Category: Chinese

Chinese · Vegetarian

Padmanadi: Vegan Takeout

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My father is back in town! To celebrate this joyous news, Chew Steel and I brought takeout to my parents’ house. I thought long and hard about where to order from and decided on Padmanadi, a vegan restaurant in Calgary’s Heritage / Kingsland area. Let’s listen to If You Leave by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark for this post.

I’ve eaten from Padmanadi Restaurant and Eatery at work events. I still remember how shockingly delicious their faux chicken drumettes and satay skewers were in 2024. This was the first time Chew Steel and Boss Lady had ever eaten at a vegan restaurant.

I ordered noodles, the Kwetiau Goren ($19), Ginger Beef ($21), Curry Chicken ($22), Coconut Rice (four orders, $12), Mushroom Tofu ($18), Spicy and Savoury Eggplant ($18) and the Fried Enoki Mushrooms ($16). The prices were reasonable for the quantity and quality.

The employee on the phone recommended adding fried enoki mushrooms for texture. When probed, he responded that the mushrooms hold up really well in takeout containers. He’s correct. This dish did add a contrast to the softness of the curry and rice. Boss Lady stated she liked all the dishes, though she nibbled the most on the enoki mushrooms. 

Chew Steel’s favourite dish was the ginger beef, made from soy beef strips. Ludwig noticed a meaty chew to the ginger soy, with strands that mimicked the toughness of flank steak. I reassured him it was not meat.

The flat rice noodles were slick and smooth, thick and chewy. There was a generous amount of mock meat, and crunchy strands of carrots and bok choy. Ludwig thought the noodles were superb. We all appreciated the spicy heat. The noodles are a winner.

I was especially impressed with the heavy coconut curry. The faux chicken even had ridges that reminded me of chicken breast texture. The vegetables still retained their freshness and shape. The rich sauce was beautifully absorbed by the fluffy coconut rice. I would get this again.

For me, the standouts were the noodles and the curry chicken. I also liked how the vegetables in all the dishes still had a clean bite. It’s no small feat to time them so precisely, especially for takeout. Even the snow peas snapped lightly, with a touch of sweetness.

Chew Steel remarked that all the dishes tasted distinct from each other. Neither he nor Boss Lady missed eating meat. Ludwig was overjoyed that he could eat everything, as he’s normally restricted by his diet. He went back for three rounds.

We’re already looking forward to our next meal. I’m thinking of adding soy beef redang, roti, and the sweet-and-sour ‘shrimp’ to our order. Thanks, Padmanadi you were a parental success! Hitting the Sauce gives Padmanadi two phat thumbs up.

Chinese · Seafood

Emerald Garden – Chinese takeout in Calgary

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For my mom’s early Christmas dinner, I ordered takeout from Emerald Garden, located in Calgary’s Mount Pleasant / Capitol Hill area. This was my second visit, and I was even more impressed than on my previous visit. When I entered, I was helped by a woman who had the aura of a manager or owner, efficient, alert, and someone clearly running a tight ship. Let’s listen to “Beige” by Yoke Lore.

I called the day before to pre order the Crab HK Style ($79.99), Tendon Beef Hotpot ($22.99), Fish and Tofu Hotpot ($22.99), Beef Chowfun ($17.99), and Ginger Beef ($17.99). I ordered in English, and the person on the phone clarified what I was requesting in Cantonese. She said a few words that I didn’t recognize,  so I just said yes, in Cantonese, because I didn’t know what else to do.

When I arrived, the manager / owner asked if I wanted tong, a complimentary soup made from meat bones, vegetables, and herbs. I didn’t hesitate as I love a good Chinese broth. It’s so simple, comforting, and soul-satisfying.

I asked my mom, Boss Lady, to make rice before I arrived at her house, as hot pot and ginger beef are best with plain steamed rice. We started with the crab, and for Calgary, it was excellent. The crab tasted fresh, with fluffy, sweet meat. Boss Lady approvingly noted that the restaurant had done a good job pre-cracking the shells. She loved the HK-style seasoning, which is a dry, fragrant mix of garlic, chili peppers, scallions, fermented black beans, and salt and pepper. While she would have preferred a bit more garlic and heat, she still thought it was excellent. She suggested ordering the lobster next time, since the meat pulls out more easily. I’d definitely get this again.

