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Saino Restaurant, Dine Out 2024

Today we were at the new Saino, an Indian, Hakka, Chinese, and Nepalese Restaurant. They just opened 2-3 months ago and I was intrigued by the combination of all these cuisine types, and I have never heard for such a thing.

The restaurant is fairly spacious, we were led to the back where it felt like a vista with wooden benches and a lowered table. We enjoyed the relaxed sitting for this casual meal.

They have cleverly signed up to participate in Dine Out Vancouver 2025, to gain a good amount of attention from all those scrolling through all the participating restaurants and being on the the lower end of the set menu prices.

Their Dine Out menu is $24.95 for 3 course with choices between appetizer, entree, and dessert. We would try all the options to help you decide on the ones to get.

For appetizers it was either the vegetarian Corn Cheese Ball or their chicken bites. The former is three rounds held in place by a dollop of sauce. I was expecting a cheesy centre with bits of whole corn under a crispy shell, instead this was more like a breaded and fried mashed potato ball with bits of minced carrot and peas intermingled within. Flavourful as is, the sauce adds a tangy mayo note with a back of the throat burn to finish.

The Creamy Afgani Chicken Bites was chicken so tender, smothered in a thick cream sauce that easily adhered to each fatty nugget. The sauce was similar to the above, but with more herbaceousness and increased heat from chilli flakes. This would be our favourite dish of this set, I just wanted a starch to enjoy with this; although the strings of carrot that served as garnish would suffice.

For entrees it was either a vegetable curry or a unique fried rice/noodle combo. There was also the option to try Nepalese’s most famous traditional dish for $1.95 more.

The Aalu Bodi Tama is a black eyed peas, potato, and baby bamboo shoots curry served with basmati rice and a house salad. The salad was more like julienned vegetables and they did well to add some sweetness to the plate. The curry was familiar with a sweet coconut milk finish. I liked the addition of the bamboo shoots that offered a terrific fibrous chew that well contrasted the perfectly prepared white rice.

In contrast the 9 Bean Chicken Curry was 9 kinds of sprouted beans and shredded chicken served with basmati rice with house salad. This one ate thick like a stew, peppery and meaty like chilli, but without all the zesty spice. Hearty and fiberous the rice for a base felt a little much here.

Our pick is the Triple Schezwan Fried Rice. Available in either a vegetable or chicken with rice, Hakka noodles, and fried noodles served with Manchurian gravy. I didn’t know what to make of it, never having had a dish where noodles and rice were combined, other than accidentally intermingling on a buffet plate. It all tasted homogenous with a similar thin and fried crispy texture from extended time in a hot wok. It reminded us of chow mein done up street style, punchy with plenty of soy. Salty and spicy it was a little much without a fresh side to break bites apart. The Manchurian gravy was also soy sauce heavy, a play on sweet and sour and included chunks of fatty pork. It seemed out of place on the plate and only added saltiness that the serving did not need. The vegetable version probably would have been a better balance.

The desserts gave us the freshness we were looking for. The Royal Rose Faluda was a strawberry purée, like a iced slush, but thicker with bits mixed in like sprinkles. Cedar, milk, and most unique was the vermicelli. This was a texture you went back for, trying to figure it out, but then it grows on you.

Our favourite was the Mango Mousse, a familar dessert that combines lush mango pudding with creamy vanilla ice cream. Together it reminded us of a light mango lassi, but more solid. In truth we liked combining the two desserts together for a refreshing yet creamy middle ground.

For those interested, guests can also add on a wine pairing to the meal above. The restaurant recommends the Sandhill Merlot at $10.99 for 6oz or Sumac Ridge’s Gewürztraminer for $9.99. We had their chai instead.

This Dine Out menu is a great way to try this new restaurant at an affordable price. Given the combined cuisines this is not something you would encounter normally, and is worth exploring.

Saino Restaurant
622 W Pender St, Vancouver, BC V6G 253
(604) 568-6228
sainorestaurant.com

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