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(2.9)
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(2.7) (3.1) (2.8)I ate here twice before since it opened. The last time I ate here (about a year ago), I swore I wouldn't return, because they practically doused my two dishes in salt. They should have offered to replace it or something when I complained, but "sorry" was all I got.
I've always been picky about restaurant cleanliness, and I've always noticed that this restaurant was kept pretty clean, unlike Sha-Lin Noodle which is a few doors away. I got there at lunch time...the place was more than half full. A good sign that all the patrons were Asians (sorry, non-asians...can't understand why you still go to Sha-Lin ).
The service was prompt and friendly today. I ordered the cold buckwheat noodles. The texture of the noodles, the crisp fresh veggies, and the sauce was perfect. Great when you want to eat something filling and healthy on a hot day.
I've been coming here off and on ever since it opened. Of course at the beginning everything about this place was great. It still draws quite a crowd for some reason. One of my turn offs about restaurants in general is a lack of cleanliness. This too me says that they don't care, and that they're lazy. Even the windows/door haven't been washed in years. If the front of the restaurant is that dirty, just how dirty is the kitchen? How lazy are they in the kitchen? Well, I found out today. I thought I'd give them another try, so I ordered pork and chive dumplings, and an order of garlic fried broccoli. I liked the taste of the dumplings, but soon found gristle and bones inside. The broccoli didn't taste fried at all...more like boiled. The container was half full with water, as if they didn't bother to drain it properly. I did take out because the last time I ate in, their washroom had a rat trap in it. The novelty of seeing the noodles being made through the glass has worn off long ago. Keep the place clean, and have some passion about what you're serving your customers.
had take-out today during their slow hours...the first waitress didn't speak english very well, so she called for another waitress to take my call. Ordered futomaki and a speacialty roll called monkey's tears. I ordered the latter before to my satisfaction. This time though when I opened up my container, I wondered what happened to the sushi chef. The futomaki consisted of mostly rice and spinach, cucumbers, three strips of the yellow daikon radish, and two strips of egg. The crab stick was nowhere to be found. The other roll was cut into thin slivers which of course fell apart when I tried to pick it up with my chopsticks. The ends were cut thick and very messy. When I got half-way through it, I had to pick out the salmon because it had a chewy texture to it. They need a refresher course in making sushi.
I re-discovered this place a couple of months ago, and have been going on a regular basis. Every week is a pleasant surprise. A full dinner for under $7.00! The dishes are well presented, and they have something for everybody. My only complaint is that the seasoning is a bit on the bland side, but that's because I love spicy ethnic foods. I go knowing what to expect and am never disappointed. The food is fresh, and creative and it's very clean.
I was recently at Whole Foods shopping for dinner and dessert to take away, but changed my mind when I realized that the food is just as good or even better at VCC for about half the price. Try the fresh cream and chiffon pies at VCC's bakeshop...so good!
went there after then lunch crowd and found the service to be fast and good. Decor is nice enough, and it's pretty clean.
We shared a bento box which was just okay, the tempura was excellent though. We also ordered a few different rolls and nigiri sushi. The rolls had just the perfect amount of rice, so that you could taste the other fresh and yummy ingredients.
This is no bargain sushi joint....if you want that, there are plenty of them, but if you want quality without Tojo's prices, this is the place.
Don't let it deter you that the owner/chef is not Japanese...he has 15 years experience in sushi making.
Had lunch with three others. The restaurant is clean and the view of course is great. Our server was attentive and friendly. I had the trout which was done perfectly. The halibut and chips looked very good too. The portions were just right for lunch. The menu is not that extensive, but there's something for everybody. This is a good place to bring out of town guests.
Went there with an out of towner who wanted Thai food while we were in downtown. First thought was Thai House. If it was just me going there to fill up, it would've been okay, but I was entertaining a guest. Nothing about the restaurant was impressive at all. The room is forgettable. The service is there but nothing special. We both ordered from the lunch special which seemed like a good deal. The two soups and the spring rolls arrived on one plate. The soup was carelessly poured into the bowls leaving the sides dripping with soup. The soup was overly sweet. The main course looked kind of sad with its tablespoon size of slightly wilted salad greens. I have ordered the red curry with chicken and bamboo before at other Thai House locations, this one is not up to par. The rice seemed as if it had been sitting in the rice cooker on warm for an hour or two, not soft and fluffy at all. I apologized for my guest for my restaurant choice. Neither of us finished our meal. Avoid this location. They just don't seem to care.
Went there for family dinner. Service was decent, but I think they need more wait staff especially when busy. We ordered crabs and lobster done three ways...it was messy eating but well worth it. They only cost about $12.00 each which is a bargain. The spicy dishes had enough spiciness. It wasn't overly greasy or salty, and didn't detect any MSG. Big portions. Will go back if I'm in the Lougheed area.
Went there for lunch at opening to avoid line-ups. Service was efficient and attentive but not overly friendly, which was fine. I ordered the linguini with calamari in tomato sauce. It was a great deal for $10.95. Could only finish half, so took the rest to go. It was flavourful, but the linguini wasn't what I was used to...it was thicker and most strands were only about 2" short. I knew coming here that it's not fine Italian cuisine, but more of a family style hearty meal, so I wasn't disappointed. I'd pass on the complimentary rolls, which came out cold with some butter, and order the other breads that come with the oil and vinegar dip.
went there after 5p.m. when all rolls are discounted to $2. Seems kinda pricey otherwise.
