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Nov. 18, 2005
Richmond variety
Dozens of ideas for respite from the cold.
BAILA LAZARUS
On chilly days, looking for more than the new Team Canada mukluks
to keep you warm, you need head no further south than Richmond for
a variety of "get in from the cold" solutions.
Perhaps start with a morning snack of steamed buns at Shanghai River
Restaurant. While most Chinese kitchens in the Lower Mainland serve
up Cantonese food, as the name implies, the Shanghai River offers
delicacies from the northern regions of China. The difference comes
in the use of primary staples – flour versus rice. In the southern
provinces, climate and soil allow for a more generous rice harvest,
so most of the cooking will use rice as a base. Not so in Shanghai.
Dumplings, for example, that would normally look somewhat translucent
as served in most in North American Chinese restaurants are made
with flour in Shanghai and so they lose that quality.
As well, northern Chinese cuisine tends to use more spices when
flavoring food and, in the Shanghai River Restaurant in particular,
they do not dull down the food to suit North American tastes. They
keep the preparation as authentic as possible, drawing on the influence
of the numerous cultures that inhabit China's largest Pacific port
city. What you end up with is a surprisingly varied selection of
Chinese food that steers away from the standard chow mein fare in
favor of tastier, if somewhat heavier plates. Try the cabbage with
bechamel, bean curd with celery or the pan-fried noodles with vegetables.
As an added treat, they keep the dumpling-making area behind glass
but open to view for the guests, so you can watch the chef stretch
noodles by hand in traditional Chinese style. As a testament to
this eatery's popularity, 84 underground parking stalls are reserved
for patrons.
Shanghai River Restaurant is located at 110, 7831 Westminster Hwy.
at No. 3 Road.
For a way to work off those dumplings,
walk down Westminster to Minoru and head over to the Richmond Cultural
Centre for one of the more unique art shows in the city.
Celebrating its 25th anniversary, the Richmond Art Gallery is hosting
the show 25 Years • 25 Artists until Nov. 23. The gallery has
collected works from artists such as Wayne Ngan, whose international
reputation brings ceramic-lovers to his studio on Hornby Island,
and George Littlechild, who has done collaborative works with Jewish
community member Linda Frimer celebrating family and history. Each
artist is represented by an older and a more contemporary piece
of their artwork, so viewers can see how the artists have developed
and redirected their talents over the years.
The Richmond Art Gallery is located in the Richmond Cultural Centre
in Minoru Park at 7700 Minoru Gate. Hours are Monday to Friday,
10 a.m.-6 p.m., and weekends 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Call 604-231-6454 for
more information.
Heading out of the gallery, poke your
head into the craft shop, where you'll find a superb collection
of functional art pottery, all by local artists. Then go for a relaxing
walk in beautiful Minoru Park and take pictures by the duck pond.
This will undoubtedly stimulate an appetite for seafood, so your
next stop should be the Steveston Seafood House at 3951 Moncton.
The restaurant has been around for decades and though it has recently
changed hands, the chef has not moved and brings 17 years of experience
to her job.
House specialties, which range from $18.95 to $25.95, include wild
Pacific salmon with a maple syrup glaze and seared tuna: pepper
crusted and seared rare, served with a tequila, lime and mango salsa
and wasabi whipped potatoes.
To make reservations, call 604- 271-5252.
After dinner, pay a visit to the Gateway
Theatre, 6500 Gilbert Rd., just across from the little chapel in
Minoru Park. There you can find the mythical Scottish village of
Brigadoon come to life. It becomes visible once every 100 years
and will stay preserved forever, unless any of its inhabitants leaves.
Of course, one falls in love with an outsider, wants to leave and
has to sing about it.
Sherry Elasoff, manager of marketing and publicity, confirms that
both Frederick Loewe, who wrote the music, and Alan Jay Lerner,
who did the book and lyrics, were Jewish.
Brigadoon plays from Dec. 8 to Jan. 1, Thursday to Saturday,
8 p.m., with matinées on certain Saturdays, Sundays and Tuesdays.
Tickets are $29-$36 at the Gateway Theatre box office, 604-270-1812.
Upcoming highlights in the 2006 season include Shakespeare's
Will by Vern Thiessen, on the life of Anne Hathaway, Feb. 2-18,
and The Adventures of Ali and Ali and the Axes of Evil, March
2-11, by Marcus Youssef, Guillermo Verdecchia and Jewish writer
and actor Camyar Chai. This politically incorrect comedy follows
two refugees who try to seduce the audience with food, security
and material goods, while commenting on the war in Iraq and a certain
American president.
The Gateway Theatre also has year-round acting classes for pre-teens
and teens, and has just launched a musical theatre program for adults.
Call 604-247-4975 or visit www.gatewaytheatre.com
for more information.
For the perfect end to the evening,
head to Also Restaurant at 4200 No. 3 Road, for the most exquisite
cheesecake this side of Montreal. (Yes, I know what I'm saying.)
Chef Philip Chou lightly burns a caramelized top on this little
piece of heaven, a masterpiece among many on his Asian fusion menu.
Hailing from Hong Kong and working during the day as a real estate
agent, Chou allows his creativity free rein in this beautiful lounge/restaurant.
Looking like something that would sit better in Yaletown or on Robson
Street, Also has an elegant atmosphere with live music four nights
a week to complement the dining experience. And if a nightcap is
on the agenda, try the Also Delight: lychee nut, lychee sorbet,
gin and lime. That's sure to take the chill out of any West Coast
winter. For reservations, call 604-303-9216.
Baila Lazarus is a freelance writer, photographer and
illustrator living in Vancouver. Her work can be seen at www.orchiddesigns.net.
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