Fighter Chicken’s crispy chicken burger is huge. Also pictured are two pieces fried chicken, popcorn chicken and four pieces fried chicken. Photo by Emily Tam
Fighter Chicken opened their East Broadway location in April 2021, following their South Granville location. I was recently invited to try their food as part of an Instagram campaign.
For those of you who want to stay home, they are available to order on UberEats, SkipTheDishes and DoorDash. For the rest of us who either love the trek or do not want to pay extra fees, there is free parking within the plaza and the joint is a six-minute walk from Renfrew Skytrain Station.
If you are looking for a local fried chicken joint, Fighter Chicken might just be the place for you! Their crispy chicken burgers are huge; I struggled to hold it with just one hand.
Do not fret about unnaturally large chicken sizes though, because the chicken burger actually contains two pieces of fried chicken. In the two- and four-piece orders of fried chicken, I liked how it either came as a drumstick or as boneless thighs since these cuts are less messy to eat.
Also on the menu are fish burgers, fries and combos.
Overall, I recommend this fried chicken joint to support local eateries.
Find more of Emily’s food reviews on her Instagram page, @hungrygirl_emily.
Emily Tam has been a resident of Renfrew-Collingwood since she was a child. She attended Renfrew Elementary and Windermere Secondary and recently graduated from Capilano University with a bachelor’s degree in business with concentrations in international trade & logistics and finance. Emily is an avid learner of new things and one of her passion projects includes running an Instagram food blog, @hungrygirl_emily.
Dami Sushi and Korean Restaurant opened their doors in January 2021, almost a year after Vancouver’s initial lockdown due to the pandemic. It seems as though both consumers and businesses have accepted that the COVID regulations have become the “new normal,” as restaurant grand openings are no longer postponed.
The restaurant has been successful over the past year, withstanding the closures that other businesses have faced. Dami offers 10% off take-out orders and is available for delivery through DoorDash and UberEats.
I personally enjoy having a local Korean restaurant within walking distance from home and appreciate their portion sizes since I always have leftovers and don’t need to meal prep for the next day.
The spicy pork rice bowl is packed with flavour, as is the large seafood pancake. The meal comes with free side dishes of kimchi, fish cake and sweet potato.
My favourite thing to order is their spicy pork rice bowl as it is packed with flavour and isn’t too hot for my taste buds. Insider tip: order the rice bowls instead of the hot plates because it is the same amount of food at a lower price.
I haven’t tried their Japanese food yet because there are so many good sushi places in RC and Dami is my local go-to for Korean food specifically. The next time I visit Dami, I’d like to order their kimchi stew since I’m trying to re-create this dish at home.
Find more of Emily’s food reviews on her Instagram page, @hungrygirl_emily.
Emily Tam has been a resident of Renfrew-Collingwood since she was a child. She attended Renfrew Elementary and Windermere Secondary and recently graduated from Capilano University with a bachelor’s degree in business with concentrations in international trade & logistics and finance. Emily is an avid learner of new things and one of her passion projects includes running an Instagram food blog, @hungrygirl_emily.
It’s been almost two years since I started working from home due to COVID safety measures. I miss the cycle commute to my downtown office, a good chat with my coworkers and all the usual lunch-hour eateries.
Now Zoom fatigue and work isolation are getting to me. For my mental health, I try to get some sun and exercise with a walk around the Renfrew Ravine. I also go out for a lunch treat once in a while.
These are my favourite restaurants within walking distance. In addition to delicious food, they have kind and friendly staff.
Kopitiam Malaysia’s chicken curry laksa is a favourite lunch go-to while on a break from the home office. Photos by Julie Cheng
The Penang tofu at Kopitiam Malaysia is a family favourite.
Kopitiam Malaysia 3885 Rupert Street and East 23rd 604-566-9898 kopitiammalaysia.ca The name of this Malaysian restaurant has changed (they are no longer part of the Penang Delight franchise), but the wonderful flavours of my favourites remain the same – chicken curry laksa, mee goreng and sambal green beans. Check out their weekday lunch special.
I love the sweet-and-sour flavours of the mee goreng from Kopitiam Malaysia.
Basil Garden’s free-range chicken pho is a Vietnamese take on chicken noodle soup and just as comforting.
Basil Garden’s vermicelli bowl with pork skewers and spring rolls is packed with flavour.
Basil Garden 2889 East Broadway and Renfrew 604-871-9998 basilgarden.ca The hike down and then up the hill to Basil Garden is well worth it for me. All their pho is wonderful. I discovered their free-range chicken pho to be just as flavourful – I ask for no skin as a healthier option. Also healthy are their vermicelli bowls and salad rolls. It gets busy at lunch so go early or late.
Try Basil Garden’s healthy prawn or marinated tofu salad rolls with peanut sauce.
Dami Sushi and Korean Restaurant 3280 East 22nd Avenue and Rupert 604-431-8887 damisushikorean.ca This restaurant has been going strong since opening in Renfrew-Collingwood in January 2021. I agree with Paul Reid, in his Taking out in RC review, that the pork in the Gamja-Tang hot pot “is of the melt-in-your-mouth variety” – just like the bone broths my grandma used to make. My favourites are the bibimbap and japchae.
The pork in Dami Sushi and Korean Restaurant’s Gamja-Tang hot pot melts in your mouth.
Kimu Japanese Cuisine 4441 Boundary Road and East 29th 604-563-0722 kimujapanesecuisine.com Another bit of a hike from home, Kimu has long been a reliable lunch and dinner spot. In addition to delectable sushi, they have a good grill – I love their teriyaki meals. There’s even more reason to stop there now with Masala Meats next door.
The ramen from Kimu Japanese Cuisine is sure to warm you up on a winter’s day.
iSushi 3883 Rupert Street 604-336-6553 isushi3883.wixsite.com/isushi iSushi opened despite the pandemic and quickly pivoted to become a busy takeout spot. I like to dine in to enjoy the tea and the food fresh from the kitchen. You can choose from a variety of sushi and rice bowls to make your own lunch special, but I invariably order a healthy house salad and sashimi.
iSushi’s lunch special lets you choose from a variety of dishes.
Miss Siam Food Truck Broadway Tech Centre (Renfrew and Hebb) Check location and time at misssiam.ca or @streetfoodapp facebook.com/MissSiamFood/ The Miss Siam food truck is my go-to for street Thai food in this neighbourhood. Usually found Mondays and Wednesdays at the Renfrew and Hebb, kitty corner to the Renfrew SkyTrain station, Miss Siam is well worth the trek down and up the hill. Read about their tasty offerings in this Eating Out review.
Miss Siam’s pad Thai and green mango salad are weekly staples for many local workers.
Renfrew-Collingwood Community News 