In this post we were on stop number two of our mini Chinatown food tour. We were visiting a couple of the restaurants participating in this weekend’s festivities celebrating the reopening of the Chinatown Storytelling Centre; and their newest exhibit featuring the prizes photography of Fred Herzog.
Along with discounted admission tickets and 10% off in the gift shop, ticket holders will also receive savings from select neighbouring restaurants within walking distance of the centre. Pizza Coming Soon is one of them, offering 10% off your final bill from April 11-13th, with show of you Chinatown Storytelling Centre ticket.
Pizza Coming Soon is known for their lively and funky bar vibe. A local hot spot for solid drinks and late night eats. The decor is a rainbow of colours and patterns. Citrusy furnishing, retro collectables, and whimsical cartoon prints. I especially like their pastel lacquer chopsticks.
Our table gave us the perfect view of Chinatown Storytelling Centre and the projection of Herzog photography, visible once the sun sets.
We started with a couple of their martinis. My guest ordered the Lychee Martini with Bombay Sapphire Gin, Martini Ambrato Vermouth, Zippy Zappy Lychee Cordial. I had the Umami Martini which gave me all the umami flavour I was hoping for with Vodka or Gin, Sake, House Umami Brine, and Good Olives. This was a wonderfully savoury martini and a great twist on the classic olive combo.
For food we ordered a few share plates that drew our attention. An assortment of Asian inspired dishes given unexpected fusion twists. However, I couldn’t help but get caught up in how the original would have tasted.
The Jerk Pork Dumplings were filled with Baby Dhal Jerk Sauce, Cabbage, and Green Onions. I liked the dumpling wrapper that was on the firmer side, but found it inconsequential considering how overwhelmingly punchy the jerk flavoured filling was. I found that there was not enough of the wrapper to act as a base to help buffer out some of that bold flavour. I thought the filling better suited to a rice bowl. As is I found myself taking in gulps of water to temper.
The Big Mac Bao was an interesting concept on paper. What I assumes would be Beef, Cheese, “Mac” Sauce within a white dough steamed bun was actually a beef steamed bun sitting on a bed of “Mac” sauce dredged lettuce.
You either took a bite and spoonful consecutively, ourtopped your bun bite with the soggy lettuce. Although not that appetizing on the plate, it was as promised. The iconic flavour of a the familar burger, but with the soft sponginess of a steamed bun.
I was not a fan of their fusion Sweet & Sour Pork with Marinated Pork, Onions, Peppers, Sesame Oil, and Black Vinegar. It was nothing like what I know Chinese style sweet and sour pork to be. Not fatty, not chewy, not sweet or sour. This verison reminded me more of a fajita with tough and salty slices of stringy beef. This too could have benefited with a base and a rebranding.
I did find the Miso Tomato Gnocchi a complimentary pairing. The sweeteness of the tomato and the saltiness of the miso contrasted one another well. An usual take that made you go back for more to wrap your head around it. It is a shame that the texture was a little off, the gnocchi was hard, where as a gummier chew like mochi would have paired well with the thicker sauce. House-Made Gnocchi, Pickled Shimeji Mushrooms, Tomato Brown Butter Miso Sauce, and Furikake. The portion size was also a little small for the $18 price point.
Overall, I like their concept and appreciate what they are trying to do, however it feels like the dishes are not fusion enough to be given its own category and I couldn’t help but to compare each to the original dishes and therefore they all fell short. This felt like Asian flavour profiles re-created by non-Asian chefs for the consumption of a more main stream clientele. Also, despite their name and the number of years in business, there has been no pizza.
Pizza Coming Soon
179 E Pender St, Vancouver, BC V6A 1T6
(604) 558-4900
pizzacomingsoon.com