The beef hot pot came with tender brisket, small pieces of opaque tendon, and firm, juicy radish. Boss Lady commented on the high quality of the beef. The tendon was so soft it barely had any chew, and the brisket was braised until almost shredded. The sauce was light and savoury with hints of ginger and star anise.

The fish hot pot was another winner. The fish came in long, thick pieces, battered and fried, fully saturated in a light, clear sauce. The tofu was the spongy kind that compresses when you bite into it, releasing a burst of juice. This is definitely a dish I’d order again.

The ginger beef had lost its crunch by the time we opened the container, but it was still enjoyable, with more meat than batter, sweet and gingery. This was Boss Lady’s first encounter with deep-fried ginger beef, which is very different from the B.C. version, which is typically stir-fried with vegetables. Chew Steel reminded her that this particular style was invented in Calgary. I tried to draw a comparison to Vancouver’s honey garlic ribs and Calgary’s ginger beef, but Chew Steel firmly shook his head in disagreement. 

The beef ho fun noodles outshone Phoenix Gate’s by a mile. The rice noodles were thick, sticky, and glossy, with a fragrant wok hei you could smell immediately. Chew Steel mentioned to Boss Lady that this is one of my favourite noodle dishes, and she noted how challenging it is to pull off without a proper wok and an extremely hot stovetop.

This dinner was a success! Boss Lady was happy, and it was hands down some of the best Chinese food I’ve had in Calgary. Chew Steel was also a fan, though he couldn’t help but note that everything on the table fell somewhere on the beige-to-brown spectrum. Next time, I’ll throw in some gai lan (Chinese broccoli) or snow peas for a pop of green. To be continued now that I found a new favourite Chinese restaurant in town.

Want more like this? Check out my running list of Calgary’s best restaurants, date nights, and cheap eats.

Cheap Eats · Chinese · Dim Sum

Phoenix Gate Chinese Cuisine – Seven takeout boxes later

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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.

Chinese · Pubs · Wings

Lennox Pub and Hot’ N Fast: Wings and Takeout in Calgary

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On Wednesday, Bobbino and G-mah invited us to Lennox Pub. When Chew Steel and I entered, it took me a few seconds for my eyes to adjust to the darkness. When my vision focused, I admired the pub’s polished wood fixtures and finishes. Let’s listen “Hot N Cold” by Katie Perry to this post.

Since it was happy hour, we drank tall skinny sleeves of lager ($4.50) and ordered happy hour wings ($5.00). I added ranch dip, and Bobbino wanted carrots and celery. While we drank, Bobbino regaled me with a story about the great wor wonton he and G-Mah ate from Hot’ N Fast, a Chinese takeout-only spot near their home.

The wings are baked rather than fried, resulting in a less crispy wing. However, that didn’t detract from the juicy, tender meat. The tang from the hot wings was delicious, though the salt and pepper flavouring wasn’t noticeable. The vegetables were crisp and tasted fresh. I would order the hot wings again.

For a whole bunch of alcoholic drinks, two Diet Cokes, and three orders of wings and veggies, the bill was only $68! G-Mah only ate two wings, and I was still hungry, so I suggested I pick up a snack from Hot’ N Fast. Bobbino started to suggest items, and G-Mah scoffed at him, stating, “She knows what to get; she doesn’t need recommendations from you.” Of course, I already looked up all the reviews and knew what I wanted. I looked for Asian reviewers and based my decision on their comments and restaurant history. I also learned from Bobbino’s past stories what they ordered: chicken balls, lemon chicken, fried rice, beef and broccoli, and some vegetable dishes for Veggie Girl, my sister-in-law. I wanted to order something they never tried.

I called Hot’ N Fast before we left the pub, and when I got to the store, three customers were waiting for the food. The female owner was packing the orders while her husband cooked a storm in the back. One customer who couldn’t read the room said loudly to another person, “My wife saw our credit card bill and asked me what the hell I got that was hot and fast?” While he chuckled at his lewd joke, the other male customer looked uncomfortable, and the other customer and I looked away. Based on the female owner expressionless reaction, I gathered she didn’t care or just wanted those orders and customers out of her shop.

