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Kalvin's Szechuan Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants Taiwanese Restaurants Chinese Taiwanese, Chinese [Edit]
5225 VictoriaVancouver, BC V5P 3V4
Neighbourhood: Kensington-Cedar Cottage
(604) 321-2888
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
22 reviews for Kalvin's Szechuan Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"...eggplant, mapo tofu and hot and sour soup that will make..." In 1 review -
"We always order the taiwanese style dumplings." In 7 reviews -
"Kalvin's is almost always busy, and for very good reason." In 3 reviews
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22 reviews in English
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Review from Phil K.
Burnaby, BC
5/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
Great home cooking. That is the only way to describe this place. If you haven't tried it, I suggest you go. It's a small restaurant but the flavour in every dish speak volumes.
Spicy eggplant with minced pork - BEST in town.
Sliced lamb with basil and green onion - The basil made this dish. Flagrant! Surprising how good this was.
Beef roll - one of the best in town if not the best.
Usual dim sum dishes and beef noodle are all excellent.
I don't know if this place is Taiwanese or Szechuan and I don't really care. All I know is this place puts out great tasting food. What more can you ask for? -
Review from Allen W.
4/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
Visited with my asian in-laws (who always do the ordering) and I loved everything we had ... well, didn't care for the boiled intestines with pig's blood cubes, but everything else was to my liking ;-)
The place is small but has amazingly large tables for the space. If you're a large party though, I suspect reservations would be a good idea. We had a reservation.
Note that they have a freezer case by the kitchen where you can buy pre-made, frozen potstickers, onion pancake, etc. We got the potstickers, which are unlike any others I've seen .... very large and open ended. Made them last night and they are fantastic! ($11 for 40 pieces, I think) -
Review from Larry L.
Updated - 1/12/2012 1 Check-in Here
It's amazing when you can order food In Mandarin. When they asked us if we like spicy and we all said yes. No further questions asked.
Now.
If only I could speak Mandarin, my success rate at ordering Chinese food would be much better.
People like me, when I try to order in Chinese, get laughed at. Fingers point in my direction like I was a fish who couldn't breath underwater when I try to order in Chinese. It's like when you see the ancient Chinese characters Monkey and Pigsy, they always stare at Pigsy, cause he's so piggy like. Monkey gets to be the hero! I'm like Pigsy.
Now.
Throw me in a restaurant on St Denis in Montreal and I have better success in French!
I sound sexy when I order a croissant in French with an Irish accent and a Pigsy face!
So, I told the kids to order and they did. Q wanted something vegetarian and A wanted meat.
Q got her dish that accidentally contained some meat, but she just picked the pieces she wanted and put the meat aside, for me to eat. A, got his meat dish but the pieces of meat were so small, he wished he ordered the veggie dish!
Both Q and A enjoyed the meal regardless, just as much as I did.
I loved spending the time with the kids and catching up on events and then it dawned on me.
They ordered in Chinese and we still didn't really get what we wanted?!
Hmmmmm.
Regardless, Kalvins is still a nice little Taiwanese restaurant operating as a Szechuan joint.
But what we were really after is Chongqing style Szechuan food.
Still a fan of this little place and next time we're in the area, we'll come back!
Why? Good food, good prices and very nice staff who always ask their customers if they like spicy.
Do you like it spicy?Listed in: Taste Bud Tinglers, Taiwanese Food
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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6/10/2010
We asked for it and we got it. Very Very peppery Hot and Sour Soup.
The friendly server when asked… Read more »
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Review from Dave C.
Chilliwack, BC
1/4/2012
I've been here before years ago but came here tonight with a Food Blogger "meet up" group. There was 9 in our table and we ordered a bunch of food for family style sharing. I prefer it this way as I can sample all the food. We ordered 8 plates. All the food has a Taiwanese style to it, which isn't bad. There wasn't a bad plate on our table.
My favorite was the spicy chicken. I could eat that all day long. The only down fall is I'm a big eater and those 8 plates for 9 people was a little slim. I was hungry when I left. I ended up going to Churches Chicken afterward to fill me up.
All the food came out to just over $109. I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone that like just plain good food. Come early as it does get fill out quick. -
Review from Betty T.
