Kung Fu Chef || Dim Sum x Delicacy x in Surrey?

I don't usually write in English. But when I do, it's for new restaurants that I think might be worth sharing, or when someone wants me to translate. In fact this is like my second English post. Anyways, Today we came across a new Chinese restaurant at the Surrey-Delta border, at the location that used to be Saturday's Fish and Chips.

Forgive me first, that I was not having a high expectation, reason being:
1. It's on Scott Road. Or more generally, it's south of Fraser.
2. The outer and the inner of the restaurant looks like it's Chinese food tailored for non-Chinese eaters. (the inner being the remains of the previous restaurant). Not to mention that the servers we encountered don't seem to be able to speak Chinese.

Anyways, you can't judge a restaurant by its cover. We sat down and started looking into their menus. It was definitely on the pricey side of things in their dinner menu (thus the Delicacy label in the title), though they do have special dinner menus at more affordable prices. Their Dim Sum, on the other hand, was reasonably priced, at $4.95 for medium, $5.50 for large, and $7.95 for kitchen specials.



Pork Shiu Mai was decent sized, with a combination of enough lean meat and some fatty meats. We can't stand those mediocre Siu Mai's that have cheap, fat stuffing inside their yellow skins, so this is definitely a plus. The skins are fine too, they don't rip when you try to pick it up and send it to your mouth. It was served hot too, which is another plus.



Deep Fried Taro Dumplings are easily our favourite of the meal. There's enough meat that are nicely seasoned, wrapped in mashed taros, breaded and deep fried. What we really liked was that the deep frying process was done perfectly that it is light and crunchy, and not super oily. It is definitely one of the nicer Deep Fried Taro Dumpling in the Greater Vancouver area, comparable to higher level restaurants like Kirin and Fisherman's Terrace.





Deep Fried Eggplant with Garlic and Chili was nicely done as well. The eggplants were lightly breaded, deep fried to a crisp, and when you eat them with the garlic chips, it's crunchy and evenly salted on the outside, soft and juicy in the inside.



Pan Fried Shrimp and Chive Dumpling were slightly too oily, but they are nicely stuffed with a lot of fresh-tasting shrimps. The chives are not super green, not sure because it is soaked with too much oil or if it's not super fresh.



Deep Fried Custard and Egg Yolk Buns were the one item we wish we did not order. Or, at the very least, order the steamed version instead. Custard and yolk stuffing are nicely blended, but they totally did not come out like we expected. ( for those who don't know, when you cut the bun open, the custard should pour out of the bun, much like how the yolks in poached eggs explode when you poke it ). Combined with the deep frying process we found it a tad too rich.

The servers are attentive, especially the lady who seem to be the most senior of the group, but we did find at times being too attentive. They came by and check on our tea way too often. ( Like literally, at one point a male server came by, and in 30 seconds a different male server came by.) We also felt a bit rushed when they take our plates too quickly (not to give us new plates, but at the end when we seem to have finished our meal. )

Overall, we are quite happy that the level of Chinese restaurants in this area have been rising. The Pork Shiu Mai and the Deep Fried Taro Dumplings were really great. When we are in Surrey-Delta craving for Dim Sum, we are not stuck with minimal options without heading out of town. The hope is that they maintain the high level of food, and continue to work on quality service for all their servers.

Kung Fu Chef Chinese Restaurant
#130-8080 120th, Surrey, BC
( Behind Tim Hortons )
(778) 590-8399



Map says Tim Hortons but it's in the building behind Tim Hortons; you can easily see it in the parking lot.