Big Trouble Chinatown

I saw this reviewed on the front page of Unilocal on July 29^th and decided to book mark it for future reference. I appreciate that there is some new more modern and clean eateries that are opening in the area. This is totally turning the image around which I appreciate.
I actually did get to this establishment before it closed, however, for some reason it took me a while to actually write the review which I regret since now the place is closed. I don’t know why this closed since the meal was good, service was excellent and the prices were respectable.
I tried calling to get some relocation information.
If anybody in the establishment is reading they need to open somewhere else.
It wasn’t the best food in the world but it was a nice cheap alternative with large portions.

A true example of a place determined to make the experience of the diner as lovely as possible. My partner and I had an amazing dinner there, starting with their bio-​dynamic salad which was delicate and so delightful. The peking quail was falling off the bone and all the chef’s sauces were on point. We also had gluten-​free gnocchi with duck confit which was crispy on the outside and fluffly inside. For dessert, we had a trio which included a dark chocolate mousse with strawberry glass, a deconstructed cheesecake, and a vegan pineapple coconut ice cream. The manager there has a wealth of knowledge on wine and was more than happy to suggest the best wine for our taste. A great spot for date night!

I was surprised that my girlfriend found this great place at the entrance of Chinatown. It’s a small place with a cozy, simple clean dining area and an open kitchen. On that night, we ordered the Peking Quail, the Wild Spring Salmon and the Lamb Breast. The Peking Quail was good. The quail was lightly crisp on the outside with tender inner meat and the sauce was a great pair with the meat. The dish’s beet salad was great in favor but it was a bit overwhelmed with the quail (for me) and I would rather taste it as a stand alone appetizer instead. The Wild Salmon was great. The salmon was cooked perfectly, light caramelized and moist at the inside. The dish was served with a light Japanese soy broth which was great with the salmon and gave a touch of Asian favor to the dish. The Lamb Breast was my favorite dish for the night. The lamb was juicy and tender with a perfect layering of lamb belly and lamb meat. Futhermore, the sauce and mushroom gave a great finish to the dish and I would not mind if this becomes the restaurant’s signature entrée. The service was great, our waitress was tentative and polite. I was also informed their menu is seasonal, which means they have new dishes every 3 months, and I can’t wait to taste

My partner and I live in the neighbourhood and decided to try Big Trouble. We ordered the radishes with kalamata olive soil, peking quail with beets and wild rice, aubergine dumplings with pine nut thai curry and the gnocchi with confit duck and broccoli. The plates were beautiful and I found the service attentive. I could have done without the dumplings and found the peking quail a bit too flavorsome. The gnocchi was delicious, crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside and the confit and broccoli were well seasoned. The star for me were the radishes and the olive soil – made by dehydrating olives and then crumbling them to a course, powdery texture. I couldn’t get enough and was sad when I finished the dish because I wanted more. Overall, I enjoyed my visit to Big Trouble and will return occasionally to check out the other items on the menu.

My hubby is always a little concerned when it comes to Asian Fusion but this place has opened his eyes and tummy :) All dishes are awesomely delicious! I came for the sable fish but we ended up trying the Chef’s Tasting menu for 2, at $ 39 person, how could we resist? Menu options are seasoned, local, and sustainable. Love the décor and the service was excellent. The chef prepared each to perfection and the presentation were like a works of art. Our dishes were simple, yet scrumptious and savoury! First plate, freshly picked greens garnished with shaved carrot strips and a sherry vinaigrette. Second plate, local finger radishes dressed in «dirt» and herbed oil — oh my goodness, this dish was tantalizing! We loved how these flavours melted in our mouths! Third dish, Peking quail glazed in 5 spice, this reminded us of Chinese soy sauce chicken but this is way more refined and with a much bigger punch. I’m not one for quail but if all quail dishes were served this way, I’d eat a lot more of it! Last savour plate, lamb in pork belly style, I do not like lamb but this wasn’t too bad for someone who doesn’t eat lamb. It really did taste like pork belly! The deconstructed cheesecake with fresh short bread and edible flowers were such a delight! Big Trouble Chinatown has been added to my favourite dining list! Thank you for the outstanding service and scrumptious dishes!

