After a long night out, we went back to my home in Burnaby Heights and crashed. The next morning we were in dire need for something comforting, so sought out dim sum.
I have previously ordered delivery from Jade Palace Restaurant and the Chinese restaurant that came before them. They were close and it hit the spot in a pinch. However, this would be my first time dining in, and I found it fairly consistent to what I remembered their take out to be.
Stepping in there were all the hallmarks of a traditional Chinese seafood and dim sum restaurant. There was a live seafood tank, but it was empty, and a waving lucky cat statue at the checkout bar. The room was a tint of yellow from the faded daffodil table cloths and pine green upholstered chairs. There weren’t any crystals chandeliers, but there were traditional Chinese paint brush paintings and menu specials taped on the wall.
We came in early enough that we didn’t need a reservation, as there wasn’t a wait for tables. We were seated and served surprisingly quick. What took the most time was trying to get the attention of the staff for a dish of chilli sauce, the bill, and then takeout boxes. Whereas taking our order and delivering each steamed dish felt streamlined quick.
The menu is a single sheet back and front that you check off with the provided golf pencil. I took the lead so basically got my favourite dishes. The ones I get whenever I crave and entertain the idea of dim sum.
After the night out we had, a warming bowl of congee was a must. I didn’t take time to read through the options and figured the one that read “house” would be a specialty worth trying. This instead was disappointing. Unseasoned white congee with chunks of squid, prawn, and white fish. It needed vinegar, which I couldn’t get attention from a staff member to ask for. Overall this was pretty boring.
Naturally The Jade Palace Special Prawn Dumplings felt like a must. This is where I needed the chilli sauce, as I too found these bland, but really only ordered them for their crystal wrapper.
Its cousin the Pork Dumplings with Tobiko Shiu Mai was a lot more exciting. The meaty bites had flavour, but still benefited from a dip in chilli sauce for more character.
We both wanted the Steamed Chicken Feet with Special Sauce as one of those things you only have at dim sum. These were pretty standard, loose skin around knuckles to suckle, with a gelatinous mouthfeel. The skin carried all the flavour and this is one you eat for the journey and the act of easily peeling meat off of bone with agile tongue and teeth.
I liked the Steamed Spareribs with Garlic for their taste and also enjoyed how easy it’s meat came off of its sharp bones.
My guest’s only request was the Beef Tripe in Special Sauce. This was another less desirable animal part, transformed into something tasty and fun to eat. Its chewy texture can become an irritating gnaw if not prepared properly, like it was here.
And another of my favourites is the Pan Fried Radish Cake. I often order this one as a starch. A dish to use as a base instead of steamed rice. So I leave it as is with its more gentle savoury, salty, and shrimpy notes.
In short I enjoyed our meal, they had everything we wanted and I can see myself ordering and visiting them again for their convenience and proximity to me.
Jade Palace Chinese Restaurant
4524 Hastings St, Burnaby, BC V5C 2K4
(604) 294-8059
jadepalaceburnaby.com
