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Al Dente "Cutting" noodles the hot ticket item here served in a variety of soups and sauces. Also a decent choice of non-noodle items as well. Authentic Northern Chinese.
I would acknowledge that everything but the food is at best medicre, but the dishes we had were outstanding. The drag noodle and black bean sauce and onion pancake was more than enough for two hungry people and we really did not need the small hot and sour soup we also ordered. Indeed, we took home a good amount of both the soup and the noodles.
I had eaten at the Sha Lin some time ago and while I remember the food been decent, our meal today really surprised us.
While the service was not overtly spectacular at the same time it wasn't aggressively in-your-face bad.
I have been to many restaurants in the Vancouver area from casual to fine dining. I have NEVER been treated so poorly as I was when I ate at this restaurant this past week. I had come here with my husband during the summer and I enjoyed the noodles but we both found the broth was very bland and that the service was sub par. We preferred the Peaceful restaurant nearby and went there instead for good service and food.
However, I decided to give Sha Lin another try with a friend of mine whom I invited out for lunch.
We met at the restaurant at 12 pm. My friend was a few minutes earlier than me and when I arrived the restaurant was full but she said it wasn't when she had sat down.
We ordered and ate our food in 40 minutes. At that time there were some people waiting at the door so the waitress asked if we could pay our bill which I did. We waited a few minutes for the change to come back and then chatted for a few more minutes at which time it was 1245. Two male patrons who were sitting next to us were also still talking after they had paid their bill so I didn't feel that rushed. The waitress then said to us that since we had been sitting in the restaurant for TWO hours could we leave? I was furious and told her that we had only been sitting for less than an hour and that her accusation was completely false. I then told her that I would NEVER come back to this restaurant again and I recommend that to any customer out there who wants to be treated with respect and not falsely accused. She wouldn't even look at me and ignored my comments. My big regrets are that in the rush to leave the place I forgot to pick up the tip that I had left behind earlier and that my friend was subjected to such rude "service".
Don't go to this place!!!!
Went here night with the lady.
Sat at the table closest to the kitchen window which was pretty cool to see them making the noodles by hand. Doesn't look like the most sanitary place there is, but the food was pretty good. Got 2 dishes to share (a dragging noodles soup and a chopped noodles dish) and a green onion cake. Total came to about $20, which was pretty good. Really filling, as noodles naturally are. The chopped noodles were my favourite because they really gave the feel that they were handmade.
For the price, I'd go again.
Don't know what the people below were saying about them asking for tips, we didn't experience that. The service isn't the greatest, they only had a couple people working the tables, but the food came out fast, so I didn't care too much.
I kind of knew what to expect from this place. I've read their reviews and my friend told me that their food was just ok.
I still wanted to try this place out to compare it with other restaurants in the area.
I came here on a hot afternoon and the tables were 1/3 occupied. I got my seat and cold water instantaneously.
I ordered the dragging noodle w/ veg and soup. Honestly, it tasted below average. The soup was kinda bland. I asked for chicken broth too. Their green onion pancake arrived w/in minutes. I think they just recooked it. It was cheap though, for $2.50. At a bbt place, it could cost up to $5.
Next time, I will go to Peaceful Restaurant a few stores down. It's always yummy.
Been going here for years, service is ok and the place was not very clean but the food was great. Loved the vegetarian soup broth full of ginger and yumminess, also the house fried noodles and onion pancakes were delicious. Really that's what you go for great food. As they just had a fire yesterday I don't know if that means it's the end of this Vancouver fav or if they will rebuild. My word of advice would be rebuild, clean the place up (and keep it clean) and make it more cozy. Maybe a nice warm color on the walls some art something. Will be sad if it is gone forever.
That means okay, or acceptable (sort of), in Mandarin. Such was our experience at Sha Lin. I kept hoping David Carradine would leap out of the kitchen or something, but nope, they just have noodles and dumplings. No kung fu here.
The restaurant was spartan inside, but they did have a big window so you could see the half of the kitchen where they cut the noodles. The back part where they make the sauces was behind a curtain. I found the whole place including the w/c to be clean, but I wanted brighter lighting in the dining area.
Mrs. C and I had 'dragging noodles' with lamb, two of the kebabs, green onion pancakes, and a dozen pork and bok choi dumplings. I thought the kebabs were tasty but my beloved dining companion said they were too hot. They had plenty of cumin, and that was kind of the point. The noodles were very tasty and had a good texture. The lamb and sauce perfectly complemented the noodles. I wasn't crazy about the pancakes, but I was told they were authentic. The dumplings looked like they were going to be bland, but I found them packed with flavor despite their plain exterior. That was a nice surprise. Service was good throughout the meal, and we got two quality checks.
I can't speak for everyone out there, but when winter hits (and it was -10 outside when we had our meal) you crave hearty fare. This place delivers the real deal, but I just kept hoping for the chefs to start jumping around and doing some kung fu. Just as well, since Mrs. C doesn't like to fight much these days...
Recommended, Grasshopper.
Came here because of how well known it is.
I saw a lot of people ordering the soup, and that is a non-greasy noodle item.
I agree entirely with the posting of ' LordofFoods'.
The green onion pancake was good, but they usually are.
the noodles themselves were very good but the way they were served they were very bland.
Maybe something else next time
I have probably eaten here 50 times since it opened. In fact, I was there the day they opened. I still like it, but there is some variation in the dishes, depending on who is in the kitchen. One time the sauce will be perfect; the next it will be watery. I normally enjoy the pan-fried dumplings, but the last time they were somewhat burned, and not nice. Very nice staff, and they really know how to make noodles.
I went here with my parents because my dad felt that their noodles were really good. He felt that they were fresh and delicious. I felt they were quite chewy. I don't remember what kinda I had, but do remember it was in a stir fry with black pepper beef. I kinda of enjoyed it! The noodles were made by hand by a chef who was enclosed in his "noodle making room". They tried impressing everyone with his talent. I didn't care though. The service was quite fast at the time, even though there were a lot of people. The atmosphere was loud and busy. The restaurant was keep clean and space wasn't much an issue. It was just okay!
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.
I went this this restaurant for the first time, after reading several reviews and seeing it on the Food Network with Rachael Ray. Since I had seen noodles being pulled several times on tv before, it was no big deal to watch it being done in person...I guess it just lost the "wow" factor.
I had the dragging noodles in soup with bbq pork and vegetables for $7.55 and a green onion pancake for $2.50. Not sure what other people were writing about a big bowl of noodles. The bowl was actually quite small and although there wasn't a skimpy amount of noodles, I wouldn't say it was "generous" either. Noodles were al dente and tasted good. Soup was bland, but it was a subtle chicken stock with the hint of ginger. There were several pieces of cooked bok choy and a few slices of carrots. BBQ pork was noticeable by it's absence...in that there were on a very few thin slices. The green onion pancake was okay, a bit on the salty side and a bit greasy. I've made better at home.
Overall, this place is just a small dumpy restaurant. Food was okay, nothing great. Maybe I should try the dumplings or the fried noodles dishes if I ever go back, but that might not happen. After tax and tip, lunch for one person was $12 and I still went away hungry.
Great place for a quick lunch. The soup noodles here are probably one of the best in the city. Very good prices but the place needs to do some remodelling to look better. Good bang for the buck for Lunch.
Pretty much already posted. This is a place to load yourself with carbs. If you like noodles and dough this is the place to go. The portion is big. Bowl full of noodles. When it comes to broth, the best broth are the ones that time to simmer. That way the broth will be full naturally released flavor. This is not the case with the broth here. Though some of the broth may have been better here. The noodle making is a novelty act, once you've seen it, doubt you'd be as excited seeing it the next time.
I've tried the fried noodle, the cumin flavored meat, the panfried dumpling. There was so much food i had to take some home. The dumplings were soaked in fat.
This noodle shop if in China, prob be selling in the street corner. The style and menu items are very common folk items, and would cost less than a dollar. What I mean to imply is this chinese food is not at all that special in China. IMHO, i wish they could change a few things here and make this so much better recieved. For one thing out more meat and veggies. Maybe the owner/chef wants people to feel they get good value by giving you lotsa noodles. I think there are enough people that are watching what they eat now. In short canadianised it.
good value for money to get full. but flour and water is not really expensive.... . i may give this place a try again. the service was attentive and good. add it to my cheap quick greasy eating places.
I come here about once a week, and it's definately worth the trip (I live in kits). I always get the curry fried noodles with vegetables and tofu. The service is always really quick and attentive, and you can get a whole meal for just a few dollars. Its one of the best deals in the city for sure. The pan fried dumpling and the garlic broccoli are also very good, and the noodles in soup are really nice if you mix in a little vinegar and soy sauce.
I had lunch last Friday with a friend and was surprised to see 2 other similar restaurants on the same block having hand made noodles. Sha Lin is the original one and had line ups in the past, but now with 2 other noodle restaurants, they are no longer having line ups, which is good for hungry stomachs. I have always liked the food here, but will eventually try the other 2 noodle places.
