Polly and I met up on a Saturday morning for dim sum. Polly recommended this fairly new Top Chiu Chow Cuisine on Capstan Way. Her family had been to this restaurant once and they all like it.
We were there early, i.e. 10 am, just after they opened for business. This is because Polly has to go to work at noon.
We were their first customers that day. The decoration is pleasant and modern for a dim sum restaurant. This restaurant seats 72.
Even the tea cup and tea pot is not of tradition shape. They are more modern looking.
We were served complimentary fried peanuts and sour mustard for snacking before our orders arrive.
We ordered a few items to share. We like most of the items and we will be back to try other items. The captain who served us told us that the restaurant will launch 20 over new items in 2 weeks time.
One obstacle here is the restaurant menu is in Chinese only. Fortunately Polly reads Chinese.
Our first item is a Chiu Chow Pepper Sour Mustard Pork Stomach Soup. This is one of Ben’s favourite soup. This bowl of soup is $6.80. It is equivalent to 4 servings of the small bowl.
The soup had plenty of chewy pork stomach but it’s a tad on the salty side. We still love this soup.
We asked for recommendation on their fried noodles and the captain recommended the above Choi Poh (preserved radish) Gai Lan (Chinese broccoli) Chow Hor (fried rice noodle). This is also $6.80. It has prawns and chicken too. This is a dry fried noodle. I wish there are more of the crunchy preserved radish in it.
For dim sum, we ordered the Deep Fried Prawn Bean Curd Roll. This is $4.75 and categorized under Big. Medium is $3.95 and Small is $3.25. The bean curd roll skin is crunchy and the filling has some crunchy bits in it too. The dipping sauce is a vinegarish sauce.
The dim sum section of the menu is not big. The captain told us that they are trying to come out with items that are unique and that are not too commonly found.
Our next dim sum item is called “Wu Si Paeng”. It is made with shredded taro that are steamed and then deep fried. According to the captain, this dish depends on the quality of the taro at the season. This is $3.95. We enjoy this dim sum which is not commonly found in other dim sum restaurant.
I cant recall what is the name of the above dish but it’s like Deep Fried Sweet Potatoes Samosa. This is $3.25.
We really enjoyed the Sweet Potato Samosa as it is filled with a sweet peanut and sesame seeds filing.
Overall, we enjoy the meal here, especially the unique dim sum.
BUSINESS HOUR
7 days a week
Lunch: 10.00AM to 3:00PM
Dinner: 5:00PM to 10:00PM
Doesn’t having a menu only in Chinese violate Canadian law?? Not to mention shutting out potential customers. Stupid move IMHO.
Keep fighting the real fight, 3rensho. Let’s get these xenophobic Richmond regional Chinese restaurants shut down now.
@DylanK – If they continue the discriminatory policy of having the menu only in Chinese then yes, they should be held accountable. I thought bleeding hearts like you died out in the 60’s.
Nobody complains when a French or Itallian restaurant lacks English in their menu. But when Chinese restaurants do the same, people start badmouthing them. Please stop talking about discrimination.
Have you been to a local restaurant (French, Italian, whatever) where the menu has NO English at all anywhere ? Just curious.
I was about to ask the same thing too. Can’t recall any other restaurant with no English on the menu.
@Lotus – I live in a country that has four official languages. I never see English on a menu. Asian restaurants here often have menu items listed in their native language but also in German and French in this part of Switzerland. It would not be legal (or very bright) to list menu items only in Chinese, Thai, etc.
@3rensho, Lotus was referring to LOCAL restaurants and not those in other continents.
@Ann – quit playing the down trodden minority bit. If any menu (French, Italian, Lithuanian, etc.) is not in a language that the MAJORITY of the population understand it is discriminatory and wrong. Period.
Korean restaurants put things like “bimbimbap” and “kimchi”, also jap restaurants write things like “ebi nigiri” on their menu without explaination. Then if chinese restaurant use an all-pinyin menu, is that ok with you? Or is it that people are uncomfortable with foreign characters?
For those dishes you mentioned, at least one can google and find the proper meaning and descriptions but if every item on the menu is listed in Chinese characters only, how do you expect a customer who can’t read Chinese to order?? The proprietor is doing himself a great disservice in limiting his clientele to those who can read the characters and how smart can that be!? After all, this is Canada and not some place where residents are expected to know the language.
Then that will be his own disadvantage. But it shouldn’t be illegal for him to not have an English menu.
Ben, I am kind of curious. Does the actual menu itself printed in Chinese language only? If so, then this constitute poor business judgment in an English speaking environment. Discrimination? I reserve comment on that. I don’t reside in Canada and have no idea about laws governing printed materials.
We visited this Top Chiu Chow recently and they now have menus printed in English.
The service is very good and they are helpful to those who can’t read Chinese!
We were also told they will have a new “photo-book” style menu very soon, so that will further alleviate any issues with ordering for non-chinese readers.
We enjoy the food, service and ambiance….and have never felt discriminated 🙂
What kind of Canadians are you? People who want to get a restaurant shut down because it’s in Chinese? Get over yourselves!! Try something ADVENTEROUS and pick from the characters that look pretty! It’ll be just like traveling, except you never have to leave the comfort of your SUV’s and Wal-Mart.
Kudos to those who defended it. I’ve lived abroad and eaten here and the food is fabulous, plus everyone is ready and willing to explain what it is and give you a sample to try.
As a side note, the Canadian Government only regulates English/French bilingualism when on officially printed or commercial documents.
Could of been much worse situation! They could of spell the name of the dish with English translation. For example sweet & sour pork = Gou Lou Yo!
LOL ! 😀