Saturday, December 25, 2010

Shanghai Chinese Bistro (Vancouver) 12/2010

Vancouver has a massive Chinese population.dating back to the gold rushes of the 1860's. A local acquaintance took us to Shanghai Chinese (SC) to experience their Dungenese crab.
This crab grows off the west coast of Canada. It takes about two years to mature. It grows to about 20 cm across the carapace and is distinguished by a fine slightly sweetish flesh, SC is a Cantonese style restaurant at 1128 Alberni St. in the heart of the CBD. We had a simple meal. Beginning with dumplings
which were large and loosely filled with a combination of chopped seafood, pork and mushrooms, an ordinary appetiser. Then the crab arrived.
It proved to be exceptionally delicate,and sweet as promised. It must have been very recently captured because, as soon as these crabs are caught they stop eating, absorb calcium from their shell, which softens and the meat becomes spongy. Ours was perfect. After this a sweet and sour shrimp in batter
with the sweet sour sauce served in a separate bowl and a seafood vegetable dish
were, to use a cliche nothing to write home about.
Score:13.5/20

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