Vancouver_Magazine_May_2017

52 VANMAG.COM MAY 2017

For many non-Chinese people, their fi rst expe-

rience w ith the lure of Chinese cuisine came at

dim sum while a steam cart navigated through

the tables, piled high with bamboo baskets.

Proof that Vancouver has come a long way since

those days is exemplifi ed in the elegant menu

that dim sum chef Garley Leung creates at Gold

winner Dynasty Seafood. It’s more a kin to a

tasting menu, with recognizable classics like

pan-fried pork buns elevated to heights beyond

their steam-table past. Silver goes to Rich-

mond’s Golden Paramount, whose outward

old-school signs—bamboo baskets, banquet

chairs, strip mall location—belie the sophisti-

cated take on Cantonese cuisine. Taking Bronze

is Yue Delicacy, with its muted posh interior

and legendary har gow (shr imp dumplings).

Best

Dim Sum

Dynasty Seafood

777 W Broadway

dynasty-restaurant.ca

Golden Paramount

8071 Park Rd., Richmond

Yue Delicacy

8077 Alexandra Rd.,

Richmond

HONOUR ABLE MENTIONS

Chef Tony Seafood,

The Jade Seafood

2

3

Kingyo bounces back to its previous

G old stat us after la st year’s Silver (for

Ca sua l Japanese), thanks to the perennia l

excellence of dishes like its stone-grilled

beef tongue. “It introduced izakaya in an

elevated set ting that hadn’t been seen in

Vancouver before,” says one judge. “The

subtle nuances in their dishes took iza kaya

from cheap and cheerful to elegant and

refi ned.” Guu (Silver) has always impressed

our judges with inventive dishes like

deep-fried chicken knee cartilage, and

Rajio’s heavenly skewers and hot stone crab

bibimbap are only a few of the many dishes

that have earned this hip pub a Bronze.

Best

Izakaya

Kingyo

871 Denman St.

kingyo-izakaya.ca

Guu

Multiple locations

guu-izakaya.com

Rajio

3763 W 10th Ave.

rajiopublichouse.com

HONOUR ABLE MENTIONS

Zakkushi, Suika

2

3

Royal Seoul House

1215 W Broadway

royalseoulhouse.com

Hanwoori

5740 Imperial St.,

Burnaby

Maru Korean Bistro

125 2nd St. E, North Vancouver

marukoreanbistro.com

HONOUR ABLE MENTIONS

Damso, Seoul Doogbaegi

2

3

Royal Seoul House proves its

staying power after almost 30

years in operation with its re-

peat gold this year. The service

here isn’t notable, but “it ex-

ecutes traditional Korean food

with a level of sophistication

and consistency that surpasses

others in this category,” says

one judge. Its location might

not be the most welcoming, but

Hanwoori (Silver) continues

to deliver “consistently excel-

lent value and quality,” and

newcomer Maru Korean Bistro

(Bronze) wowed our judges with

its crispy rice rolls, friendly

service and stone bowls.

Best

Korean

Best

Pan-Asian

Kissa Tanto

2635 E Pender St.

kissatanto.com

Torafuku

958 Main St.

torafuku.com

Freebird

810 Quayside Dr., New

West m in st er

freebirdchickens.com

HONOUR ABLE MENTIONS

Fat Mao Noodles,

Phnom Penh

2

3

When you look at Japanese and Italian

cuisine, there is a common sensibility

between them that focuses on seasonality,

incredible technique and balance. The

seamlessness and fi nesse with which

Kissa Tanto has integrated techniques

and ingredients made it an easy choice

for gold. The bold playfulness of the

menu at Torafuku (Silver) has our judges

lusting over the deep-fried mochi and

“kickass rice.” It may focus only on one

thing (Asian-style rotisserie chicken),

but Freebird (Bronze) got multiple slow

claps for its Hainanese poached chicken

and umami-rich dipping sauces.

It introduced izakaya

in an elevated setting

that hadn’t been seen

in Vancouver.

RESTAURANT AWA R D S