New Menu Tasting at Pearl Castle Cafe

Finally, after a long hiatus, ChineseBites is back! This time, we were invited to revisit to Pearl Castle Cafe to try out some of their new menu items. We were treated to their new bubbleteas as well as some of their new rice and hot pot dishes. The owners provided the food and drinks for our group.
The three drinks in the back are the new ones, all topped with a fluffy ball of cotton candy, only available at their main location (Continental Centre) as of Mid-June. The first one is Sunset Love, a fruity concoction of orange, pineapple and peach juice, topped with the cotton candy. The Blue Sky is next, topped with matching blue cotton candy with a base of blue tangerine, calpis (an un-carbonated soda with yogurt-like flavours from Japan) and pop. The last of the new ones is the Young Girl's Dream with a billowy pink cotton candy. It also has calpis and pop, but is mixed with a bit of grenadine. The cotton candy does deflate over time, so be sure to start with that! 
Of the ones in the bottom row, I had the first one on the left, the Pudding Milk Tea. I found it a bit sweet, but I still liked it. I would have added some pearls though. The next one is Coconut Red Bean. Two green teas follow, one is a Peach Lemon version, and the next is with Red Bean. The next two are new offerings as well, both featuring jelly noodles. The first is a Black Tea sweetened with brown sugar followed by the Wintermelon Juice.  There is a Green Lattea (pun intended!), as well as a Taro Green Milk Tea, also new this season. The Roasted Rice Lattea completes the lineup.
And last but not least, the one on the far right is the Ferrero Rocher chocolate milkshake...complete with the chocolate as well as Nutella. Amazing...and uber sweet. And if you look at the bottom of the Wintermelon Juice, you'll see the Jelly Noodles.
Now...onto the food! The little Taiwanese Sausages are less fatty than the North American ones. Made with pork, and simply seared, this was a good start to the meal. I can see this going really well with a beer.
Another favourite appetizer of mine is the Wonton with Chili Sauce. The wontons were a touch dry and the skins seemed a little thick, or perhaps a bit underdone? I love my food extra spicy, so this didn't have enough heat for me, but might be hot enough for some. 
Next up is a trio of fried appetizers. This is the Fried Tofu, simply battered and deep fried. These are pretty standard but the side of kimchi was refreshing.
I've never actually tried Abalone Mushroom, but I'm willing to try it, now that it's deep-fried! The breading is light, and the mushroom inside was really juicy. I really liked this, and would like to try making this at home, probably not deep-fried, but maybe braised with other mushrooms?
And last of the deep-fried goodness is the Fried Fish Cake. It's dense, chewy and a great blend of sweet and salty. The texture was super bouncy and really didn't need any accompaniments. Oh, and I liked that none of their fried dishes were overly oily. 
This is their Milk Seafood & Pork Hot Pot. A mixture of seafood, prawns, squid and fish are slow cooked together with some pork in a creamy milk-based soup. The whole pot is then kept heated at your table. Add the soup to your rice and this pot is comforting, soothing and very substantial for one person. I'd get an extra bowl of rice and just share this between two people! 
This is a real old-school way of braising chicken, the Three-Cup Chicken, so named not because each of the ingredients are measured in cups, rather, it is so named to indicate that the three sauce ingredients (sesame oil, Chinese rice wine, and soy sauce) are used in equal amounts. Basil is also an essential part of this dish and it's definitely present here as well. These little nuggets of chicken are soft and tender. I liked that some pieces were bone-in, giving the dish a rustic feel. 
This is another dish featuring the Abalone Mushroom Braised with Three Spices. This was really juicy, and after trying the mushroom done in this manner, I'll definitely be giving it a try at home, a great idea for Meatless Mondays!
Looking to ward off vampires and the common cold? Give this Garlic Sauce Chicken a try...just at a glance, there are over a dozen whole garlic cloves and loads of finely chopped garlic. And you can be sure there are more than what the eye can see. It's very similar to the Three-Cup Chicken, with the added extra of the garlic and green onions.
Kimchi rears its head again in this Kimchi Seafood Fried Udon. With all the dishes so far being served with rice, this noodle dish was a welcomed change. Not too spicy and loaded with seafood, this was more sour and spicy, but the texture of the noodles were bang on. 
Yay, another noodle dish! This time is the Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup. I know everyone is still raving over ramen, but for me, these noodles are where it's at. The soup has hints of cilantro and star anise, a very pleasant blend of flavours. If you haven't tried this before, you'll be in for a surprise. 
Now onto the NEW items! First up is their Spicy Incense Pot. Loaded with seafood and various veggies, this potful really packs a punch...those chilies, man, they'll get you every time. If you are sensitive to heat, I highly recommend staying away from the actual chilies themselves. They render much of their heat into the heated pot. And I suggest you leave this towards the end of the meal, because the flavours of this will likely overwhelm more delicate dishes. 
Another new dish is the Pineapple Shrimp Fried Rice. This was tasty, but I've never been a fan of fruit in savory dishes. As a matter of fact, I enjoyed the dish with the pineapple chunks. After adding a few sprinkles of hot sauce, this dish takes on a whole new flavour. 
An offshoot of their fan favourite, the Milk Seafood & Pork Hot Pot is their Curry Coconut Seafood & Pork Hot Pot. It's essentially the same dish with the addition of curry flavours and coconut milk. The flavours are really mild, so if you think you are not a fan of curries, give it a try. You'll be pleasantly surprised by the sweetness underlying the whole dish.
This is one of two new rice dishes, the Marinated Chicken with Rice, served with a side of tofu and some veggies, this is easily a one-pot wonder. I didn't really care for the warmed salad, but other than that, the dish had enough interesting textures and flavours to be worth a try. I would have like a bit more sauce and for the chicken to be a touch crispier, but other than that, no complaints.
Whew! And for the final dish, we have the Marinated Pork with Rice. Essentially the same flavours and accompaniments as the chicken dish, it is similarly satisfying. 
Many patrons of Pearl Castle Cafe have a short list of their favourites but with the addition of these new dishes, give them a revisit and you might find a new favourite! 

