UPDATED – BUSINESS HAS CLOSED
3950 Main Street, Vancouver
Tel: (604) 873-1172
Web: https://oldbird.ca/
Instagram @oldbirdrestaurant
Advice: No reservations, walk-ins only.
With it’s focus on Chinese cuisine with attitude, Executive Chef Deseree Lo has put together a wonderful menu of dishes from the places were she grew up, traditional yet unique, sums up the direction in this recently opened restaurant. Equally vibrant is the decor inside the restaurant with red Chinese lanterns hanging from the ceiling, and the collection of golden Lucky Cats above the bar and around the room.
Daikon Puff Pastry
Roasted Sweet Potato
It’s mostly about small plates with sharing encouraged; Lawrence and I tried several different dishes here; loved the Daikon Puff Pastry which is vegetarian the pastry is filled with shiitake mushroom, scallions; also loved Chef Desiree’s childhood favourite, a simple Roasted Sweet Potato with five spice rub.
Crispy Tofu
Beef Short Ribs
The Lamb Skewers were brushed with cumin bbq sauce; the Steamed Mini Manto buns were soft, the Crispy Tofu was fried with sambal and black vinegar; and the Beef Short Ribs were done with black pepper sauce, and pickled cabbage.
Lychee 75
Flew The Coup
Old Bird Coffee
Five Flowers Iced Tea
The cocktails all come with a bit of a twist, the Lychee 75 cocktail is a take off a French 75 with input from Chef Deseree who loved Lychee growing up; I also like that they offer some interesting Zero Proof cocktails such as the tasty Flew The Coup with lapsang, rosemary, ginger, cinnamon, and lemon. The Old Bird Coffee with espresso, bitters and soda was also good; lastly Lawrence tried the Five Flowers Iced Tea with honeysuckle, chrysanthemum, silk cotton, plumeria rubra, pueraria lobata, and bitters.
Fried Veggie Spring Rolls
I loved chef Desiree’s take on Fried Veggie Spring Rolls as they were triangle shaped like a samosa, they were fun and delicious with taro, soy beans and mushrooms.
Hong Kong-style Fish Balls
Steamed Black Cod
Old Bird Smoked Half Chicken
Two of my favourite dishes were the Hong Kong-style Fish Balls in a flavourful seafood curry broth; along with the Steamed Black Cod melt in your mouth fish with ginger, garlic & scallion sauce. I also liked the Old Bird Smoked Half Chicken which was part interactive experience as they gave me gloves and golden scissors to cut my own chicken.
Ginger Milk Custard
Hakka Mochi
Tried both of their desserts, my favourite of the two was the Ginger Milk Custard with goji berries & red dates; over the Hakka Mochi with ovaltine and black sesame.
This is a gem worthy of your visit.
Review by: Richard Wolak
3950 Main Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada