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By Tourism Richmond You may have seen them on Instagram: ethereally light pancakes that are an inch or two high with an irresistible jiggle factor. Richmond has been taken by storm by the worldwide craze for soufflé pancakes. The fluffy pancakes, a hybrid of a classic breakfast item and a beloved French indulgence, originated in Japan but have rapidly migrated westward. They get their characteristic airy height due to a lower flour content and a separation of eggs. Egg whites are whipped into a meringue and then gently folded into a yolk-batter. Cooking them at low heat ensures that the inside of the pancake cooks evenly while the outside has a light golden crust. They’re a tricky dish but heavenly to eat. If soufflé pancakes seem too daunting for you to make at home, there are multiple Richmond eateries where you can try this delicious dish: Milkcow Cafe This South…

By VisitRichmondBC.com With the holidays approaching fast, it’s time to start thinking about those gifts you want to buy. Especially when most of the people on your list probably have an overabundance of “stuff”, food and drink gifts can be ideal options since they don’t add to household clutter—and they taste delicious. Richmond has a wealth of different specialty food stores, as well as drink producers where you’ll find items to please the gourmands in your life. Give the Gift of Tea If you’re looking for the ultimate tea selection, head to Ten Fu Tea & Ginseng (Aberdeen Centre, 4151 Hazelbridge Way) where the knowledgeable staff will guide you through your purchasing decisions. The boutique has a range of pu-erh tea, a fermented tea that hails from Yunnan, China; plus oolong, jasmine, lapsang souchong (smoked black tea), and ginseng teas. Great Mountain Ginseng (Aberdeen Centre, 4151 Hazelbridge Way), a company…

By Tourism Richmond If you have food intolerances or dietary restrictions, it can often be hard to find a restaurant that accommodates your particular needs. Fortunately, there are many restaurants in Richmond that have menus that are tailored to those who are gluten intolerant or on a special diet, like paleo or keto. The slogan for Goodbowl (#1630 – 4791 McClelland Road) is “Eat Good, Feel Good, Live Good,” which epitomizes the kind of food they serve. Basically, they offer a healthy version of a Mongolian grill experience, in which you pick the components of your own bowl and then watch it cooked speedily in front of you. Every bowl comes with jasmine or harvest wild blend rice. Of course, those on a low-carb diet can opt not to include the rice. After you pick your bowl size (e.g. regular), you then choose from a variety of veggies such as…

By Tourism Richmond This fall’s arts and culture line-up in Richmond promises to be an exciting one. The city’s two main concert and theatre venues, The Gateway Theatre (6500 Gilbert Road, Richmond) and the River Rock Show Theatre (8811 River Road, Richmond), will be offering a diverse array of entertainment, including plays, a musical, and concerts by popular recording artists. And since Richmond has many excellent dining options, it’s easy to feast on a delicious meal before the show. Located in the River Rock Casino Resort, the River Rock Show Theatre is the place “where the stars come out to play.” This intimate space (950 seats) allows for an up-close experience with your favourite performers. On October 3, 2019 at 8:00pm, the one and only Ice Cube will be performing, bringing his rapping talents and commanding stage presence to the River Rock. As a pivotal figure in the evolution of…

By Matt Law Appearances, they say, can be deceiving. Despite an unassuming facade, The Richmond Public Market holds true to the expression. For almost 30 years, the market (located at 8260 Westminster Highway) has been home to food stalls offering traditional Asian fare as well as modern dishes with some twists. The first floor of the market is home to grocers, butchers, a bakery and a seafood stall. You can also find hand-made frozen dim sum to take home if you haven’t had your fill of Asian food. It’s best to visit the first floor after gorging yourself upstairs, lest you shop on an empty stomach. The second floor is where the fun begins Be warned, it is best to visit this floor with at least one friend as the portions are very generous. Jammed with stalls, the food court offers everything from the ubiquitous sweet and sour pork to…

By Wade Kinley If we weren’t looking for it, we might not have found it. Even then, we almost didn’t. In a little retail complex that blends into the space between the rest of the progress on 2nd Street in North Vancouver, tucked away under signs for other businesses, sits South Castle Korean. A tiny sign in otherwise black tinted window, the only suggestion of the bustle happening inside. When we showed up on a sunny Sunday afternoon, an easy walk from the Lonsdale Quay where the Seabus brings you from downtown Vancouver, the business next door had been closed and emptied, so that we thought for a minute that we had left it too late – had they gone out of business? Quite the opposite. Inside the little room of no more than 30 seats, every one of them was full of happy lunchers slurping soup and digging into…

