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Silver Dragon Restaurant
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
16 reviews for Silver Dragon Restaurant
16 reviews in English
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Review from Philippe G.
Calgary, AB
1/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
Amazing dim sum service.
Don't expect explanations, or drawn out table times. Expect to go and get filled with scrumptious classic Dim Sum cut with scissors.
Will be back, again and again. -
Review from Jenny W.
Calgary, AB
1/13/2012
Food was DELICIOUS and the waitstaff quick but the bartending (done by waiter) was HORRIBLE. Ordered a mai-tai (first mistake) and was brought a green drink, cut with Mountain Dew, I sent it back and drank water, all the while the waiter insisted it was a MaiTai....
Anyway, food was delish. Did I say how good the food is? -
Review from Rachel F.
10/17/2011
I'd heard great things about this place, and folks had suggested I go there for "great Chinese food in Calgary". Seeing that Silver Dragon is located in the heart of China Town, I had such high hopes. But I really cannot even say that the meal was okay. Certain elements were okay, and a few even good, but overall, it was not worth the time or money we spent. And I regret our decision to waste one of our few meals in Calgary at this restaurant.
First, the good aspects: the vegetable dumplings we ordered as an appetizer gave us high hopes for the meal. They were huge! And delicious. And grilled to perfection. The sauces they were served with were nothing special, but the dumplings on their own were so nice, I really didn't need a sauce.
Now, the okay: the eggplant dish was fine. It was tasty, though not particularly memorable. A little soy sauce and chili sauce perked it up a bit. But I really feel as if the chef should be creating the sauces, not me.
Finally, the bad: the scallops and tofu in black bean sauce was abysmal. Sure, tofu on it's own has no really distinct flavour. But anyone who has ever cooked tofu knows it absorbs the flavours around it. So I was greatly disappointed when I took a bite of tofu and it still has absolutely no flavour. The black bean sauce was so bland that my Norwegian partner commented that he makes a better black bean sauce, and you know what? He does! I have never had a black bean sauce with no depth of flavour. No seasoning at all. And no amount of soy sauce or chili sauce could redeem this dish. We did take the leftover eggplant and dumplings home with us, but we left over 2/3 of the scallop dish right there on the table. We just couldn't eat it. And believe me, we are NOT picky eaters.
If you are in Calgary's China Town, I urge you to skip the fancier decor of Silver Dragon and head next door to the run down Happy Valley. The food there is outstanding and the service is much more attentive than the overpriced Silver Dragon. -
Review from Kerri O.
Calgary, AB
2/19/2012
Want Chinese at your door in less than 30 minutes..call Silver Dragon. They don't promise it but they've never take any longer than that with my order. Their food is great and there's plenty off it, so much so you'll be eating it for a couple of days afterwards. I recently had some family and friends visit from Europe and treated them to takeout one of the nights. They still talk about how good it was and wish they had a Chinese that did a Spicy Shredded Pork as good as Silver Dragon. Definitely a fan :)
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Review from John F.
1/25/2012
This place has been
Around for a while...ordinary food.....had steamed fish and it was very poorly done, maybe not fresh.... Other dishes were just ok......same style,clovers, and maybe chef from 20 years ago.... Decent service, although I think there main goal is to get u out in under 1 hour, I haven't been here in some time, and won't go back, there has to be better around! -
Review from Peter A.
Ottawa, ON
2/25/2011 ROTD 8/15/2011
Can I really comment on Dim Sum? I'm white. Speak no Cantonese or Mandarin, and I love all Dim Sums equally, like Jesus loved children. So, when I was invited out for Dim Sum this past weekend by a bona fide Chinese friend, I thought, yes, I will eat Dim Sum and write an insightful Yelp review by leeching off of my friend's cultural and gourmand insight.
I don't know. I liked the place. Some of the best taro balls that I have ever had, the tripe was great. It was all awesome. I didn't order a thing though, as it was all done by my friend. So another experience via proxy which I felt was pretty satisfying.
And Jason, maybe you went during lunch or something when all the white-ys from City Hall meander down for lunch? I went on a Monday for Dim Sum and I was one of maybe 2 white people in the place. -
Review from Jason C.
Vancouver, BC
Updated - 3/13/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I'm back at Silver Dragon. This time it's for dim sum (yum cha).
The heart of Silver Dragon is its dim sum. Conducted in a traditional fashion, carts of fresh tapas-sized dishes roll out from the kitchen in a uniformed parade. There are two seatings (11am and 1pm) for dim sum, and the general rule is that if you can arrive before these times you'll have first picks on the popular dishes like ha gow (shrimp dumpling) and sui mai (pork dumpling).
I've been eating dim sum in many parts of the world, and one personal guide that I use to gauge the quality of the restaurant is to ask if there is a dish called "ha doast-ee" (shrimp on toast) on the menu. It's rarely served (maybe during Chinese New Years) or included in the menu--an indication of how special this dish is. To my surprise, the waitress delivers this exceptional dish to our table; I am in heaven and the rest of the table approves.
There are many variations of the shrimp toast. My favourite is a shrimp mixture in a creamy sauce set on top of a hard toast point. At Silver Dragon it's like a shrimp ball fried in a breaded mixture (almost identical to the dish served at The Jumbo Floating Restaurant in Aberdeen, Hong Kong). It's good so try it out, and ask for a red vinaigrette dipping sauce too.
