Looking for the world’s best Chinese food? Better beeline to… Vancouver, BC? Yup. Well-travelled foodies tell it as fact: the Lower Mainland’s myriad of Asian eateries could easily go chopstick-to-chopstick with any contender back in the old country. From har gow to hot pot and Shanghai to Szechuan, it’s all here and it’s all good—sometimes even outstanding.
If you need some guidance, try the lists from January’s first annual Chinese Restaurant Awards. A panel of savvy judges voted on Lower Mainland restaurants for the best Chinese signature dishes. The city’s best congee? Mak’s Noodle Restaurant. Hong Kong-style Dim Sum? Shun Feng Seafood Restaurant. Soup? Wonton King. The list is long, and the winners range from neighborhood haunts to high-end restos. But you’re pretty much guaranteed a good meal just by closing your eyes and picking a name at random. Actually, there are two no-fail lists—critics’ choice and diner’s choice: a round-up of best restaurants by category (i.e., bubble tea café, noodle soup restaurant, BBQ shop, etc.).
Now, excuse me: I’m off to New Town Bakery & Restaurant for a box of the city’s (maybe the world’s) best Chinese pastry…