Golden City Restaurant
721 Fisgard Street
Victoria, B.C.
(250) 386-8404

Going out for dim sum with my relatives have often made for a traditional Sunday brunch. That’s when it’s most popular. But to sate a sudden craving, it can be found served on other days of the week and sometimes not even brought out in a cart. That’ll depend on the restaurant.

When going out with friends, it was a plan concocted the night before. My friend, Qué Banh, had a craving and checked to see who was interested in an impromptu gathering. Also there was her father, Chan Hai, and her friend, Triana Avis.

When we arrived at Golden City, Qué was disappointed that the carts weren’t being wheeled around. She said it took away from the entire dim sum experience.

Just before noon, there was one cart. And that was the last one before the restaurant switched over to “choose what you want” and they’ll make it in the kitchen.

The price we paid was more than what James and I paid at Jade Fountain, and we ate less than what was ordered here. After nine different dishes, with a few arriving in pairs, the final bill came to $52.81.

To name some of the dishes we had, we had flash fried chinese broccoli, ginger tripe (葱姜百叶), ha gaau (蝦餃) (two varieties), siu maai (燒賣), turnip paste cakes (蘿蔔糕,) and rice noodle rolls. I found myself really enjoying the tripe since it came with tiny slivers of carrot and the shrimp infused pieces of ha gaau was fairly decent too. When it comes to these little crustaceans, this place makes them right; they were juicy.

Sadly, the rest of the experience while here was not. Qué’s disappointment with the lack of the carts wasn’t the only thing we were noting while having brunch. We both found it unusual that the waiter was simply refilling our pot of tea with hot water than to bring out a new pot.

Depending on the type of Chinese tea used, the flavour of the leaf gets bitter through constant refills. Only certain blends may let tea drinkers get a second cup. But to refill a pot? I think not. I prefer freshness and strong flavour every time. Not all types of tea leaves can handle being steeped again and again.

As for revisiting this place, I’m wondering when the entire family will get-together again or there’s another wedding party. It’s been ages and I have very fond memories of eating steamed Dungeness crab here.

3½ Blokes out of 5