Chad's West Coast Bar & Grill

Needing to grab a few groceries from Costco, we decided to give Chad's a try. My mom had visited with her friends for a breakfast not too long ago and commented that it was reasonably good. She also had a $10 off $30 coupon to use, making it the perfect opportunity to dine at Chad's.

The restaurant was quiet for a sunny Sunday afternoon; there was less than 10 tables of people when we stepped in at noon. We were asked whether we would like breakfast or lunch menus, "Both please!" The elderly man that seated us joked about how before 12pm they called it breakfast while after 12 they called it brunch.

It took a while for my ambivalent family to decide what they wanted to eat. Mainly because the menu was limited. Especially the lunch menu. The breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus combined would be the size of The Coquitlam Grill's breakfast menu. While we considered each and every option, our waitress took our drink orders and brought them to us. My mom was going to ask about the coupon but the waitress kind of cut her off and went to retrieve our drinks instead. When she came back, she offered to help with our decision making, which was professional of her. She mentioned many items that were not listed on the menu, such as french onion soup, barely soup, cream of broccoli soup etc. It would be helpful if there was some sort of 'today's special' menu so that diners know all their options. My mom tried to ask about the coupon again because we had a digital photo of the newspaper ad and not a physical copy. Our waitress asked if she could bring the phone to Chad (the owner) and ask if he will still accept it. Even though we gave her permission to take my mom's phone away with her, it was rather unnecessary(?) Afterwards, two servers simultaneously stressed the point that that they would agree to "make an exception this time" but not "next time". It wasn't a huge deal, but it was a bit overwhelming to have two people speaking very loudly to us at the same time. 

Let's talk food now!

Vegetarian Eggs Benedict ($10)

I'm totally a breakfast person so I went with an order of Vegetarian Eggs Benedict. The plating is elegant and inviting. The eggs were poached medium, still runny on the inside~ The combination of  too much hollandaise sauce and watery tomatoes made the English muffin soggy and tough. Next time I will ask for the sauce on the side. It wasn't a terribly eggs benny but it didn't blow my mind either. The breakfast potatoes were amazing though! Okay, I know it's very likely they are previously frozen but they were super crunchy; I couldn't help but engulf them all. My mom kept stealing a bite every now and then too. After consuming the entire plate, I felt full for the next six hours. Ooph..

S-S-S-Smokin' Southwest Chucky Burger ($12.50)

My dad ordered the S-S-S-Smokin' Southwest Chucky. My mom thought the presentation was impressive, the skyscraper burger and the cute bamboo pick; the small details do matter! My dad said the patty was "plenty lean", his tactful way of saying the patty isn't fatty enough (haha, that rhymes!)

Breakfast Tacos ($10)

The brother decided on the Breakfast Tacos, three toasted tortillas filled with scrambled eggs and pulled pork. I'm glad the tortillas were warmed through, and not completely crunchy (as I prefer soft tortillas). I took a bite of the pulled pork and it was much to sweet for me to want anymore. Nevertheless, the growing boy ate it all.

Sandwich and Salad Lunch Special ($11)

Even though the menu states that the lunch combos are only served from Monday to Friday, they actually allow it every day of the week. So my mom gleefully chose half a Turkey Avocado Club and half a side of Mediterranean Quinoa Salad. Impressed by the quality and quantity of both dishes, she thoroughly enjoyed her meal. The turkey burger was generously packed with thick-cut turkey, avocado, crisp vegetables, and a slice of bacon. Her only complaint was that regular sandwich bread would have worked better than the kaiser bun. She loved the balsamic dressed quinoa salad; it had lots of fresh vegetables and a hefty portion of quinoa underneath. This combination makes for a very filling lunch. 

Our waitress came with our bill before we asked for it, indicating that it was brought not to rush us but purely because she would be off work soon. That's fine with us. Her service to us was relatively good throughout, but at times I felt like her pace was hurried for no reason. Perhaps it's her efficient 'get-it-done' personality. With the bill came a $10 coupon that could be used for any purchase, even under $30.

Chad's is open for breakfast everyday starting at 7am, and although there are only a handful of breakfast entrees, all of them are enticing. Especially with the $10 off any purchase, it is a really good deal. I will definitely consider coming back for breakfast, and potentially lunch, but not so much dinner as the menu doesn't provide many options and the prices are pretty high.

 

Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡

Full menus after the jump!