We read a very positive review for Big Trouble in the WestEnder newspaper and decided to give it a try.
The restaurant is located on a very nice, quiet street just off main street. We decided to dine outdoors as the weather was beautiful. The service was very prompt and friendly. As well as the usual alcoholic beverages they have some interesting sodas, I had the pickled rhubarb soda which was very nice if you like a tart drink, which I do.
The tasting menu is a great deal at $ 40 per person. They advertise it as having four courses, but we had five dishes. We started with a very nice salad, the restaurant grows their own vegetables.
Next up was a vegetarian dish with «olive dirt». This was unusual and tasted great. Then we had the peking quail with beets, another standout. After than it was a lamb dish, another excellent choice. Finally they served up a chocolate mousse, excellent and not too sweet, which we prefer.
Overall a standout restaurant. It has only been open for a couple of months and it isn’t very large and it’s already popular. Everything is so outstanding I think it will soon be tough to get in, reservations are definitely recommended.

Had a wonderful meal at big trouble. Great food and service. Love the drinks especially a very sour shrub and the non alcoholic rhubarb soda. Most of the plates are designed to be shared. Lots of creative dishes, to name a few my fave would have to be the radish in olive soil, sable fish, and the lamb breast. Lastly to finish you can’t miss the cheesecake its so light and fluffy you won’t feel guilty having it all to yourself. The restaurant is small but the kitchen is smaller, its really impressive to see what comes out of that kitchen.

Not quite a 4* but I didn’t think it deserved a 3* so let’s say this is 3.5. I went to Big Trouble on a Tuesday evening. I had walked by it the week before having never really been on Union St and really wanted to try it.
We ordered the aubergine dumplings, gnocchi w/​confit duck, and sablefish. Everything was decent. I expected the aubergine dumplings to be soft and in soup but it was crisp with the pine nut thai curry as I guess a dipping sauce since it was thick. The gnocchi was also more crisp and dry than I expected. It wasn’t a bad thing, it was just not something I was used to and had I known that I would have probably ordered a different dish. The sablefish was the best of the three. Pretty simple but pretty good.
My bf randomly ordered me the pickled rhubarb soda. I was so glad he did because it’s delicious and very unique. It’s got that strong rhubarb taste so if you don’t like tart drinks I wouldn’t recommend it. I may or may not come back when the menu changes but definitely a cool place to check out. I love the coloured XX light bulbs but since the restaurant is tiny, I didn’t want to stand up and take a photo of it.

Just left Big Trouble Chinatown and taking a moment to sing a few praises.
There’s much to appreciate about the room, efficient with clean lines, mirrors, wood, candlelight and intriguing lighting that invites one to lean in and get closer. I’ve never seen lightbulbs like that.
The service was thorough, timely, thoughtful, warm and gracious. Such a welcoming space…
The menu is inspiring, local, sustainable. The food was exceptional… very fresh, delightfully prepared, impeccable presentation with layers of flavours. Tonight, I had the radishes and the quail both grown and raised by local people who care about what they’re doing and prepared with extraordinary attention to detail. My meal was delicious! I’m leaving with a sense of gratitude.
The team at Big Trouble Chinatown is to be commended for their careful attention to every aspect of the dining experience.
I’m looking forward to next time.

Four friends dined there last week and declared the sable fish in sake marinade the best they had ever tasted. Crisped Gnocchi was uniquely prepared and outstanding! All of the dishes were so amazing, I went back again on the weekend for a family celebration. The food was that fantastic! A most delicious salad to start, share plates of aubergine dumplings and radishes with Kalamata and greens that you must try to be believed. Delicate salmon bites with sea cucumber, marinated sable fish and roast lamb with zucchini. Quite the trio but we sampled each others orders and topped dinner with dessert. Grilled pineapple, lemon cheese cake with fresh cherries and of course chocolate mousse. The menu offered something for all of our varied tastes but the rating was a unanimous 5 out of 5 on both nights.

Our first visit to Big Trouble was anything but!
I would mention the seriously minimal west coast interior or the stellar service team or even the fact you can watch the Chef and Sous steaming away in the open kitchen but I’m here to talk about the FOOD.
The Sherry Vinaigrette was delicious and just the right amount to accent the micro greens that were picked fresh that morning. The sea asparagus was a nice salty addition tosalmon. I love the gnocchi with duck here and especially the way the gnocchi is crisp on the outside. Now I’m afraid to order gnocchi anywhere else as I’m sure to be disappointed.
The sake and green tea broth was damn fine with the sablefish — mind blown.
Also had a delightful cocktail called The Harvard. Just ask Steve to make you something or anything, he is a walking library of spirits and cocktail knowledge.
And if you like wine that is organically or biodynamically grown and crafted this is a tight little list.
Overall, a really great experience in dining. This neighborhood gem is where I’ll be hanging my hat as much as possible for the foreseeable future.