Anyone who’s flown on a major airline to Vancouver, British Columbia has been to Richmond, even if they don’t know it. It’s where the airport is. Many visitors hop on the sky train to Vancouver, only to return for their flight back home. That’s a shame, because Richmond is a worthwhile destination on its own, as we discovered on a recent family trip.
One of the biggest draws is the food, and personally I would never again go to Vancouver without stopping here for a meal or two or three…
65 percent of the city’s 196,000 people are of Asian descent with immigrants coming from Hong Kong, China, and Taiwan, and to a lesser extent Japan, Philippines and other parts of South Asia. That influence can be felt and tasted throughout the city, but nowhere more completely than at the Summer Night Market. Voted one of the top 10 night markets in the world by BBC travel, you can sample to your heart’s (or stomach’s) content. Stinky tofu, tripe, fresh and dried squid, pad thai, kabobs, Japanese waffles, corn on the cob, hurricane potatoes, deep fried Mars bars, dim sum, dragon’s beard cotton candy, fresh coconuts and chocolate-covered strawberries are just some of what’s on offer from the 400 food vendors. There’s also shopping and karaoke entertainment, but we couldn’t get past the food.
The market operates on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings from May to mid-September, but don’t worry if you miss it because there are plenty of other way to experience the food this city is famous for.
On our first visit to the highly-recommended Shanghai River Restaurant, there was a two-hour wait, which, for hungry kids was, too long. But we knew just from the aroma coming out of the kitchen and the buzz of contented diners that we had to come back. We returned before we left, this time with a reservation and were not disappointed. The kids loved watching the chefs make the homemade noodles in the open kitchen and enjoyed every slurpy bite. The restaurant specializes in Shanhainese food and is known for their dim sum, especially the pork soup dumplings.
And there are countless others in this Asian enclave, dubbed the Golden Village. If you unsure of where to go, just head to Alexandra Road (Lansdowne Station), which is known to the locals simply as ‘food street’. Here you can find traditional full-service Cantonese restaurants alongside all-you-can-eat buffets, izakayas (Japanese tapas pubs), hot pots, noodle houses and sushi. Jade Seafood, Cattle Café and Cattle Hot Pot Restaurant are some popular ones to try.
When we walked into the Arberdeen Centre, I thought for sure I was in Singapore or Hong Kong. This large, beautifully designed Asian mall has more than 100 stores selling everything from Lamborghinis and high-end fashion to Chinese herbs and Japanese teas. Daiso, the mall’s anchor, is a Japanese chain dollar store that sells almost everything on its two floors for $2. We found items we never knew we needed, for instance, face massagers (who knew?) and the kids loved spending their allowance on knick-knacks like rolling erasers and cartoon dishes. Now when shopping at a usual mall, you would have to refuel with mediocre food court fare, but not here. Its restaurants are some of the best in the city and include the upscale Fisherman‘s Terrace Seafood House, famous for its dim sum. Also lots of casual options like Teppan Kitchen, Aayama Café, Chef Hung and for dessert, it has to be Beard Papa with their addictive cream puffs made with all-natural ingredients.
Of course, there’s a lot more to do and see in Richmond, and by all means spend some time exploring the charming fishing village of Steveston, fly a kite at Gary Point Park, go on a whale-watching tour or ride your bike along the West Dyke Trail. But whatever you do, don’t get back on the plane without discovering some of the Asian cuisine here, because, unless you’re flying to Asia, you’d be hard-pressed to find the variety and quality that exists in Richmond.
Accommodation: Within walking distance of many of the city’s best Asian restaurants, the recently-renovated Sheraton Vancouver Airport Hotel is the ideal base to explore Richmond. They also offer complimentary 24-hour airport transportation to and from the Vancouver International Airport. www.sheratonvancouverairport.com
For more information on Richmond and its attractions, visit www.tourismrichmond.com