It’s no secret that Richmond is renowned for its cuisine, and one particular food court draws in visitors for its wide variety of options.
With more than 20 stalls offering delicacies from across Asia and even honing in on the regional specialities within China, the Aberdeen Centre Food Court is quite the smorgasbord.
“When we have visitors to the mall they tell me they want to try the food court,” said Joey Kwan, director of promotion and public relations at Aberdeen Centre. “There are so many different options for them to try.”
While each stall offers unique dishes and plenty of options, here are seven places to help launch a food quest within the court.
1. 8 Juice
Long lines are typically a good sign for a dining establishment and, according to Kwan, 8 Juice tends to have the longest lines. The stall offers freshly squeezed fruit juice and signature drinks, some with add-ons like coconut jelly or tapioca pearls. Give their “house special” a try for a tropical, mango, coconut treat.
2. Saboten
Saboten is truly unique in Richmond. Even though the Japanese restaurant has hundreds outlets throughout Japan, this is the only location in Canada. Saboten, founded in 1996, specializes in pork cutlets. They’re tender and moist and come in large plates or in a small, snack sandwich.
3. Wu Fung Dessert
In spite of its name, Wu Fung Dessert isn’t well-known for its sweets. Instead, the stall is famous for its deep-fried chicken wings, with their unique (and secret) blend of spices.
The stall draws its own long lines and its menu also offers “build-your-own” noodle bowls.
4. Lung Kee Congee & Noodles
Lung Kee offers culinary enthusiasts a “southern style” Chinese cuisine. For breakfast, they serve congee – a type of rice porridge – and also offer wonton and dumpling noodle soups. Check out their deep-friend dumplings or deep-fried wontons.
5. Szechuan House
Heading into colder climates, Szechuan House provides an experience with “northern style” Chinese cuisine. A popular dish is spicy chicken, which is served cold and drizzled in a fiery red chilli sauce. Or, try something a bit more adventurous like their pork intestine rice noodle with spicy soup and pig ears with sauce.
6. Yougo Chicken
Heading over to Taiwan, Yougo Chicken offers another deep-fried option, but this time as chicken fillets or nuggets. According to Kwan, Taiwanese cuisine tends to use less meat, but the meat has more spice and flavour. Check out their unique spices by giving their popcorn chicken a try.
7. Snowy Village
Ready for dessert? Check out recently-opened Snowy Village and try their shaved ice desserts, known as bingsoo, or for a warmer treat, their taiyaki. Taiyaki is a flakey, Japanese fish-shaped cake. These can be filled with Nutella, red bean paste or custard.
