By Sherman Chan,
Special to The Post

We had the three Rice Noodle Rolls including shrimp, beef and BBQ pork. The rice noodle itself had an appealing elasticity with a slight chewiness. The shrimp was buttery with a sweet snap while the beef was tender and bouncy. The BBQ pork was tender and moist. The Fried Squid Tentacles were tender. They were wok-tossed in salt, garlic and peppers that were impactful providing aroma and enough saltiness with a slight kick.

One of the best dishes was the Fried Eggplant with Shrimp Mousse. The eggplant was stuffed with a lot of shrimp.  The exterior of both the shrimp and eggplant had a light crispiness that was a bit greasy. The eggplant was not overly soft while the black bean sauce was a tad bland despite the rich colour. We also got the BBQ Duck which was surprisingly good.

Lastly, we had the Bean Curd Skin Roll which was filled with pork, celery and carrots. The meat was tender and not packed too densely. The bean curd skin was buttery and soft.

In terms of dim sum items, I had the Phoenix Talons (Chicken Feet) and Beef Tripe & Tendons. The chicken feet were large and plump. The skin was lightly fried while the cartilage and fat underneath were soft, yet not melted. Flavours were on point. The tripe was a touch gamy. Texturally, it was just right.  The tendon was not too soft.

We ended off the meal with the Baked Egg Tarts. The egg custard was soft and silky and had the right sweetness. The eats at Happiness Seafood was more than acceptable, especially given its location. Other than the nearby Chongqing, there may not be anything better in terms of authentic Cantonese cuisine.

Happiness Seafood Restaurant

8080 120 Street, Surrey, BC

The Good:

• Decent service

• Above-average eats

• Better layout than before

The Bad:

• On the pricier side

• Both times, food took awhile to arrive

Sherman Chan is the #1 ranked food blogger on the Vancouver portal of Urbanspoon.com. Read more of his reviews at www.shermansfoodadventures.com.