5 Chinatown Legends and Critics’ Choice Top 10 Dishes

Chinese Restaurant Awards and Vancouver Chinatown Foundation Announce the 5 Chinatown Legends and Critics’ Choice Top 10 Dishes to Affirm Chinatown as one of Vancouver’s Top Destinations, in Celebration of the Light Up Chinatown! Festival

The Chinese Restaurant Awards (“CRA”) and Vancouver Chinatown Foundation (“VCF”) are excited to co-announce the 5 Chinatown Legends and Critics’ Choice Top 10 Dishes, in celebration of the second annual Light Up Chinatown! Festival on September 10-11th, 2022 (www.lightupchinatown.com), inviting the public to celebrate with us and explore the finest of Vancouver’s Chinatown.

“We are delighted to work with the Chinese Restaurant Awards again to curate the most sought-after dining guide for Chinatown. The Chinatown Legends list celebrates Chinatown’s core players who not only worked hard for their thriving businesses, but are also Chinatown’s beloved representatives. Curated by the Awards’ judging chair Lee Man, the Top 10 List is a comprehensive guide to encourage locals and travellers to visit Chinatown. Our Light Up Chinatown! festival is a wonderful opportunity to experience the best that Chinatown has to offer,” said Carol Lee, Vancouver Chinatown Foundation, Chair.

“Pulling together the threads of newcomers and old school business is the essence of how Chinatown’s influence is felt throughout Vancouver – how our city creates community and meaning. Here we want to honour businesses and the people who have worked in them for decades. Quietly going about their businesses – resolutely dignified regardless of the challenges they have experienced,” said the Awards’ judging chair Lee Man.

Honouring Chinatown’s Finest

The five Chinatown Legends are:
Cindy So, staff of Carley BBQ & Hotpot Supplies (255 E Georgia St)
Daniel Lui, owner of The Chinese Tea Shop (101 E Pender St)
Jimmy Chiong, owner of Garlock Seafood (252 E Georgia St)
Joey Wong, owner of Dollar Meat Store (266 E Pender St)
Smitty Ho, staff of Maxim’s Bakery (257 Keefer St)

In the spirit of “New School Honouring the Old School,” The Chinese Restaurant Awards and the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation have asked Chef Angus An of Maenam, Chef Roger Ma of Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar, Chef Andrew Han of Kouign Cafe, Douglas Chang of Ai & Om Knives and Sean Heather of the Irish Heather for their recommendations for this year’s Chinatown Legends – businesses and people who are key to making Chinatown what it is. Check out the Chinese Restaurant Awards’ Instagram this week for their comments.

Delicious Celebration with the Top 10 Dishes

2022 Critics’ Choice Top 10 dishes of Vancouver’s Chinatown showcase staple classics and modern creations to represent the distinctive flavours of Chinatown. Ready to charm and delight every palate, these dishes range from affordable to experimental dining, which solidify Chinatown’s reputation as a top foodies’ destination in Vancouver. The Top 10 dishes to explore are:

BBQ Duck with Noodle in Soup – Chinatown BBQ (130 E Pender St)
Butter Beef – Phnom Penh Restaurant (244 E Georgia St)
Bún Chả Hà Nội – DD Mau Chinatown (145 E Pender St)
Century Egg with House tofu – Fat Mao Noodles (217 E Georgia St)
Curry Beef Brisket on Rice – Daisy Garden Kitchen (142 E Pender St)
Singapore Fried Noodles – Ming Fong Fast Food (180 Keefer St)
Steamed BBQ Pork Rice Rolls – Sun Fresh Bakery (245 Keefer St)
Steamed Dai Bao – New Town Bakery and Restaurant (148 E Pender St)
Tajarin {butter, roasted mushrooms, miso cured yolk} – Kissa Tanto (263 E Pender St)
White Rabbit Cookie – Kouign Café (18 E Pender St)

Preserving Heritage with Taste

Vancouver’s Chinatown is rooted in the history of immigrants with a heartfelt desire to better themselves, while bringing their culture to the mosaic of Canada. It has been, and will always be, the nurturing ground for immigrants to strive and thrive. Join us in preserving the heritage of Vancouver’s Chinatown, celebrating cultural traditions and innovations during the annual Light Up Chinatown! Festival, and delighting our taste buds with the Critics’ Choice Top 10 Dishes.

About Chinese Restaurant Awards
Founded in 2008, Chinese Restaurant Awards is the longest running Chinese culinary awards event in the world. The Awards are rooted in two challenging yet humble goals; raise public awareness to quality Chinese cuisine throughout Vancouver’s lower mainland and create a platform for cross-cultural culinary exchange, with a deeper understanding of Chinese culinary influence. The team behind the Chinese Restaurant Awards consist of food, media and marketing professionals who are Chinese food enthusiasts, with a passion for promoting regional Chinese cuisine in North America. Over the years, the team has achieved many milestones through several culinary events and campaigns such as the Chinese Master Chefs Gold Medal Dinner in 2014, East Meets West: Paris x Vancouver 2016, DINING by the Awards 2019, Chinese Restaurant Awards Scholarship and the highly popular social influential culinary tourism campaign #Taste city series in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Suzhou and Taipei from 2017 to 2019.

Facebook @ChineseRestaurantAwards Instagram @ChineseRestaurantAwards Twitter @CRADiningGuide
www.ChineseRestaurantAwards.com #Awards2022

About Vancouver Chinatown Foundation
The Vancouver Chinatown Foundation is a registered charity committed to the revitalization of Chinatown, one of Canada’s most iconic neighbourhoods in the historic heart of Vancouver. The Foundation is dedicated to building a more resilient and inclusive community by promoting the well-being of those in need, while preserving Chinatown’s irreplaceable cultural heritage. As a community builder, the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation mobilizes resources and acts as a catalyst by bringing together thoughtful minds with on-the-ground insight – people who care about our community – to help solve some of our city’s biggest challenges.

Facebook @Chinatownfdn Instagram @ChinatownFoundation Twitter @Chinatownfdn
www.chinatownfoundation.org #LightUpChinatown

Media release provided by Rae Kung, Chinese Restaurant Awards.