chinese – Page 3 – Elsie Hui

July 27, 2014July 27, 2014

Cochrane Palace Restaurant – Cochrane, Alberta

There’s something satisfying about small time Chinese/Western buffets which I know it as smorgs as we use to have a family restaurant in Medicine Hat. Now, as it’s not available to me, I find myself craving it, so we’re been driving around Alberta small towns looking for smorgs where we found one in Cochrane called Cochrane Palace near their downtown. Tons of parking and the space is large!

Once we were inside, we were seated for buffet and basically they release you to the buffet! There are tons of options at this buffet and their food was simple – which is how it’s suppose to be!

We had a few plates of food, tried their wonton soups and we left satisfied. The dim sum didn’t have a lot, but it’s something unique here as dim sum’s are not normally in Chinese/Western buffets!

We enjoyed the selection of food here as they offered some roast, some dim sum, and their fried foods was really well fried! I did find the food to be a little on the bland side, but a dallop of hot sauce can go a long way!

Cochrane Palace Restaurant
22 Westside Drive
Cochrane AB Canada
403-932-199

July 9, 2014July 9, 2014

Shanghai Classic Restaurant Ltd – Calgary, AB

While I was making some dumplings at home, I really wanted to eat some Chinese food for lunch. We did some searching and found Shanghai Classic Restaurant which we were confused as it’s name says it’s both Shanghai and Peking style Chinese food. It didn’t matter though, we still went in for food!

We went at an off lunch (late) time, and we were surprised with the amount of customers they had inside! It was very exciting that they were pretty much packed!

We sat down and ordered all the things I love. We started with Pan fried dumplings which was really nicely done. The flavours weren’t the best, but we have had worse! So, we were still really happy. The skin was a bit thick but the filling was really good.

Then, we had an order of Shanghai Noodles which has been one of my favourites for a long time, and I still liked it here. It was too greasy for my liking, but it was well flavoured and tasted good regardless. At the end, we just picked out the noodles, pork and mushrooms, and left the grease with everything else.

Finally, I like anything with condensed sweetened milk, and I ordered some Steamed Mantou with the condensed milk. My favourite is when we fry it, but it was a greasy enough meal. The bun was supposed to be a “silver thread bun”, but as you can see, it didn’t have too much “thread”, so I’m calling it a mantou. They were quite stingy on the condensed milk too, which was disappointing as that’s usually my highlight!

Overall, it was a decent meal. We enjoyed it, we were happy and full. However, it isn’t worth my trip there as it is at the other side of the city.

Shanghai Classic Restaurant Ltd

8282 Centre St N
Calgary, AB
(403) 295-1323

July 9, 2014

Vic’s Hong Kong Style BBQ & Cafe – Calgary, AB

I really enjoy simple Hong Kong style breakfasts and lunches and Vic’s Hong Kong Style BBQ & Cafe is in the old location of Happy Valley Restaurant, which is on the top floor of this building.

They have newly renovated the place so it looks simple, masculine and clean actually! It’s very comfortable and you still get the Hong Kong style ambiance.

This visit, we went quite late for breakfast and yet too early for lunch… so we just ordered whatever we felt like. I ordered one of my favorites which is with preserved vegetables (zha choy) with pork in rice vermicelli! I have always loved this dish and I ordered it – and loved it!

My husband ordered what he loves most – which was stuff from the BBQ, where he picked roasted duck with roasted pork belly over rice. It’s normally called a 2-item combo from here. The BBQ wasn’t the best but its’ always a delicious treat to have anything from the Chinese BBQ! Overall, he inahaled his dish as I inhaled my bowl. We loved it!

We have actually been back a few times since this place opened. The food is decent and the prices are really good. It’s a Chinese place, so we got the Chinese service! It was a good time!

Vic’s Hong Kong Style BBQ & Cafe

100D 3 Ave SE
Calgary, AB
(403) 237-7321

June 30, 2014

Billy’s Burger – Calgary, AB

We make it to the weirdest places sometimes and this time was Billy’s Burger which is located on Edmonton Trail, really near much besides commercial buildings.

We were here for breakfast and their breakfast food was pretty good! We had a group of us and I basically can’t remember who had what – but I know what I ordered was good! I had their Wor Wontons which came in a giant bowl of soup, and everything was really tasty!

Then, the guys either had Bacon and Eggs or Sausage and Eggs. I’m pretty sure it as my husband that had sausage and eggs as it’s usually “Meal A” in a lot of restaurants – and it’s what he likes.

Just because I can… here’s the bacon and eggs breakfast:

The last breakfast is definitely not your typical breakfast, but it was Fried Chicken! I should totally have gotten that as the chicken was beautifully fried and the fries were amazing!! Next time!

Overall, you can pretty much order anything under the sun from here and it’ll taste pretty good! The prices are great, the service is great, it’s just a neat little place!

Billy’s Burger

3927 Edmonton Trail NE
Calgary, AB
(403) 276-3930

November 2, 2013

E & W Family Restaurant – Three Hills, Alberta

For those who don’t actually know me… my name starts with an “E” and my husbands name starts with a “W”… so, when we drove by Three Hills and saw E&W Family Restaurant, we knew it was a place for us to try! This restaurant is located near the edge of the highway, and it’s family owned and ran by Chinese but of course caters to a more “Caucasian” crowd with “Chinese” food.

This restaurant had a dine-in menu as well as a buffet. We just figured we won’t be a pain and order from the menu as there was really good looking food sitting at the buffet – so we opt’ed for that option. The owners felt that they should make us some fresh food to top off the buffet, and they insisted to do so, which was really nice!

I enjoyed many servings and rounds of food. Even though I didn’t have pictures of everything, I know I started with an assortment of food that they did have out! A bit of each and I soon realized I fell in love with their Peppered Chicken, so I had more every time I went back! The owners made more as well, to fill the buffet… so I almost felt the need to finish it all! I failed at that challenge, but it was delicious anyway!

I then went back and forth for a bit, and found that I also really liked their Chow Mein so I had plates of that too! I love buffets as I eat tons of what I find that I like! The only problem here was that there was too much I liked… and it was a long drive home!

Overall, we went here with an empty stomach and left really really full! The owner was telling us about Dry Island Buffalo Jump which wasn’t too far from there, so that’s where we went next! What a neat stop here at Three Hills! I’m sure we’ll be back someday! The owner sold some pet fishes from his tank, and I already mentioned next time I go there, I’ll bring a pet fish home!

E & W Family Restaurant – Chinese Buffet

1011 2 St N
Three Hills, AB
(403) 443-2388