Author: Shadrick_24

We had some chores to do around the Chinatown area and stopped in at Congee Noodle Delight for lunch after a recommendation from an acquaintance. The Congee Noodle Delight is located in the International Village on the western edge of Chinatown (near Abbott Street). The...restaurant is on the ground facing Pender Street next to the International Village entrance. We arrived around 1:00 and there was a small lineup but we were able to get a table within 5 minutes. My spouse and I shared the following: • Yu Choy side dish ($7) – can’t go wrong with a simple parboiled stir fried green leaf veggies served with oyster sauce. There were about 6 - 8 stalks. We originally wanted gai lan (Chinese broccoli) but the restaurant ran out. • Shrimp and scrambled egg stir fry with flat rice noodles ($16) – a fair sized dish with scrambled eggs, green onions and 8 U20-25 size shrimp stir fried with flat rice noodles. The dish could have used a bit of extra seasoning but still an okay dish. • Ma Po tofu on rice ($12.50) – another large dish with probably at least 2-3 bowls of rice that filled the serving plate. See photo. There was a lot of tofu and not that much minced pork. This dish normally has a bit of a ‘kick’ in terms of spiciness but there was very little or none in this dish. It was disappointing that there was not a lot more ground pork. An average tasting dish. Our bill before tips came to $37.30 Ratings Breakdown: • Food – average in taste. We both had slightly dry mouths after the meal that is normally associated with the use of MSG flavour enhancer. However this was a minor issue. • Value vis-à-vis portion – larger portions (mostly carbohydrates) but price wise just slightly above average in value. Some of the ingredients were lacking such as the minced pork in the Ma Po tofu dish but on the flip side there was a lot of cubed tofu. We had leftovers enough for a small meal for 1 person. • Service – good as the food arrived quickly and our tea cups were promptly refilled – 3.5 out of 5 If you’ve eaten at Hon’s (now with the only Vancouver location on Robson Street), it will give you some idea as to what you can expect at Congee Noodle Delight. It’s your typical Cantonese restaurant that includes the usual soup noodle dishes like wonton noodles, barbecue meats and rice, sweet & sour pork, black bean spareribs and beef brisket to name a few. I would come back if I’m in the area but wouldn’t make a special trip to eat here. I would rate the food experience at 3.5 out of 5 – average. Notes & Tips: • Cash and Canadian debit cards only • Complimentary Chinese tea • Extensive menu • See the website • Check out the set menu specials during “happy hour” from 2:30 to 5:00 PM Mondays to Fridays • Seating for about 50 plus customers • Free 2 hour parking for restaurant customers in the parkade. Metered street parking is also available • International Village is a retail mall. There is an Asian food court on the top floor. • Nearby tourist attractions include Science World, Vancouver Police Museum, Gastown, Fly Over Canada, Revolving Vancouver Lookout and Dr. Sun Yat Sen Garden. Chinatown has seen better days as the neighbourhood has been gentrified – gone are the days of bustling Chinatown filled with locals shopping.