Shanghai City Chinese Restaurant, Victoria: Sketchy much?

As you may have noticed, I've started to change the post title, since I've been mainly doing food posts, I thought having a descriptive title was more fun =) Anyhow, adventures in Victoria continue!

Restaurant: Shanghai City Chinese Restaurant (visit their website here)

Location: 548 Fisgard Street, Victoria (upstairs)
Cuisine: Chinese, Seafood, Shanghai
Price range: $10-20




Date of visit: June 30, 2013
Atmosphere: 3/5
Staff/service: 3/5
Food variety: 5/5
Food quality: 1/5
Buck worthy? 2/5

Gotta say, worst decision so far. We saw this place was upstairs and decided to try it, since I wanted some Shanghai dumplings. Boy, was that a big bad mistake. Walked upstairs, and the place was almost empty. Scary. Oh well.

Ordered two of the Steamed Shanghai Dumplings ($5.95) that I wanted, and they weren't anything special. By far too sweet for the taste and a few of them were over-steamed, hence lost the juice inside. for around $1 each, these were definitely not a good deal.

Next was another disappointment, Minced Garlic with Pork Belly ($8.95) because the pork slices were too thick. The garlic was not finely minced and the sauce was so salty. Although I still have yet to find a place that does this dish justice, they by far, have murdered this dish.

Their Spareribs with Honey Garlic ($14.95) was decent. A bit overfried, but taste-wise it was much better in comparison to the other two dishes. Honestly, how much does pork cost?? Totally overpriced for this tiny dish =(

Finally, our Pan-fried Shanghai Thick Noodles ($11.95) showed up. This was the best dish all meal. They used authentic thick noodles, but again, too salty. Not much other ingredients either, just a lot of noodles.

Won't be back for sure. Whole restaurant looked super sketchy! I was worried I might not survive! Thank goodness we made it out alive!!

Munchie Adventure: Leisure Tea & Coffee, Richmond

First foodie meet-up (for me anyways)!! Large group, so I couldn't really get around to snapping pics of everyone's food, but it all looked so good!!

Restaurant: Leisure Tea & Coffee
Location: 1110-8391 Alexandra Road, Richmond
Cuisine: Coffee/Tea, Soups, Desserts, Snacks
Price range: $5-10




Date of visit: June 24, 2013
Atmosphere: 4.5/5
Staff/service: 4/5
Food variety: 5/5
Food quality: 4/5
Buck worthy? 4.5/5

Anyhow, I ordered a Tofu with Red Bean (don't even remember the name xD), and it was decent. I guess it's good because it wasn't too sweet, so you can add more sugar to taste-- I added like 3 more teaspoons haha. Tofu was very smooth and red beans were nicely cooked.

Across from me, CY ordered a signature item, Ice Cream Waffle =D Looked SO GOOD. But my tummy couldn't accommodate any more food, so I didn't have a chance to try it =(

A quaint little place and prices are reasonable, will be back to try more! Here's a pic of the group ;)

Munchie Adventure: Torarenbo Japanese Restaurant 虎連坊, Richmond

Date with JW! Couldn't quite decide upon a destination, since we didn't want to eat too much, so ended up here, which was nearby!

Restaurant: Torarenbo Japanese Restaurant 虎連坊 (visit their website here)
Location: 8191 Park Road, Richmond
Cuisine: Japanese, Sushi
Price range: $10-15




Date of visit: June 24, 2013
Atmosphere: 3/5
Staff/service: 4/5
Food variety: 5/5
Food quality: 3.75/5
Buck worthy? 4/5

We were seated quickly by a friendly waitress, and tea was brought to us in a timely manner (yay!). Took a while to decide what to get, since I really wanted to try EVERYTHING. Anyhow, JW got their Zaru Soba ($5.95) and it was a GIANT portion. First time seeing it served with a quail egg, but nonetheless, she said it was good. I felt it was quite typical, nothing amazing about it.

