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Forbidden City Dim Sum & Seafood Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants Chinese Dim Sum Restaurants Seafood Dim Sum, Seafood [Edit]
999 36 St NECalgary, AB T2A 7X6
(403) 250-1848
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
14 reviews for Forbidden City Dim Sum & Seafood Restaurant
14 reviews in English
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Review from Chris S.
Calgary, AB
1/25/2012 1 Check-in Here
Great Dim Sum - plenty of selection, and everything is fresh, and authentic. If you are on a budget this is one of the best places to go. Expect to wait upwards of 20-30 min when it gets busy however there is a mall with lots of neat shops to see while you wait.
Also don't expect a pristine clean dining room; this is authentic Dim Sum, and the best places are going to be a bit sloppy on the presentation, but what is lacking on the presentation is made up for by the taste and the price you paid.
Will defiantly make this a monthly to quarterly treat! -
Review from Van B.
1/10/2012
Where do you draw the line between liking a place and disliking a place?
Every few Sundays I wake up, not knowing where I really am and after a few minutes of panicking I find myself in my own bed, hungover with my stomach growling like a beast and that's when I know I need some dim sum goodness.
I wait for my best friends to wake up and in a snail like fashion we slowly make our way to our favorite dim sum spot. This place I have a love/hate relationship with solely due to the fact that their service is sub par however where it lacks in service it gains in taste.
I've been to quite a few dim sum places in Calgary and I have to say that Forbidden City has to be my favorite.
We sit around, figuring out what to eat and although I don't know the Cantonese equivalents of each dish we order I can half make out the items we usually order as follows: shrimp steamed dumplings, siu mai dumplings, chinese doughnut wrapped in rice sheets, fried shrimp dumplings, steamed rice wrapped in banana leaves, bbq pork wrapped rice sheets, shrimp wrapped rice sheets, bbq pork buns and of course for the finale egg tarts.
The service is slow, you have to nag at the servers to get anything you want and the biggest disadvantage about this restaurant is the fact that you need a Cantonese speaking friend to come with you to increase the service you need. True story.
However much I dislike the service here I always return for the food. When you're hungover there's nothing like dim sum.Listed in: Asian Food For The Soul., For everything else…
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Review from Sabahat N.
Calgary, AB
11/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
When I found myself infront of Pacific Plaza this past weekend, I knew I had to go in and get me some dim-sum.
There was a lineup, so we waited 10 minutes. When the lady called out "NUMBER 80", I let out a squeal like I had won the lottery and hopped in. YAY DIM SUM TIME!!
We ordered quite a few things. Shrimp dumplings, deep fried shrimp dumpling, rice crepe with peanut sauce, curry squid and special chicken steamed bun. Complimentary tea too, which is great. Most of the food was pretty good, but the special chicken steamed bun was a WINNER! It was so good we ordered extra!
All in all, not a bad place at all. Service is what you should expect from a typical chinese restaurant. I will be back to try the AYCE hotpot. Ooh yeah.
1/30 -
Review from Cobe H.
Calgary, AB
6/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
I came here for dim sum on a weekday simply because I know I can get a table. They have a different menu for dinner but I'm rating this purely on it being a dim sum restaurant.
It's a gong show on weekends and even though it's a large place, you won't get a table if you don't come early. Expect them to rush you when it's packed. Dim sum is a sit down and take your time with your friends and family meal so I don't appreciate being rushed...if I want to eat and get the hell out, I'd go for pho. It's also pricey than most places but at least it taste good which sometimes, is worth the money but would I drive all the way here and wait half an hour to get a table on the weekend and pay the expensive price? Nah. I'll give this place 3 stars because it's good food, good ambiance and subpar service. -
Review from Jeff N.
Calgary, AB
7/9/2011
My sister had her wedding there, and the manager was a moron. He tried ripping us off, service was horrendous. They served each person's portion at the table individually, but the servings were tiny and they didn't wrap up the rest like they should. With the wedding going on, no one at the head table had time to worry about that. With all the weddings they do, you would think they would know how to take care of everyone properly.
My sister has been there 3 times in the last 2 months planning this wedding, but each time the service was bad and the manager's attitude was always horrible. If you plan a big event, be prepared. -
Review from Merry K.
11/30/2010 1 Check-in Here
Forbidden City is an excellent place to visit for lunch when in the Northeast. Lots of parking (though it can be very busy) and lots of tables. Order off the dim sum menu and you have piping hot yumminess on your table in no time flat. This is an especially great place to take a group.
We end up going here for lunch at least once every week or so.
The only small downside is that the service is weird by North American standards (but not by Chinese restaurant standards). Only certain people speak English so not everyone can help if you have questions/need water/etc. They are very fast to bring you food, though.
Definitely recommend. -
Review from Winnie B.
9/2/2010 5 photos
I am a HUGE fan of their Chinese doughnut wrapped in rice crepe with green onions... So good~ It comes out steaming hot, and when you bite down, there is a delicious crunch. As you keep chewing, you savor the taste of each ingredient that perfectly balance each other out. You can really taste EVERYTHING. Best while hot, but still good after getting cold... It just loses its crunch.
