Hugo Restaurant
604-877-0922; fax 604-877-2293
3254 Cambie Street
Vancouver, BC

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How do you judge a new Chinese restaurant? Is there anything that can set it apart from myriad others?

This may sound pat, but one measuring-stick I apply to Chinese restaurants is indicated clearly by the clientele it attracts.

Hugo opened to no fanfare in November of 2002, yet by mid-January, 2003, it was fully packed, even late in the lunch period. Virtually everyone in the place was Asian -- also a good indicator, as if Asians don't know good Asian food, who does?

Furthermore, the menu is divided almost 50/50 between Western and Asian food, so my friend Geneviève and I were interested to note that a number of the Asian patrons at nearby tables were eating Western items such as ham-and-cheese sandwiches. And as I said, the place was packed from 1:00 right through to 3:00 p.m.

Interior design is worth noting (we couldn't determine any more than that the place was designed by "An American" architecture firm), with its geometric lines and clean, bright lighting. Even the restrooms reflected these angular design choices.

Back to lunch, I chose one of the daily lunch specials, a house fried rice with black fungus, shrimp, pork and veggies, that came with a starter course of soup (I picked lobster bisque, an excellent choice, as it happened) and a beverage for $8.50, and Geneviève decided on a saté chicken dish. Portions were so large that we each took home large take-away containers full of leftovers. And no MSG, a decided blessing.

The regular menu features a vast selection of soups (again, some Western, some Oriental), and pages of Western-style sandwiches, seafood or meat entrées and Chinese-style dishes (from diverse quarters, such as Indian, Malaysian, Thai, Singaporean).

A definite "yes!" -- we'll go back.