Baked Pork Chop Rice: A Nostalgic Eat in Chinatown
When you’re passing through Chinatown, you can easily miss Gold Stone Bakery & Restaurant. The worn-out red awning of this Hong Kong-style restaurant has dirtied letters and blends into the brick building it’s located in. Once inside, you’ll wonder how you missed a place so large and bustling. And once you taste their Baked Pork Chop Rice, you’ll be smacking yourself for not having found this place earlier.
Display cases of freshly baked Chinese buns greet you immediately. After climbing a few steps, you’ll be quickly pointed to a comfortable booth for your meal. The extensive menus underneath the glass tabletops are written in both Chinese and English. Part of the menu lists all-day specials that include a hot drink (or a cold drink for $1 more). The Baked Pork Chop Rice is first on this specials list, and many people recommend it.
Multiple chefs hustle in the back kitchen while the servers work equally hard for the Saturday lunch crowd. Despite the bustle, we receive complimentary hot tea instantly and my hefty-sized Baked Pork Chop Rice arrives in under 10 minutes.
The red sauce glistens over a giant piece of bone-in, breaded deep-fried pork with patches of broiled white cheese on top.
The fried rice beneath is barely visible at first glance.
With the dish in front of me, I immediately catch an aroma reminiscent of ketchup. This sends me reeling into nostalgia, as ketchup flavours are prominent in both my Chinese and Caucasian backgrounds. After tasting the tangy yet sweet tomato sauce, I feel this nostalgic dive sink deeper.
Moreover, the pork is crispy yet tender, and the breading absorbs the sauce well. The simple egg fried rice has few vegetables but complements the complex flavours of the sauce. Meanwhile, the little bit of cheese adds a nice briny, umami flavour. My stomach feels like it was being given a warm hug.
After trying the Baked Pork Chop Rice, I’ve become a regular customer of Gold Stone Bakery. I’ll continue ordering this dish and work my way through the rest of their menu. I hope you’ll join!
Restaurant: Gold Stone Bakery & Restaurant
Featured Dish Name: Baked Pork Chop Rice
Dish Type: Rice
Available For: All Day
Dish Price: $11.00
Flavour Profile: Sour
Served: Hot
Portion Size: Large
Other Notes: Includes a hot drink or a cold drink for $1 more
