Apr. 16, 2008 - Issue #652: Taste of Chaos

The Fortune Cookie Chronicles: The Best Authentic Chinese Restaurants in Edmonton

In the book, Lee took on the contentious task of finding the best Chinese restaurant in the world. I’ve embarked on a similar, yet far less ambitious project of finding the best Chinese restaurant in town. 
 

By the way, you’re going to get dirty looks from the other Chinese patrons if you order ginger beef or sweet-and-sour pork in these places. So here’s a cheat sheet to go along.


 

Ah Chin’s Kitchen (6224 - 99 St)
 

Nestled between Union Hall and a McDonald’s, this inconspicuous south side Chinese restaurant is a midsize restaurant that serves up regular Guandong-style food. Their spinach egg white fried rice is a vast improvement over the regular fried rice. Their free-run chicken is pretty good, too, just don’t get freaked out when your plate of chicken comes with the head, okay?


 

Jumbo (10451 - 170 St)
 

This large west-end restaurant is a noisy hubbub of action—as a proper Chinese restaurant should be. Beyond regular dishes, the wall of water tanks contains delicious seafood possibilities. To make yourself look distinguished in the eyes of other Chinese patrons, order steamed fresh fish (whole) with ginger and scallions. Then, scoop out the fish cheeks and proclaim that’s a fish’s tastiest part—which is true. Bonus points if you know to pick through the collar for more hidden treasures.

 

Century Palace (#206, 9700 - 105 Ave)

Dim sum in Edmonton is not exactly spectacular. You can certainly find better dim sums in the Chinese suburbs of Vancouver or Toronto. However, the only thing Chinese people like more than good food is a good deal, and Century Palace can certainly satisfy the latter criteria with a flat rate of $2.75 per dim sum dish. V 

More info about Jumbo Dim Sum Dining →

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