaby

Restaurant: Au Wing Kee

Cuisine: Chinese
Last visited: March 4, 2010
Area: Burnaby, BC (Burnaby South)
5226 Kingsway
Price Range: $10 or less

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: Tres Excellent!!

Food: 4.5
Service: 2

Ambiance: 1.5

Overall: 4

Additional comments:

• 2 locations: Burnaby/Vancouver
• Congee & Noodle house
• Hole in the wall, but popular
• A bit/quite dirty
  
• Quick & cheap eats
• The No. 9 of Burnaby, but better
• Very familiar to Chinese locals
• Traditional Cantonese cuisine
• Famous for congee
• Extensive menu
• Lunch combos 11am-5:30pm
• Great for snacks/late night snacks (9pm-1am)
• Late night
• Open Mon-Sun 11am – 1am
• Cash only
• Dine in/Take-out
• Parking at rear

**Recommendation: Congee, Wonton noodles (they’re popular here although I haven’t tried it yet)

This place has been around for ages! It’s a totally hole in the wall dive that is very familiar to Chinese people. It’s pretty much the No. 9 of Burnaby, but much better. I don’t even mind No. 9 actually, you have to lower your standards for cheap late night, open 24 hour eats...you have to admit the place is packed with Chinese people all the time! It's like Hon's Won Ton Noodle House.

Au Wing Kee specializes in congee and noodles, but they offer everything from chow mien, hot pot, seafood, to late night snacks. They even have a tank filled with live seafood like crab and lobster. The food is fresh, made upon order – not gourmet, but a quick, casual bite that is very easy on the wallet.

This is more or less a tribute review to those suffering from the stomach flu, cold or virus. Too many of us have been hit. I think I was first to catch the stomach flu out of the food bloggers in Vancouver, and since then it has spread like wild fire. Everything we ordered is more or less what older generation traditional Chinese people order when they’re not feeling well. In particular the 2 types of congee we ordered are really high in nutrition and have tons of calcium, protein, and iron.

On the table:

Dried Fillet with Peanut & Spare Ribs Congee 3.5/6

• $4.50
  

• It’s not really for the Western tastes buds, but it is very traditional Chinese food. It would be probably rated higher for Chinese people.
  

• The spare ribs aren’t the Western type of spare ribs that are really meaty. They’re really small and boney and the bones are what they use to flavour the congee.
  

• The meat it does have is pretty chewy and the type of meat is a cheap kind. I’m not a fan, but again it is authentic and for $4.50 you’re not going to get high quality spare ribs.
  

• I loved the dried fillet. Throughout the congee there are pieces of dried fish or “fillet”. It tastes like dried scallops and it’s almost jerky like. It’s salty and has a preserved fishy taste that I like.
• The peanuts are whole peanuts and they’re really soft. It gives the congee a little nuttiness.
• The congee itself is really delicious and creamy. They do a great job with that here. It’s really infused with all the flavours of the ingredients used.
  

Dace Fish Ball & Watercress Congee 2/6

• $4.95 – rating would be much higher for Chinese people
• This isn’t for the Western taste buds either. However for Chinese taste buds, they do a pretty good job with this congee.
• I was not a fan of this type of congee.

• It’s loaded with 8 dace fish balls are very fresh and made in house. It’s a mixture of fish paste, dried orange peel, scallions and white pepper. Very nutritious...but for me not delicious. What I hated was that the fish bones are pureed into the mixture and I could taste and bite into them. It was like scales. However for Chinese people that’s a good thing because it means it’s freshly ground up fish. The orange peel was very strong, but not bitter…but it’s just not for me.

• At the bottom of the bowl is the watercress. It’s thrown in raw, but cooks with the hot congee poured on top.
• The congee base is great. It’s lighter in taste than the spare rib congee, but still nice and creamy.