I have no idea why this restaurant's name has the word "Szechuan" in it... Because it is 100% Taiwanese. And damn legit Taiwanese food, too!!!
First of all, the owner is super nice. Reminds me of the genuineness of restaurant owners in Taiwan. She's also the owner of Cabin 5555 apparently.
The food is really authentic, reasonably priced, and in large portions. I ordered minced pork rice (), spicy intestine stew (), scallion cake wrapped beef (), chives dumpling (), spicy pork ears (), Taiwanese rice noodles (), and clams! And guava juice.
Let's just say... This could easily feed a family of 5. We ordered this amongst 2 people. The bill came out to be only $50. I must say, I have absolutely no complaints about this restaurant (I'm pretty picky)... I would recommend making reservations because it's going to be full for sure. -
Review from Annie W.
10/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
My last couple of reviews have been pretty Debby Downer, and today's was going to be no different until my dad insisted on an impromptu dinner at Kalvin's.
I actually introduced my dad to the place about two years ago. He was a Szechuan chef himself for many years, so the fact that he actually pines for some of the dishes here should say something about the food.
Kalvin's is everything you'd want in a neighborhood restaurant bundled into one spicy little package - it's small, family-run, service is friendly, and the food is both affordable and delicious.
It's also one of the best places to buy frozen dumplings & onion pancakes in the city. Half of what constitues an excellent dumpling/potsticker is the dough skin that it's wrapped in. Kalvin's dumpling skins are rolled BY HAND - every single one of them.
Make a reso or be prepared to order take-away, and bring cash too. Kalvin's is almost always busy, and for very good reason. It's pretty much perfect.Listed in: Yelp 30 Day Challenge 2011
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Review from Michael P.
Burnaby, BC
8/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've been coming to Kalvin's Szechuan Restaurant for many years and the food has never once been a disappointment. This establishment has all the hallmarks of providing patrons with an excellent dining experience: family owned, consistently consistent, well-priced and downright delicious.
There are several dishes I'd love to highlight but if you're tackling this place for the first time, try the pot stickers and Shanghai-style pork dumplings (for starters). If you're looking for a good dish to compliment plain rice, I recommend the bamboo shoots with pork. Unfortunately, I only know the Mandarin names for the other dishes, but I encourage you to be adventurous and select something random out of the menu. It won't be a disappointment.
Please be aware, however, that this restaurant accepts cash only. Additionally, seating is very limited (reservations accepted) and English is evidently a second language for its servers (but still passable).
It isn't often I give restaurants a 5-star rating, but this place is truly a hidden gem.
Bon appetit! -
Review from Rachael T.
Toronto, ON
12/16/2010 ROTD 1/8/2011
I'm happy to start writing about Kalvin's with my first review back from my disappearance. It reminds me of family, and friends, who I went dining with here. My recommendation - come with someone who is familiar with Taiwanese food! The place is small, with about 5 - 6 tables filled with large families chatting away, having great food.
The most memorable dishes I could remember were the cold glass noodles with sesame sauce. It is rare that I taste something so tasty and full of flavour that is COLD.
If you a fan of pork belly - you cannot go wrong here. It is perfectly cooked, topped with a thick layer of fat, and with melting in your mouth meet at the bottom. Once again, the flavours never lack.
We ordered a spicy cabbage dish and boy did it have a serious kick to it. It was way too hot for me but many others really enjoyed it.
Save the best for last - dumplings in spicy chilly sauce. I don't know if it was the dumpling or the sauce but I think it had to be a delicious combination of both. The skin on the dumpling was thin in texture, but not breaking and the filling was the perfect amount of chewiness. The dipping sauce was just the right amount of heat and then the after taste of it gave you a wonderful sensation of hotness but not too hot.
We ordered alot more but I cannot remember everything or be able to describe everything to you. I believe they take reservations but you'll have to get lucky because space is limited!
If you want a cool drink - they have very interesting sodas that you wouldn't normally find in regular supermarkets... definitely a bonus. -
Review from Lawrence T.
Vancouver, BC
1/24/2011
I always believe in the "When in Rome" mentality when going to restaurants. It's been years now, but my sister took us here after dining at this establishment with friends of Taiwanese origin. If it's good enough for her friends, then it's certainly good enough for me. Add to the fact that this place is always busy, even for lunch that one time my family couldn't get together for dinner, people know the food is good and authentic.