The rest of the dishes ordered are just as stellar, fresh, not too greasy, and well crafted and prepared. For example, is the famous Mainland/Mandarin style dish "xiao long bao" (Shanghai soup dumpling). Unlike other dumplings, this one explodes with hot won ton flavoured broth with chicken and pork (be careful and let the dumplings sit before you devour it). It takes an experienced and highly skilled chef to make these dumplings without it breaking apart-- just the time and effort alone adds depth and appreciation to the dining experience.
Like Peter A's post, it does help to have a "bona fide Chinese friend" to describe or order foods off the menu. However, like all great food explorers, observing others (discretely of course) and asking questions is helpful and perfectly acceptable. The dim sum atmosphere encourages you to engage and participate. Eating exotic food is essential to learning and living in one's cultural and regional space. So check out Calgary's Silver Dragon for dim sum on a Sunday afternoon.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/16/2011
I'm sorry, please understand this context: I just got back from Hong Kong and lived in Vancouver for… Read more »
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Review from Kristy H.
Calgary, AB
4/7/2011
I heart dim sum. The first time I had it was only a year ago....*gasp* ..i know I know ...i lived under a rock as a child SORRY!
I went with some girlfriends from work along with our language barrier breaking friend. I would just tell her what I wanted in English and she would wave her hand and quickly rattle off what I asked for...heaven!. She was a life saver that's for sure.
I still don't know what half of the items are called but I do know its all amazing!
We would usually go at lunch time and it would always be full when we walked in with more people standing at the door patiently waiting. I'd recommend making a reservation!
The ladies roll their carts of goodies around the floor and ask each table if they would like some. They come on small plates that can be easily shared using the Lazy Susan in the middle of the table.
I love love love their shrimp toast. It is very rich and you can only eat a couple but they are delish!
The prices are good, its always really reasonable when we come with a large group. I have never gone there for anything but dim sum so I'm not sure what their menu entails.
Even if you don't speak Cantonese or mandarin you can still get along just fine, the ladies always have somebody to translate amongst the staff.
Its a great experience to have and there is so much to choose from you have to try it out! -
Review from Sapna G.
Calgary, AB
6/24/2010
By far one of the best Chinese restaurants in Calgary!
With over 200 menu items available, all of which are expertly prepared by the 15 Chefs on-site, Silver Dragon is as good as it gets.
For someone who had never tried Dim Sum, this was the perfect place to have my very first experience. They had a ton of variety, as well as THE best hot and sour soup I have had in town! Plus I'm told that their ginger beef cannot be paralleled. You'll have to try it and let me know what you think.
The service was efficient and insanely quick, and the prices were extremely reasonable.
No complaints here, just a whole lotta eatin' ;) -
Review from Brent E.
Calgary, AB
2/15/2012
Best selection in town for Dim Sum. I only go there for the Dim Sum and have never eaten anything off of their menu. Dim Sum is always fresh and excellent. The carts continually come by ever few minutes. If you are eating the dim Sum, you can be done within 30-40 min. Very reasonable prices.
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Review from Joel S.
Calgary, AB
5/19/2011
This restaurant continually gets a readers' choice award in a local Calgary newspaper each and every year. However, I must ask those who praise it, have you tried any of the other delights in the area or elsewhere in the city. Do not misinterpret me, I have enjoyed the meals I have eaten at Silver Dragon thoroughly, but there are others nearby and far away that eclipse them in quality and some in price. I find the food somewhat, but not totally, westernized.
Regardless of my own quirky tastes, nobody who eats here is going to be disappointed. It is classy enough for a first night out date. The Chinese restaurants that I would give five stars to are anything but classy except for a few. Local five stars for me include the U and Me, the Happy Valley, and the Harbour City. Local four stars include the Golden Inn and the Gee Gong.
For me the finest dim sum in Calgary is at the T.Pot China Bistro at 9650 Harvest Hills right next to TnT. -
Review from Jill T.
6/30/2011
Food was very fresh and the sauces were light. We had a waiter that was as bland as white bread and the service was mediocre. Big dining room, not much charm.
Think it would be fun with a group ... Not good for two. -
Review from Ken K.
Calgary, AB
9/11/2010 1 Check-in Here
We enjoyed our meal and liked that all four of out dishes came at the same time. The ginger chicken is a family favorite. This is our first choice for Chinese food in Calgary. Although not as good as Golden Dragon in Red Deer, we'll definitely be back.
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Review from Katie M.
4/19/2010
Came here for lunch with co-workers on a Monday and was pleasantly surprised by the dim sum carts being wheeled around the restaurant. Variety was great and the dim sum was tasty. For dessert we had these buns that were filled with a yellow, coconut paste. They were soooooo good! Best part of the meal! Seemed like the bill was very reasonable (I didn't pay). I think we'll be back!
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Review from jon h.
7/28/2010
Great chinese food. Enjoy the ginger chicken, and most items on the menu. Very consistent! I like the fishtank that you see when you walk up the stairs.
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Review from Tim K.
Calgary, AB
10/4/2009
great food, fast service, and buffet is larg and lots of varitys.
