ISSUE 61: Yvonne Chapman
And where to eat in Vancouver!
THE YELLOW PAGES is a newsletter recommending Asian/AAPI films, music, writing, and other inspiration — all the artsy things I wished for growing up!
I was already familiar with Yvonne Chapman from her role as villain “Zhilan Zhang” in The CW’s Kung Fu but it wasn’t until the iconic actress Tamlyn Tomita introduced us (they were both in Avatar: The Last Airbender) that we finally connected in person.
We immediately hit it off — despite her many accomplishments and undeniable star power — Yvonne is incredibly relatable, grounded, and very easy to talk to. Check out her interviewing skills when she hosted episode 100 of Evelien Kong’s podcast Reppin!
I’m thrilled to know her and excited about this list of restaurants to try the next time I’m up in Vancouver. 🍣🍜🥡🥮
Name/Pronouns:
Yvonne Chapman, she/her
Where are you:
Vancouver, Canada
What do you do:
Actress
How do you identify?
Chinese/Yellow
Anything coming up?
Superman & Lois — Season 4 premiering Fall 2024
Some of My Go to Asian Restaurants in Vancouver:
Since lots of LA folks work up here in Hollywood North, I thought I’d make a list of some great Asian, (mostly locally owned) restaurants for those on jobs, or for anyone visiting Vancouver.
Do Chay - Vegan Vietnamese Cuisine: When I became pescatarian, I found it really hard to find a good bowl of seafood or veggie pho where the broth was not red meat/poultry based. Do Chay is my go-to for this. It’s vegan pho is absolutely delicious, and everything else on their menu is amazing. My go-to dishes are the spring rolls, house special pho, satay noodles and black garlic eggplant. But honestly, you cannot go wrong with anything on the menu.
Vij’s –Indian cuisine: This is my favorite Indian restaurant of any that I’ve tried, anywhere! If friends or family are visiting, I always take them here – selfishly, because it’s best to go with a group of people as its menu is primarily intended to be served family style. I always crave the samosa’s, garam masala portobello mushrooms, lingcod in green curry and (when I used to eat meat) their lamb popsicles are to die for!
Cindy’s Palace – for great Dim Sum: Vancouver has no shortage of great dim sum places, but this is one that tops my list. Great portions, fresh, and authentic.
Sun Bo Kong: fantastic VEGETARIAN Dim Sum. Hard to find decent vegetarian options for dim sum, but this place is phenomenal. And the family who owns it came from Hong Kong, and wanted to present dim sum in a new, healthier way. It’s a great option for non-meat eaters who want their dim sum craving fix.
Phnom Peng – Cambodian: When I first moved to Vancouver, I heard so many great things about this place. When I went the line was really long (as it usually is if you go during a peak time…and this was on a weekend at dinner). As I stood in line, I said to my then partner – “maybe we should go? I don’t know if it’s worth the wait and I’ve never been here before”, and a complete stranger who overheard me, turned around, smiled and said “Oh…it’s worth it! Stick it out!”. I’m glad he gave that advise because we did, and it IS worth it. While everything on the menu is delicious, the chicken wings and butter beef are what they’re best known for. And if you want to avoid a big line, try a weekday on an off hour.
New Town: The BEST Chinese pastries. I crave their Bak Tong Gou (steamed white sugar cake), coconut buns, and Chinese donuts.
Hello Nori – Sushi: Vancouver has no shortage of sushi restaurants in Vancouver, but they set itself apart for their unique approach. Bar seating only, serving made to order hand rolls. The nori comes perfectly crunchy with warm rice. I usually get their 6 roll combo, but if you want to just try a few, my faves are the truffle lobster roll, toro, snow crab, and Unagi. The cool atmosphere, bar seating, and quick, super friendly service makes it great for small groups, or if you’re looking for a nice place to grab a bite on your own.
Congee Noodle House: Classic, authentic Chinese food that reminds me of the Hong Kong restaurants I’d frequent during my trips visiting family…so, it serves some nostalgic comfort for me. They have a huge array of dishes, but as their name suggests, they’re well known for their congee and noodle selection.
Dolar Shop – Hot Pot: Love their buffet style for veggies, appetizers, and desserts! And they provide individual hot pots, which I prefer because everyone can choose their own flavor of broth, and can easily cook everything to your liking rather than sharing one or two big soup pots amongst a large group of people.
Maruhachi (previously called Marutama) – Ramen: They have a number of locations in Vancouver, some with a different theme, each one delicious. Their soup is chicken broth – really rich in flavor but doesn’t leave you feeling heavy and bloated, which sometime I’ve found (for me anyone) some other rich broths can. When I did eat meat, this was my go-to Ramen place, although they have some great veggie options as well.
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