By Jaclyn Jularbal Take yourself on a tasty adventure with Richmond’s self-guided Dumpling Trail.  With each location just a short walking distance from each other, the Trail makes it easy to experience new flavours that are sure to make their way onto your favourites list. Each restaurant has been hand-selected by Tourism Richmond to ensure a great experience, so travel as a group or take your best foodie friend with you and experience all of Richmond’s top dumpling hotspots. The Dumpling Trail is designed to take you on an exciting culinary adventure. Where to begin? Try one of these sure-fire places: Empire Seafood Restaurant 200 – 5951 No. 3 Road Tel: 604.249.0080 Avid dim sum lovers look no further. Empire Seafood Restaurant has all the staples, including an elegant white tablecloth and round-table environment to enjoy good dumplings over conversations with your whole family. The quality of each bite is…

By Brittany Tiplady When visiting a new city, choosing where to eat can be a daunting task, especially when the options are abundant! Metro Vancouver has an incredible amount of culinary options to enjoy, so, why not book a food tour and let your guide make the restaurant selections for you? Don’t know where to start? If you’re in the mood for fantastic Asian cuisine (Metro Vancouver has no shortage of that!) check out this list of tours available in Metro Vancouver. A Wok Around Food Tours Robert Sung’s guided food tours are unparalleled. Mr Sung is a third-generation Chinese Canadian who was raised in BC’s food hospitality industry–his family has been involved the industry for over 70 years. As a member of the  Chinese-Canadian Historical Society of BC and a current member of the Vancouver Chinatown Revitalization Committee, Sung has a wealth of local, culinary, and cultural knowledge. A…

By VisitRichmondBC.ca Just as the Richmond Night Market billed it, it has been an amazing summer. However, with the shift into autumn, sadly the night market will be closing for the season on October 8, 2018. On a positive note, it means that there’s still time to visit the vibrantly bustling Market, browse its many retail stalls, and, of course, feast on the wide array of food items offered by its numerous vendors. With such dizzying selection, it’s always a good idea to go in with an eating game plan. Here are ten items for sipping and filling your belly, some classic night market fare and others newly emerging favourites. Fresh Seafood The theme for this year’s Night Market was “Seafood Heaven”, and indeed it has been. Besides the many vendors incorporating seafood in their dishes, the market has a special booth devoted to its seafood festival. Richmond’s unique coastal location…

By Catherine Dunwoody New Westminster’s Wild Rice may well serve some of the best Asian soul food around, and young chef Jericho Garcia can most certainly be credited. He shared his journey with me, and clearly he is a talent to watch. Where were you born? Jericho Garcia: I was born in the largest group of islands in Philippines – Luzon, in the town of Pampanga which sits on the northern shore of Manila Bay. It is surrounded by commercial fishponds and rice fields. What was food like in your growing up household?  Garcia: I grew up in a culture where food preparation is taken seriously. Authentic traditional recipes are handed down generation after generation and kept as a family treasure. We had access to the best seafood the Pacific Ocean has to offer. Where did you study cooking and when? Garcia: When I was about 8 years old my parents had…

By VisitRichmondBC.com These five spots for Taiwanese beef noodle soup showcase how one seemingly simple comfort dish can be interpreted in a variety of ways by chefs around Richmond. Regardless of the version you choose, you’ll leave very satisfied. Joy’s Taiwanese Food Parker Place, 4380 No 3 Road, Richmond BC At first glance, the food court at Parker Place doesn’t seem like the place to find mind-blowing eating experiences. Vendor stalls are basic, with the kind of efficient service and plating you’d expect of mall dining. However, a stall like Joy’s Taiwanese Food with its elevated beef noodle soup embodies much of the spirit of Richmond eating: unassuming cooking that is affordable and deliciously authentic. The menu includes all sorts of Taiwanese classics like marinated tripe. Being an island nation, Taiwanese cuisine represents a confluence of culinary influences, as well as resourcefulness due to limited ingredients. Its food is superficially…