Edible Canada at the Market: Dine Out Vancouver 2014

It's time for Dine Out Vancouver again! Undoubtedly the largest city-wide food event every year. Well over 200 restaurants are participating, making 2014 the biggest Dine Out Vancouver so far. On the opening day of reservations, I went through each and every menu to see which one appealed to me the most. The variety Edible Canada offered seemed most welcoming for a large group with differing taste buds. I quickly made reservations through OpenTable for a Saturday night, as weekends fill up very quickly. As a side note, I really wanted to go to Bistro 101 as their menu was awesome and super affordable, but it was booked solid within the morning hours of opening day. Crazy huh?

Dine Out Vancouver 2014 at Edible Canada Bistro

Located smack dab in the centre of Granville Island, Edible Canada caters to many tourist. Usually that is a negative connotation but Vancouverites have left relatively positive reviews for the little restaurant. There is very limited free parking around the island, so expect to pay for parking, at least up until 7pm. Since our reservation was for 6:15pm, we only had to pay one hour of parking ($3.50 per hour). 

Seating inside Edible Canada Bistro

I was surprised at how small Edible Canada actually is. For some reason,  I envisioned it to be much larger. The photo above captures the entire seating area, with a few tables hiding behind the people in the forefront.

Part of the kitchen is open

There are two entrances to the restaurant; one that enters the little store in the back and another by the open kitchen. Servers will greet guests at both ends. I came a few minutes earlier than my reservation, but were seated amply at 6:15. 

Dine Out menu

Although I knew I would be ordering off the Dine Out menu, it's nice to know that their regular a-la-carte menu is also an option. Edible Canada prides itself in using seasonal and local ingredients and I think their menu certainly utilizes winter produce well!

An important note: the Fried BC Mountain Scallops are not actually scallops. 'Mountain Scallops' is euphony for sheep testicles. The waitress serving my parent's table explained that in detail while our waiter simply said "it's lamb." Not knowing exactly what it was, my friend bravely tried it. There was one small piece, the size of a slice of tomato. He commented it just tasted like chicken...

Crispy Humboldt Squid

Since 'scallops' were no longer an option for me, I chose to have the Crispy Humboldt Squid for my appetizer, and I am so glad I did. While the calamari I often have at My Greek Taverna is not half bad, it's been a while since I've had calamari this good. As a reference point, the best calamari I've ever had was at Market by Jean Georges at the Shangri-la Hotel; Edible Canada's is extremely similar. Super, super, super tender and bouncey, my jaw muscles didn't have an intense work out to bite through these. The batter was light and crispy, thinly coating each 'finger' of squid. Each piece was about a centimetre in width so each bite was meaty. It was divine! The squid ink aioli was yes, intriguing, but no, not flavourful. Squid ink doesn't have a dominant flavour, it's more for the colour contrast. The shaved fennel salad on the side was delicious! It was my first time trying fennel, and I've heard non-stop glorification for this little used plant. True to descriptions, fennel has a mild licorice flavour. Not overpowering, but a very unique taste. Thin slices of fennel were accompanied with some thinly sliced radish and, I believe, apple for sweetness. 

Celeriac & Apple Soup

Since my brother isn't a seafood eater (nor a lamb testicle eater), he ordered the Celeriac and Apple Soup. The portion is on the smaller side, but that's acceptable since it's only an appetizer. I had a little spoonful and the soup was very creamy and kind of sweet. There are little chunks of apple that add a little crunch.

Seared Lois Lake Steelhead

Despite having salmon pretty often (love living in Vancouver!), this Seared Lois Lake Steelhead dish was impressive. Lighting tapping the skin with my fork, I knew the skin was super crispy. Quoting my brother, who is a picky seafood eater and also had the same dish, it was a "fish I know I will enjoy." The crispy skin had to be the highlight of the fish. Unlike my last year's Dine Out experience at The Boathouse, the fish was just cooked, keeping the middle moist and smooth. (Regarding The Boathouse: A seafood restaurant overcooking fish is a failure. And halibut too!) My meal at Edible Canada opened up opportunities to try many new foods, and sunchokes are next! Also known as a Jerusalem Artichoke, these ginger-looking root vegetables have a texture between an artichoke and a potato. They were cooked until super soft but with a crispy side and I thought they were delicious! If only they were more readily available at the supermarket. I haven't had the best experiences with cooked kale at home; mine were tough and tasteless so I've been sticking to kale chips. But the kale here changed my mind. It was not completely limp and wilted, but it was soft enough to chew without too much effort and seasoned just right. The bits of boar bacon really added a punch of smoky flavour. I'm no advocate for bacon (please don't hate me) and usually avoid it. But the little slivers sprinkled over the kale just took the dish to a whole new level. It was what bacon should always taste like.

