Steveston restaurant opened to serve Malaysian tastes
Alfie Lau
Sun
Sandy Chong, owner of Kari House, with a Malay satay dish. Photograph by : Glenn Baglo, Vancouver Sun
Having never been to Malaysia and only sampled its cuisine once in my life, I had few expectations when one of my closest friends and his wife told me about the Kari House Restaurant in Steveston.
“Think Thai food that’s just a bit less spicy,” friends said, encouragingly.
And that’s exactly what Sandy Chong, who opened the cosy diner in May 2004, was trying to accomplish.
“We live in the neighbourhood and there was no Malaysian food anywhere,” said the Chinese-Malaysian Chong. “What you’ll find here is food that doesn’t burn your tongue. What we’re doing is spicy with a little bit of sweetness.”
On a frightful late autumn night, we arrived at the Kari House, eager for some warming spices.
For appetizers, we went with the marinated Malaysian chicken satay, the deep-fried wonton and a large serving of hot and sour soup.
“The soup is one of my favourite dishes here,” my friend’s wife said. “You’ll love it.”
When the tofu, egg and bamboo shoot-laden soup came, we couldn’t agree with her more. The spicy kick provided just enough oomph to keep us warm while not filling us up unnecessarily.
The chicken satay, dipped in a peanut sauce, was also delectable. I also couldn’t get enough of the wonton, which came out surprisingly free of oil — hard to accomplish with any deep-fried dish. Chong said the satay is also one of her favourite dishes, as her father’s special satay recipe is a secret she’s unwilling to give up.
My friend spent many minutes perusing the menu of 70 dishes but he always kept coming back to number 17: the boneless chicken with cashew nuts and chili sauce.
“You really should try something different,” his wife chided him gently, as she went with the Malaysian beef and vegetables stir-fried in a sambal sauce.
I was sorely tempted to try one of the restaurant’s seafood dishes until I saw the specials menu, which included barbecue duck served with asparagus, pineapple, eggplant and coconut milk. Decision made.
When our mains came, the ample portion sizes had us doubting we could finish everything. But like the tortoise, slow and steady wins the race.
We had the coconut-steamed rice to go with our meals and while the chicken and beef dishes were noticeably spicier than my duck, we didn’t have to ask for cold water.
With the chicken cooked just right to keep its tender texture, I could see why my friend always orders this dish. The sambal sauce is a sensational blend of sweet and spicy.
As for my duck, I didn’t know what to expect because duck, with its oily constituency, is often hard to cook. Add in the fact that ducks are bonier than chicken and it’s a tough dish for both the chef and the diner.
No such problem at the Kari House; the duck was sinfully good, the oils working well with the eggplant and asparagus. The pineapples offered just enough respite from the mild spiciness and the coconut milk gave it a most refreshing aroma.
Chong said they have a lot of repeat business, with many ordering the same dishes each time. But that hasn’t stopped her from experimenting with some new sauces, such as an assam kuah curry, which is done without coconut milk. She has also created a baba curry, which is hotter for those who want a definitive spicy kick.
Perhaps the best thing about our meal at the Kari House was we finished everything but didn’t feel uncomfortably stuffed. We decided to order dessert: The two guys in our party ordered mango ice cream, while our female counterparts went with green tea flavour.
The desserts came quickly and was nicely topped off with a dollop of whipped cream. The Kari House servers were attentive without being overbearing, always seeming to notice when a dish was done and could be cleared from the table.
Now that I know what Malaysian cuisine is all about, I’m pretty sure I’ll be back for more very soon.
Alfie Lau is a freelance writer.
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THE KARI HOUSE
130 – 3900 Bayview St., Steveston, 604-275-5274, www.karihouse.com.
Open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for lunch and 5 to 9 p.m. for dinner.
© The Vancouver Sun 2007