Some of my favorites here include the beef wraps (Five Spice Beef in Chinese Pancake) before they became ubiquitous at all the BBT cafes, Smoked Duck, and the Fondue Spicy Pork w/ Organ Stew. This last one is not for everyone, but still, try the sauce over some white rice. One thing that is no longer on the menu is the Stinky Tofu. I remember one of my brother-in-law always cringing whenever we used to order it. -
Review from Vernus C.
Vancouver, BC
11/28/2011
Lets start off with their service. The waitresses are very polite and friendly, you can feel that they love and are passionate about their jobs. Usually when restaurants are about to close, they'll shove your bill on the table which is an indirect way for waiters or waitresses of saying "HURRY UP! ITS TIME FOR ME TO GO HOME!" but at Kalvin's the waitress told us to take our time and that there is no rush when they are closing in 10 minutes! That alone deserves a 5 star!
Now lets talk about their food. Their portions are relatively large because at other Taiwanese restaurants for that price you are only getting servings for 1 person but at Kalvin's its enough for 2 perhaps 3 if you and your friends are anorexic. Thats when I wonder why people would pay 10 dollars for a meal at McDonalds, when you can get a nutritious dish along with superb service for 6-8 dollars. Anyway, I ordered a few dishes and they were all delicious, actually delicious will be a bit of an understatement but you know what I mean.
Now stop reading reviews on Yelp! Just go and you will know what I mean! -
Review from Wendy C.
West Vancouver, BC
4/3/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I went here yesterday due to the yelp reviews. At first I was a bit hesitant since it said szechuan in the restaurant title but served taiwanese food.
My friend, sister, and I ordered the follow: green onion pancake beef roll, beef noodle soup, pig's blood and intestine soup, deep fried tofu with salt and chili, deep fried roll with condensed milk, Steamed Pork Dumplings, hakka eggplant with shredded pork, and rice with beef topping.
The green onion pancake was the best I've ever had EVER. It was soft and crispy and moist.
Everything we had was delicious, and we had leftovers. Not bad for $52! Definitely coming here again and recommending to friends. -
Review from Marc D.
Vancouver, BC
7/30/2009
* Sichuan-influenced Taiwanese hole-in-the-wall *
Fortunately this place came highly recommended.
Unfortunately every time I tried the lines were just so ridiculously long that I gave up and ate somewhere else.
Fortunately as I passed by today there was no line. Hooray!
Unfortunately I was alone though as I would have liked to order a lot more from their menu to sample it all.
Fortunately I did get to sample their shredded lamb with noodles dish which was delicious. Perfectly spiced, incredibly hot (temperature wise), flavourful tender sliced lamb, good chew on the noodles, non overbearing sauce, no signs of excessive MSG. Lovely dish!
Unfortunately I wanted to also try all of the great food I saw on the other tables.
Fortunately I can always return (and plan to). -
Review from Beverley W.
Vancouver, BC
11/12/2008
This is one of the must-eat pilgrimage restaurants for my family when everyone is in town. We even ate there once while the place was flooding -- water was seeping into the dining room and NO ONE, not us, or any of the other diners, made a motion to leave.
If you eat at Kalvin's, I guarantee that the memory of his Taiwanese-infused Sichuan cooking will work itself deep into your subconscious. You'll find yourself yearning for it on days when you are far away from home and stuck in the dining wasteland of small town America.
My mouth is starting to water just thinking about beef rolls, pickled mustard greens with intestines, stir-fried eggplant, mapo tofu and hot and sour soup that will make your ears burn. It's all served family style with a bottomless bucket of rice -- just like they do in Taiwan.
It's hard to get a table there -- reservations are spotty, there are few tables and it's always packed. A couple of times we have just forgone eating in and ordered takeout to bring home -- just another sign of our devotion to Kalvin's. -
Review from Shakib K.
