2012-06-25 Lunch @ No.1 Shanghai Cuisine 滬上酒店

#120 - 4200 No.3 Road, Richmond, BC

604-279-1728

One of my first flash-sale deals was from a Chinese site called vantosave.com 温哥华团购网.  Every now and then, the site will feature some dining deals, not much, but enough for me to visit their site once a day to see what's offered.

Featured in June 2011, this deal was only $1 for an order of XLB at No.1 Shanghai Cuisine 滬上 in Richmond.  Yup, only a buck!

My original lunch plan was to try the new Northern Chinese Countryside Restaurant 山西面館, but...it's closed on Mondays!  So, in the same plaza, I walked over to No.1 Shanghai Cuisine 滬上 and claimed my $1 XLB!!!  Wahahaha!

Of course, knowing me, I wouldn't just settle with one order of XLB...hahahaha!  The Shanghai Jelly Pork 镇江水晶肴肉 was sad.  The meat was very lean and dry.  Not recommended.

The Fried Glutinous Rice Cake with Shredded Pork & Vegetable 薺菜炒年糕 attracted my attention.  The vegetable used here was shepherd's purse 薺菜, one of my favorite vegetable (yes, I do eat vegetables).  Unfortunately, the vegetable here has lost most of its fragrance.  Portion was not bad for the price.  The rice cake was a bit too soft.  Good ratio of shredded pork.

Finally, the Shanghai Style Juicy Pork Bun 南翔小籠包 has arrived.  One look and I knew I would be disappointed.  While it was juicy, the top knot was thick and the flour wrap had a funky aftertaste.  The filling was salty...and sweet too...kinda like the MSG sweetness.  Locally, I still prefer Long's Noodle House 小龍記麵家.

Usually, especially at Chinese restaurants, I like to smell the tea before consuming it.  The tea here didn't smell "Chinese"...it's more like an orange pekoe...so I lift up the lid and...WTF?  Grrr...