Updated: 4th July 2012; This restaurant had closed according to Urbanspoon.com.
Hi All:
Suanne and I were wondering if anyone of you would like to join us for dinner to make up a table.
I had been hearing a lot of good things about this newish restaurant called Luda. Luda is located on East Hastings and Slocan and it is a Cantonese restaurant.
I like the name Luda. In Chinese Luda means something like The Boss. The words in the blacks circles on signboard says that they are the King of Beef Balls.
They also have another billboard on the side highlighting their other two dishes: Hainanese Chicken and Curry Dishes.
I had on my sights the following dishes I would like to try but then of course with more people, we could order more:
- Beef Balls
- Hainanese Chicken
- Curry Crab
- Soy Halibut
Here, check out their other menu items here …
Here are our plans:
Date: October 22nd, 2010 (Friday)
Time: 7:00PM
Estimated cost: $20 – $25 per person (could be $30 depending on what we order)
There are not many reviews yet and the only ones I can find is on dinehere.
If you are interested, please sign up at this page: http://chowtimes.com/chowtimes-events/
Update: 14-Oct-2010: Sorry. Registration is now closed. We have reached the registration limit.
Update: 12-Oct-2010 … DragonFire sent me the pictures of the Hainanese Chicken Rice he had from Luda. OMG, look at the skin!
I’d be interested, Ben.
Hi JS: Have you signed up at the events page? Ben
I had kind of a hunch about Luda when I first heard about it and their specialties (I think I read it here), that it was somehow affliated with Excelsior in Richmond. I checked my copy of the takeout menu from Excelsior — and indeed, it’s almost identical, save for a few items that are missing from the Luda menu. You think the restaurants are related?
Events page? *scurries to look*
Hi JS: The link to the event registration page is at the bottom of the post. He he he … it’s something new I installed on the site to help me organize events. It is fancy. Not for this event but for events like 8GTCC, I can use this to collect payment up front too. Ben
Fancy! 🙂
Hi JS: Yeah, it’s so fancy that I think you registered twice for 3 people. LOL! I have deleted the second duplicated registration. Ben
I think JS is on to something. The food at Luda seem to be carbon copies of some of the dishes at Excelsior.
Really? Hum…I haven’t been to Excelsior in ages…but I do know the owner…he’s the one we nick-named “lu-da” back in our drinking days…I think it’s time to pay them a visit and dig out some info…
Oh yeah, please do and let us know what you find out, Buddha Girl. Is the Excelsior owner Cantonese? I am guessing his nickname “Luda” is spoken in Cantonese (i.e. not dai-low?) Ben
Good morning Ben!
The owner of Excelsior was originally from Hainan. I think he stayed at many different countries, HK being the longest and the last before he moved to Vancouver. From what I’ve heard, he started out as the main cook at the first Deer Garden back in Coquitlam (when this restaurant first opened)…then went on and opened his Excelsior. That’s why when Excelsior first opened, many people noticed the similarities in the menu.
Now I have also been told that there is a connection to Mui Garden…is this true?
Hi fmed: LOL! Now I am confused. We must hear it from the horses mouth this Friday at the dinner in Luda. Ben
Hi ET: Now, where had you been these days? Gone missing for so long. Anyway, in your comment, did you mean to say YOU also find that the food in Luda is similar to Excelsior? Ben
Exact same menu. Also, when I saw pictures of the curry crab and fish (I think from fmed’s pic album), it looks exactly like the dishes we had at Excelsior.
Ummm it’s interesting because I think 老大 is more of a Mandarin word than a Canto word… I don’t think I have heard people around me say 老大 in Canto before =S
Hi Elaine: Not sure why they use Lao Da for a Cantonese/Hong Kong restaurant. But in Cantonese, I guess that call the Boss, Tai Low. Ben
Actually, HK do uses the term “老大”…but more as a nickname given by friends…
老大 literally means old big. So it is used as a nicename or term of endearment like calling someone big brother. Common in business because your boss is like a older brother.
I use to go to Liu’s (the old restaurant that was there before) tasted a lot like the other Miu Gardens.
but Luda sound good.!!
My impression is “Lao Dah”/老大 is used in Mandarin in a slightly more respectful way (ie: older brother, but not one’s own).
Whereas the same phrase is actually flipped as 大老 or “Dai Low”, which is strictly a Cantonese term and used more casually to imply “dude”, “hey man”, “yo buddy” context.
Please correct me if I’m wrong.
Well, Lao-Dah (老大) is not necessarily “not one’s own”…growing up, being the third in line, my dad (and his younger brothers and sisters) all called my eldest aunt (dad’s eldest sister) Lao-Dah…basically it just means the “eldest” or “highest-ranking” or “most respected”. This is very common in Chinese-speaking countries.
And the same goes for Cantonese, except it’s said differently.
In the same sense (in Mandarin), my dad has always regarded his second eldest sister Lao-Er (老二)…and so on so forth…though the term “lao-er” does not sound too nice…LOL!
Lao-Dah or Dai-Low is a slang.
I stand corrected. Lao Dah (#1) or Er (#2), San (#3), Si (#4) etc ….. are commonly used in the familial context for siblings.
However in Cantonese, Dai Low 大老 does *not* mean #1 per se, but really more colloquially as “buddy” or “boss” with no implied numerical sequencing or pecking order.