Address: Continental Centre, 1128-3779 Sexsmith Road, Richmond
Phone Number: (604) 270-3939
Website: on Facebook

Shanghai Morning

Late last month, we decided to throw caution to the wind and headed into Richmond for Shanghainese. I dread going into Richmond because of the potential car crashes and long lineups for everything, but it was early on a Saturday and we crossed our fingers and hoped for the best. We decided to head to Shanghai Morning, just off of Alexandra Road (aka Eat Street, no, not the TV show). Let's start with the most disappointing dish and work our way to the best. This was their Beef Roll, and as evident in the picture, despite the roll being quite large, the amount of beef is rather lacking. The hoisin sauce had a stronger presence than the beef. Also, I like the outside layer to be a bit more fried, with a least more than a touch of flakiness to them. These were a bit too soft for any textural contrast and the lack of filling made them a bit boring.  Our next favourite dish was the Xiao Long Baos (XLBs). The soupiness was amazing, but unfortunately, the skin on these were a bit tough and took away from the awesome soupiness. Not the worst I've had, but I'd still have to say that the ones from Dinesty. Oh, and their beef rolls are a touch better too.

 

Normally, I order the Pork Chop Noodle (see post from Peaceful Cafe) as my carb dish, but we decided on the Hot and Sour Soup Noodle here instead. This was a real winner, the soup was nice and sour with a nice splash of chilli oil for heat. It was filled with all the fixings, shrimp, bamboo shoots, wood ear and tofu. The noodles soaked up the broth nicely and  gave the dish a rich velvety texture. I could have used more heat, but I think it's enough for most people. 

 

And up next, the Leeks Cake, filled to the brim with leeks and pan fried to a nice golden colour. If you love leeks, this is the dish for you. The filling was fresh and plentiful. The skin has a bit of a chew to it, and albeit it being a bit oily, it wasn't overly so.   But my hands down favourite dish for lunch is their Sticky Rice Roll. These come piping hot from the kitchen and are chock full of Pork Floss, Preserved Vegetables and a Chinese Donut (salty). The softness of the floss, the slight crunch from the veggies and the bold crunch from the donut enveloped within a coating of warm sticky rice all make for a perfect bite. If you are getting a bit full, go for the middle where there is a better filling-to-rice ratio, more bang for your buck.

Here is a better view of all the filling inside the roll. Trust me, this was my favourite from the lunch! So, what was the best part of this lunch? All in, we were out less than $30! Two people, five dishes and plenty of leftovers!

Take Note:

• Servers don't speak much English but they do have an English menu.
• Come early to avoid the lineup, they are pretty small and fill up quickly.
• They have a wide variety of dessert, including my favourite, Rice Balls with Crushed Peanuts!

Lotus - Bun Bo Hue time!

I don't often write one-dish posts, but forgive me for this one. I was by myself on a course for Sage accounting software out in Richmond (because no one else would come with me) and I had to eat.

 

I ordered a Bun Bo Hue even though the menu description left no doubt that there wouldn't be any pork hock inslde. The bowl was large, the meats were a plenty and the broth looked spicy as heck. Before the waitress placed the obligatory dish of bean sprouts and mint at the table, she asked if I wanted the sprouts blanched or not. I wish more places would do this. I like mine raw usually, but with Bun Bo Hue, I actually prefer my bean sprouts cooked. .

