Today we were at the Richmond location of Lao Cai. My friend works and lives in the area, so find that she frequents the restaurant. And today she brought me here, wanting to see if I would like it as much as she does.
They actually have two locations, the other is in West Vancouver, and there is talk of another to come on the West End. And given what we had today, I can see why there is a drive and need for their multitude of locations.
Located in an industrial area, the Richmond location is fairly hidden, but serves all the businesses surrounding it well. My only critique was the parking situation. There were a few free stalls out front, and we came early enough to grab one of them. However the laneway and each individual stall was so narrow that it was a struggle to get into. And even harder to slide out of your car without damaging the vehicle to your left.
Walking in, I was immediately drawn in and excited by the spectacle of seeing dumplings being folded behind plexi-glass. I am a firm believer that you can tell how good a Chinese restaurant will be if and when you see this by the front. This is also usually coupled with hand pulled noodles, and they do have both have available here.
Our meal started off with a lovely Peach oolong tea. The addition of the sweet fruit in the mix was both a delight and surprise.
My host’s favourite dish and must order is the Honey Fried Doughnut Twists. However, today they weren’t as expected and as she remembered them to be. It was more doughy than crispy, more dense than fluffy. So unsatisfying for her, that she took the time and made the effort to passed on this note to our server.
This is a soft fried pastry made with flour, honey, and fresh milk. It is fried crispy and then dipped into cream. The latter is the same type of salted foam that I have seen on top of bubble teas, with a cheesy finish. The dip is what made this dish a stand out.
The Sweet & Sour Pork Ribs was Northern Chinese style chopped pork ribs braised with a sweet black vinegar sauce. It had a lovely sweet vinegar flavour, and was given depth from the caramelization around the meat on bone. The pork was on the tougher side, whereas I would have liked t fattier and more tender to match the seasoning of it.
Naturally I had to try their dumplings. They have a variety of fillings to choose from, each available as a full order of 12 or half of 6. You can also have your dumplings either pan fried or boiled. Each traditional Northern Chinese Style Dumplings that were 100% handmade. We had them boiled to best highlight the original flavours or the filling. Although you can also have them pan fried to get a nice layer of crispiness to sink your teeth into.
We went with the lamb and carrot dumplings, as a less common filling type, and one that the server said you can only find here. It had such a natural gaminess to it, but subdued with the thicker dumpling shell and salty vinegar for dipping into.
And we also had to try some of their house made noodles, and once again our choice came down to what was more unique on to them. The Spicy Hot-Oil Noodle with Tomato & Fried Egg Sauce is their signature hand-ripped noodles topped with garlic, scallion, and Xian chilli spice. It is then seared with boiling oil, before being finished with their Tomato & Fried Egg sauce. I loved how thick and chewy their wide noodles were. Their irregular width, cut, and edges made for an interesting and different mouthfeel with every bite. All their surface area easily grasped on to the comforting flavours of sweet tomato and gentle egg. This was another delicious dish that I enjoyed and would like to have again in the future.
I will definitely be checking out their Vancouver locations, which is closer and more convenient for me.
Cai’s Chinese Cuisine Richmond/ 老蔡食府 列治文/ Lao Cai Richmond’s
13986 Cambie Rd. Unit 213, Richmond, BC V6V 2K3
(604) 285-6111
