Just six months ago, House of Dawn was an entirely different restaurant—the 10,000 square feet space served up Asian fusion fare and featured multiple dining areas including two private dining rooms and a cocktail lounge tucked away at the back. While the recent revamp kept these spaces intact, the biggest transformation is undoubtedly the menu.

Executive chef and culinary director James Yang has reimagined House of Dawn as a steakhouse, launching a distinctive program that sets it apart from other restaurants in Vancouver. When I think about steakhouses, Richmond isn’t the first place that pops into mind. My visits to the city usually revolve around affordable eats, and the most I would ever spend in Richmond is $60 at the night market. That is, until Yang flipped the script.

Originally from Zhengzhou, China, Yang moved to Richmond as a teenager in 2008. He refined his culinary skills at Le Cordon Bleu in Ottawa and gained experience at renowned restaurants abroad. With stints at Copenhagen’s Noma and Shanghai’s L’Atelier Joel Robuchon, Yang redefines Richmond dining by delivering the hallmarks of an elite steakhouse.

Located along Ackroyd Road, House of Dawn is a five-minute walk away from Lansdowne Station. Black marble floors and walls greet you the moment you enter, leading you to an impressive bar and an expansive dining area. Near the bar, a mini-fridge reveals steak cuts dry-aging to perfection. Head to the back and you’ll find two private dining rooms—each decorated with their own crystal chandeliers, of course—as well as a spacious cocktail lounge area filled with plush couches and leather seats.

The Appetizers

I always say “come hungry” in my food stories, but I really mean it here. Yang absolutely loves cooking up generous cuts of steak and making sure his guests are well-fed (as is customary in Chinese hospitality). I skipped lunch earlier in the day and wore a maxi skirt with an adjustable drawstring, yet I still ended the night, like many others, completely stuffed.

Dinner began with fresh bread and housemade butter, as well as a refreshing amuse bouche made with masago and cucumber. Then came the hard hitters: a seafood tower stacking five varieties, a rich wagyu tartare and a truffle bison carpaccio. Here’s where my stomach-space-management started to take a turn.

House of Dawn’s seafood tower offers lobster tail from Prince Edward Island (PEI), Alaskan king crab, oysters, kanpachi crudo and my weakness: succulent jumbo prawns. The lobster and crab were so fresh that they fell off their shells without any resistance, while the chilled oysters paired perfectly with creamy, sharp horseradish.

About those prawns: each bite delivered a burst of subtle sweetness. Have your prawns with the house-fermented chilli sauce or the bourbon cocktail sauce and you’ll find yourself reaching for prawn after prawn after prawn until it’s all gone and neighbouring guests start offering you their prawns just for you to guzzle it all down… Truly, a rookie mis-steak on my part.

The Steaks

Being a steakhouse, it’s no surprise that House of Dawn has an extensive steak program, and I mean extensive.  There are 12 different cuts available on the menu, not including rotation specials. Cuts come from both local and international farms, from PEI’s Blue Dot Reserves to Opal Valley in New South Wales and even a Rubia Gallega 30-day dry-aged chuletón (Spanish for steak) hailing all the way from Lugo, Spain.

These steaks are served sizzling on a hot plate, but guests can request no sizzle for a less oily presentation. Sizes range from a robust 16 ounces to a hefty 36 ounces, so either bring a group of friends or really come starving. The steaks are also dry-aged between 28 to 48 days, offering options for every preference of tenderness and flavour.

My top pick was the 20 ounce Carrara M8-9 F2 wagyu ribeye. Exceptionally tender, my steak knife cut through it with little to no resistance and was perfectly seasoned—salty, creamy and a touch sweet.

However, the standout steak of the night had to be the 28-day chocolate dry-aged prime New York striploin. Yes, chocolate: the PEI Atlantic beef is dry-aged for 28 days, then coated in 70 per cent dark chocolate to mimic a wet-aging environment. The result? A juicy steak that explodes in the mouth the moment you take a bite, creating a complex swirl of smokiness and woodiness that keeps you coming back for more.

The Desserts

My grandmother used to say I have a separate stomach for dessert, and she’s right. No matter how full I was from steak (and the prawns), all those thoughts went away the moment the servers brought out the colourful desserts.

We started with the strawberry trio, where strawberry coulis meets champagne mousse, strawberry bavarois and freeze-dried strawberry—a light, refreshing antidote to a decadent meal. Other desserts followed, including  jasmine tea and Uji matcha gelato, mango coconut and strawberry rhubarb sorbet, black sesame cheesecake and a créme brulee made with lemon créme anglaise and lime curd for a zesty kick. I was doing pretty well during dessert, limiting myself to just one to two bites each.

Then came the tiramisu.

Served in a cocktail glass, House of Dawn’s tiramisu is made with lady fingers dipped in a Bailey’s-espresso concoction, layered with vanilla mascarpone, and topped with Valrhona cocoa powder and crispy white chocolate pearls. We were also served a glass of Inniskillin Okanagan 2016 Vidal, a sweet icewine with notes of pear and lychee—leading to a deliciously dangerous match with the tiramisu. Each bite and sip complimented the other perfectly: the fruity icewine brought out the intense coffee flavour of the tiramisu and vice versa. So if you’re wondering, yes, I finished all of the tiramisu.

Final Thoughts

Yang’s goal of placing Richmond on the map for fine-dining experiences may very well come true: House of Dawn’s revamp proves that the city can surprise those searching for a memorable meal. So here’s my advice: skip downtown and take the Canada Line down to Richmond the next time you’re craving steak—you may even find your new favourite restaurant.

House of Dawn 

130-8171 Ackroyd Road, Richmond.

Reservations and details here.