I ordered a Sushi Lunch ($10.50), which I found offered a wide variety of their menu items, so I got to try a bit of everything =) Udon was frozen udon, which was very chewy and good. Salad was surprising too, I liked it because of the variety (not just your typical iceberg lettuce salad). Tempura was a bit oily, but two shrimps! =D Sushi was a meh. Didn't stand out to me, a bit subpar compared to the rest of the stuff. Fruits were a nice touch ^-^

Feeling a bit greedy, we also decided to split a Chicken Karaage ($5.75), which was very fresh and juicy. Besides it being oily, the batter was very thin and well-seasoned.

I was a bit worried when we first walked in to this semi-empty restaurant, but I'm glad we stayed. I enjoyed my meal and may come back to try their specialty rolls someday =)

Munchie Adventure: Bua Thai Cuisine, Vancouver

Since our first choice had a long wait, we decided to wander the streets in search of another place to fill our tummies after bowling! Couldn't decide between this or its neighbor, but since it was rated 1% higher on Urbanspoon, it won. Quite small and empty in here, but they could accommodate our party so all good. One person manning the little store... cute, but he wasn't very attentive and seemed engrossed in something behind the counter most of the time. xD

Restaurant: Bua Thai Cuisine (visit their website here)
Location: 1859 Commercial Drive, Vancouver
Cuisine: Thai
Price range: $10-$20 per person




Date of visit: June 5, 2013
Atmosphere: 2/5
Staff/service: 2/5
Food variety: 3/5
Food quality: 2.5/5
Buck worthy? 2/5

So... I couldn't decide on what to order, so I ended up just thinking of a random number and hoped it would be good. Should not do that ever again.

But anyways, look at the cute utensil wrappings! =D It's like they're ready for bed ^-^

Back to food. I ordered their Thai Noodle Soup ($8.95) in hopes that I could finish this and sneak in a dessert (which didn't happen). The soup had a satay base, only very minor (quite watered down), but I liked the taste. There were options as to what to have in it: chicken, pork, beef, or tofu. I got the beef and those pieces were small and tough! Did not like that. Noodles were chewy and good. This lacked a "wow" factor to it.

Others ordered curry and seems like it was a better choice than mine =P The Pad Thai I thought of ordering was a ketchup-y based one (according to YA), which isn't the kind I prefer. And chopsticks. I learned I really need chopsticks for my noodles because forking it was so hard ><" 50/50 on this place, too close to Kishimoto for me to come back haha!

Munchie Adventure: Ocean Garden Restaurant, Victoria

Back to Chinatown again for dinner, we just stopped here since it looked quite busy =)

Restaurant: Ocean Garden Restaurant
Location: 568 Fisgard Street, Victoria
Cuisine: Chinese
Price range: $15 per person




Date of visit: June 3, 2013
Atmosphere: 3/5
Staff/service: 2/5
Food variety: 5/5
Food quality: 4/5
Buck worthy? 3.75/5

For such a busy restaurant, I'd have to say that having one waitress is a bit stretching the workload. However, she did manage, so service was a bit slow until someone else showed up (or we speculated, returned from a delivery). Nothing that stands out from the menu, everything was very normal and typical.

To be safe, we ordered conservatively. Their Scrambled Eggs with Prawns ($14.95) was nicely done, egg was creamy and eggy (some places put a lot of flour and other stuff in it, but this was quite pure egg). Prawns were a bit tiny, but plentiful. Dish was a bit watery on the bottom, not sure what caused it, but didn't bother me too much.

I forgot what this menu item was really called, but it's like a House Special Chow Mein ($12.95). A bit oily, but they used plentiful ingredients and the noodles were cooked crispily. A little burnt and too much squid.

Sweet Sour Pork with Pineapples ($11.95) was very lean indeed. Only one piece was half fat =D Crispy and fresh, this was a highlight for the meal. Ok, maybe the pork was a little bit overfried and a few pieces were harder than I'd like, but overall good job!