By Catherine Dunwoody “I used to work for an investment firm for 15-plus years,” says Rose Samaniego, co-owner of Coquitlam’s Kulinarya Filipino Eatery. She decided to take the leap and open Kulinarya while still also working her full-time job. Fast forward from 2009 to today, and Rose clearly feels she made the right decision to leave her day job and focus on this busy restaurant, including plans to open a second location on Commercial Drive in Vancouver. Rose is passionate about bringing authentic Filipino cuisine to BC, and guides her chef Joemel Gracilla to keep it real when it comes to the dishes served. So much so, that Kulinarya was given honourable mention for Best Southeast Asian restaurant in the 2013 Vancouver Magazine awards. For those not familiar with Filipino food, think Asian with a strong Spanish influence. Signature dishes? Kaldereta (beef and potato in a spicy tomato sauce), crispy pata…

By Tara Lee Hot pot takes on many different forms within China and across Asia, including countries like Japan, Thailand, and Vietnam. In the past year, Richmond has seen the opening of many new restaurants that offer a spicy kick. Chongqing and Chengdu are styles of hot put and cities in southwestern China that share cultural roots in Sichuan cooking. Chongqing is known as the birthplace of hot pot and a visit to either city necessitates a hot pot eating experience. If you’re looking to get a taste of this southwestern Chinese style of hot pot, Richmond has much to offer you. Two establishments worth visiting are To Hot (130-8171 Ackroyd Road) and Yuan’s Chuang Chuang Xiang (Aberdeen Centre, 4151 Hazelbridge Way). They’re both innovative in their own ways, modern in their décor, and definitely lip-smacking in flavour profiles. Armed with an open palate – and an empty stomach, I decided to pay a…

By VisitRichmondBC.com When it comes to Asian food, you’ll find a broad spectrum of spicy dishes depending on the region and climate. Some spicy dishes are consumed in warmer climates to cool you down through perspiration, and some use chilis to prevent food spoilage. Various areas of Asia will use a different type of spice – for instance, you’ll find a different type of heat from a dish from India versus a dish from Thailand or Korea. Some cultures are steeped in heat, and today we’ll take a closer look at Szechuan – or Sichuan – cuisine. Best known for their bold flavours from the liberal use of garlic and chili peppers as well as the unique flavour of the infamous Szechuan peppers, these four restaurants in Richmond get Szechuan cuisine right. Golden Sichuan – heat scale: 7 3631 No. 3 Road, Richmond Golden Sichuan is a great place to…

By Jaclyn Jularbal Vancouver’s North Shore boasts some of the most incredible views of the city. Surrounded by lush trees and snow-covered mountains, it’s a great place to enjoy many of winter’s finest things – snowboards, sweaters, and soup. Warm up with some of the tastiest soups in town and try some comforting flavours from around the world. Tamarind Hill 1440 Lonsdale Ave, North Vancouver If you’re a laksa fan, look no further. With delicious noodles, savory vegetables, and the perfect amount of spice – the milky essence of laksa is sure to warm you up from the inside out. Choose from your choice of Assam Seafood, Malaysian, and Singapore laksa. Be sure to pair it with an order of Roti Canai, the sweet fried bread makes a great add-on. The Neighbourhood Noodle House 1352 Lonsdale Ave, North Vancouver Don’t be fooled by the name – The Neighbourhood Noodle House…

By VisitRichmondBC.com As the colder months approach, most of us start to seek out more comfort foods to warm our bellies. We had the chance to talk to several Vancouver foodies to ask them what their favourite dishes were in Richmond, BC – check out what they had to say and get your fill today. Nora Hamade, NomnomYVR Nora Hamade, better known as NomnomYVR on Instagram, is known for her beautiful food photography. With a love for travel and a passion for her hobby – food photography – this Richmondite knows her Chinese comfort foods well. Here’s what her favourite food is: “The beef noodle soup from Pearl Castle is one of my favourite spots to hit in Richmond! Tender bits of beef and chewy noodles… who doesn’t love that?!” Get your fill at one of two Pearl Castle locations in Richmond: Pearl Castle Café Richmond Centre CF Richmond Centre…

By Joanne Sasvari If you think sake is a boiling hot beverage that tastes like turpentine, well, you clearly haven’t tasted Masa Shiroki’s handcrafted sakes. Since 2007, when he became Canada’s first producer of premium craft sake, he’s been making rice wines that taste delicately of citrus, apple, pineapple and brioche, with notes of spice and touches of herbaceousness. Not a hint of turpentine anywhere. A couple years after he started producing his Osake brand, Shiroki started growing his own rice in the Fraser Valley, making his rice wine a truly local and sustainable product. Now he’s heading up Vancouver’s first (and, he hopes, annual) Sake Fest. On Sept. 29, 2016, when 21 producers will gather at the Imperial in Chinatown, where they will pour some 100 different types of sake. Kampai! “It’s been a long time coming,” Shiroki says. Sake is a fermented beverage made from rice, water and…

