Week of July 29, 2004, Issue #458
DISH
Hot Hot eats
By CHRISTOPHER THRALL
Located on the corner of Jasper Ave and 109 St, Chili Hot Hot is one of the most prominent undiscovered treasures in Edmonton. Unlike those flashier Chinese places, you won’t find any jade dragon sculptures, intricate wood screens or gold leaf paintings. The eating area feels like a conference room, well-lit and inexpensively reclaimed with paint; the furniture is “early ’80s Chinese restaurant” to the point of cliché, complete with burgundy vinyl tablecloths, cushioned chairs with gold accents and terrible carpet. But what Chili Hot Hot lacks in decor they more than make up for in great food.
The menu is approachable and seems fairly standard, with a list of items like “shrimp and chicken in nest” and “beef in black bean sauce” that goes on for pages. The prices fall on either side of $10, depending on how much meat is involved. As I skim the menu, I find a few pages full of Asian characters with prices scattered randomly. Daunted, I skip to the back of the menu to check out the combos. My wife and I decide on the Shangri-La combo for two, which at $14 per person is the most expensive of their set meal options and includes soup and spring rolls to start and five entrées.
The hot and sour soup arrives almost immediately and is a delight: the spicy broth has become a stew of tofu, carrots, sprouts, green onion, peas and various unidentifiable bits. Halfway through, the spring rolls arrive and my wife’s eyes light up: “Spring rolls are my favourite!” We’re even more impressed when we bite in. Light, crunchy and piping hot, these rolls are incredible; the only disappointment is that there are only two of them.
The five main courses hit the table at the same time. I scoop us some tasty and filling chicken fried rice as a base and my wife digs into the shrimp with mixed greens. She counts seven huge shrimp, the pea pods are crispy and the bok choi is not. A couple of bites in, she informs me that this is officially her new favourite dish. I help myself to the ginger hot beef and chicken with lemon sauce. As someone used to the gooey, coated ginger beef of mall food courts, this platter of tender beef and julienned vegetables in a light ginger sauce simply dazzles me (although I’m not sure what exactly the “hot” in the dish’s name refers to). The chicken has a light, crispy batter and the sauce is absolutely out of this world, but unfortunately the chicken itself is a little too chewy for our tastes.
My biggest surprise is the honey garlic ribs. Expecting them to be the standard kind of dry ribs you can pick up anywhere, I’m surprised to bite into a warm, moist, largely boneless treat drizzled with honey. My wife isn’t crazy about honey, so I have a hedonistic time with these succulent bits of heaven.
Green tea, frequently topped up by the restaurant’s polite, unobtrusive and sometimes less-than-comprehensible waitstaff, complements the entire meal. The language barrier became a factor when we asked to see the dessert menu and were told about a mango pudding and something involving coconut. Thinking they were one and the same, we ordered one to split. $2.50 bought us a bowl full of paradise: thick pudding with chunks of mango topped with heavy cream. The taste was fresh, clean and a terrific pick-me-up after the intense flavours of the meal.
Overall, the value can’t be beat: for less than $40 we had a great, filling meal and were leaving with enough for lunches or a midnight meal for two. Chili Hot Hot offers free delivery within five miles and a lunch buffet I’ll definitely try anytime I’m downtown at noon. Drop off your leftovers in the car and you’re ready for your evening to begin in the heart of downtown. V
Chili Hot Hot
10909 Jasper Avenue • 428-3336