Dinesty Chinese Restaurant 聚

Dinesty Chinese Restaurant

Sending or picking up someone from the airport usually means an excuse to eat in Richmond. My parents are not the type to willingly drive out for food. Hence why we always dine at the same handful of restaurants. I can count them all out to you with less than one hand. Despite my suggestion of trying a non-Chinese restaurant in Richmond (which yes, I know may sound dumb), my dad already made up his mind that he wanted Shanghainese. So, I made sure to go all out on exercising this week in preparation for heavy authentic Chinese food.

There is a plethora of Shanghainese restaurants in Richmond, all rivaling each other to win the title of 'best xiao long bao'. Having my best friend's Shanghainese grandpa, I've visited a few of the Shanghainese restaurants in Richmond over the years. Those include Top Shanghai Cuisine, Shanghai Wonderful, and Suhang Restaurant. I'm no expert in Shanghainese cuisine, so I judge according to my own preferences.

Dinesty is the number one ranked restaurant in Richmond, according to Urbanspoon. It now has three locations in Vancouver, Aberdeen Centre, Downtown, and this one. I noticed there were many Caucasian customers dining here, especially young adults. 

Open Kitchen

The plaza Dinesty is in has a large parking lot, large for Richmond at least. When we arrived smack-dab at noon, everyone seemed to just finish parking; it was a headache trying to find someone that was leaving. People fighting for spots left and right, oieeee.. While my dad circled the parking lot, my mom and brother went to put our name on the waitlist. For the amount of customers Dinesty has, the number of tables is not adequate. I'm estimating that we waited 15 minutes or so until a table for four opened up. The waiting area is very narrow and cramped. I did like the outdoor heater at the door; when the door opens this freezing breeze pulls through, brrr! Speaking of cold, the waitress made sure we were aware that the table we were being put at would feel the cold air when the door opens. I appreciate that she mentioned it to us as it is quite important to the customer's experience.  

The interior design of the restaurant is very modern and up-scale. The tables and sofa-like chairs look very new. Dinesty is different from other Chinese restaurants in a way because their tables are not crammed as close as possible in order to squeeze a maximum number of tables in. Their kitchen is wide open, which is a good sign as the customers have a clear view of how their food is being prepared. 

Illustrated, Diner-Friendly Menu

Matching the elegant design of the restaurant are these menus. I found it amusing how the cover says "open here". It's like we've never encountered a book before. I kid, I kid. Their menu is extremely user-friendly, and those who can't read Chinese very well like myself, can let out a sigh of relief as there are clear, colour photos for the majority of dishes. The English descriptions are quite concise too, minus a few typing errors here and there. Ahem, mashroom...

Spicy Beef Tendon ($6.95)

Most of the dishes we ordered are still considered dim sum dishes, so they are prepared ahead of time and served up really quickly. The Spicy Beef Tendon was the first to arrive. In Chinese, it's actually called "numbing spiciness beef tendon", but the spiciness was faaaaaaaaaaaar from numbing. Nevertheless, this was a well executed dish. The tendon was not too soft nor too hard. The hint of spiciness added just enough flavour without being well, numbing. Because if your tongue is numb, you can't taste anything. This dish was served warm and it was most delicious that way. Although this appetizer tasted good, it wasn't extraordinary. I would've done just fine with a three dollar Cantonese dimsum beef tendon. Make that two, for the seven dollars.

Yellow Croaker ($5.95)

Another appetizer dish. My mom quickly decided that she wanted to order this Yellow Croaker. I thought it was going to be some fillet of fish or some tiny fried fish, but then came these three jerky-like medium sized fish. I'm not in anyway bothered by whole fish as I love eating sardines and such. Unlike the beef tendon, this dish was served cold. The texture of the fish was dry and chewy like jerky, and the weak puddle of vinegar didn't do anything for the flavour. The problem I had with this dish was that it was boring. The taste was flat and just straight out nothing special. Two bucks per fish? Never again.

