You can often find the real magic of classic Cantonese food in those old-school restaurants that have been around forever. Vancouver is full of great food spots, but if you're after some genuine Cantonese dishes, you can't go wrong with Koon Bo Restaurant, which has a deep-rooted background. Ever since it opened up years back, Koon Bo has totally made a name for itself in the local Cantonese food scene with its top-notch dishes and real flavors, as well as fresh ingredients, making it a beloved place for many food enthusiasts. The warm and flavorful dishes bring back memories and share stories that take you far from the busy world, letting you dive into a sweet, nostalgic connection with tradition within a calm and delightful time. 

Koon Bo Restaurant 

冠宝美食之家

5682 Fraser St, Vancouver, BC V5W 2Z4

604-323-1218

Signature Dishes 

The head chef and owner of the restaurant has been around the block and really understands the heart of old-school cuisine. Every meal he whips up shows off the cooking tricks and ideas he's picked up since he was a kid. Ever since he took charge of the restaurant, he’s been super careful and respectful with all the ingredients, whether it’s dim sum from Hong Kong, stir-fried Cantonese dishes, fresh seafood, or even soups, porridge, and desserts. He keeps his cooking on point with tough rules and top-notch standards, mixing all sorts of ingredients, picking them carefully, and using fancy methods. This method helps him highlight the true tastes of the ingredients, resulting in classic and top-notch dishes every time. 

The thing that makes this eatery special is its selection of one-of-a-kind Cantonese meals. A perfect example of this is their famous House Special Shredded Chicken. It mixes up tender chicken pieces, jellyfish, crunchy chips, sesame seeds, sweet and sour sauce, and some homemade pickled veggies. The dish is super refreshing and tasty, so you definitely need to get it for your table. 

The Roasted Squab is also highly popular. Once the fresh squab has been marinated, rinsed, glazed, air-dried, and roasted, it turns a beautiful golden color. It’s crispy on the outside and juicy inside, giving it a special and delicious taste. 

The Imperial Winter Melon Soup is also a popular dish exquisitely presented here. Using carefully selected whole wax gourd with skin as the container, it's packed with awesome ingredients in a top-notch broth, like marinated shrimp, tender sea cucumber, crab meat, scallops, squid, chicken, duck breast, juicy shiitake mushrooms, and ham, all simmered for more than 4 hours. The tasty soup comes from boiling pork bones, ham, and chicken together for over 10 hours. Both the ingredients and the soup base are super fresh, and even the winter melon, which has soaked up all the flavors, is a treat to enjoy. It honestly illustrates the point that both the flavorful inside and the juicy outside are a delight.

What's really awesome is that the restaurant has the super rare Eight Precious Stuffed Duck on the menu! This recipe is a real workout and eats up a lot of time. You’ll be deboning, stuffing, tying, blanching, coloring, and then stewing it on high heat. Once it's on the plate, you can really smell that familiar scent of glutinous rice. The duck meat and the eight-treasure stuffing blend together really well. Just a little poke with a fork will break it apart, and both the duck skin and the filling are nice and soft, sticky, and packed with a tasty, fresh, and smooth flavor. 

Another highlight of the restaurant's menu is the Pudding with Taro and Lotus Seed Paste. This dessert features a delightful combination of sweet taro and creamy lotus paste, harmoniously paired with the chewy texture of sago. Once baked, the pudding boasts a crunchy exterior and a velvety, aromatic center, offering a sweetness that remains balanced. Every mouthful delivers a delightful texture, abundant in layers. 

Additional offerings like the Pan Fried Beef with Pickled Vegetables & Young Ginger and the Deep Fried Stuffed Bean Curd are also remarkable, showcasing their distinct appeal and excelling in both appearance and taste. The B.B.Q Duck prepared by the restaurant, which is cooked over an open fire, stands out for its succulent and moist meat, complemented by a sweet and aromatic skin. The latest dim sum addition is really something special, crafted with precision by a top flour-based food chef, and it's super tempting! 

Diligent Work and Sincere Connections 

What’s even more impressive is that the chef and owner of the restaurant always stay authentic to themselves. There’s nothing fancy or showy about their setup; they just depend on awesome service and great grub to get folks to spread the word and stay loyal. They get hands-on with everything at the restaurant, from buying the food to cooking it and serving it to customers, always aiming to make everything just right. Looking into the future, the owner is dreaming big, wishing the restaurant could attract a wider audience and get people from different ages and cultures to try out traditional Cantonese food. There is no doubt that if they keep pushing forward and innovating, while staying true to their humble roots, they'll definitely build a solid reputation and get people talking positively, bringing in food lovers from all walks of life to enjoy this delicious gem from the Lingnan region of China.