Hakkasan Bistro - Richmond

This is my go-to spot for Hakka Chinese cuisine. I was pleasantly surprised to find it not crowded on a Saturday evening. The service is top-notch and the ambiance of the restaurant gives off a high-end dining feel rather than a typical Chinese eatery. The food is consistently exceptional. I suggest looking at their special menu online and placing your order in advance when reserving a table.

Hakkasan Bistro Cafe, a family-run dining establishment, was opened in 2007 by a mother and her two daughters. We were warmly welcomed by the Hakkasan Bistro team to attend their specially organized Hakka Inspired Feast and Wine Media Event.

Hakkasan Bistro Cafe, like its name implies, employs the cooking style of the Hakka people, also known as China’s gypsies and nomads. On the map, they originated from the southeastern Chinese provinces of Gaungdong, Fujian, Jiangxi and Guangxi. Some hallmarks of Hakka cuisine are stewed, braised and roast meats.

Hakka cuisine is a traditional cooking style of the Hakka people, who are considered China's gypsies and nomads. This cuisine is primarily found in the southeastern Chinese provinces of Guangdong, Fujian, Jiangxi, and Guangxi. Hakka cuisine focuses on stewed, braised, and roasted meats, as well as 'texturized' dishes that highlight the importance of texture. The cooking style emphasizes simple yet flavorful dishes that showcase the unique textures of the ingredients.

As I’ve previously mentioned, I grew up in Richmond with super white parents. So despite the plethora of amazing Asian cuisine residing right outside my door, I never ate any Asian food growing up other than your stereotypical western fare (I will still defend the deliciousness of lemon chicken to my death though). And although my tastes expanded after I moved out on my own in my early twenties, I’m still woefully uneducated when it comes to many types of Asian cuisine. Hakka cuisine is just one of the many. So when Hakkasan Bistro in Richmond invited me to attend a media event at which they’d be serving a ten course meal including many Hakka specialties, I jumped at the opportunity to expand my culinary horizon. I invited Dexter along as my plus one, and off we went into the depths of Richmond’s industrial district at the northern end of No. 5 road.