SILVER DRAGON


RATING: 8/10 (dim sum)
MUST HAVE: su-mai;
eggwrapped shrimp (from the fry cart)
Overall, the flavors are delicate and fresh. The chicken feet are one of the best in town. As this restaurant has nice surroundings and pleasant staff, this would be a great place to introduce your friends to dim sum, as nothing is overly seasoned.


CENTRAL GRAND


RATING: 8.9/10 (dim sum)
MUST HAVE: onion cakes; ja-leung;
Shanghai dumplings (siu-lon bow)
The variety of the items during the week is surprisingly good. Located on 16th Ave, this restaurant is outside the downtown area but the quality has not suffered from the reduced competition. The chicken feet are some of the best in the city. Busy at lunch time; come early. Impressive quality overall.


REGENCY PALACE


RATING: 9/10 (dim sum)
MUST HAVE: bean curd rolls (vegetarian)
onion cakes;
XO Chow Fun (on the weekends only)
The su-mai are mostly filled with shrimp and scallop, which is a nice change from the pork/shrimp variety. Seafood-filled crepes available during the week topped with shark fin--excellent! The Recency chefs have shown imagination and talent. We are lucky that they offer the best House Special Chow Mein (chiew ba chow mein) in town.

TREASURES OF CHINA


RATING: 7/10 (dim sum)
MUST HAVE: Congee

At the new downtown location, during the week days, the dim-sum fare is competing with the buffet crowd so don't expect much variety. The quality is about average. Don't order the chow mein. Sorry, the barbeque squid is gone, but try the seafood congee instead. The buffet has enough items to please most of the people in a large group. The Mongolie grill isn't always available at lunchtime. Our testors tell us that the evening special is quite good right now.

GINGER BEEF


RATING: 8/10 (dinner)
MUST HAVE: Peking Duck
The great thing about Ginger Beef is that they offer Peking Duck, 3 courses, for a special price on Wednesdays. The noodle and duck meat dish is the best I've ever had--the noodles are handmade and quality counts. If you've ever had Peking Duck, then you realize how important the pancakes are. This restaurant serves up some of the best in town. The Mu-shu pork is also served with pancakes and hoisin sauce, but skip it in favor of the Sanghai Noodles and gai-lan with seafood. Located in Richmond Square.

MISAI Japanese Restaurant


RATING: 9.8/10
MUST HAVE: ANY kind of sushi

Book early to reserve a table dispite the fact that the restaurant is tucked away in the Northeast, this is a busy place! The sushi has no equal in Calgary; the pieces are huge and wonderfully fresh. We tasted the ramen noodles, udon, soba and tempura. These were reported to be as good as anything you can get in Japan. The pork cutlet on rice was also superb. The appetizer menu is quite large; you will be coming back to this place to try them all. Start with some fried oysters and gyoza to share. The salmon and pumpkin appetizer you'll want all to yourself.
Another neat feature: hotel guests can request a shuttle.

ASIAN HUT


RATING: 9/10 (lunch)
MUST HAVE: RAJ beer

What a treat to get great tasting Indian food! It is worth the trip to Edmonton to get a taste of the naan; so fresh it melts in your mouth. Lunch is buffet style. The tandoori chicken was perfectly prepared, not dry and pasty. Overall, the quality is better than we usually find here in Calgary. You will have to get there early to get the best variety. They specialize in Mughlai and Tandoori cuisine, and serve a 100% vegetarian buffet Tuesdays between 5:30 to 9:00. They are located at 4620-99 Street in Edmonton.

SAKURA II Japanese Restaurant


RATING: 6/10 (lunch)
MUST HAVE: fried oyster appetizer

The wonderful thing about Japanese sushi is that it is FRESH and prepared in a traditional style. This restaurant forgot about this when they opened in the West Edmonton Mall. The sushi is served "floating bar" style. This may work, except that the dishes are not kept cold and the dishes are not fresh. Would you want sushi that was prepared two hours ago? Despite this, the cooked chicken on glass noodles was wonderful so the kitchen chef knows what he/she is doing.

SIZZLING WOK


RATING: 8.5/10
MUST HAVE: sate beef&chicken appetizer

Get yourself to the west end of 12th Ave SW. You've probably driven past this restaurant and never known what treasures are inside. This family business serves up Malaysian food with style and grace. (The spices are similar but more subtle than in Indian cooking, in case you're wondering.) Don't be afraid to ask the server to put together a dinner for you. The lamb curry was delicious, as where the shrimp! Don't forget the coconut rice...you will not have room for dessert.

SINGAPORE SAM'S


RATING: 8.5/10
MUST HAVE: pan fried shrimp rolls

Nestled in the northeast on 32nd Ave, Singapore Sam's serves up wonderful dim sum. Escape the crowd downtown for a bit of barbeque duck or sausage. The Singapore noodles are delicious and the shark's fin dumplings are fantastic. Don't leave until you've sampled the steamed chicken buns or ja leung.

JAPANESE VILLAGE


RATING: 8.9/10
MUST HAVE: Shogun Special

This downtown restaurant is located near Eau Claire Market. Try to make a reservation, especially for the weekend. Although the menu is limited, the steaks are supurb; expect the best. This steak house features cooking tables, around which ten to twelve people can be seated. The dinners include soup, salad and shrimp appetizer. Bring your Mom, she'll love the show.



PHO SO


RATING: 8/10
MUST HAVE: Beef/carrot stew soup

This Vietnamese soup restaurant has a lot to offer. Located at the corner of 16th Ave and Center Street, customers are greeted with a crisp and clean atmosphere. Try the meatballs wrapped with imported leaves as an appetizer, and follow up with a beef sate soup, both of which get high ratings. This is a great place to introduce your friends to Vietnamese food.


HARBOR CITY


RATING: 9.5/10
MUST HAVE: crispy chicken; gai-lan with squid

Nestled on the corner of Center Street and Third Ave., Harbor City serves up some of the most elegant dishes in Chinatown. The wedding-style lobster in cream sauce is THE dish for special occasions. Try to get an invitation to a Chinese New Year party held here. Only then will you understand the subtlety of fine food and the artistry of a true chef.



HO WAN


RATING: 8.8/10
MUST HAVE: Ho Won Special Chow Mein

The Ho Wan is located in the middle of Chinatown on 2nd Ave so it's got some pretty stiff competition. When you're in the mood for home-style cooking, this is the place to go. Start with the "daily soup." Expect a clear broth soup that is refreshing. My favorites here are the crispy duck and the deep fried egglant stuffed with shrimp, topped with fu-yeu sauce (that is fermented bean curd, in case you're wondering. It's not on the menu, but if you're adventurous, try it!) This place is great for take out, so try it on the way home.







Last update: Nov 14/00
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