How to Gain Ten Pounds in a Week, Part 1

So how do you gain ten pounds in the span of a week? You head off on vacation and eat to your little heart’s content! That’s what I ended up doing on my recent trip to Vancouver. I headed off with a long list of places and things I wanted to try, and while I ate lots, I don't think I even made it through one-fifth of my list.



From Cantonese to Taiwanese, Shanghainese to Northern Chinese, Chinese cuisine dominates in the Richmond area. Here’s how you gain ten pounds in a week, one bite at a time, the Chinese way.

1. Wonton noodles at Michigan House. I'm not usually a big fan of Cantonese wontons (which consist of shrimp only. I like the Northern-Chinese versions, which is a mix of both shrimp and pork), but Michigan House's plump shrimp wontons, perfectly cooked noodles (not too soggy, not too hard), and a rich, flavourful broth is stellar and something that is truly hard to find at Chinese diners here in Toronto. It truly reminded me of the wonton noodles I had tasted in Hong Kong. Their stir-fried clams in black bean and garlic sauce was equally delicious.





2. Taiwanese beef noodles at Chef Hung Taiwanese Beef Noodle. Chewy, hand-cut noodles. Tender beef shanks. What a good beef noodle should be. Broth was decent although it could have been a bit spicier for my tastes. Their pan-fried ground pork cake was super juicy and not too fatty.





3. Steamed Alaskan King crab with garlic at Imperial Court. This was a delicious (and huge!) meal ordered by my uncle and aunt. Many Chinese restaurants will have tanks full of live fish, lobster and crabs—fresh seafood made available at hand to the chefs. Live King crab is easily found in tanks in Vancouver area and a staple on menus at many Chinese seafood restaurants. Unlike the frozen King crab you get here, I got to enjoy the real taste of fresh King crab. Succulently sweet and flavourful. The crab roe is used to make a fried rice dish, which is then baked with a cream-based sauce. Super decadent!





4. Dried oyster and preserved vegetable congee at Kwong Chow Congee & Noodle. My stomach needed a little something on the lighter side, so it was congee to save the day. I'm not usually a big fan of dried oysters, but it was delicious in the congee with the preserved vegetables. And excellent congee with perfect consistency.



5. Wan Luan pork hock at Corner 23. The signature dish at Corner 23, a Taiwanese restaurant. The pork hock was good, although not as tender as I'm used to when eating pork hock. They serve it with all the bones removed to make it easy to eat. I especially loved the veggie side dishes that came with it: braised tofu, marinated cucumbers and sauteed cabbage.



6. Roasted pigeon at Ho Yuen Kee. I know, I know...some of you may be thinking how could I eat a bird that we see every day? But think of it like any other game bird. Like duck or quail, pigeon meat is darker and full of flavour. Delicious sprinkled with a little spiced salt. Their steamed scallops with garlic was also quite lovely!





7. Lo pau bing/老婆餅 ("wife cake") from Kam Do Bakery. The place to get this traditional Cantonese pastry with a filling made from wintermelon and sugar. Quite delightful and much like the ones you'd find in Hong Kong.



Stay tuned for the Japanese and Market editions!