Tried three different rolls. The presentation was excellent, and I liked the soy sauce packets that came in small plastic fishes. The place was bright and spotless, and the owner was friendly. The rolls were satisfying for a quick meal/snack, and it was fresh. My only complaint was that some of the flavours seemed a bit bland, such as the spicy tuna. I will go back if I'm in the area and I need something quick to eat ( better than crossing the street to McDonald's ) but, I'm reluctant to pay more than the happy hour price.
On a cold winter day nothing beats a bowl of ramen. We had a couple of places in mind, our first choice had a long line up, so we went around the corner and tried this place. It was busy, but we got seated and served right away. The service was good. I ordered the light soy ramen. The presentation was nice, but I was disappointed at the two small slices of pork and the fact that it didn't have much veggies in it. The noodle itself was just ok. The soup was way too salty for my taste...and I happen to like soy sauce. There are a couple of other Japanese ramen places in downtown that are far better. If I do return, I'll order the other soup base and I'll pay the extra for more stuff in my bowl.
This is a great place on a rainy fall day. The room is very comfortable and casual. The service was friendly and good. I was craving mac and cheese. My friends ordered a fondue and tapenade. Everything was good. I left with my cravings well satisfied. Can't wait to try the stews and soups. Definitely comfort food.
This is my first visit to a Hong Kong Cafe style restaurant. I generally eat szechuan, cantonese or mandarin. My friend loves Honolulu cafe, so a group of us went there for dinner. The menu sorta reminded me of a Canadian/Chinese restaurant, because they had stuff like french fries and steak. I trusted my friend to do the ordering. The food came flying out of the kitchen within 5 or 10 minutes. I tried everything once. It was just okay. The only dishes I had a second helping of was the deep fried squid and deep fried prawns. The prices were very good. Service is efficient, but they managed to mix up my drink order twice and they were kinda impatient and irked with me when I tried to explain the mix up. The dining area seemed reasonably clean and very bright, but another friend of mine told me that on the way to the washroom, he noticed how dirty the kitchen was. I'm glad I didn't see it. There are plenty of restaurants in Vancouver that I've yet to try, so I won't bother coming back here.
Was there with friends for the Vancouver Foochow Association dinner. It was my first time at this restaurant, and first time at a non regular dinner so I wasn't sure what to expect. Once things got started, the food came out. It was an endless procession of food. Everything was delicious. My favourite was the deep fried crab. It came piping hot and contained a lot of meat. Everything was clean. Some dishes did seem a bit bland to me but, it may be because I love szechuan style...anything spicy. I'm not sure what the regular menu is like, but I'll come back if I'm ever in the area again.
It's great to have a good, quick lunch spot with friendly service around the busy Cambie & Broadway area. There are many places to eat around there, but sometimes I'm just in the mood for Japanese noodles. Although their menu is not an extensive one, it's good enough if you have a craving for ramen.
It was a warm day so I wasn't in the mood for something hot. I was pleased to see a cold ramen salad dish on the menu. I'm not usually crazy about the mixed salads that come in a bag/box, but it was good in this dish. My friend who hates onions of any kind asked for no onions, and no pork - after some back and forth from the kitchen to our table, the waitress was friendly, patient, and the kitchen staff very accomodating.
The gyoza was different in that it came stuck to each other in a small circle, as if it was in a small frying pan, but all in all it was good.
I'd definitely return the next time I have a craving for ramen noodles.
My friend and I have been here many times for the dim-sum. Today when we went I was glad that the place was quite full compared to the time when the Canada line construction was disrupting many of the businesses.
This is a place where we know we'll get seated right away, have carts coming at us at a good pace, get a good selection and quality of dim sum. It isn't the best nor the cleanest place but it's a comfortable place. They don't try to rush you out the door - we often end up staying longer than most.
Cleanliness all around makes a meal more appetizing. Everything was very clean, the seafood dim sum dishes tasted fresh and yet the selection was ho-hum. No real surprises or "I've got to try that" enthusiasm came from our table of four.
The service was prompt and friendly enough - my friend happens to know the boss.
The bill wasn't a big surprise like some dim sum places.
I would come here again even though I like more variety in my dim sum choices.
This used to be my favorite Korean restaurant, but not any more. Went there last week with my mom for lunch. I had the grilled mackeral which came out on a plate instead of a hot castiron plate. It tasted fishy and not fresh. The beef rib stew that my mom had a ton of meat in it. I'd rather have quality meat rather than a huge quantity of ok meat.
On a prior visit with three other people, we ordered the asst'd bbq platter. On my way to the washroom I saw a raw platter with asst'd meats and shellfish just sitting bottom of the cart in the hallway. Minutes later I think I saw the same platter on our table. Halfway through grilling the meats, I plucked out a crumpled piece of paper from the platter.
This is still my family's favorite restaurant ( we're Korean by the way ), so I will just have to be extra careful what I eat there from now on.
Whether dining here alone or with others, busy or not, the food is always consistent and the service prompt. I have been coming here for 10 years and have never had a bad meal nor a bad experience. The potstickers are always a must. The spicy dishes are just right - not overly spicy. The lemon chicken is crispy and the sauce tangy.