By Kristi Alexandra The River Market is thriving with multicultural cuisines, and really is a bon marché of sorts. From Hainanese poultry to European sweet treats, the River Market is a hot bed of gastronomic discovery, so you can live the life of a travelling gourmand without the pricey plane ticket. Bon appetite… or should we say bon voyage? Italian Aa a country built on its reputation for personal pleasure, it’s no secret Italians pride themselves on their indulgences. Those “indulgences” include fine cheeses, cured meats and, of course, gelato. Grab a made-to-order Italian sandwich at the La Grotta Del Formaggio’s deli counter inside Donald’s Market, along with some plum olives, and enjoy it as a picnic at the adjacent Pier Park. A scoop of Tre Galli Gelato’s homemade lemon gelato in a waffle cone will transport your tastebuds to Florence. Thai Fitting that traditional Thai coastal cuisine should be…

By VisitRichmondBC.com If you feel like eating some of the best Asian food available but don’t have a car, don’t worry! You can hop on the Canada Line Skytrain, Metro Vancouver’s fully-automated rapid transit line that connects travelers to Richmond’s diverse culinary scene. Bring your appetites because this easy-to-navigate self-guided tour is bound to fill you up! Richmond Brighouse Station Located in the heart of Richmond city centre, Brighouse is the first stop on the Canada Line, and it’s also where our tour begins. Your self-guided food tour begins at Pepper Lunch (150-5951 No. 3 Road). With over 200 branches in Asia, this particular Pepper Lunch was the first one to open in Canada. To get there, head for a leisurely stroll north along No. 3 Road for about 1.5 blocks towards Westminster Highway. Located on the west side of the street, you’ll find Pepper Lunch tucked away beside a…

By Tara Lee for VisitRichmondBC.com Richmond, BC, is a food lover’s paradise with more than 800 restaurants in the city, and you can see for yourself why Richmond’s been visited by many food critics and has made a real name for itself as a foodie destination. Over 400 of the city’s restaurants serve Asian cuisine and Frommer’s notes that Richmond is “arguably the Asian food capital of North America.” Whether you choose to dine at restaurants, cafes, food courts or at one of the night markets, you won’t be disappointed. To help you on your dining adventure here are my top 10 dishes in Richmond: 1. Steamed Crab Dumplings at Golden Paramount Whenever a friend asks me for a dim sum recommendation, I end up raving about Golden Paramount and the incredible talent of dim sum chef May Chau. The steamed crab dumplings ($4.98) look deceptively simple, but showcase a paper-thin, translucent…

By Visit Richmond BC Chowing down at a food court in Richmond is somewhat different compared to the typical North American mall food court; you’ll find incredibly unique mom ‘n pop stalls serving tasty curries, warming noodle soups, creating mouth-watering dumplings, barbecuing meats – you name it, you’ll probably find it in Richmond. Each and every food court in Richmond has a hidden treasure waiting for you to discover it. It can be slightly overwhelming on your first visit; there are so many options to choose from that you may not be able to decide. To help you out, here are some insider tips about two popular Asian malls and their food courts, including where to go for the best eats and how they compare to each other in the ultimate face-off! The Contenders Parker Place Established in 1993, Parker Place Mall has become a shopping landmark in downtown Richmond.…

By Visit Richmond BC Looking for a quick getaway? 48 hours gives you time to explore some amazing cuisine in Richmond, the only problem is figuring out where to eat. Read on for a list of some of Tourism Richmond’s favourite places to help you make the most out of your culinary adventures. Keep in mind, many Asian restaurants are accommodating to patrons who aren’t experienced in non-Western cuisine and do offer English menus or have photos of food items to help you with your selections. But remember to bring cash – some don’t accept credit or debit cards. Day 1: 10:00am – Dim sum at Shanghai River Shanghai River is the perfect place to start your day off right with delicious dim sum. Through glass windows, diners can watch the chefs hard at work, hand rolling their famous dumplings. The xiao long bao are clear standouts of the menu.…