A Premier Dining Experience at Kirin Restaurant, Richmond

A friend who was visiting from Germany wanted an authentic Chinese dining experience.  I knew one of the best places to experience this would be in Richmond where there are dozens of excellent restaurants serving Cantonese or Mandarin food.  Three of us decided to go to Kirin’s Seafood Restaurant located on the second floor at 3 West Center just adjacent to the Richmond Center Mall right in the heart of Richmond’s vibrant Chinese community, known as the ‘Golden Village’.

Kirin’s apparently has excellent dim sum and is very popular, so reservations are recommended for noon-time. We opted to make dinner reservations.  The restaurant is one of those vast Chinese eating halls with elegant decor, crystal chandeliers and round tables set with white linen and candles.  There was a warm ambiance and we really got the feeling of being in an ‘authentic’ Chinese establishment as there were not many westerners there besides ourselves.

Kirin’s extensive menus are prepared by chefs accomplished in Chinese culinary arts.  It was hard to choose from the many  exotic Cantonese dishes offered such a live lobster and crab, baked barbecued pork, Peking duck. We found the extensive main menu a bit daunting and finally decided on the Shared Dinner for Three ($30 each).

The service was prompt and professional,  the servers dressed in black suits or slacks and white blouses. Each dish was presented with a flourish, the plates decorated with rose-bud carrots and other fancy garnishes.  The menu consisted of starters like cold Pang Pang chicken and spring rolls, followed by very hot and spicy soup which tended to mask the succulent flavours of the dishes to follow.  The honey and ginger beef was absolutely delicious as was the King Pao chicken and sautéed prawns.  The ‘Buddhist Feast’ was a dish of stir-fried vegetables.  All this accompanied by a side dish of Yang Chew fried rice.  This exotic gastronomic experience was topped-off with a Chinese dessert:  a kind of tapioca ‘soup’, sweet and creamy, although we agreed it would have been more appealing served as a custard.

Kirin’s is an expensive dining experience, but for something really different, especially as a treat for your out-of-town guests, it’s worth it.  Kirin’s has three other locations in Vancouver’s Lower Mainland. Their first location was established in 1987 and the popular five star restaurant has a dedicated following of diners both Asian and western.

For a sample of Kirin’s exotic menu look at their cuisine gallery.

Kirin Seafood Restaurant – 7900 Westminster Highway, Richmond BC (map).  Note:  the restaurant entrance is around the corner across from the Richmond Center Mall, on the second floor of 3 West Center.

Hours:  Monday to Sunday 10 am – 2:30 pm for lunch;  5 pm to 10:30 pm for dinner.

How to Get There by public transit:  Canada Line to Brighouse Station (a short walk from there).

Photo by: W. Ruth Kozak