After dunking in the aforementioned cooked bean sprouts (and the jalapenos), I gave the bowl a stir and this is what we have. The noodles are spaghetti like and super slippery. If you are having this dish, make sure you wear dark colours. The potential splashing is inevitable and unavoidable. The ham was really lean, and the thin slices of beef cooked quickly in the hot broth. 

Take Note:

• This place gets crazy busy by noon, so show up early
• They take Visa, Mastercard, a rarity in some pho places
• Service is quick, friendly and you don't feel weird dining alone (something I have always feared)

Pigging out at Richmond Night Market

Since I missed the Richmond Night Market last year, I was pretty determined to not let that happen again this year. But next thing you know, it as after the Labour Day long weekend. Could I have been thwarted yet again? 
Fortunately, a kind soul on twitter took pity on me and told me that the original Richmond Night Market had relocated to River Casino and was open until Thanksgiving Monday, October 8. After doing some research of the available vendors, we set off on a sunny Friday evening. 
The first thing we tried was the Abalone from Seafood Kingdom. Supposedly, their prices were cheaper near the beginning of summer, but we paid $9 for this and I though it was good value. The meat was tender, the portion was large enough for two. I think abalone tends to harden when you overcook it and it's a good thing this one wasn't. However, I couln't help but wonder if those getting their orders at 11 (ours was around 9) would find it tougher.

 

Another item they were showcasing was their Garlic Butter Lobster. This one was baked with a motoyaki (Japanese mayo) coating. It was meaty, juicy and tasty, but eating lobster while standing is a pretty daring feat. Trying to avoid getting lobster juice all over my clothes detracted fromt he overall enjoyment, just a bit. If you're not concerned, go nuts because it was pretty finger licking good.

 

I have always had an obsession with Quail eggs (Omakase at Kimura), and was delighted to see that they had Bacon Wrapped Quail Eggs on offer, at a place simply called, The Grill. The egg is cooked first, then wrapped in bacon and then fried to a crisp. The bacon was really crunchy, and the egg was nice and soft. It wasn't a runny yolk or anything, but it also didn't have that werid grey tinge of over-hard-boiled eggs. Another offering from the Grill was the Bacon Wrapped Shrimp. This one was better combination of flavours, since the shrimp was still sweet against the saltiness of the bacon. The quail egg offered a texture contrast, but was too mild contribute any flavours.
We had also heard good things about Chef James, the person behind Xin Jiang Man BBQ. We couldn't resist taking a picture of the very friendly chef as he slaved over the hot grill preparing endless skewers of meat! And he did all this with a smile on his face!

 

We got a few skewers to try, namely, the Beef, Spicy Lamb, Chicken and Honey Garlic Shrimp. These had a nice char to them, but the inside was very moist. None of the meat was well done, in fact, all seemed to be cooked to a medium rare, with a moist and juicy centre. I really liked how easily the meat came off the skewer, because the last thing you want is to have to fight with it standing in the middle of the street, and then having it drop to the ground. The shrimp was already peeled with just the tip of the tail still hanging on.

 

Night Markets and Street Vendors have always been ahead of the game with respect to the Shark's Fin controversy. They don't serve stuff like that, but they serve a "poor man's" version of the dish called "Woon Jai Chee" (Cantonese)  with lots of similar ingredients with Imitation Crab substituting for the Shark's Fin. This is the version from Dim Sum Express, and boy was it loaded with goodies, there was the dried black fungus, shitake mushrooms, as well as pieces of pork and chicken. The stock was thickened nicely, and this large bowl really warmed us up. Don't be a hero and have this as your first dish, you'll barely have room for anything else..
Another favourite of mine are Rich Noodle Rolls, which we found at another stall called Po Wah. There are a childhood favourite of mine from Hong Kong. I used to walk to school in the mornings and if I woke up early enough, my mom would treat me to a small order of this en route to school. Cooked and served on brown paper right on the street, these noodles rolls really brings me back. Fortunately, the ones here do the memory justice. The rolls aren't overcooked to mush, and the mixture of cooked soy, cooked oil, peanut butter and hoisin are a perfect combination. I like take one at a time and try to unroll them inside my mouth. An Asian equivalent to tying a cherry stem with your tongue.
 One "must-eat" at the night market is Curry Fish Balls, and we had 3 different kinds. These are the Spicy ones at Po Wah. I loved the chilli pepper seeds you see on this, it does pack a punch but not to the point that you want actually taste the curry flavour. The balls themselves are a great texture, with a slightly thick skin that you have to bite through, but once you do, the insides are a bit bouncy and gives you are great mouth feel. 

 

In search of something spicier, we found them at Dim Sum Express, the same place as the imitation shark's fin soup. These were spicier for sure, with whole peppercorns adding to the heat. But it's true, be careful what you wish for, because these were just spicy with no other discernible flavour, no fish, no curry, nothing. In fact, this is the one dish we actually threw away.