We also got the pork dumplings, shrimp dumplings with chives, chicken feet in black bean sauce, squid in shrimp paste, rice crepe with shrimp, and a steamed bun with egg yolk custard. I've never had pork dumplings with the raw salmon eggs, but it went really well with everything so no complaints there. The rice crepe with shrimp was SUUUPER delish. I usually don't like it much, but the shrimp tasted fresh and there was just enough rice crepe around it to balance the flavors. Everything else was pretty average.
Service was good, and the restaurant was roomy! Nice decorations, too. -
Review from Eric K.
1/17/2011 2 photos
Came here for hotpot tonight, it was all you can eat for 23CND. Quality of meat and vegetable were really good for all you can eat. Good cost-performance. Hotpot is especially good for freezing Alberta weather. Tried the pork paste for the first time, it was tasty.
Will come here for dim sum soon and will report back.
Service wasn't bad for a Cantonese restaurant, typically, in Cantonese restaurants waiters ignore you, but at this place, they actually came around and asked us how we were doing. Plus, we negotiated and got free sweets after the meal.
Came back tonite for dinner, got the Ginger Salt Chicken Hot Pot (see picture uploaded), holy cow, it was AMAZING. The chicken was free range, thus, the meat had the "elastic" quality. I don't know what other words I can use to describe the texture of free range chicken. The soup had the ginsing herbal flavor which I enjoy. This dish is highly recommended by me, especially in the cold Calgary winter.Listed in: CCT-Foods
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Review from S S.
Calgary, AB
Updated - 6/30/2011
Went for dim sum on a weekday. About 1/3 full of people. I noticed most were caucasians and there were very few oriental people... interesting clientele?
There was nothing to rave about. I did enjoy the deep fried beancurd wrapped fruit in mayo. It was very creative and not overly sweet. The duck tongue also had a nice texture. The deep fried tofu on the bottom was a nice touch to soak up the flavourful sauce.
I thought the seasonal veg ($5.95) was too pricey for the small serving. Overall, I found the prices were a little inflated. But then again nothing tasted horrible. Although we did return the chilled vegetarian roll as it felt slimy and tasted rotten.
I think the food was not bad, but nothing good either. Service was mediocre. Chance for a return for dim sum: maybe...1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/20/2011
I found that the decor was quite fancy and clean. It lent a certain "oriental" atmosphere that I… Read more »
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Review from dinah g.
Calgary, AB
2/24/2010
I went with a small group for Chinese food at this two location restaurant at the Pacific Mall. Parking was a breeze which is the reason we came to the NE there weren't any locations downtown on the street to park.
The restaurant is really elegantly decked out and I almost felt I was at a Chinese wedding. There were tons of people there on Monday night mostly Chinese which is a great sign. We ordered the Peking Duck with wraps and Ginger Chicken and the Sweet and Sour Pork with mixed vegetables.
The Duck at $36 was supposed to feed 10 people but it wasn't a very large portion, it didn't event compare to the portion of the Peking Duck served at the Shanghai. I was really hungry so any food at this point was exciting. The chicken was nice and crispy and the pork was good too. These three plates and a huge bucket of rice came at around $75. The man at this restaurant put a place of food on our table claiming I had order it which I didn't. He said it was only $5 if I ordered the Peking Duck but it alone was $15. I said I didn't really care how much it was I hadn't ordered it, he insisted I try it again and again I felt badgered into eating something that I didn't order. He finally took it back and I graciously got the bill.
Aside from the forcing of food and small portions, it was a good meal and the waitresses there are very pleasant. The interior is quite gorgeous so it really enhances the meal. For Chinese food however there are just as delicious restaurants at more affordable prices -
Review from Hinano K.
12/29/2010
I 've been here several times for both dim sum and dinner. I find the food pretty decent, but the service with the waitress there is not so great. I mean I have to say some people that works there doesn't seem too willing to get me my pair of chopsticks and glass of water. I have an incident with a girl there that would not like tp change my order that she made a mistake on and of course we got to the manager and everything is fixed, but still that just proof my point their service is not great. So far that was the only bad incident I had with them. Hopefully other yelpers that would like to tried this place, would not have a bad experience like I did.
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Review from Robyn B.
Calgary, AB
12/29/2010 3 Check-ins Here
Legit, high quality dim sum in the northeast. Ordering is a la carte (in other words, no carts)... My favourites are the pork and chive dumplings, BBQ pork buns, and the sticky rice. I think there is a lack of good veg dishes and the variety on the menu is just so-so (by Chinese dim sum resto standards), but these are only complaints I started to notice after several visits. The price is mid range for dim sum in yyc- budget 10-15 dollars per person for lots of food. Parking is plentiful but walking around that lot is dangerous- don't dim sum and drive, people!
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Review from CECE F.
Calgary, AB
3/8/2010
I've had their DIM SUM. I'd have to say it is higher quality in seafood but they also price it really "well"
Too expensive for me. Not a regular place I'd visitListed in: DIM SUM YUM
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Review from Mitch S.
Toronto, ON
7/22/2009
This place offers a legitement dim sum experience in Calgary. Expect lots of selection, complimentary tea, and a majority Asian clientele...always a good sign!
