On Beep Beep’s last day in Calgary, we went for dim sum at Phoenix Gate. My previous two visits had been great, so I figured the third would be just as good. Let’s listen to Love and Happiness by Al Green.
I ordered: BBQ Pork Rice Roll ($6.25), BBQ Pork Baked Buns ($6.50),
Sui Mai ($7.50), Stir-Fried Flat Rice Noodles with Beef ($15.95), Stir-Fried Turnip Cake in XO Sauce ($7.50), Peanut and Meat Steamed Dumplings ($6.50) and Seafood Fried Chowmein ($18.95). Our feast was too big for our two-seater table. I had to strategically stack the half-eaten bamboo steamers and plates to make room for all the abundance of food.
The fried turnip cake was my favourite. The exterior was crispy and chewy, while the delicate, wobbly middle melted in your mouth. I also loved that hit of fried garlic and punch of XO sauce. I would order this again.
The rice rolls really hit the spot. The soft, delicate wrappers were filled with tasty BBQ shavings. There wasn’t as much filling as the last two times I came, but honestly, we still loved it and would order it again. The rice rolls were my second favourite dish.
The siu mai was enormous, like a meatball topped with a massive crowning of shrimp and tobiko. Unfortunately, the wrapper fell apart when I picked it up, and the filling leaned a little dry. Still, very tasty.
The BBQ bun was huge, but too doughy, like it wasn’t baked long enough. The filling wasn’t too sweet, which I prefer. I brought them to work the next day and baked them in the toaster, which really improved the texture.
One disappointment was the pork and meat steamed dumpling. The wrapper fell apart too easily; it was so moist and fragile that it broke apart with just a touch of my chopsticks.
The stir-fried rice noodles with beef were missing that smoky wok hei aroma, but the bright white bean sprouts added a refreshing crunch against the soft beef slices and slick noodles. Interestingly, when Chew Steel reheated the leftovers the next day, he thought they tasted even better.
The chow mein had scallops, squid, prawns, and glossy bok choy, all intermingled with a clear sauce. The noodles on the side of the plate were crispy, whereas the middle ones were more soaked through. I wanted a little salt or MSG to liven up the flavouring. When Chew Steel ate it later that afternoon, he disagreed, saying it was delicious, though the noodles were very saucy.
There was so much food left over that I had to buy seven takeout boxes. Five went to my mother, Boss Lady, who skipped our invitation at the last minute because she was too busy snoopervising, and the other two boxes went to Chew Steel.
I know I nitpicked a few dishes, but Phoenix Gate still delivers some tasty eats. The portions are generous to a fault, and everything arrives piping hot. Next round, I’m heading back for dinner and going straight for the Peking duck, lobster, and stuffed crab claws. To be continued.
Hitting the Sauce 