Sweet Soy Duck ($6.50)

Hangry, impatient people usually don't make the best last minute choices. This Sweet Soy Duck being one of them. I didn't try this dish, but after a few bites my mom declared it tasted like regular soy sauce duck. Which, in fair argument, it is. But nothing about this quarter of a duck was significant to match it's price tag of $6.50.

Vegetable Dumpling ($7.95)

Honestly, I'm not trying to be super picky in this review, but the mediocre food doesn't stop at the appetizers. The Vegetable Dumplings seemed to be a popular choice as I browsed through other diner's photos on Urbanspoon. I really enjoy vegetarian food so this type of dumpling is right up my alley. The wrapping of these small dumplings are thin and not too tough, and the overall dumpling was not too salty, but not bland either. However, the texture of the filling was off; the tofu and vegetables were unappetizing mushy. I don't think too highly of the one and only Northern Chinese restaurant in the Tri-Cities, Lucky Gate, but their version of the vegetable dumpling is much much better. Lucky Gate's dumplings are larger and the tofu and vegetables are more distinguished as they are finely diced rather than mashed.

Spicy Sesame Noodles/Dan Dan Noodles ($6.50)

At first I was worried at how much carb-dense dishes we  ordered. Then we discovered that there was not enough to keep everyone full. Quite a surprise considering that we were dining Chinese. This bowl of Spicy Sesame Noodle was one of the best dishes we had for lunch. Dan dan noodles are called 'peanut noodles' at most restaurants. Traditionally, it should be made from tahini (sesame butter) and not peanut butter. I'm quite picky about my sesame/peanut noodles. I prefer sauce-y noodles over soup-y noodles. Although Dinesty's version of dan dan noodles is more on the soup-y side, the soup was packed with nutty flavour. It was thick enough to stick to the beautifully made al dente noodles. The only downside to this dish was the size. No understatement here, but there was the equivalent of two tiny bowls of noodles. Each of us got to eat one measly little pile of noodles. Sad for me because I actually liked this dish.

Noodles with Meat Sauce ($6.50)

This Noodle with Meat Sauce was not as good as it's spicy sesame cousin. While the portion was noticeably more generous, the noodles were over cooked and nearing mushy. The meat sauce had some firm tofu in it, which was different yet tasty. 

Steamed Pork Soup Dumplings/Xiao Long Bao ($6.95)

And I save the most anticipated for last. Are their Xiao Long Bao worthy of being hailed as 'the best'? (Whatever that means..) Just to help my readers put my review into context, I actually don't have much interest in xiao long bao. My brother loves them, and I know many people are obsessed with these little packages of pork sitting in a bag of soup. I just don't have a soft spot for them. I did eat one for the sake of reviewing them. They were miniature sized, which I don't mind as long as the taste is good. The flavours were balanced, not too salty but can still taste the natural pork flavour. The soup was there, but I wouldn't say there was a lot of it. The pork meat was moist, the wrapping, like the vegetable dumplings, was thin and not tough. Overall, a good value xiao long bao. My family liked how the dipping sauce had a lot of ginger.

Final verdict: Three out of the seven dishes we ordered "can do", meaning that they were good but not amazing/life changing. I'm glad the food was not laden with salt and MSG, but that being said, the flavours weren't a wow factor either. The word underwhelming describes my experience at Dinesty perfectly. I guess the largest issue is that we paid nearly $14 per person but still felt hungry afterwards. The 'dainty' servings are just that small. If you compromise the size, the flavour better make up for it. Unfortunately, it didn't. Perhaps after expanding the business, Dinesty Chinese Restaurant's quality has decreased. After this so-so meal at Dinesty, I know I won't be coming back. Probably ever. I would recommend the Shanghainese food at Top Shanghai Cuisine across the street. 

Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡

Parklane Chinese Restaurant 百樂潮州酒家: Set Dinner for Six

We had such a great first experience at Parklane Chinese Restaurant, we made a reservation for a Sunday night to celebrate Thanksgiving and my grandmother's birthday here. 

