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A Hunan style restaurant
Mrs. C and I always smelled the enticing aromas when we drove past this place, and finally we decided to give it a try. It was spicy-good!
The restaurant was clean and simply decorated with big tables, plain yellow walls, and a few random art prints. It was filled with diners when we arrived. We got our menus and a lot of the dishes were unfamiliar to me, but they all looked interesting. After some heated discussion, we placed our order. To say the service was fast would be an understatement. As soon as we ordered, I went to wash my hands in the very clean w/c. By the time I got back to the table, food had already arrived!
We had the cold beef brisket with red chilli sauce, lamb stir fry with green chillis, Hunan style green beans, and steamed rice. The manager advised us to go for medium hot, since we were first-time diners. Good advice, since “medium” was actually rather strong.
The dishes were hot (really hot), but very flavourful. It was as if the spiciness accentuated the underlying flavours. All the dishes were tasty and the lamb was especially good. Mrs. C and I had never tried Hunan cuisine before but after our first experience we will be back for more.
Recommended.
First of all, don't go to this place if you don't like spicy food. And I mean, really spicy food!
Xiang Yuan (I think it's also called alvin garden or something like that) specializes in Hunan cuisine, which means a ton of spicy dishes. This place is very authentic and doesn't try to dumb anything down for western taste buds. I highly recommend their lamb dishes and their spicy chicken (not sure of exact dish name). Their menu also has some very unusual dishes for the adventurous diner. You can pick the level of spice, just tell the waitress when ordering. Do note that even the lowest level of spice has quite a burn to it, so make sure to start off low!
The service is always efficient and friendly. Each dish is priced a bit higher ($12-13) than your average chinese restaurant. But for an occasional change to cantonese cuisine, it's totally worth it!
We've been here a few times now, and they recently renovated and re-opened. It's almost always busy, even on weekdays so best to reserve ahead of time. There are rarely caucasians here, by the dialects the vast majority of patrons are from Mainland China. I haven't been to Hunan, but the dishes are excellent, though you must like spice. Our favourite is the lamb stir-fried with green chilis, and the hot pots particularly the shrimp, huge prawns soaked in extremely spicy broth. The seaweed and pig-ear side dishes are also excellent. It is a little on the oilier side, so be warned if you're not really into Chinese. However even my husband liked it, and he really doesn't do greasy.
Service is efficient if a little brusque as we usually see at Chinese restaurants. Some servers have somewhat limited english. Parking is limited behind the building but outside of rush hour Imperial has street parking.
Xiang Cuisine is in one of the dodgier parts of Burnaby, but the wife and I are willing to put up with the environment for the food. We have been to Hunan restaurants in China, and are my wife's favorite food after Guangdong food so we were really looking forward. The environment of the place is quite plain. When we ordered they brought out mushy rice (pretty bad for a Chinese place). The duck hotpot was mainly neck pieces and was quite fatty. The two other dishes were just ok. As for the prices, they were a bit on the high side for what we were expecting. As a dining experience I would give it a 3 out of 10. The next time we will take our chances elsewhere.
Great service, but the meal was overpriced for what I got. I ordered Duck Braised in Beer and all I got was bones for 17 CAN$!!!! I probably ordered the wrong meal so it goes to show, expensive does not mean quality!!! Anyways I got what I came for. HOT food. And the meal was quite hot and spicy. May come back again.
Having eaten out many times at the various Cantonese, Taiwanese, Szechuan, and other Chinese restaurants in the Metrotown area, I was starved to find something new to try out. The Xiang (or Alvin Garden) was the ideal remedy for the situation.
Since discovering the place not 4 months ago, I have eaten there over half a dozen times... for lunch, for dinner, for the essence of deliciousness.
The service is good, but pales in comparison to the food that will leave you virtually breathless. The pig's feet, served in a wooden bucket, is one of their specialties, and the best that you will ever have in the Lower Mainland, bar none. Other dishes that will not leave you wanting are their various hotpots/drypots (Hunan specialty), and the cumin lamb.
If ever you are in the Metrotown area on a weekday lunch hour... you are in for a treat as they have lunch specials. Try, and you will end up trying and trying again.
If you can eat spicy... ask for it hot. You will NOT be disappointed.
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