Finally, Mushrooms with Egg Tofu ($12.95) arrived =) Glad it wasn't just one piece of mushroom like the experience we had in Kelowna, so already happy there! Also they were fried pieces of egg tofu, so like like like! The sauce wasn't overwhelming the dish, but the side pieces of tofu didn't have sauce unless you swirled the dish around a bit and got some sauce from the middle ones. Should've ordered other kinds of mushrooms, or asked what selection we could have since one mushroom type on top is so boring  xD

I think I may revisit this place if I end up here again, they gave me a good impression although the service was a bit lacking due to possible understaffing. Otherwise, food suits our tastes and it isn't overly pricey =)

Munchie Adventure: Vietnam Garden Restaurant, Esqimalt (Victoria)

WORST. Experience. Ever. I wonder why it's even rated so highly on Urbanspoon. Or maybe it's just not suitable for my tastes. One could say they're very. . . different than the majority of Vietnamese restaurants-- not in a good way. They have a LOT of room for improvement =)

Restaurant: Vietnam Garden Restaurant
Location: 524 Admirals Road, Esquimalt
Cuisine: Vietnamese, Thai, Chinese, Vegetarian
Price range: $10-15




Date of visit: June 3, 2013
Atmosphere: 2/5
Staff/service: 4/5
Food variety: 3.5/5
Food quality: 1/5
Buck worthy? 1/5

We came here because it was nearby the place we're staying at, and when we walked in, it wasn't very full. People started trickling in afterwards. Saw the lunch specials and decided to try their lunch special A: Red Curry Chicken with Rice, Spring Roll, and Vegetables ($8.95). I was excited about the spring roll... and I guess it's the least disappointing thing we had (I was still quite disappointed). It was not very crispy, made with rice flour wrap instead of the traditional spring roll wrap. Ingredients weren't flavored right either. It was bland and chewy in a bad way. Rice was cooked badly too. The curry wasn't even real red curry. Chicken was a few slices of bland chicken. Utterly horrid.

On the side we could order Wontons ($2.50), and I gotta say they're pretty expensive wontons. . . And not good either. Way too overcooked the wrapping was so soggy and mushy. The meat inside didn't taste fresh either-- actually quite bland once again. There were 3 wontons in the bowl.

Glad we only ordered three things. I didn't want to put anything else in me. This was the Rare Beef Noodles in Soup ($9.50) and let's say, I was sad they didn't have limes. NO LIMES. I was so very sad. As well, the soup wasn't very hot, the bean sprouts were mixed in with the noodles already, onions were undercooked. And noodles weren't very chewy. I'm pretty sure the times I've made it at home were better. No offense.

They even charged us for their tea. $0.65 per person! Not that it's a large amount, but not worth that money because that tea was bad quality. Sheesh. Will not be back for sure.

Munchie Adventure: Don Mee, Victoria

Since seeing it yesterday, parents were curious and just wandered here today! Upon entry, gave me a very authentic old-fashioned Chinese feel. That being said, they were quite sneaky and were about to give us old tea, luckily we asked and they gave us a new pot of tea.

Restaurant: Don Mee (visit their website here)
Location: 538 Fisgard Street, Victoria
Cuisine: Chinese, Dim Sum
Price range: approx $15 per person








Date of visit: June 2, 2013
Atmosphere: 4.5/5
Staff/service: 3.5/5
Food variety: 5/5
Food quality: 3.5/5
Buck worthy? 4/5

They even teach people how to order dim sum! ^-^ There were actual dim sum carts being carted around, with the giant steamers full of food!

Like traditional ways, we had a card to mark down what dim sum we ate, so I didn't notice what the prices were for the dishes.

Already at the table was a deep fried dumpling with rissoles. It wasn't what I was used to seeing, but crispy on the outside and moist and hot on the inside. Nicely done.

Then was pan fried sticky rice, it was very full and pretty good. Bit on the oily side, but that's rather normal at dim sum places.

Saw the big steamer and just had to order some! It was a steamed shrimp dumpling with veggies.

Wrapping was perfect. I loved how chewy it was but the carrot didn't work so well with the whole dumpling.

