James Snacks Sand Pot Rice at Empire Center
Posted on 03/05/2011
Address: 1160 - 4540 No. 3 Road, Richmond, BC
Taking the path less travelled will definitely lead eventually to James Snacks in laid back Empire Center. I have tried James Snacks before I started food blogging and I know other like-minded fellows will eventually cut a path to this tasty rice pot snack stall.
This mall is surprisingly un-busy for an eating center in Richmond. Perhaps middling CD shops and herb stores with a cluster of small food-court stalls serving Hong Kong and Southern Chinese food just isn't your average Richmond-ite's cup of tea?
Inside, the place isn't exactly empty, but it's no Yaohan food court either. Then again maybe all Chinese don't want a bustling, crowded atmosphere and Empire Center exists to satisfy the serenity-seeker.
What really surprises me is no line-up at James Snacks, the purveyor of Clay Pot Rice (or as they have it, Sand Pot Rice). Their fare must have outshone other earthen-pot outlets as they have garnered two gold medals from Chinese Restaurant Awards.
The proprietress, a handsome Chinese woman stands proudly insider her family-run stall. Her husband works steadily away in the kitchen while the daughter peeks shyly from behind the cash register.
Critic's Choice Signature Dis Award in 2010 gave Gold to James Snacks Claypot Chicken & Sausage Rice under the Food Court Dish category. For 2011 under the same category this humble food-stall won Gold again for Claypot Ostrich Rice.
The Delivery.
The Opening.
Claypot Chicken & Chinese Sausage Rice $6.75.
As I poured the provided cuplet of soya sauce over this earthen-pot lunch I thought to myself, "this looks, smells and most assuredly tastes good. I wonder where else in Hongcouver I find another one better?" Something I hear that is supposed to set James apart from other creators of earthen-pot rice is the fact that the rice is cooked from raw along with the other ingredients, the upshot being that the fragrance of cooked rice infuses into the rest of the food? I'm not a bona fide expert but this sounds plausible to me.
After finishing my delicious Sand Pot Rice I wandered around the food court capturing some other stalls for my own curiosity. I ordered a Hong Kong coffee/tea from this Hong Kong cafe-style stall next to a Chinese-bra shop.
For the kids.
Herb shop.
Chinese BBQ.
Shanghainese fare.