Upon arrival, we were seated promptly at one of the large circular tables in one of the room sections of the restaurant. Being adjacent to the large windows, the natural lighting was plentiful and pleasant, at least while it lasted. The white tablecloths are clean and the settings are organized. It's one of the more upscale types of Chinese restaurants, the types that provide you with those addicting salted roasted peanuts at the table. I kinda ate them all...

Like our last visit, we chose to order from the selection of set menus. Please refer to my first post for a photo of the set menu with prices. This time, we got the Set Menu Dinner for Six Person (A). Many of the items are the same as the Set Menu Dinner for Four (A) that we tried last time. So again, my first post will have photos and thoughts of those dishes. Today, I will just go over the items that are unique to the six person menus.

Chiu Chow Marinated Platter

To begin, the appetizer plate consists of a selection of marinated items. Moving clockwise from the top we have tofu, intestine, cuttlefish (squid), pork belly, and then duck wings in the centre. I didn't try everything but from what I did try, the tofu is my favourite. It's super smooth and soaks up all the savoury marinade. Just so you are aware, everything except for the squid is marinated in the same sauce. Or at least it tasted the same to me. The cuttlefish was rather bland and way to chewy for my liking, and I really like chewy foods. I ended up dunking it into the vinegar that accompanies the marinated food. My parents managed to trick my brother into eating the intestine, saying that it was 'sausage'. -evil sibling grin- Hey, he said it tasted good. I'll pass.

The downside to this platter is that the tofu and duck wings are part of two dishes on the set menu. It is exactly the same as the marinated duck; then again, there is an option to choose chicken instead of duck. Overall, I wasn't impressed with this appetizer platter.  

I don't have a photo for the Pepper Pig Stomach & Salted Vegetable Soup, but I can definitely tell you about it. This is a broth-y soup that has an extremely heavy white pepper flavour. (That's good, if you enjoy ground pepper like me.) It's very warming to the body so it'd be wonderful on colder days. I let my grandpa enjoy the pig stomach; apparently it's not commonly found in restaurants anymore, making it a real 'treat' for the adults. This pepper-y soup was a great way to begin the meal. If the words 'pig stomach' deter you from trying this soup, the alternate soup choice is the more thick, goopey-type-soup Chicken & Fish Maw one, which I reviewed in the first post. Both soups are very different from each other and have their own good aspects and components. However, if I was forced into choosing one, I'd pick fish stomach over pig stomach, haha! 

(Front) BBQ Ribs with Plum Sauce & (Back) Stir Fried Gai Lan with Dried Sole and Fish Filet

In the six person menu, BBQ Ribs with Plum Sauce replace the Honey Garlic Pork Ribs. These barbequed ribs are of a much larger cut than their honey garlic relative. Although fried just as crispy and smothered in the perfect ratio of sauce, I prefer the honey garlic ribs. I couldn't really taste the plum in the sauce and the meat was not as tender and fall-off-the-bone as I remember the honey garlic ribs to be. I must've picked the 'bad' pieces because almost every piece I ate were very fatty. For easier-to-eat and a more umami flavour, go for the honey garlic ribs. Even as a person who tries to avoid meat and doesn't really favour pork, I could chow down piece after piece of those.

The veggie dish of the set menu is gai lan with fish! This was simply seasoned and helped to clear the palate between eating all the heavy and greasy dishes. (It's kind of impossible to avoid fat in Chinese cuisine as everything is either stir-fried or deep-fried or just laden to fat for flavour.) The fish filets were very moist and flaky, delicious! I have no complaints about this dish, except that the serving could be just a tad but more generous because I inhale vegetables like I breathe air. 