Sautéed Lettuce in Slice Pepper w/ Preserved Bean Curd Sauce 5/6

• This is again for Chinese taste buds – I really like this dish. It’s acquired though. I just love it as a side dish with congee.
• The myth or truth...is that spicy is good because it kills germs...also it makes you sweat so you sweat out the bad stuff. Chinese and I think Indian also believe that ginger kills germs...so again "sick people food". Spicy also makes you cough, so don't have it if you're coughing...and I don't think spicy is good for stomach flus either...it doesn't make sense to me...?
  
• It’s loaded with long strands of ginger (in photo) and round slices of green chili peppers. It has a preserved salty taste and it’s creamy, spicy (not too spicy) and very aromatic with lots of flavours.

• The green chili peppers aren’t really spicy though. They’re quite mild and I could eat them whole.
  
• It’s a super soupy/saucy dish, but it’s not too oily and I really enjoyed it. There's no actual pieces of bean curd in it, it's just preserved/fermented bean curd sauce - so the flavour is infused in the sauce.
  
• The taste is very pungent. I had the dish at No. 9 and it’s done a bit differently. I liked the one at Au Wing Kee better.

Big Ridge Brewing Co.

Restaurant: Big Ridge Brewery

Cuisine: American/Pub Food/International
Last visited: February 4, 2010
Area: Surrey, BC
15133 56 Ave
Price Range: $10-20

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: Tres Excellent!!

Food: 2.5
Service: 5

Ambiance: 3.5

Overall: 3

Additional comments:

• Part of Mark James Group (DIX BBQ, Yaletown Brewery etc.)
• Lively neighborhood pub in Surrey
• Great for beer, samples available
• Busy/line-ups on weekends
• Classic pub food
• Affordable prices
• Lots of Chinese stir-fry dishes/bowls
• Felt like Hon’s – very Westernized Chinese food
• Casual, loud
• Restaurant and separate bar area
• Open kitchen
• All ages welcome
• Open late

**Recommendation: n/a

I actually wasn’t aware that Big Ridge Brewery was part of the Mark James Group. When I heard DIX Barbeque and Yaletown Brewery my expectations were set a bit high…too I high I think. Especially since the parking lot was completely full and there was a 30min. line up at 7pm with every single table full.

When I looked at the menu I was already not so gong-ho…I saw a lot of Chinese options and a pub making Chinese food? I had my hesitations. However the kitchen is a big open kitchen and half the chefs are Chinese so I thought “hey maybe it is authentic?”…but then just looking at the dishes going by and talking to some staff it’s pretty obvious it is very Westernized Chinese food. In which case I think I’ll stick to the traditional pub food. I’m not really one for pub food, but I can appreciate it – in this case I would much rather have pub food from the The Hub.

The portions are surprisingly not that big here and I think they really need to invest in some nicer dishes. I felt like I was at a really rough pub and for The Mark James Group I expect a little more “posh-ness”. The food was almost served cafeteria style like Ricky’s All Day Grill. I’m really surprised to see such a high rating for it on Urbanspoon – I thought it was very mediocre.

They are about to release their new menu which consists of a variety of Asian/Indian influenced dishes so if you want to sample those you should go now because they will be choosing the most popular dishes and including them on their new menu.

On the table:

Fish Tacos 2/6

• Beer battered halibut bites wrapped in a flour tortilla with a Sriracha aioli and cilantro-Asian slaw $11.99
• This is one of their special feature items. They’re supposed to include it on the official menu if there’s enough positive feedback and demand.
• It’s supposed to be a main, but for me it was more like an appetizer. The plating really needs some work…or maybe even just another plate.
• It reminded me of the Vietnamese sandwich “Banh Mi”, except those are way better. These tacos are loaded with shredded cucumbers, carrots, daikon and cilantro marinated in vinegar.
• The Sriracha aioli came off as chipotle mayo.
• It came with 3 pieces of halibut bites that tasted like battered chicken. It was a bit dry and overly battered as well. It was crunchy though. I could barely taste the halibut because the pieces were too small.
• Overall it was tangy, slightly spicy and basically something I could make at home.

