Kirin: a Mandarin Seafood Restaurant

I arrived at my hotel in the early afternoon after the ferry ride from Vancouver Island.  I selected this hotel in Richmond, which is a Vancouver suburb, because it was close to the airport and I had an early flight home the next morning.  I'd already turned in my car at the airport and taken the shuttle to the hotel so I needed a close-by place to eat.  I asked the concierge for a good Chinese restaurant within walking distance.  As it happens, the Chinese who fled Hong Kong before the communist takeover settled in this area.  I was hoping for a good, authentic Chinese meal.  At first she gave me the name of a place that she said most people liked.  I asked her what she liked (she was Chinese).  She volunteered that she really like Kirin.  I got direction and went to my room to change.

I left the hotel and headed east down the town's main street.  A block or so down the street I see the Kirin sign across this busy boulevard and above a pair of glass doors on the side of a highrise parking garage.  I am dubious.  I weaved my way through traffic (there are no traffic lights or crosswalks nearby) and up to the doors.  There is no signage except for what I saw from across the street and no menu to peruse.  I enter the parking garage and begin the climb up three flights of concrete stairs, following small arrows marked "Kirin".  I'm thinking, what kind of Chinese restaurant is going to be named after a Japanese beer?  And in a parking garage?  As I get to the third floor landing I come to a pair of large beautiful wooden doors.  I feel better.  I open the door and enter into a different world.

I stand for a moment in a lush waiting area with dark red velvet walls and rich dark wood accents.  The hostess, who was talking on the phone, gave me the sign to please wait.  She was involved in an intense conversation  that held enough English words for me to tell that she was explaining the menu to someone on the other end.  I waited.  After a reasonable amount of time she ended her conversation, grabbed a menu and whisked me through an equally elegant ante room and into a large hall.  The hall was filled with linen covered tables of many sizes.  In the center were tables for large groups and they were surrounded by smaller four person tables.  There must've been 40 tables and I was the only diner.  I was seated at a table at the back of the room overlooking the street.  A well-dressed older lady came over and asked if I'd like tea.  She brought me jasmine tea and I began to look at the menu.  She hesitated for a moment after serving the tea and I asked if I could have some time with the menu.  She smiled.  Also, I said that I would like a leisurely dinner and that, if it was permissible, I would order one course at a time.  She smiled and walked away.

I decided on my first course and began to sip my tea.  I'd brought along a book and I began to read.  Shortly after I began to read she returned.  By this time the dining hall began to fill.  It was very enjoyable to watch and listen.  I couldn't understand a word but the melodic sounds were engaging.  Anyhow, it's time for the eating to begin.  The first course was steamed fresh scallops dressed with black bean sauce (the scallops were so succulent and buttery, the sauce so light...I ate them very deliberately,savoring each bite).  When I had finished this course I picked up the menu and selected the next.  When I had chosen I once again picked up my book.  Yes, she arrived shortly with a smile.  Her English was not so good but we had established communication.  Because I liked the black bean sauce I selected a steamed Rock Cod with spicy black bean sauce.  A short time after I ordered a young girl brought over a live Rock Cod, which had been taken from their tank.  She showed me the fish and simply said, "Two Pounds."  I nodded "OK" and she walked away.  After what seemed like a long time the serving was delivered.  It was well worth the wait.  The fish was so perfectly done and the sauce was so perfect for the fish.  I took a very long time to totally enjoy each morsel.

Was I satiated? Not quite.  I again picked up the menu.  Maybe a small bowl of fish maw consomme.  I set the menu down, picked up my book, and, again she arrived smiling.  I ordered and consumed the soup in short order.  The broth was rich, the dumplings were tender and the ham was very tasty.  It was perfect for this stage of my meal.  What next?  I didn't hesitate.  This time I caught her eye and she came to my table, I think to ask if I was finished.  When I asked for Peking Duck she looked surprised and said that it had two courses.  I indicted, fine.  She smiled and scurried away.  Some time later, who knows how long (I was having too much fun watching and listening to the other customers), the first duck course arrived.

The first duck course was the skin which had been fried and cut into small pieces.  Along with the skin were pieces of green garden onions, sweet buns and a thicker, stronger black bean sauce.  So, I placed some black bean sauce on a bun and rolled a piece of duck skin and a piece of green garden onion into the bun.  Each bite had the crunchy tang of the onion, the sweetness of the duck skin and the almost chocolate taste of the sauce.  There were lots of bites and each was delicious.  Now I was getting full.  I'm just about finished with this portion when they brought a large platter of duck meat when had been combined with many other ingredients to make what looked like a mound of sweet corned beef hash.  Along with this course was a plate of large, crispy green lettuce leaves.  I did the best I could.  I rolled the duck hash (for lack of a better term) into the lettuce leaves.  I was full but the crunch of the fresh lettuce and the sweetness of the duck was so wonderful that I actually ate most of what they served.

Finally, I pushed back.  My tea was gone so I just picked up my book and waited for my angel to arrive.  It didn't take long for my check to arrive, I paid and wandered out through the mass of tables.  I tried to focus on the music of the language as I walked away but I was too full.  Yes, I was too full but I was, oh, so satisfied.  I can't wait to one day soon return to this lovely place.  But, alas, now it's off to home and Pua.

Yes, I'll spend time with the main woman in my life for a few weeks and then it's off to France and England.  What culinary adventures will they hold?  I'll let you know.