Tastefully Timed: Lunar New Year Edition

Emily Feng & Gerald Lai
Mar 10, 2025
3 min read

Hi again, it’s Emily and Gerald! In this edition of Tastefully Timed, we’re excited to highlight some of our favourite Asian-owned food spots around the HRM. Having just celebrated Lunar New Year a little over a month ago on January 29th, we’re stepping into the Year of the Snake – a time for change, renewal, and growth. And what better way to celebrate than with incredible food?

Bake My Day

Emily's Pick: Café Taiyaki 52 at 2009 Brunswick St

Café Taiyaki 52 is a Japanese café known for its fish-shaped waffles that are as fun to look at as they are to eat. These whimsical treats might just remind you of snacking on goldfish crackers as a kid. I suggest trying both a savoury and a sweet option. My go-to picks are the ham and cheese and the apple cinnamon.

Two fish-shaped waffles. 📷: Emily Feng
Two fish-shaped waffles with chocolate syrup, whipped cream, and a blueberry topping. 📷: Emily Feng

Gerald: Suda Table at 5520 Almon St

Suda Table is a small Korean-owned café located in the North End. This trendy spot has some of the best pastries in town, my personal favourites being their egg tarts and their burnt basque cheesecake. But their hidden specialty is their steamed mandu which comes in three flavours: vegetable, pork, and kimchi.

Egg tart, cheesy biscuit, and iced coffee. 📷: Gerald Lai
Egg tarts and specialty iced coffees 📷: Emily

*Kimmi, co-Editor in Chief's note: The cheesy biscuit from Suda Table is hands down the best savoury biscuit in Halifax – maybe even the world – and their 16oz espresso drinks have four shots by default, aka The Dream.

Together Tastes Better

Emily: Seoa’s Chicken at 813 Bedford Hwy

Seoa's Chicken, located on the Bedford Highway, serves generous portions of Korean Fried Chicken, which is the superior KFC, along with a variety of Korean appetizers and traditional dishes. My favourites are the creamy onion fried chicken and the kimchi pancake, which is stuffed with gooey mozzarella cheese.

Kimchi pancake lit by the sun. 📷: Emily Feng.
Onion fried chicken with a side of ginger. 📷: Emily Feng

Gerald: 9 + Nine Chinese Restaurant at 480 Parkland Dr

9 + Nine is a small family-owned Chinese restaurant located in Bayer’s Lake serving up a variety of your favourite dishes and dim-sum. The bustling and friendly vibe makes it feel like dining at a family table. The star of the show is the tender Beef Chow Fun and their fried rice, packed with smoky wok hei flavors, while the ginger beef offers the perfect balance of sweet and spicy.

Rice noodles! 📷: Gerald lai
General Tao Chicken shines deliciously. 📷: Emily Feng

From Maki to Nigiri

Emily: Kanpai Izakaya at 1535 Dresden Row

Kanpai, which means "cheers" in Japanese, perfectly captures the vibe of this Japanese fusion bar. Kanpai Izakaya's sushi is incredibly fresh and made with purple rice, adding a unique and fun twist. The rest of the menu is just as good. I recommend trying their salmon tataki and exploring their rice bowls or poke bowls.

Salmon sashimi on a bed of fresh greens. 📷: Gerald Lai
A variety of sushi, sashimi, and more! 📷: Emily Feng

Gerald: Doraku at 44 Ochterloney St

Doraku, a small sushi restaurant, is just a short ferry ride away from Halifax serves sashimi and nigiri. With a focus on omakase, which means “I leave the details to you”, your meal is curated and selected by the chef with the freshest fish in town. My go-to order is the negi toro roll and the omakase combo.

Sushi platter and shrimp tempura. 📷: Emily Feng

Long Noodles, Long Life

Emily: Buta Ramen at 5190 Morris St

Buta Ramen serves up bowls of ramen that rival those in Canada’s largest cities. Their space, a revamped garage, is modern and trendy, making it the perfect spot to enjoy a comforting lunch. I highly recommend their original tonkotsu or spicy miso ramen. Be sure to ask for the wavy noodles.

Buta Ramen's tako yaki and Tantanmen ramen.📷: Emily Feng
Two Tonkotsu Ramens. 📷 by Gerald Lai.

Gerald: Nhà Cafe at 205 Bedford Hwy

Located just outside of Halifax, this cozy Vietnamese cafe serves coffee and pastries, along with classic brunch items and Vietnamese offerings. Nhà Cafe's pho is light but flavourful, a dish to warm you from the inside out on a cold winter day. If soup noodles aren’t for you, they have plenty of baos and banh mi with different fillings.