Left: Bacon Ice Cream Sundae, Right: Chili Dark Chocolate Pudding

I didn't notice all the supplementary costs until after I made the reservation. While I understand that some ingredients are costly, it kind of defeats the purpose of a prix fix menu. That leaves diners with three options per course instead of the seemingly five options. This Bacon Ice Cream Sundae was an additional $2 but the description really lured me in. Brownie? Ginger? Ice cream? You see, I love the idea of a hot and cold dessert. To my dismay, this was nothing like I envisioned. The presentation was cute, but the quality did not match the other two dishes I had that night. The brownie bits where packed full of ginger flavour which I loved, but it was hard, dry, and much too chewy. And although I'm not a fan of bacon, there was one, exactly one, no more than one tiiiiiiiny piece of bacon in the whole dessert. That is not an exaggeration. My brother kept eating my dessert hoping to come across a piece of bacon. I ended up finding that one piece. It had no distinct smokiness like the boar bacon, in fact I think it didn't match the dessert whatsoever. There was also a few whole pieces of walnut, but it didn't even taste toasted so it was rather out of place as well. Overall a very disappointing dessert.

In contrast, the Chili Dark Chocolate Pudding was heavenly. Thick, luscious, smooth, and rich, this pudding ranks as one of the best chocolate puddings I've ever had. My brother is learning well from watching Food Network; the chocolate pudding had a "peppermint feel, but backwards." Meaning that he anticipated a cooling effect but felt a bit of heat instead at the back of the throat. It's quite an interesting experience! The chili wasn't super strong, but it gave a little kick as it moved down the esophagus. I wish I had gotten a few more spoonfuls of the dessert! 

The portions were, to be tactful, dainty. I felt the portions were just right as I didn't leave feeling like I had consumed enough to last me for a week. But those with a bigger appetite may not feel satisfied. My friend's grandparents ordered the Kurobuta Pork Belly and it was teensy tiny. Three pieces would've been needed to fill them up reasonably. The most filling entree would be the Lamb &  Barley Stew; my mom had that and she said the flavours were right on and the portion was generous. My best friend splurged and paid an extra $20 for her Filet Mignon. That was a full dish with a 6 ounce serving of steak, a large square of some vegetable gratin, and a handful of roasted vegetables. I mean for that much more money, it better have been filling! 

The service differed depending on the server. The waitress serving my parents table appeared much more enthusiastic and willing to serve. My waiter, however, left something to be desired. Our water was filled very regularly, so I can't say we got zero service. But it was all done without a word or smile. My friend said that he felt the waiter was actually picking on us due to our young(er) age. We just didn't get a very good vibe from our waiter. What angered my parent's table the most was how unprofessionally another waiter told them to leave. He came by once and said "we need this table shortly" and then came back again and sternly said "we need this table VERY shortly." My mom's friend wasn't even finished her coffee and we had been in the restaurant for less than one and a half hours. This left a bitter aftertaste to their experience at Edible Canada.

I recommend sticking to the dishes without additional costs as they taste even better than the ones that cost more. (Such as the pork belly and the sundae). Overall the quality of the food is good, nothing was over cooked and the flavours were balanced. On a scale of ten, I would give this meal a seven.



Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡

Myoung Dong Khal Kook Soo 명동 갈국수

A trip through North Road is not complete without some Korean food. I have widely pronounced my love for the little gem of a restaurant, Kimbap Cheonguk. There are many other nooks and crannies of North Road (aka Koreatown) that I have yet to venture into, so I convinced the family to try something new today. There aren't that many reviews for Myoung Dong Khal Kook Soo, but all the ones out there seem to be good. I know some of my Korean schoolmates have eaten there as well.

Find Myoung Dong Khal Kook Soo in here!

I though Kimbap Cheonguk was a hole-in-the-wall, and then I came here. It wasn't terribly difficult to locate, as I saw some photos on other blogs. Here are some tips to help you find this little eatery:

• Park in the plaza lot where Hannam Supermarket is
• Look for the stairs that lead to the upper plaza
• Underneath the staircase, look for the automatic sliding doors
• The yellow speech bubble I added onto the photo points to the sign which says 'Myoung Dong Khal Kook Soo' in Korean and the English simply says 'Korean Restaurant'.

Myoung Dong Khal Kook Soo

Once inside, the restaurant (or more like a single-stalled food court) will be to the right. You can't miss it with its bright yellow walls. There is also a travel agency, coffee shop, and a few other small businesses sharing the same indoor plaza (all of which were closed Sunday). 