Seeing this cart, I knew I had to order something from it. It's a portable pan frier (as I like to call it). Although the server wasn't very friendly, the food looked fun! =D It would've been cooler if she cooked it when we ordered instead of it being pre-cooked ><"

Anyways, ordered pan fried stuffed green peppers, and they were your average stuffed green peppers. Shrimp puree was springy and good. My green pepper was a bit burnt though =(

Also, ordered a serving of potstickers. These were sub-par because the meat wasn't fresh and it was burnt. The wrapping was too thick as well. Not juicy at all. Loads of room for improvement.

Saw these come along and they looked good! Deep fried stuffed crab claws. Now I remember how much they cost $6.99!! For only two =( It's not terribly expensive, but for that price I could've got a lot more other food =P They were good though! Same shrimp puree as the stuffed green peppers, and the outside spring roll strips were very crispy. Oily though.

Finally, dessert rolled around. I remember having these deep fried egg puffs with sugar when I was a kid, sure brings back memories!

Sadly there were NOT fresh =( And a bit undercooked. *disappointed*

Glad we asked about the tea because they charged quite a hefty sum for it ($0.90 per person). Overall I was pleased with my experience, but they feel a bit "evil" in the sense that they aren't a very honest operating restaurant. I worry about the integrity of the food quality and cleanliness. Might be back if I'm really craving dim sum, but there's more along Chinatown yet to be tried! ^-^

Munchie Adventure: Dynasty Restaurant, Victoria

I've gotta say this restaurant is a hit-or-miss place. Some of the food is quite wonderful, and some are just sub-par. Good part is the food comes quickly and is very fresh.

Restaurant: Dynasty Restaurant
Location: 546 Fisgard Street, Vancouver
Cuisine: Chinese, Dim Sum
Price range: $10-$15 per person




Date of visit: June 1, 2013
Atmosphere: 3/5
Staff/service: 4/5
Food variety: 4/5
Food quality: 2.5/5
Buck worthy? 3/5

Needed a quick place for some lunch, we ended up here! It's steam-to-order with a few lunch specials and combos, so there's quite a bit of variety. Nothing too special though, they were pretty empty for a Friday lunch hour! (sorry I don't recall the prices for the dim sum ><")

First to arrive was a rather small portion of Beef Omasum. The flavoring was pretty good, the sauce was a bit thick. Nothing much to say about it.

Then were the Spring Rolls. They were very fresh, but there was only 2 :( Bigger than what I normally have in Vancouver, but pricier regardless! Came with a sour plum sauce.

These Beef Rice Rolls were actually very good! The beef was smooth and the rice rolls were chewy and the whole thing was surprisingly good. I liked how they separated the soy sauce so for those who wanted less, could have less and it wouldn't make the dish soggy :)

On a winning streak, because the Shrimp Dumplings (Har Gow) were also very good! The shrimp were decent sized and the wrapping did not fall apart-- in fact, it was very chewy and well-made! Very happy with this.

Sadly, I spoke too soon. The Fried Rice with Pork, Shrimp, and Veggies was terrible. Now I'm usually not that strong with my opinions, but this was outright terrible. The rice was all clumpy-- it felt more like a mixed rice than fried! They also used very fat pork, which added onto the disappointment.

It didn't end. The next Pork Dumplings (Shiu mai) was also disappointing. The pork wasn't the chopped pork version and it was too salty.

Props to them for using real Shanghai noodles in the Pan fried Shanghai noodles, but the flavoring was way off. All I tasted was soy sauce. And it was oily. =(

The Pan fried Chicken noodles with Veggies must be the worst I've had ever. The noodles were crispy, but they didn't use the right kind of noodle for the job. It was also very oily, and the sauce was too thick. Enough said.

Luckily, we finished off with something that was amazing. This Pan Fried Singaporean Noodles was delish. The vermicelli was very chewy and the dish was nicely pan fried-- yet not too dry. Flavoring of the spices was a bit strong, but acceptable. Ingredients were well proportioned for a well-rounded dish.

As I said before, this place is hit-or-miss. Some things were worth going to for, and some... not so much. Going to try the Chinese place next door later! =D (we had 7 people, so this is a bit pricier than Vancouver for sure!)