Vegetarian Pizza 4/6

• The menu calls it “The Best Vegetarian Pizza Ever” – Japanese eggplant, broccoli, roasted corn, balsamic onion, mushrooms, sundried tomatoes, mozzarella, Feta, and pesto $12.99
• If the menu didn’t say “The Best Vegetarian Pizza Ever” I would not have ordered a vegetarian dish at a pub. This is a bold statement and I just had to order it. It was more than I expect from a pub, but is it the best ever? No. It was very good though.
• The menu says “Our pies are bigger than the other guy’s” – they weren’t that big. I think they’re 14’’ inch pizzas? I mean it’s worth it, but all these are bold claims which lead me to have high expectations.
• This is a very tangy pizza. The tomato sauce is tangy and with the balsamic onions and sundried tomatoes it was even tangier. The onions were crunchy and needed to be cooked longer though. Or they should slice them rather than dice them and they would have cooked through.
• The tang was balanced very well with the salty Feta and pesto drizzle. They used a lot of both these ingredients and I could taste everything except for the eggplant. There was barely any and the few pieces it had were really dried out.
• The crust is nice and thin and it’s baked in a fire-wood oven, however they need to bake it longer because only the edges were crispy and the rest of the crust was very soft and chewy. However looking underneath it looks like it was baked enough...they need to adjust the heat.
• Overall the pizza is quite good, but they just need to work on the cooking temp/times and execution of ingredients. Not everything should be diced because each veggie has a different cooking time.

Quarter Chicken & Ribs 2.5/6

• ¼ beer can chicken and our famous pork ribs, served with oven roasted potatoes $19.99
• For 19.99 I could get better chicken and ribs elsewhere. It wasn’t bad, but it’s wasn’t that good either. The portion is also surprisingly not that big for a pub/bar restaurant. It was ¼ chicken and 5 ribs piled on top of mashed potatoes.
• They actually do a good job with the sauces and seasonings, but the quality of meat is the downfall. If they changed that it would actually be quite good!
• The chicken was served with chicken onion gravy and it almost tastes packaged. I felt like they used cornstarch to thicken it rather than letting it reduce.
• The chicken wasn’t that juicy and it was actually quite rough in texture – although not necessarily dry.
• I couldn’t tell they used beer but they did use some rosemary on the skin. The skin also wasn’t crispy and got soggy from the gravy.
• The ribs were falling off the bone, but not tender at all. The meat was very chewy which means the quality of ribs they’re using isn’t great. There wasn’t much meat on them in general.
• The ribs were served with a barbeque glaze or sauce. It was sweet and tangy, but didn’t have much of a kick and they needed more of it.
• It comes with roasted potatoes, but I changed it to roast garlic mash – no extra charge.

Roast Garlic Mashed Potatoes 4/6

• This was a chunky mashed potato as opposed to a creamy smooth one. It’s made with Russet potatoes with the skins on so they’re nice and flavourful.
• There are bits of potato you can chew into. They were very garlic tasting and quite good! I enjoyed them more than I did the meat.

Cole Slaw 1/6

• I was not a fan of this cole slaw. They used a combo of mayo and horseradish for the dressing. It was very spicy and watery in texture and didn’t match the flavours of the chicken, ribs, or potatoes.

Dessert

• Just showing the menu...I decided to pass on dessert because I was not impressed with dinner…I actually just went across the street to McDonalds for ice cream instead. McDonald’s ice cream is so reliable.

Shun Feng Seafood Restaurant

Restaurant: Shun Feng Seafood Restaurant

Cuisine: Chinese/Dim Sum

Last visited: February 21, 2010
Area: Richmond, BC

Unit 1425, 4380 No.3 Road (Parker Place)
Range: $20-30

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: Tres Excellent!!

