MIA STAINSBY
Sun
Tricia Yu ( left) Brent Douglas and Helen Park enjoy their meal at Bao Bei Chinese Brasserie. A family photo hangs in background. STUART DAVIS/ PNG
Manitou, steamed buns with braised beef short rib, and manila clams, Vietnamese style.
I’m tempted to call Bao Bei Chinese Brasserie the Pied Piper of Chinatown, leading a flock of hipsters into Chinatown but I’ve learned this fairy tale figure is based on a sinister Medieval figure associated with missing children, so I won’t.
But Bao Bei is, sure enough, rekindling a new kind of nightlife in this vintage neighbourhood that’s been trumped by Richmond as epicentre of Chinese food. Good Chinese food is scattered throughout the Metro area now.
Calling Bao Bei a brasserie allows the kitchen wiggle room from traditional Chinese food; the owner, a chic 33-year-old, last tended bar at the Chambar.
With considerable sang-froid, Tannis Ling hatched the idea for Bao Bei when others were paralysed by recessionary heebiejeebies.
“ Everyone was freaked out but I thought it was a good opportunity to open a good restaurant,” says Ling. “ Chinatown was kind of due for this kind of thing.”
As you approach the restaurant, a retro neon sign pays homage to the historical Chinatown. I love the whimsical modern interpretation of a Chinese restaurant and a couple of upbeat servers warm you right up. ( One is Paul Grunberg, who was floor manager at Market at Shangri-La Hotel and worked with Ling at Chambar.) Inside, a granny collection of silver-plated trays winks at you from an entrance wall; a parade of kitchen knives, painted ghostly white, marches down the length of one wall. A blow-up black-and-white photograph hangs at the back of the room: it’s Ling’s dad in a high school band in Hong Kong playing at some country dance.
“ Dad had mixed feelings about it but in the end, he’s quite flattered. When he brings friends, the first thing he says is ‘ Go to the back. Go to the back,’ ” Ling says.
Joel Watanabe heads the kitchen. He’s cooked at Bin 942, Araxi and was the first chef at La Brasserie.
One might wonder about his expertise in cooking Chinese. Well, he hasn’t mastered all aspects but the thought of some of his tweaked Chinese dishes do make my mouth water.
Traditionalists might balk at the tapas-sized portions and compare them with the large family-style servings of most Chinese restaurants. This isn’t for you if that’s what you’re looking for. But the majority of dishes at Bao Bei are less than $ 10.
I’m glad I made a couple of visits because I wasn’t blown away by the food on the first. I hit the best dishes on the second round: those are the sesame flatbread with braised pork butt, Asian pear, pickled onions and mustard green ( shao bing). So-o good. Another is a riff on bath mi ( Vietnamese sub) that Ling had at a street stall in Vietnam . The Chinese sausage( made specially for Bao Bei), omelette, carrot, daikon, cucumber and ginger garlic mayo met in most delightful way, la Vietnamese Egg McMuffin. ( Bath mi trung.)
“ Crispy fishies,” a snack of dried tiny, whole anchovies with peanuts isn’t typically Western but common snack food in Asian communities. “ I’m trying to start a trend; I’m urging people to keep ordering it,” she says, pushing the dish on hesitant diners. “ I’m going to keep goin’ at it until it becomes trendy.” My partner and I ate every speck of it. We’re converts.
Steamed buns with braised shortribs, hoisin, scallions, pickled cucumber and roasted peanuts ( mantou) are like soft, filled tacos. Very good.
Watanabe isn’t strong on skills that take time to acquire, such as making Chinese dumplings. His steamed prawn and chive dumplings fell apart at a touch; and fish balls in a fish noodle soup were too dense and heavy.
Spice-marinated tea eggs are as exciting as boiled eggs. The squid, with pork belly, chili, and bok choy, were tender but too oily for me.
For dessert, the fried banana has a light, crispy batter, not oily as many I’ve come across.
For now, Ling oversees the bar program, something she sought to escape in opening her own place. “ I’ll train someone to take it over,” she says.
She incorporates herbs from an apothecary shop into some of her drinks. “ It’s stuff my mom gave us as kids. We’re spinning them into classic cocktails with a twist.” Dried plum water is one such ingredient.
“ I didn’t want to go ‘ mixology crazy.’ I did that for 10 years. Been there, done that. I want to stay simple and accessible.” ( See my blog vancouversun. com/ miastainsby for her Kai Yeun Sour, named after an aunt.)
Bao Bei has added pizzazz to Chinatown. Opening soon, just down the street, the Keefer Bar, will be adding to the energy.
AT a glance
Bao Bei
163 Keefer St., 604-688-0876.
Open Tuesday to Saturday, 5: 30 p. m. to midnight.
www. bao-bei. ca.
Overall: ***1/2
Food: ***1/2
Ambience: ***1/2
Service: ***1/2
Price: $/$$