 

The Rice Noodle Rolls were so good that we decided to bring some home with us. So back we went to Po Wah with our own container. And here is where two astounding things happened. First, he took one look at our container and said it's smaller than what he normally uses, so he would be giving us a discount on our order. Yes, a discount. Next, he asked if we had tried his Curry Fish Balls, and we told him that we tried the Spicy Ones. So then he decides to give us a Free Sample of the "non-spicy" ones. Sorry, what? A discount AND free food? Well, let me tell you, free tastes pretty good.

 

Before calling it a night, we decided to get some dessert, namely, the Dragon Beard Candy. This is named for the appearance of the coating, which is simply hand-spun sugar. Well, it's not simple to spin sugar into floss, but that's the only ingredient. Once the floss is the right consistency, he passes it over to his assistant who then fills it with a peanut paste and then rolls the floss around it.

 

Be careful when eating these, take a breath at the wrong time and you'll be coughing up peanuts and sugar, not a pleasant experience, trust me. So if you haven't been to the Richmond Night Market yet, it's not too late. 
Opened until Thanksgiving Monday, October 8. 
Friday & Saturday; 7 p.m. - 12 a.m. 
Sunday & Statutory Holiday 6 p.m. - 11 p.m. 
You can either access via Translink and the Canada Line to the Bridgeport Station, but they also have over 1,000 parking spots! Check out their website for details.

No 9 - one of my guilty pleasures

Is there one thing that you think you can eat for the rest of your life and you'd never get bored? Well, this post is that for me. I rarely venture into Richmond, but on a cool wintry day, I did! I went to Lansdowne Mall to revisit #9 Restaurant. I used to go lots before because they are open 24 hours a day. And after those random late night karaoke sessions, some Chinese comfort food was just what the doctor ordered.

I love BBQ Duck. I love rice noodles. I love rice noodles in soup. But I don't like my BBQ Duck in soup. So when I order my BBQ Duck Rice Noodles in Soup, I always ask for the BBQ Duck to be served on the side. So when my food comes, the rice noodles come in a bowl of hot broth, topped with seasonal veggies. Yes, they force you to eat veggies here. It's a healthy serving, but I polish it off everytime. 

On this afternoon, instead of just getting BBQ Duck, I got my noodles with a combo of BBQ Duck as well as Roast Pork. And just so you know...Roast Pork ≠ BBQ Pork! Roast Pork is a pork belly roasted with the skin ON until you get crackling. BBQ Pork, aka Cha Siu, is a pork tenderloin barbecued until it's juicy. 

Here is my complete lunch...noodles with a plate of two meats on the side. The skin on the duck is shiny, crispy and sinfully rich. The crackling on the roast pork is totally bad for you, but honestly, I believe in moderation. Don't eat this every week, and you'll enjoy it for what it is. Be sure to ask for the plum sauce to dunk the duck on, and some hoisin sauce to dip the roasted pork skin in. And once you try this, you'll realize why the meats and noodles have to be separated...who wants soggy crackling, right? 

Dinesty for lunch

One weekend this part winter, I went to Dinesty for the very first time. I was really looking forward to having some Sticky Rice Roll (Salty, of course), but they were sold out. So let that be a lesson to you...go early! 

This is one of my favourite go-to dishes at Shanghainese dim sum places. It's simply Marinated Beef wrapped in a fried pancake. Yeah, meat rolled up in a pancake...it's like a fajita, but what gives it the Asian touch is the addition of green onions with hoisin sauce to make the beef and pancake lighter than you would expect. 

We also got their Noodles topped with Home-made Meat Sauce. I don't think there was enough of the meat sauce, but that might just be a personal preference. I do like the shredded cucumber and egg on top...adds great texture to the noodles buried underneath. While I liked this dish, I found the addition of the cool cucumber and the room temperature egg hastened the cooling of this noodle bowl, and I like my food hot! 

These are the Xiao Long Baos, filled with just the right amount of soup, and served piping hot. I like the slight chewiness of the skin, which were thin enough to balance the meatiness inside. I think these are one of the best in Vancouver, well, Richmond. There were four of us and we ordered two of these. Yes, they are that good. 

Stewed pork in brown sauce...with a bit of Bok Choy. The brown sauce isn't spice, but rather a thick gooey sauce that slightly sweet and does a great job of permeating throughout the pork. Shred this up a bit and add a bit of the vegetable. Then, grab the steamed buns that accompany it and make yourself a sweet chinese sandwich! 

These buns are so good...at a glance, these reminded me of madeleines! Soft and doughy, these are great for absorbing the sauce from the pork. Their sponginess is what I really cherish. You might find the pork a little bit fatty (I did) but the buns make up for it. Trust me.