Doesn't TaZte Like Chicken

Location: Lucky Tao Chinese Seafood Restaurant
8077 Alexandra Rd Richmond, BC V6X1C3
(604) 233-1219

This is not duck. This is squab. Most important of all, squabs don’t taste like chicken. Grew up in Asia where squabs are commonly eaten, it has always been one of my favourite types of meat. If you have never tried squabs and you ask me to describe its taste, then I can say it tastes like duck – only juicier and more flavourful. Of course, the best way to find out is to try one yourself.

Since squab is one of my favourite types of meat, I’m always looking for restaurants that can cook them well. My opinion is it is very easy to find restaurants in Hong Kong, China or Singapore that cook good squabs. The search is more difficult in Canada. Lucky Tao in Richmond is one of the few restaurants that have good squabs:

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A small amount of spice is used to intensify the rich flavour of the meat. The meat is tender and succulent. The squabs eaten in Asia are usually smaller and therefore more tender. But before I visit Asia again, these ones will do.

Other dishes at Lucky Tao are only so-so and there isn’t a dish that’s worth writing about; usually I would order two squabs as take out. Each squab is divided into four pieces. I would eat 3 pieces and my husband eats 2. What do we do with the remaining 3 pieces? I’ll eat them as breakfast

Here’s a little fun Youtube clip about squabs: Click here

Location: Rain Flower Restaurant   
3600 – No. 3 Road, Richmond, BC V6X 2C1
604-278-7288

Located in the heart of Richmond, Rain Flower is the latest Chinese restaurant that brings many new tastes to dim sum lovers. Besides the ordinary items such as shrimp dumplings, meat dumplings and spring rolls, Rain Flower offers many new and tasty dim sum dishes. Most new items are created by re-inventing the old. My favourite is the re-invention of the rice cannelloni:

Can you tell what the stuffing is in this rice cannelloni? BBQ pork? Shrimps? Beef? The answer is none of these. The stuffing is unique and a surprise to me: bean curd with minced fish. The combination might sound a little odd but the taste was delicious.

Other interesting items include mushroom and spinach dumplings, coconut and black sesame jelly and this dish just made it to my top Chinese desserts list:

The pastry was buttery and flaky. The filling is a smooth taro paste giving the just right amount of sweetness. I’m never sarcastic when I say that I’m don’t have a sweet tooth, therefore when I like a dessert then usually it must be pretty awesome.

Yes, you are looking at abalones indeed. My husband is a lucky guy. He has an aunt who spoils him and she treated us abalones for breakfast. I believe this is the first time I have abalones so early in the day.

I notice a sad trend about new Chinese restaurants in Richmond – the food quality is always very good when the restaurant is under a year old and then all of the sudden, the food stop tasting good. Give Rain Flower Restaurant a try before they stop re-inventing dim sums.

Location: My tiny kitchen

It’s a dark chocolate cheesecake! Dense and chocolaty, this cheesecake tastes more like a torte than a cheesecake. The ingredients are simple but unique: instead of using sugar, condense milk is used to give the cheesecake a velvety rich flavour. Because a large quantity of dark chocolate is used, I used the best dark chocolate for baking that I can find without emptying out my wallet.

If you love rich and dense cakes, try this recipe and you won’t be disappointed.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup Oreo cookie crumbs
1/4 cup melted butter

12 ounces of chopped Callebaut dark chocolate (from Bosa Foods)
3 packages (a total of 24 ounces) cream cheese, soften to room temperature
1 can (~12 ounces) condensed milk
4 eggs, room temperature
2 tsb vanilla extract
1/2 CB Extra Brute cocoa powder for decorating (from Ganache Patisserie)

*Original recipe taken from Hershey’s Classic Recipes”

Other than the somewhat unique ingredients, the steps of making this cheesecake are similar to making a regular New York cheesecake.

Turn the oven on for 300F.

To make the crust, mix the cookie crumbs with the melted butter. Press the crumbs onto the spring form pan, pushing the crumbs 1 inch up the side the of pan. Bake the crust for 10 minutes and cool to room temperature.

Place dark chocolate in a bowl and microwave at high for 1 1/2 minute. Stir. If chocolate isn’t completely melted, microwave at high for an additional 15 seconds at a time until chocolate is completed melted.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the soften cream cheese until fluffy and smooth, about 4 minutes.

Slowly pour in condense milk. Beat for 3 minutes until fully incorporated.

Add eggs one at a time; make sure each egg is incorporated before adding the next one.

Add the vanilla extract.

Add the melted chocolate and beat for 3 minutes.

Pour the mixture into the spring form pan. Wrap the spring form pan with aluminum foil.

In a baking pan, pour in 1 inch of hot water. Put the spring form pan into the baking pan.

Bake at 300F for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the outer edge of the cake has been set and the centre is a little giggly when shaken.

Remove the cheesecake from oven, out of the baking pan, and let it cool to room temperature. Once cool, put the cake in the fridge for 5 hours.

Cut the cakes into slices. Dust a thin layer of cocao powder on slices.

Because this cake has such a rich flavour, I find the cake tastes best at room temperature.