Although many people may think Richmond only has a lot of great Chinese restaurants, during the last little while, my friends have opened my eyes and shown me many hidden gem restaurants in Richmond that I never knew about. I have discovered that Richmond is full of interesting, diverse cuisine and below, I have highlighted a few of my new discoveries:
CHJ Bistro in Steveston: everyone may have heard about food trucks but how about Taiwanese street food? There is a new restaurant in Steveston serving just that. It is obviously already known to a lot of people as this small bistro is almost always packed, offering affordable food in a beautiful location in Steveston. See my review of this restaurant here.
Jamoneria by Arc – this is a little hidden gem in an industrial part of Richmond. On the ground floor, they are a retail shop selling Spanish specialty foods but on the second floor, they run a taperia that is open for dining and private functions. It is a hidden gem and a great place to have tapas in Richmond. See my review of this restaurant here.
Acre Through the Seasons – this is a rebranding of an existing restaurant located inside the Versante Hotel. The Versante Hotel is becoming THE luxury hotel in Richmond and really trying to distinguish itself with high-end eating establishments like Bruno and Cask Whisky Vault. Acre Through the Season restaurant offers a prix fixe menu which is pleasing to both the palate and the eye. It is quite affordable at $98 per person for a six-course meal. It is so nice to see a new fine dining option in Richmond. See my review of this restaurant here.
SYU Japanese Cuisine and Sushi Bar – a new Japanese restaurant located on River Road, this restaurant offers high-end Japanese cuisine. Their distinguishing feature is that they bring in fish daily from abroad and you can order various whole fish, which will be used to prepare sushi and sashimi. Then the bones of the fish will be deep-fried for an added course. See my review of this restaurant here.
It is very encouraging to see some new restaurants opening up. Restaurants openings require a lot of capital and confidence from restaurant owners and with the end of COVID, I hope to see more restaurants opening and a greater variety of cuisine offered.
For my wine recommendation for this column, I am picking a wine from Uruguay made with the Tannat grape varietal. Tannat grapes produce tannic, deep-coloured, full-bodied wines. A great producer is Bodegas Garzon, whose Tannat Reserve wine is available in liquor stores for $29.99. Try a bottle and be adventurous! Until next time, happy eating and drinking!
Tony Kwan is the Richmond News' is a lawyer by day, and a food and wine lover by night. Kwan is an epicurean who writes about wine, food and enjoying all that life has to offer.
