Friday, July 20, 2012

Dinner @ Charcoal Sushi & BBQ Restaurant

salmon + hamachi sashimi
better than average
chopped scallop roll
wanted a cone but they don't have it on menu
wasn't too exciting
classic roll
like the combination of eel and yam
tokyo roll
prawn freshly fried


Charcoal Sushi & BBQ Restaurant 
(besides London Drugs)
250-7997 Westminster Highway
Richmond, BC V6X
(778) 297-7255


-went early on a weekday and eventually tables got filled
-prompt and good service
-lots of special rolls


Style: japanese (日式), sushi (壽司)
Visited on: July 2, 2012

 Charcoal Sushi & BBQ Restaurant on Urbanspoon

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Lunch @ Sea Harbour Seafood Restaurant 海港大酒樓 @ River Rock

so apparently they just moved the old location to the new one instead of additional. i visited during the opening week and had to wait 30 mins with booking. its been ages since i've been as old location is hard to find parking and a table. might be a long story but please read on so you can avoid getting angry.

so first i tried booking for a table on sunday on the day but i already guessed its going to be full. then i tried going on a weekday with a booking at 12:30pm. by the time there, after driving up 7 levels for free parking, the place was packed and had to wait for 30 mins more. while waiting a lot of customers were complaining that they have been waiting for a long time. well its a new place so its probably normal was what i thought. but then they said a lot of regulars just walk in with no booking or waiting. wasn't too sure about this until i heard another story, the managers would wave in customers from far away and bring them to empty tables while there were other people waiting. I guess i expected the wait so i wasn't angry or anything.
after eating a while, a family sat down and slammed on the table complaining about the hostess being black faced and kept telling them that they'll be next. this i have to agree with, the 2 hostess don't smile unless its a regular. they even hide their list so you can't see where you are on the list.
during the meal, i saw the female owner walking around to some tables, which are probably regulars, apologizing to only them and giving them discounts.

another story that happened to my frd's parents, they went on saturday at 6pm with no booking, while only a few tables full. note that one of them is in wheelchair so it may add in. the hostess told them there's no tables, so they asked them what about all the empty ones and hostess said they're booked. Then they asked then what time would there be a free table, then she reluctantly answered 7:30 and then walked away. in my opinion, the parents are really friendly folks so that proves the staff has bad attitude to walk-ins / non-regulars.this place has horrible hostesses and staff that only gives tables to their regulars

while we were waiting for our dim sum, one waiter came and said are you done and started to clear the table. then we said we only ate 2 dishes and were still waiting, then he realized and walked off apologizing

it does have good food but terrible service. if you want to avoid waits, go early. if you don't want to be rushed, don't go. booking is a must. always will have waits since they always did at their old location.


no 1 bun
bbq pork inside, came room temperature
wasn't as good as i has remembered
hand pulled rice rolls
freshly made, quite thin and very soft
soy sauce could be lighten up to suit better
seafood pumpkin cake
got tricked by its name thinking its pancake style
not too oily, came freshly fried

golden egg yolk bun
other signature dim sum dish
nice strong egg yolk taste
they probably make one of the best ones


left: bbq pork pastry
light butter taste
better than the bun
right: pan fried rice rolls 
wasn't as good as the one above


Sea Harbour Seafood Restaurant 海港大酒樓 
8888 River Road 
(corner of newer building, beside Bridgeport Station) 
Richmond, BC V6X 3P8 


-conclusion: excellent food but don't expect good service even with the price you have to pay
-free parking but need to drive up 7 levels
-also have 3 rooms hidden
-all new furniture and utensils
-some food came at room temperature
-they have a picture menu that you have to ask to get
-probably best to avoid this place otherwise go early for lunch only along with bookings


Style: chinese (中式), dim sum (點心), seafood (海鮮)
Visited on: July 10, 2012
  Sea Harbour Seafood Restaurant 海港大酒樓  on Urbanspoon

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Dinner @ Prince Chinese Seafood 王子海鮮酒家

first time being here after they renovated a few months ago. i was too focused watching hockey and basketball as they have a lot of tvs around

sweet and sour pork
shark fin special
really rich chicken tasting soup
clear and light
somewhat oily

chicken was somewhat undercooked


Prince Chinese Seafood 王子海鮮酒家 
2881 Grandview Hwy 
Vancouver, BC V5M 2E1 
(604) 430-6808


-seating was quite clutter
-lots of tvs
-hard to find parking
-service was average
-just another mid-class chinese restaurant


Style: chinese (中式), seafood (海鮮) 
Visited on: June 9, 2012

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Friday, July 6, 2012

Dinner @ Toyotomi 豐臣家

sashimi
ordering sashimi and other premium food is extra $8 per person
all nice and fat
like how even all you can eat place have ice underneath 



left: chicken soup, right:milky soup
ordered different bases but tasted same
takoyaki was good but missing mayo, however don't think its freshly made 
fries similar to KFC ones
all fried food not oily, most don't use batter
beef sashimi

wrong order came and we emphasized we don't want to waste the food (and end up paying)
told them to take back the wrong stuff
charges they gave for wasted food


Toyotomi 豐臣家 
110 - 8111 Anderson Road 
Richmond, BC V6Y 2C1 
(778) 297-6186 


-fried stuff came first then followed by sashimi and hotpot
-we sat in a corner and we had to walk out to get service
-they try to slow down your orders near need so you got to chase them down
-average $30 per person, worth it if you can eat the value
-much more variety than all other all you can places and much better quality
-really good all you can eat, took too long for me to discover it
-only downside is table too small and they place everything in one bowl so its hard to share for a big group


Style: all you can eat, hotpot, japanese 
Visited on: June 17, 2012

Toyotomi 豐臣家 on Urbanspoon