Hey … does anyone of you feel the economic hardship coming your way yet? Until now, I have not heard of anyone I know who had lost their job but me think it’s the calm before the storm. So, we thought we should start looking at spending a bit lesser on dining out.
When we think about budget, no frills meal, we often head off to Happy Date. It just dawned on us that despite being there so many times, we had never gotten down to blog on them.
Happy Date is located on Park Road just off where the Richmond City Hall is. It is a very popular Hongkong Style eatery. Like many HK style cafes, they also have a bakery but I don’t really think highly of their bakery. I much prefer the ones found in The Boss, Kam Do and particularly Lido.
We had always visited Happy Date for breakfast which is always packed with people. This was the first time we were there for dinner. We were kind of surprised that the restaurant is half empty. We expected it to be just as packed as breakfast.
They gave us free soup. They looked like they had been in the pot for weeks. I don’t know what to make of it really. It doesn’t taste bad at all but it’s just that such lotus plus pork soup should be a lot more clearer. The boys did not want to touch it.
You-know-who ordered this. Sigh … I don’t want to talk about it except that it costs $9.
Between Suanne and I, we ordered two main dishes to share. The Oyster Omelette costs $10.80 came in a really big plate. We figure they must have used at least 6 eggs for this judging from the size of it. It had salted radish and ginger besides, of course, oysters.
It was OK except that it’s somewhat overcooked. We prefer it to be slightly undercooked with a bit of runny eggs — like this.
The Sea Cucumber Hotpot was quite expensive at $15.80. The reason is it is just a normal hot pot. We counted only about 5-6 pieces of small sea cucumber in it.
We like sea cucumber for the texture of it. There is a belief that it has aphrodisiac properties but let me confirm to you that it has no effect on me — nor do I need the said properties. LOL! Maybe I need a few more pieces.
They gave us Mango Pudding as dessert. We sure did not order this but since it’s free, we gobbled them up.
Our bill came up to $45 including tips and taxes. Frankly, for $45, I could think of a few other places with better food and deal than Happy Date. Still, Happy Date is one of our favourite breakfast place.
The above is Happy Date’s dinner combo selection.
I’m not worried about losing my job because my company is filled with beurocracy. And, I’m thinking this “recession” is mainly media hype. I don’t think anything significant is going to happen. Yes, some Americans have lost their homes but it’s because they chose an adjustable rate mortgage which is the dumbest thing ever!
Yes, the economy has definitely made its impact in my family. But that means more eating in! Even with an empty wallet, I think I would find a way to get to Happy Date Bakery. Looks great.
Hey we used to go to Happy Date regularly during the 90s when they were on 1st Ave @ Renfrew, in the same plaza where the T&T Supermarket is. I thought they simply closed up and moved out, but good to know they’re still around. But it does seem like their prices have gone up a bit. We used to be able to get a 3-dish set meal combo (free soup, small plate of BBQ pork or soy chicken, rice, dessert) for just over $30. Can’t imagine they can do too well competing in Richmond’s landscape of Chinese restaurants.
Been going to Happy Date for a really loooong time, especially for dinner. I recommend you stick to their set dinner meals and get their stirfries. They have a really good chicken dish with fish sauce and garlic. They do an excellent job with soya sauce prawns as well!
Their portion sizes have shrunken compared to a few years ago.
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