Food: 2.5

Service: 3

Ambiance: 3

Overall: 2.5

Additional comments:

• Specializes in Cantonese Chinese cuisine
• Popular for banquets/weddings/events
• Focuses on seafood
• Moderately priced: mid-high end
• Set menus available
• Big screen televisions
• Private rooms
• Spacious, lots of seating
• Hit and miss service
• Dim Sum/Lunch/Dinner
• 20% off dim sum before 11:30am
• Parking available

**Recommendation: Winter Melon stuffed with Dried Scallop & “Fat Choy”, Barbeque Beef Ribs, Sticky Fried Rice

I’ve been to this restaurant several times (I don’t even know if it was Shun Feng Restaurant all the times I came) but every time it’s always been for a private function or banquet. It’s not a place I come to for dim sum or regular dinners. I’ve never been too impressed with the food to come on a regular day/night so unless it’s a “forced to go” thing…I’d opt for something else.

The food isn’t bad, but it’s also not that good…it’s very mediocre. I would go back to try their dim sum, but I'm also in no rush. They’ve changed owners on a couple occasions so the quality varies, although I can’t say for better or worse because I don’t come regularly enough to really notice.

On this occasion I came here for a Chinese New Year dinner. We ordered from a set menu especially made for Chinese New Year so all the items were traditional and quite standard for the occasion. It was about $38/person with taxes and gratuities so the meal was not cheap (for a Chinese restaurant), but it also wasn’t really expensive or as gourmet as Kirin Seafood Restaurant. I don’t know the actual names of any of the dishes or the individual prices – so bare with me…I’ll do my best!

Overall everything was very mediocre compared to other Chinese restaurants that do the same/similar thing. The rating doesn’t speak for the dish itself because I’ve basically have had better of everything…the dishes they did do really well are under my recommendations. (See above)

On the table:

4 Kinds – Cold Appetizer 4/6

• Jellyfish, surf clam, chili prawns, pork hock slices. Served chilled.
• This dish varies at every Chinese restaurant and the more expensive it is the more gourmet the items get. The jellyfish is standard every time and the pork hock slices is usually standard as well.
• The surf clam and chili prawns are more gourmet items.
• Jellyfish wasn’t flavourful enough. Sometimes they marinate it in a little chili oil, but these ones didn’t have anything. They were very lightly marinated in a little sugar and barely any soy sauce/vinegar if any at all. It was crunchy and chewy so the texture was good though.
• If there’s surf clam they need to serve it with Japanese soy sauce and wasabi – they didn’t.
• The chili prawns were excellent. Juicy, flavourful and perfectly spicy, but also very savoury.
  

**Winter Melon stuffed with Dried Scallop & “Fat Choy” 5/6

• This is a very traditional dish to have on Chinese New Year. It’s a must. This one was served with broccoli too, which was perfectly tender.
• If you get it more “gourmet” it comes with abalone (for twice the price).
• The winter melon is almost like a steamed zucchini, but much more neutral in flavour and not as crunchy or fibrous.
• The scallop was too chewy, but that’s because it was huge so I expected it – but it was annoying because I was chewing for ages.
• The “Fat Choy” is the must. “Gong Hay Fat Choy” – hence why “Fat Choy” or “black moss” is a must. It represents wealth. It’s fungus that looks like black human hair. I know it looks and sounds creepy but don’t let that throw you off! It’s not crunchy at all or have the texture of hair…at all! It’s very soft and almost melts in your mouth. It’s similar to seaweed when it gets wet, but it’s not chewy. It’s almost like very very fine strands of noodles. I love it. They hold a lot of sauce and you barely need to chew them.

Deep Fried Shrimp Balls 3/6

• This is a pretty typical appetizer.
• Served with sweet and sour sauce. Some people eat it with red vinegar, but traditionally it’s with sweet and sour sauce.
• These were good here, but usually the shrimp ball will be wrapped around a crab claw – those are awesome! Maybe they serve them here, but you just need to pay more…?
• It’s pretty much a ball made of shrimp past and battered in bread crumbs and deep fried.