Here are the pictures I took…. 🙂
http://www.loyaukee.com/forum/redirect.php?goto=findpost&ptid=15372&pid=201997&fromuid=4353
Hi DragonFire: Sorry … is the link correct? I can’t see any pix on the forum page. Ben
Yikes, may be you have to sign up….@@”
Is there anyway I can just upload them to here?
Sure. If you can just email me the pix, I’ll load it up to this site. Ben
Hey DragonFire! I couldn’t see the pix…do you have to become a member to see them?
Ben, Buddha Girl,
I uploaded to my facebook album, here’s the link.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=199655&id=590611204
Thanks for the pictures DragonFire. I had loaded two of your pictures of the Hainanese Chicken to this site. Can’t wait to for the dinner. Hi All … go check out the pictures! Ben
Hi, Ben & Suanne:
Interesting place, Luda on East Hastings. The restaurant before Luda used to be an affiliate of the Mui Garden Restaurant, their specialty is Hainan Chicken with Flavored Rice and Curry Beef Brisket. From the menu it looks like a typical Hong Kong style cafe, family restaurant sort of place. I would love to try it and see if it’s similar to the Mui Garden.
I would like to ask you and your readers a favour. Which Hong Kong style cafe serves a delicious “Baked Pork Chop Rice”? The pork chop is juicy and fried in a crispy golden crust, atop a bed of delicately flavoured egg and veggies fried rice, under a blanket of tomato sauce with or without cheese and baked to perfection. Cafe Gloucester had served the best one in our family’s opinion. However, after it closed and changed hands and reopened, it isn’t the same. That dish was my family’s comfort food, just like congee, curry beef brisket and rice from Mui Garden.
Or better yet, does anyone have a favourite recipe of the “Baked Pork Chop Rice” they like to share? I would love to get my hands on it and make it with the tasty Gelderman Farm’s Pork. I’ve found some recipes on line and would love to hear your experience of making it.
Love your blog,
Happy Eating!
You’ll recognize some of the staff if you have been to Mui Garden. Their menu leans towards HK Cafe, but make sure to explore the specials.
I was told that Luda makes their own noodles and are a supplier of noodles to a bunch of restaurants (including Mui Garden). Make sure to have the fish and squid ball noodle soup and the special halibut! Also the Hainan chicken – like Mui Garden’s, more of an HK take on HCR rather than Singaporean.
Great service and nice little touches like free house soup and dessert bean soup.
Count me in!
(I’ll post a link to my pics on a reply to this post…)
Pictures http://picasaweb.google.ca/gustibus.maximus/Luda
Hi fmed: Can you go to the link at the bottom of the post and register? Ben
oops…missed that. Done!
Good restaurant, perfect schedule, however its a bit too far for me. 🙁 Maybe next time if you have something in Richmond or close to Richmond.
Hi Crispy: You can come in my car. I’ll leave Richmond at about 6:15 PM. Will that work for you? We have 9 people already. Ben
That’s really very nice of you Ben. That’s why you’re my mostest favorite blogs that I follow. Unfortunately I will have to turn down the offer. I have other issues with travelling that far. I know its weird but..
Walang problema. 🙂
Maraming salamat. ;]
Hi Ben & Suanne
Went to Luda last week with a friend and the table next to us was ordering exactly what you plan to eat. I knew they must be fans of yours!
I ordered the beef balls and was unimpressed, the texture was very chewy and the flavour was bland. They were served in a unique soup broth with a strong garlicky twist on it. Ironically I preferred the free soup they served and my son’s favourite part of the meal was the free dessert soup…he ate two bowls of it and wanted more! My friend loved the spicy green beans with pork dish. I would definitely return to try the curry crab, cant wait to read your review!
I can never go to any of the planned dinners 🙁
Let me know how it goes! I passed by it the other day and wondered if it was any good and if you guys had gone before. I can’t wait to read about the dinner!
Hey Julie: What is stopping you from joining these planned dinners? Next time, I organize one, I’ll do it so you can attend. Ben
awww, we soooo want to join Chowtimes team for dinner, but we always have other plans when we see chances posted here.
Hi iPanda: We have 10 people already but we can fit in 2 more to make twelve. Change your other plans and come to this one? I want to pick your brains on self-hosting my site. I have lots of things I need to fix but am so scared I will break something. Ben
Hi Ben,
Just signed Arvind and myself up but I’m not sure if we’re exceeding your limit. Will have to be more on the ball next time if we don’t make it…:-).
Michelle
I just saw your name on the event registration. So, you’re good! Looking forward to seeing Arvind and you during the dinner. This will just be one table … which I think is better than having too big a party. Ben
“In Chinese Luda means something like The Boss. The words in the blacks circles on signboard says that they are the King of Beef Balls.”
King of Beef Balls, eh ?
It takes a lot of cojones to make that claim !
Actually, I think the claim is not “King of Beef Balls”. It should rightfully be translated as “Supreme King of Beef Balls” … da-wang … not just wang. Ben
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Thanks for organizing this Ben and Suanne. Some standout dishes: The crabs (I like the curry crab, but I like the “special” sauced one better”. The Special Halibut, and the the Yee Mien at the end was surprisingly good. The Hainan Chicken was a bit too cold – but the flavour, gelatin, and texture were very good. (They should have left it out for a bit to warm up.)
Fun dinner with some slightly whacky service issues, including that they forgot to add the $45 soup to the bill before most of our party had left (!!). Ben had to cough up — so Chowtimers who attended, don’t forget to give him $3.60 the next time you see him. We can’t have the founder of the feast out of pocket :-(.
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