Best Chinese restaurants........
 

Has anyone seen 'The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food' by Jennifer 8. Lee? Some restaurant I've never heard of was nominated by her as the "greatest" outside China.

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/n...59c527&k=39729

id be more inclined to trust Pickles :)

Conde Nast Traveller has rated the Chinese food in Vancouver the "best in the world":

First, The Economist calls Vancouver the world's most livable city (2009 ranking) and now Conde Nast Traveler says in its February issue that the city has the best Chinese food in the world.

With apologies to Hong Kong, Beijing, Singapore, Taipei, San Francisco and other contenders, Vancouver humbly accepts the honour.

Tracked down in Toronto, Conde Nast Traveler writer Mark Schatzker says: "I would say I've eaten Chinese food all over North America and in China and the best I've eaten in the world was in Vancouver. Hands down. From the point of view of Conde Nast Traveler, that's unquestionably so....
http://www.chbcnews.ca/entertainment...368/story.html

To be fair, the best Cantonese Chinese food is probably found in Vancouver. I would agree. Toronto, Hong Kong, LA area, and SF are behind Vancouver .

So in regards to Chinese food that represents most of the rest of China, how is Vancouver?

(emphasis mine)

Not sure if Mr. Schatzker would have drawn the same conclusion if he had visited enough of Taiwan. And I am not alone on this (see what others said in another forum). You know, even Japanese appraise how good Japanese food/restaurants are in Taiwan. ;)

It's well-known Cantonese is the dominant influx of Hong Kong/Chinese immigrants in Vancouver during the last 15 years or so. Because of that, I probably won't argue there is top Cantonese Chinese food in Vancouver.

Regional Chinese cuisines really depends on what one is used to. I can't say I care for Taiwanese food in the very limited exposure I've had to it. I wonder if Taiwanese food is more familiar to the Japanese palate due to Japanese colonial history there.

Taiwanese food in itself is an interesting and broad topic to discuss.

Not to derail our main thread here, there are more than just Taiwanese food in Taiwan. One can always find authentic and decent Cantonese, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, and even Russian cuisines in Taiwan, more specifically, Taipei.

Can't tell if Mr. Mr. Schatzker has enough exposure of Chinese food in Taiwan. That's why I raise the question/challenge. :)

While that was true up to 2000 or so, now immigrants from Mainland China make up the bulk of Chinese immigration to Vancouver.

In my experience, the best Cantonese cuisine is found in Canton and, specifically, Guangzhou.

Personally, I liked the Superstar and Hei Chin Rou chains in HK.

While the dim sum in Vancouver is good, HK is more creative in their offerings.

I will have to check it out! I was in Vancouver many years ago, and I do remember that the Chinese food was pretty amazing. Coming from SF, that was saying a lot. I do remember that the Chinese food in Vancouver was better than that of SF.

Not sure about Vancouver, but I have noticed DS in Toronto and HK (well maybe 905-belt exc LWH) is much more upscale than when I was a kid. The menu and variety has leaped. More inventive, higher quality ingredients.
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Its been about 3 yrs since I had Chinese in Vancouver, but I would prob rank it like this Vancouver>=HK=Toronto>>SF>LA>NYC. Beijing and Shanghai would be =HK/Toronto (sorta same same but different - though I have never been to Taiwan :D )

How could you even mention Los Angeles? I have never found great Chinese food in Los Angeles. I have had amazing Chinese food in Vancouver, not so in San Francisco. I love Chinese Food in Hong Kong. I don't care where it is. I just love it, particularly, if I am watching the Star Ferry cross the harbour.

This thread reminds me of chinese dim sum, dumplings, siomai, lumpia shanghai and wanton... hmmmm I'm hungry :D

regarding Cantonese food in particular (which I infer Conde Nast's article is really talking about):

I said San Francisco, but truthfully the better places are located five to 20 miles south of San Francisco proper. Daly City through Millbrae. Within San Francisco there are some gems like R&G Lounge along with niche, artisanal, hole-in-the-wall places that most people will never hear about.

I said "LA area". Monterey Park, and San Gabriel Valley environs. Personally, I would put LA behind Toronto and SF Bay Area.

There are huge debates over which cities have the best Cantonese Chinese food on chowhound.com. My foodie posts here are more general in case peoples' eyes glaze over on this (mostly flying-related) board.