The servers were quick to greet me when I walked inside and they came right away with tea and the menus. Different types of noodles (dragging, cutting, etc) are made from the same dough that they knead behind this glass enclosed room you can watch them. Dragging noodles are like spaghetti and are good for soup or dry with a sauce poured on top. The cutting noodles are good in soup and stir fried. We ordered the Sha Jiang dragging noodles which is a dry noodle with a pork/bean paste sauce and cucumbers. I found the sauce by itself was a little salty for my liking, but mixed with the noodles and cucumber, it was just right. We ordered also a curried beef fried cutting noodle. The beef was very tender and the hint of curry flavour made the dish very tasty. It also had brocolli, carrots, green and red peppers.
I wanted to order the fried dumplings, but they only make them for dinner or in the weekends. I guess I will be back soon for dinner or in the weekends for those yummy dumplings.
I'm mixed about the restaurant. I've only had 2 dishes from this restaurant but I loved them both so much that I kept going back. The curry cutting noodles with vegetables and tofu are delicious. I just loved how fresh the noodles tasted. I was also in love with the sliced roll. Probably a standard item judging from the reviews I've read but I haven't seen or tried it anywhere else.
The ambiance is lacking. Feels like a cafeteria. Something that REALLY bothers me about the Sha Lin Noodle House is that someone working there has a serious case of body odor. I went there once in the evening and the hot restaurant just reeked of that steamy body odor smell, and when it's undercut with the smell of the curry they use on their noodles it really repulsed me.
I can't even think of eating their food anymore without being reminded about that smell, never mind tasting it... UGH. So...... go early before it gets stinky if you're thinking about checking this place out. The food is really quite tasty. And the servers are nice and prompt and friendly.
The noodles here are fresh and delicious! I like the fried 'dragging noodles' with chicken, beef or pork. They are absolutely the best fried noodles in town. Even Rachel Ray featured this restaurant in one of her episodes of 'Tasty Travels'.
Came here for dinner last week on a Thursday night for the first time in probably a year. Used to come here more often many many years ago. There was a line up when we arrived at about 730pm. To be honest, the only thing i really look forward to eating here are their dumplings and deep fried bun (simple but one of my faves). Their noodles are good and i appreciate how it's freshly made. But all the noodle dishes make me feel like eating i'm eating a bowl of dough. Even their fried noodles don't contain much meat or veggies nor come with a tasty sauce, Their noodles in soup tastes bland but that's bc they don't use msg (apparently). They should find other ways to put flavor into their dishes rather than using salt. Their ja jiang mein is very disappointing. I don't know why they are so busy bc the food is just mediocre and they haven't made any improvements to the decor of the restaurant.
I love going to this place. I always bring some wipes to wipe down the table and utensils, just in case. I know that it's a popular restaurant in the area and there's always a lineup around meal times. But man, this place is quite disgusting sometimes. Even then, I find I often return.
I always order fresh cold soya milk and a noodle dish of some kind. If I'm with other people, we tend to split a serving of pot stickers. I notice that I'm not the only one that's a fan of their pot stickers. Looking around the room I see that most people have ordered the same fare.
The food usually comes quite quickly, as for the bill, not so quick. The place could use a makeover, if only it being paint and new food posters. Some of the pictures are so faded and discoloured that I have no idea what it was supposed to be!
The prices are worthy of the food. So if you're in the neighbourhood, don't be afraid of that lineup! It's really worth the wait!
Sha Lin Noodle House always has a lineup outside during dinner, but I'm not sure why. Not to be racist, but generally the restaurant is patroned by a lot of white people so maybe they get caught up in the handmade noodle hype. I've eaten plenty of handmade noodles are different places in my life so it's nothing spectacular to me. Honestly, I don't even like handmade noodles that much. I like consistency and not all handmade noodles are created equally.
I'll go back again because I want to try the pan friend dumplings. They only offer those at dinner and we went for lunch. Go early or you'll be waiting outside!
| 1. | Golden Pair Fusion Cafe (4 m) | |
| 2. | Ro Sushi Japanese Bistro (12 m) |  |
| 3. | Benkei Ramen (18 m) |  |
| 4. | Adobo Burrito (19 m) | |
| 5. | Marble Slab Creamery (38 m) | |
| 6. | Peaceful Restaurant (41 m) | |
| 7. | Pho Kim Penh Xe Lua (46 m) | |
| 8. | McDonald's (47 m) | |
| 9. | Caffe Artigiano (51 m) |  |
| 10. | Elysian Coffee (56 m) | |
