“Adventure is a worthwhile in itself” – Amelia Earheart

Indeed, it was a worthwhile adventure into the Land of the Sleeping Dragon right in the heart of Vancouver. The ‘Lion’s Head’ is a customary dish in Shanghai, which usually has pork as its main ingredient, and is normally boiled or steamed. There is also a Cantonese version of the dish, which makes use of beef instead of pork and is considered a dim sum dish. Another variant of this dish is made of pulverized fish instead of meat. This is definitely an appetizing dish which more than a billion people would never go wrong with.

You can download the this week’s  format HERE (or grab the full newspaper HERE,) or just keep reading (the unrated version) below.

Episode 4 – Raiders of the Lost Meatball

Image cutline: The leafy green vegetables surrounding this delicious meat-boulder represent the mane of the Lion’s Head.

The quest for Vancouver’s ultimate meatball has taken us to many foreign culinary lands and this episode is no exception.

Raj: Legend has it that there’s a mystical meatball known only as the “Lion’s Head” in the Far East.

Fury: Hailing from the heart of China, we dared to try this specialty at Shanghai Village on Cambie Street. Traditionally, the Lion’s Head is a dish comprised of several meatballs in a sizzling claypot.

Raj: What was initially just a quest for a new flavor played out like the most famous Indiana Jones scene ever!  Picture this: you’re in a booby-trap filled temple, and all of a sudden you’re running for your life to avoid being crushed by a two ton boulder.

Fury: To our amazement, Shanghai Village only serves one prolific meat-boulder.  You can’t stuff the whole ball into your mouth here!

Raj: Aside from the size, this was the first pork meatball we’ve tried on this journey.  It tastes like it’s infused with some sort of tea.

Fury: That would be the preserved cabbage that brings a touch of sweetness and smokiness to the mix.

Raj: And what about that mystery brown sauce that they slather on everything? What’s up with that?

Fury: Don’t diss it until you try it mixed into a bowl of steamy rice.  It’s the ultimate comfort staple, yo.

Editor: Fury and Raj completed this voyage unscathed and lived to write about it.

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Raj Taneja is part technologist, entrepreneur, social media juggernaut and foodie. He runs urbanmixer.com and publishes a miscellany of musings at raj.jp and on twitter @tinhead. Melody Fury is the founder of Vancouver Food Tour.  Follow this YVR lifestyle ambassador on twitter @GourmetFury.