The oyster omelette, fried rice with olive leaves, marinaded duck, and dessert were all the same as last time. In addition, the quality and execution of the items were on par in comparison to my last visit a month before. There are items in the six person menu that weren't really worth eating, such as the appetizer platter and plum sauce ribs, so I think ordering a four person menu and adding a few more dishes from their regular menu would be a better deal. Oh, we were not given the tiny teacups of bitter tea at the end of our meal, not that we remembered at the end because we were so stuffed. My mom said she doesn't think any of the other tables received it either, so I'm not sure if it is just an occasional extra thing they give. The tea is supposed to help with the digestion of all the fatty food just eaten.

Both my grandparents were extremely satisfied with the night's dinner. My grandpa is a considerably picky eater, and one without much teeth, so that says quite a bit. My grandma shocked us all by saying that we should come back again the next Saturday. Being so full with all this delicious Chiu Chow food, I wasn't too sure if that was the greatest idea. Having said that, I can confidently say that it is totally worth the drive to Richmond to experience Chiu Chow cuisine at Parklane. Be sure to get the oyster omelette!

Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡

Parklane Chinese Restaurant 百樂潮州酒家: Chiu Chow Cuisine!

In celebration of my parents' wedding anniversary, we went out for dinner! Being the unadventurous people, they originally planned to just go to a local restaurant. But that kind of defeated the purpose of celebrating with something 'special', so slowly we brainstormed a little farther, and then a little more farther until we finally decided to ditch the idea of eating in the Tri-Cities and drove all the way to Richmond.

Our friends had recommended this new restaurant to us; they are chiu chow people themselves. Parklane Chinese Restaurant is located in the London Drugs plaza, and there is plenty of undercover parking. It is in the store spot where Empire Seafood Restaurant (帝苑皇宴海鮮酒家) once occupied, however that restaurant has moved across the plaza. I have visited Empire for a dinner a few years ago when it re-opened and it's pretty good! The interior is very bright and clean. Seeing that Parklane serves Chiu Chow cuisine, I was pretty excited to eat Chinese food that wasn't Cantonese or Northern.

Set Dinner Menus at Parklane Chinese Restaurant

Even without a reservation, we were seated immediately on a Friday night. There were several other tables of customers dotted around the L-shaped restaurant but it didn't really get busy and full until we were leaving at around 7pm. Once seated, we were given menus, condiments, and roasted peanuts to snack on. My parents were quick to make their decision and we ordered Set Dinner for Four Person (A); they said set menus are always a safe bet because not only does it usually include their signature items but many people order it on a daily basis, meaning fresh food and experienced chefs.

Saint Germain Bakery 新之美餅店

Cakes from Saint Germain Bakery

My mom finally went to redeem her tattered wedding gift certificate for a few pieces of cake at Saint Germain Bakery's Metrotown location. When I think of Chinese-style bakeries, things like sponge cakes, 'Mexican' buns, coconut tarts, wife cakes, and 'pineapple' buns come to mind. All of which are part of my childhood memories~ So deep, yes I know.

The gift certificate was good for $12 worth of goodies, and we decided it would be best used if we purchased special items we couldn't normally buy. We got six pieces of dessert for just over $13.

Desserts from Saint Germain Bakery

Let us get on with reviewing each dessert! I'll be going from left to right following the photo above.

Cherry Fruit Juice & Icy Bar

The weather is warming up, which means I'm allowed to eat ice cold desserts again! One of my all time favourite cold treats is found at Cherry Fruit Juice & Icy Bar. There are two locations in Greater Vancouver; one is at the Crystal Mall food court in Burnaby and the other is at the Parker Place food court in Richmond. I have been to both and the quality and quantity is exactly the same.

3 Mix Icy ($4.25) and 8 Treasures Icy

On the vast menu, there are mainly pre-matched drink combinations or create-your-own. I usually opt for the later, which are called '3 mix' or '4 mix' drinks. The top two tall cups are both 3 mix drinks. The left includes canned lychee, almond pudding, and blueberries. The right is my usual default of grass jelly, red bean, and one other random item that seems to catch my attention. All icy drinks have shaved ice (just frozen water) and coconut milk.