4 minute read
MYST ASIAN BISTRO
Burnaby has been enjoying MYST’s culinary delights since 2020, and now it’s Kerrisdale’s turn. While the original location focuses on Asian fusion, the newly opened Kerrisdale restaurant highlights a primarily Taiwanese menu.
Ethan Liang is a member of MYST’s marketing team and is a partner in the group that owns the popular restaurants.
MYST Asian Bistro had its soft launch at the beginning of May, with the grand opening on May 20 to coincide with the lunar calendar. A soft opening allowed the restaurant’s team to observe how the environment functions and adjust any issues that might arise. They were happy to see a full house for lunch service on their opening day.
“In the early days there has been a lot of walk-in traffic; customers are aware of our Burnaby location and are happy to discover that MYST is now in Kerrisdale,” Ethan says.
When he attended UBC, there were few restaurants on campus, so Ethan often headed to Kerrisdale to dine. Knowing that the neighbourhood has a vibrant restaurant scene, he and his partners determined this would be a perfect location for MYST.
We're excited to be open with the nice weather we've had recently! We're hoping to continue attracting more people as summer rolls around.
Ethan adds, “Business has been really good; we've had many Kerrisdale customers return to try different items on the menu. We’re happy to see familiar faces. We streamed all the Canucks playoff games on our TVs; it was a great place to be part of the crowd and cheer for our hometown hockey team! “
The restaurant was formerly home to Chef Hung. They renovated the space to create an environment where customers would enjoy hanging out. The existing beautiful brick feature wall was kept as it adds to the rustic charm.
“The restaurant was designed with an open concept so guests can interact within the environment. MYST’s dining room is an inviting space to spend time with your friends and family.” Ethan says.
The menu is based on food found in Taiwanese night markets.
The restaurant is quickly gaining a following, and reviews are extremely positive. Some of the popular choices include Taiwanese fried chicken, Taiwanese salty peppery chicken nuggets. Both the deep-fried squid and beef noodle soup have been described as “must tries.”
MYST also offers a dim sum menu, which includes items such as prawn and pork wontons in chili sauce, chives, shrimp and pork dumplings, Chinese pancake beef wraps, and deep-fried vegetable spring rolls.
The Hot Iron Plate menu features four selections, including the recommended triple-item hot iron plate, with three selections of meat, noodles or rice, veggies, and a fried egg.
Eight classic noodle soups are available, as well as mixed dry noodle dishes and bestselling rice dishes such as Taiwanese sausage with marinated pork sauce on rice, MYST Railway bento, and marinated pork sauce on rice.
One of Ethan’s favourite dishes is spicy beef shank with dry noodles and marinated sauce. He suggests adding MYST’s house-made chili sauce for an extra kick.
Another of his most loved dishes is the Night Market deep-fried stinky tofu with marinated Taiwanese sour cabbage. This fermented tofu dish is commonly found in Taiwan. Ethan compares the entrée to durian, a fruit with an incredibly strong odour but does not taste like it smells.
MYST’s owners hope to tap into the UBC student market and entice them off campus to try something new. The long-term plan is to extend the restaurant’s hours of operation. As a student, Ethan was aware that many restaurants didn’t stay open late. They hope to eventually expand hours until midnight to serve hungry students and late shift workers on their way home.
Becoming community-based is one of the business partners’ goals.
Ethan says, “We've gotten to meet a couple of members on the Kerrisdale Business Association board, and they've been extraordinarily helpful and friendly. We're super excited to be part of that group and look forward to the community events that Kerrisdale holds.”
“We have visited neighbouring businesses and introduced ourselves and our food to them. We are looking forward to getting to know everyone and welcoming them to MYST.”
MYST Asian Bistro
2028 W 41st Avenue Vancouver, BC V6M 1Y8
Phone 604-564-2028
Story by Sarah Gordon (May 2024) PALLA MEDIA
