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I rarely stray from No. 3 Road in Richmond, unless I’m feeling like having a Spaghetti Factory and bowling night at the Zone (WHICH IS CLOSED NOW BTW, SAD FACE). Thankfully for Chopsticks Fest, I get to explore, broaden my horizons and discover new mountains of food. The next stop I visited with the Chopsticks Fest crew was Imperial City Bistro near by No. 1 Road, within the Terra Nova Village.

Starting with the cold appies, there were Smoked Fish and Shredded Cabbage with Jelly Fish. These were okay, but I prefer to start off my meal with hot food, just to warm up my stomach.

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Cabbage was a common theme with this dinner. The Sautéed Sliced Pork with Garlic, Pepper and Cabbage was simply seasoned and a mish-mash of soft and crunchy textures.

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The Beef Tenderloin in Black Pepper Sauce was one of my favourite dishes of the night. One, I love the pepperiness. Two, the beef was actually tender. And I really mean true tender, not the fake tender created by drowning the meat in a quicksand pool of cornstarch.

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Of all the Chinese veggies, Dao Miu is among the top of my list. Served in a light broth, the Salted Vegetable with Sliced Tofu made me feel good that I was getting some veggies in for the night.

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Ah ha, cabbage, we meet again. This was just a simple Pan Fried Cabbage.

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Usually I’m quite iffy about Peking Duck, but I enjoyed the one at Imperial City because it wasn’t all skin – there was actually meat! GASP. I think including the meat provides a lot more flavourful and mouthfeel than just skin.

Initially, we thought that we had to shove as many pieces of duck into one wrap as possible since there were only a few wraps… but the waitress told us afterwards that we could refill them. They only sent a few in the beginning to avoid having a bunch dry out as they sit.

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So what happened to the rest of the duck? Well, it was finely chopped up and deliciously stirred fried with onions, celery and garlic. For those who haven’t had a part II of Peking Duck, it’s a similar process to part I where you’re supposed to make a wrap, except with a leaf of lettuce this time. I really liked this combination as the crisp, clean lettuce flavour contrasted the heavy seasoning of the duck.

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I was so excited when this landed on the table. Deep Fried Rock Cod with Sweet and Sour Sauce. Just give me a bowl of white rice and I could just have this all night. The crispy exterior enveloping the moist meat, slathered with a sweet tangy sauce. Oh yes.

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We finished off the dinner with Sticky Rice Roll Stuff with Sesame. The presentation made me pause for a bit. To elaborate, I’m not used to having uneven piles of white sugar on my dessert. I’m also not used to have a foundation of sugar underneath my dessert (the white plate hid it well). After scraping off all the excess sugar, the dessert wasn’t too sweet actually. I would’ve preferred something lighter than rice though… maybe a pudding?

Overall, I think the hot proteins were done quite well. The veggies were simple, and that’s not a bad thing.

To learn more about Chopstick Fest that’s starting October 15th, check out www.chopstickfest.com. Think Dine Out Vancouver, but showcasing Chinese cuisine.

Disclaimer: my meal was complementary, but all opinions are my own.


Imperial City Bistro Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Terra Nova Village, 140-3671 Westminster Hwy, Richmond, BC

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