Sautéed Garlic Crab 2.5/6

• This was good, but I’ve had better. The crab meat wasn’t dry but they just weren’t flavourful enough. There was minced garlic, but just not enough of it and the flavour didn’t absorb.
• They sautéed it with green onions which were really crunchy, but I like it when they sauté it with green onions AND leeks. That’s really good!

Shark’s Fin with Shredded Chicken Soup

• Another standard and traditional item.
• I didn’t have any because I don’t eat shark’s fin for personal reasons – but there were no “oh it’s really good” comments so I’m guessing it was quite average.
• It looked quite hearty and there were lots of ingredients in it though.

Steamed Rock Cod 3/6

• Standard with any banquet menu.
• This was not bad, but just really small.
• It was fresh and not fishy tasting so that was good.
• The sauce wasn’t too salty or oily too…if the fish is fresh with lots of cilantro then this dish is almost always good.
• Served with the head; fish has to be served whole…Chinese tradition.

**Barbeque Beef Ribs 5.5/6

• This dish doesn’t come up often for set menu, but I’m glad it did at this one. It was unexpected and everyone enjoyed it. It’s served with a Chinese vegetable that’s likely in the mustard green family.
• The beef ribs were big and quite tender but not shred away easily tender…you still had to pull at the meat. There was some fat on it but it was very little and in between so it kept the meat very juicy and moist.
• It was so saucy and the sauce was sweet but not sticky or thick although it looks like it is. I could definitely taste some honey and Hoisin sauce although the Hoisin wasn’t overpowering or too strong. It was sweet, savoury and had a slight kick to it that caught up near the end. I’m pretty sure the spice was Sriracha sauce that they added to the barbeque marinade.

Baby Bok Choy in Supreme Soup 2.5/6

• This is just sautéed baby bok choy. The vegetable can vary and it's quite a common dish. It’s very healthy, simple and they serve it in this in house broth made of seafood and maybe even some chicken flavorings
• People like to drink the soup. I like the one at Kirin better – although they may use more MSG. This one wasn’t salty and I don’t think they used much or any MSG.

Fried Chicken with Prawn Crackers 4/6

• This was actually really good! The prawn crackers sucked because they weren’t very fresh, but the fried chicken part was great.
• The skin was crispy and the chicken was very juicy, tender and flavourful. They had a really nice sauce to them that was very subtle but very tasty!

**Fried Sticky Rice 6/6

• Fried with Chinese sausage, mushrooms and topped with scrambled egg shreds.
• This was surprisingly good! Everyone at the table raved about it – separately too.
• It looks very normal, but they did a great job. The rice was separate yet still sticky, but not clumpy.
• They fried it with some dried scallops and shrimp so there was so much flavour. There’s no seafood taste, but it does wonders in terms of adding aromatics to the dish. It definitely gives that “what is that?” flavour. In a good way!
• The Chinese sausage was very fresh and almost bacon like. It was borderline jerky-like or dry cured/smoked. It had a wonderful slowly cooked/prepared flavour.
• There’s always a rice dish with every set menu, but it’s not always sticky rice and it’s not always this good even if it is.

Braised Yee-Mien 1.5/6

• This was sautéed with mushrooms and bean sprouts.
• This is a standard for all set menus. A must – the noodles represent long life… so you can’t cut them.
• No matter how full you are you have to eat these, especially if it’s a birthday or special occasion. It’s bad luck if you don’t and older Chinese people will think you’re rude.
• It’s such a shame because I was quite full and I look forward to these noodles…but they weren’t even good. They were extremely bland. They forgot the MSG…or salt. Actually I found that they don’t use much MSG here, which is a good thing…but everything needs a little salt.

Dessert

Red Bean

• The most traditional and standard Chinese dessert…and I hate it. It's barely a dessert! It a hot soup made of beans...how is that a dessert? I really want to like it...maybe it's a acquired taste...or something I'll "mature" into...?
• This was very average even for people that do like it.