“I add an unexpected Asian flavour in each of the dishes and people just love it.”

Chef Hung Nguyen has over 10 years of experience in the hospitality industry, and made the leap earlier this year to open B House on Commercial Drive. The restaurant’s menu draws inspiration from Chef Nguyen’s Vietnamese background, and each dish has its own unique twist pairing Asian flavours with West Coast ingredients. The result is a delightful collection of unexpected flavours.

B House on Commercial Drive by Pendulum Magazine

*Colourful murals adorn one full side of the wall*

The Papaya Salad is B House’s Bestseller, a refreshing medley of juicy fruits and vegetables including shredded green papaya, yellow papaya, kale, carrot, basil-cilantro-mint, candied almond, and pickled ginger vinaigrette. As you take your first bite you will notice that this Papaya salad is unlike any other, in that the sweet and tangy taste doesn’t come from the use of fish sauce. The earthy taste of kale also works to balance out the sweetness of the fruits to create a more well-rounded flavour profile. The cocktails also a great pairing with the appetizers, such as that Mai Tai and Cadillac Margarita, the Lemongrass Sour works to kickstart your appetite and cut through the richness of dishes like the Cognac Chicken Pâte.

*A refreshing papaya salad without a heavy fish sauce taste*

*Delicious cocktails pair well with signature chicken wings on the menu*

Another signature on the menu are the chicken wings, and you can choose from Simple, Hot, or Garlic Soy wings. We went for the “B” Simple Dairy-Free option, where the chicken wings are lightly breaded, tossed in garlic, chili flakes, and fresh jalapeńo, and served with chili lime aioli. Chef shared that the chicken wings are MSG-free, so you can enjoy a few more and not feel guilty about eating fried food.

If you prefer your chicken boneless, Chef has got you covered with Sweet Chili Chicken, which is also dairy-free. The boneless chicken is tossed in citrus sweet chili sauce, wonton crisps, cucumbers, and sesame seeds.

We highly recommend the fried chicken items on the menu — just the aromas of the fried chicken wings had our mouths watering!

*“B” Simple Chicken Wings tossed in garlic, chili flakes, fresh jalapeño*

Another popular item is the Beer Braised Pork Belly. The pork belly is marinated for over 12 hours, and then slow-cooked for 5 hours to melt the fat juices into the meat. What this does to the pork belly is that the entire morsel of meat becomes delicate and creamy in texture — we would even venture to say that there is a ‘bounce’ as you bite into it. The supporting ingredients again help to cut through the richness of the pork, with ginger-carrot purée, red beet, and beet caviars. The peppery and sweet flavour of the ginger purée compliments the velvety texture of the pork belly.

*Scrumptious Beer Braised Pork Belly Appy that has been slow-cooked for 5 hours.*

We were pleasantly surprised by each of the appetizers that Chef shared with us, in that each of the dishes portrays a unique taste. The pork belly isn’t all about being fatty, the focus is on the texture of the meat. The chicken wings are not heavily breaded and are also MSG-free but still pack an abundance of flavour into every bite. And the Papaya Salad skips the use of fish sauce entirely and instead recreates its own sweetness using other ingredients.

Now, on to the entrée, which had another delightful surprise waiting for our taste buds. When you think of a salmon entrée, the expectation is usually a lighter dish in comparison to a meat entrêe, but the Stuffed Salmon dish on the menu (which is gluten-free) hides a surprise within — creamy artichokes.

The creamy artichokes stuffed salmon is paired with seasonal vegetables, rosemary duck fat roasted potatoes, Sambuca beurre blanc, beet caviars, and dill cucumber freshca. This dish definitely took our taste buds on a wild ride, because it definitely was not a light fish entrée as we had expected. How could we best describe this dish? It’s like they took Fish and Chips, and stuffed the tartar sauce inside but the fish isn’t deep-fried and instead grilled. Regardless, this dish falls squarely within the comfort food category, so if you love a heavier taste and flavour, make sure to consider this dish!

*This Creamy artichokes stuffed Sockeye Salmon dish surprisingly falls under the comfort food category*

After indulging on a scrumptious entrêe, it was time for us to enjoy the homemade dessert on the menu, the gluten-free Chocolate Molten Brownie. The brownie is slightly crispy on the outside but creamy and decadent on the inside. It is happiness in every bite for those with a sweet tooth.

It was only early on in the evening on a weekday when we wrapped up our visit, and the cozy dining room was already filled with customers (sat sparingly around the space due to covid measures). Overhearing bits and pieces of the conversation, we discovered that these guests are like us, and have just discovered B House. Chef Nguyen attentively explained the menu to each visitor to help them decide on what to have for dinner, while another table had spotted our Chocolate Molten Brownie and ordered two for their own table.

We love the neighbourhood vibe of B House, and simple activities such as coming together to enjoy great food are comforting to see during the unique times we live in. If you are looking for interesting and unique Asian-inspired dishes, order takeout from B House online or pay them a visit during the week or weekends to indulge in some hot and aromatic chicken wings!