I ordered Salt and Pepper Squid ($15.95), Honey Garlic Ribs ($13.50), and Sliced Beef Ho Fun ($13.95). The dishes are inexpensive; you’re paying 2011 prices. Of the three, G-Mah and I loved the beef noodles. So freaking delicious. The noodles and beef had that mouth-watering smoky flavour you only get from a super hot wok. The beef was tender, and the noodles were glossy and toothsome. Even the bean sprouts tasted fresh. I would order this again, as it is as good as I can get in Vancouver.

Bobbino enjoyed the honey garlic ribs the most. I thought the ribs were tasty, but I would have liked more garlic and honey in the sauce. I found Hot and Fast’s version more soy-based, and the batter was a tad soft.

Chew Steel’s favourite dish was the salt and pepper squid. The squid itself was cooked perfectly, not rubbery at all. Hot’ N Fast’s version contained crisp green peppers, onions, and carrots. I liked the heat in the spicy seasoning, and I noticed none of the food was overly salty.

I would return for the beef rice noodles, and I hear the Singapore noodles are good. With the chef’s obvious wok hei skills, I would also order a fried rice dish. For inexpensive, Westernized Chinese takeout, I dig Hot’ N Fast. To be continued.

For more reviews like this, see my picks for cheap eats in Calgary under $15.

Cheap Eats · Chinese · Dim Sum

Phoenix Gate – Dim Sum in Calgary

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I haven’t lunched with Ms. Biz for the last two years, and since then, I’ve stopped eating out for dim sum. She had a way of ordering food that elevated the mediocre Chinese scene eked out in Cowtown. Now I can thank my friend Truth Serum for recommending a new gem, Phoenix Gate. For this post, let’s listen to “Pink” by Lizzo.

The first dish to arrive was the Sui Mai ($6.99). Mama mia! Check out the size of the steamed dumplings. The sui mai was three times the size of Phoenix Gate’s competitors. The pork filling was juicy, and the generous shrimp topping was toothsome. The red tobiko provided a nice little crunch to the sausage heavy dumpling. I would order this again.

The shrimp in the Ha Gow ($6.99) was steaming hot and twice as big as other dim sum joints. I liked how the dumpling wrapper was dry and still had a bite. It’s a pet peeve of mine when the rice wrapper is too gummy after being over steamed. The shrimp itself was plump with a nice crunch to it.

The wrapper on the Deep-Fried Shrimp Dumpling ($6.99) was so crunchy it was almost cracker-like. The shrimp inside was more of a spongy mousse, similar to shrimp paste at a Vietnamese restaurant, than the crunchy goodness of a whole shrimp.

I picked the Stir-Fried Turnip Cake X.O. sauce ($6.99). The turnip cubes were lightly crisp on the exterior yet hot and jiggly on the inside. This dish is a winner, and I would order it again. I tried the chili oil, which I found too hot, as you could only taste the overwhelming spicy heat and not any other aromatics. Next time, I would skip the chili oil, as the food is flavourful enough.

Also tied for best dish was the Shrimp & BBQ Rice Crepe ($6.99). This dish comes with both shrimp and BBQ pork rice rolls. Hot diggety dog! What I loved about this dish was the folds and folds of the silky soft rice roll and the generous amount of shaved pork. I enjoyed the squishy and quavery texture of the noodles in my mouth.

Truth Serum told me that sometimes the kitchen makes mistakes and cooks the wrong dish, then come out and offer it to customers at a discount. Moments later, our server came out to show us an order of seafood chowmein and spoke to her in Chinese. Truth Serum translated that the chef made the wrong dish and asked us if we wanted the seafood dish. She politely but firmly declined the accidental substitution.

The Meat and Seafood Chowmein ($16.99) is enough to feed a family of six. The noodles were swimming with pieces of BBQ pork, squid, scallops, shrimp, fish and chicken, Chinese mushrooms and bok choy.

Truth Serum mixed all the noodles with the sauce, so the crispy bits were already saturated in the gravy. I thought there was too much sauce, which made the dish soupy. I also would have preferred a little more crunch to the noodles. Truth Serum suspected the chef threw the seafood chowmein back into the wok and just added the missing meats.

Guess how much this feast cost us? A mere $55 bucks! Hip, hip, hooray! I can’t wait to check Phoenix Gate for dinner, as I hear the shrimp balls and other seafood dishes are good bets. Hitting the Sauce gives this little gem two phat thumbs up.


Want more like this? Check out my running list of Calgary’s best restaurants, date nights, and cheap eats.