9/7/2011
I took my parents here for their anniversary on a Friday night and obviously followed advice to make a reservation. I think this was one of the best places I ate while in Vancouver, and must stay I loved it and highly recommend. Don't miss the Smoked duck.. wow heaven. The handmade noodles were amazing and nice and fresh. Only thing i didn't like is the chicken in wine broth.. or some such thing, just bland and a disappointing , but I am willing to forgive it and I can see it might be appealing to someone. Basically if you don't like boiled chicken avoid this.
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Review from Katy N.
6/4/2009
Small little joint, so don't expect any nice decor @ this Taiwanese restaurant.
Pepper chicken w/thick noodles soup - They served the pepper chicken (deep fried) on the side w/your thick noodles soup with a touch of spinach - DELICIOUS and surprisingly the chicken was not greasy!!
Shanghai dumplings - freaking JUICY & FRESH!!
Pork Gyoza - OMGosh, the best I ever had!! My girlfriend, told me they HAND MADE all their wrappings, so not your typical manufacturer bought - MUST ORDER cuz it was perfectly pan fried, juicy & flavorful
Beef rolls - it was not bad but I wish the bread was a tad thinner. -
Review from Brandon S.
Vancouver, BC
3/1/2011
Good Eats. Can be a little greasy at times, but probably one of the best out there. Usually go there with my family. We always order the taiwanese style dumplings. Their noodles are really good, but I don't think they're homemade any more :( . It can get pretty busy at nights and weekends, but not usually needing reservations or anything
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Review from Gigi N.
Vancouver, BC
10/27/2010
I went here twices with my friends! We have been addicted to their hot and spicy foods! I really like the "bamboo shoots with beef" & "eggplants with minced pork and chilli sauce". Wow, these two dishes are so yummy and unforgetable! Eventhought, the restaurant was kinda small but always busy and they workers were very friendly! I really enjoyed their food because of their strong flavours and lots of spicy! Totally recommended this place if you like spicy food and flavour dishes! I didn't know about this restaurant until one of my friend recommended me to try out the food and every since I love it. Thinking about coming back here again with my other friends to eat the "yummy bamboo shoots & beef".
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Review from Xixi L.
Vancouver, BC
4/24/2010
You know you've gone to the right place where most of the patrons are Asian. It's one of the very few Taiwanese style Szechuan restaurants in Vancouver; perhaps even the only one. There are menu items that you need to pre-order due to cooking time, and frozen wheat-based goodies to take home with you. The staff is courteous and the menu reminds me of a home-cooked meal. The decor is something else to be desired and it is a hole-in-the-wall, unassuming venue, but do not let that discourage you from trying this gem of a little restaurant. Reservations are HIGHLY recommended.
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Review from Billy L.
Port Coquitlam, BC
8/4/2010
After being spoiled at Shanghai Village with the delicious XLB, Kalvin's Restaurant was a little disappointing. The pan fried rice cakes were good but the XLB was a bit lacking in soup. We also had the fatty beef brisket which was very tender. Steam rolls were okay not as good as deep fried though. It was fairly busy and the service was exceptional. I probably won't try it again but if you're in the area definitely give it a go.
Listed in: The best and worst Shanghai…
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Review from Michael C.
Vancouver, BC
10/3/2009 3 Check-ins Here
I have been coming here after a Taiwanese friend of mine suggested this place. I love their Beef noodle soup it has a very beefy broth and the noodles are thick handmade ones which has a nice chewy consistency to them. They have the crispy peppery chicken with a soup noodle. They have some really screaming chilly hot items as well so be careful what you order. Some items can be made medium or mild, but some like their hot pot fondues cannot be made mild. Cash Only.
Listed in: Jet Fuel For Your Tongue
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Review from Odette C.
Vancouver, BC
7/28/2009 13 Check-ins Here
Better call for reservations, this place is tiny. The smoke duck is really fragrant. Chicken w/ 3 spices also great. Popular also is the intestine and blood Hotpot, just in case you like fatty intestine. Cash only
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Review from Jeff M.
Vancouver, BC
9/28/2009
probably my favourite place for sichuan dumplings, even if it is Taiwanese. service is minimal at best, but it is a small operation. food is really good so it makes up for it. their noodle soups are good as is the aforementioned dumplings. Lineups are kind of long when there are one, but for some reason whenever I go there's usually 1 or 2 tables free, lucky me I guess.