Menu

As my parents noted, their menu is not friendly to non-Koreans, or those unfamiliar with Korean food. The menu is divided up into four columns: dumplings, noodles, rice, and snacks. I'll describe each item:

- Giant dumplings - Giant dumplings with spicy sauce - Rice cake & regular dumplings - Regular dumplings in soup

- Knife cut noodles - Knife cut noodles with regular dumplings - Noodles with spicy sauce - Chewy Noodles (see Jjol Myeon here)

- Rice, beef, and vegetables in a hot stone pot - Rice, beef, and vegetables in a regular bowl - Spicy squid and rice - Marinated beef and rice - Spicy beef soup

- Rice cake in soup - Korean sushi roll - Spicy rice cakes - 1kg of kimchi

Place your order at the cashier. Seating and drinks are self-serve; there's a hot and cold water dispenser off in the corner. Trays and dirty dishes are returned on top of the newspapers by the water machines.

Myoung Dong (sorry, I must shorten the name) is a couple-run business, the wife rings up orders on the cashier, organizes orders, and cleans up the tables. The husband is in the kitchen doing the cooking. Despite only having two staff, the food came out very efficiently. There were not that many customers when we went on a Sunday at lunchtime, so service was quick. Keep an eye out for your own order, you'll have to retrieve your tray(s) from the front. 

Karl Gook Su ($7.95)

Karl Gook Su (or Khal Kook Su or Kal Guk Su...), is Korean comfort food. Nothing extravagant here, but since the restaurant is named after this dish, gotta try it right? Don't be fooled, because this bowl contains a lot of noodles. At least enough for two people. Paired with the noodles is some minced beef, carrots, zucchini, and quite a bit of onion. My mom didn't think the onions matched the noodles, but I thought it tasted fine. The broth isn't super strong, but it's flavourful enough to slurp up. However, I found the noodles to be overcooked, past al dente, so it was too soft for my liking. This Karl Gook Su isn't something I would specifically recommend, but it isn't bad. Remember, it's comfort food. Very filling comfort food.

Dol Sot Bi Bim Bap ($10.38)

I admit, the Dol Sot Bi Bim Bap was the main reason I wanted to come. While Kimbap Cheonguk across the street serves an amazing 'modern' rendition, I was in the mood for the traditional kind, with lots of colourful vegetables. Although it's a bit pricier here, this dish was spot. on. Made perfectly. Complete with an egg on top. It's a large bowl, served sizzling hot! I know it's difficult to be patient when your stomach is calling, but let it sit for a minute or two to let the crispy layer of rice develop before mixing it all together. Add a generous squeeze of the hot sauce that accompanies the rice and oh my, oh my, you've got a perfect meal right there. The stone pot rice here is perfect!

Oh and that bowl of soup is a broth made of daikon radish and some green onion. Plain and even blander than the noodle soup. We got two, so two of the dishes we ordered came with a soup. Don't know which ones though..

Wang Man Doo ($8.95) and Kim Bob ($4.19)

This was my first time eating Wang Man Doo. Five of these massive, fist-sized, steamed dumplings stuffed with a juicy pork and vegetable mixture would make for a hefty meal. Two ladies sitting at the table behind us shared one bowl of Karl Gook Su and one order of these 'king-sized man doo' as their meal. Like xiao long bao, the wrapping is thin and a bit of soup came spilling out when I cut my dumpling into half. While my dad though these dumplings were nothing special, my mom and I think they are yummy. With a splash of the accompanying sauce and a bit of the spicy pepper sauce I will mention below, these are simply delicious. 

The Kim Bob here is not bad here, but it isn't especially good either. The filling is lacking and the price is expensive compared to other places, such as Kimbap Cheonguk. Even Hannam Supermarket next door sells two rolls for only five dollars. I wouldn't bother getting kimbap here again.

Spicy Pepper Sauce

A little pot of this spicy pepper sauce sits at each table. The peppers look really fresh so I suspect it is made in house. The flavour of this hot sauce is different than others, can't exactly explain how but I guess fresh is always special! My mom kept praising this condiment throughout the meal. Be warned that the peppers are really spicy!

The kimchi here is really good, and they give a lot of it as well! One plate was mainly the stalk of the cabbage and the other plate was mainly the leaves. They also make the kimchi in house, and it can be purchased for ten dollars per kilogram.

The total for our lunch for four came to about $33, which is very economical for the amount of food we received. The owners are very kind and soft-spoken. Although I utilizied my limited Korean vocabulary when ordering, it was evident that it was my first time here. The owner treated us just as warmly as all the other Korean customers. Yes, yes, my mother still argues that Kimbap Cheonguk is cheaper, but eating the same dishes every time is boring. Nevertheless, we all enjoyed our meal and I'm sure we'll come back for more giant dumplings and stone pot rice.




Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡

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 ♡