Tourism Vancouver/Dannielle Hayes

Looking for the world’s best Chinese food? Then you better make a beeline to…Vancouver, BC? It’s true: the Lower Mainland’s myriad Asian eateries could easily go chopstick-to-chopstick with any contender back in the old country. From har gow to hot pot and Shanghai to Szechuan, it’s all here and it’s all good—and sometimes even outstanding.

Which is why it’s time to say hello to Canada’s first annual Chinese Restaurant Awards, presented today to 23 Vancouver-area restaurants deemed by a panel of esteemed food fetishists to be serving the best Chinese signature dishes.

Where to find the city’s best congee? Mak’s Noodle Restaurant, apparently. Dim sum? Shun Feng Seafood Restaurant. Soup? Wonton King. And Jade Dynasty won in no fewer than three categories: best scallop, best geoduck, and best chicken.

The list is long and the winners range from neighborhood haunts to high-end restos, but you’re pretty much guaranteed a good meal just by closing your eyes and picking a name at random. (In fact, there are two fool-proof lists—the other is a round-up of best restaurants by category—bubble tea, noodle house BBQ, etc.—as chosen by diners themselves. You’ll find both on the awards web site.) 

Now excuse me please: I’m off to New Town Bakery & Restaurant for a box of the city’s (maybe the world’s?) best coconut buns…