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Hawkers Delight Deli
Categories: Restaurants Delis Restaurants Malaysian Restaurants Singaporean Delis, Malaysian, Singaporean [Edit]
4127 Main StVancouver, BC V5V 3P6
Neighbourhood: Riley Park
(604) 709-8188
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 11 am - 9 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
70 reviews for Hawkers Delight Deli
Review Highlights
"My personal favourite is the Mee Goreng."
(in 21 reviews)
"The Veggie Fritters($1.05 for 2) are a definite must."
(in 13 reviews)
"I will definitely return to try the Hainanese Chicken Rice."
(in 7 reviews)
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70 reviews in English
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Review from Charles K.
Vancouver, BC
12/2/2011
If you're looking for a place with a vibe or ambience, you probably won't enjoy Hawkers on Main.
This is a fast, cheap place to eat that makes no excuses. You line up, order, grab your own utensils and find a seat.
Laksa - Vancouver has very few places that offer a half decent laksa. This is one of those places ****
Chicken curry with rice - This is simply chicken, potatoes, curry and rice. If you prefer a more complex dish, don't get this. For me it's great comfort food and I can see myself ordering this during the winter months. ***
Char Kway Teow - I'm confident this is one of the best char kway teows I've ever had. Tried it twice, and both times it was perfect. Noodles cooked perfectly, not broken up, and not drowned in oil either. Earlier reviews said it had the perfect taste, and they were all absolutely right. *****
Curry puffs - spot on with the amount of spice, but being pre-cooked the pastry isn't spectacular. ***
Planning on returning to try their hainan chicken and nasi goreng this week. -
Review from Kwoky L.
1/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
This hole in the wall serves up some hawker style food reminiscent of the food from Singapore and Malaysia. The selections are simple with favorites like Char Kuey Teow, Mee Goreng, and Chicken Rice but things like Mee Rebus and Mee Siam are decidedly Singaporean dishes which many people would enjoy.
I had the chicken rice and it wasn't bad but the chicken were bonesless, much to my disappointment. The prices for most items are about $5-6 so you can't beat that for a quick lunch or dinner. I would definitely come back to try the rest. -
Review from Ellen L.
11/6/2011 2 photos
THE HOURS POSTED ARE WRONG! They are open 12pm - 9pm. And they're cash only.
It was impossible finding a current menu on the Internet (Google has failed me). Based on the Yelp menu photo posted by Carmina B. in March 2011, their prices have gone up. Most entree items are $5.75, except for the lamb/beef curry, which is $9. The popular Veggie Fritter (not on menu) is 2 for $1.12. Oh, and satay skewers are no longer available. Boyfriend was so sad! Le tear. :(
I had the chicken curry with rice and boyfriend had the fried kway teow (you have choice of spicy vs. non-spicy here). And we got a couple of veggie fritters to share. The whole lot came to $14 including tax, and the amount of food gave us a severe food coma. -_- The veggie fritters were too doughy; I enjoyed the tangy garlic sauce more than the fritters themselves. They might have been sitting under the lamp for too long though. If you get freshly deep fried crunchy fritters, I imagine they'd be quite nice. Both entrees were DELICIOUS! Yes, capital letters all around!! My chicken curry had a nice kick of spice and was rounded out by coconut milk. It had 2 big pieces of chicken leg and thigh, bone in. A tad salty, but no biggie when eaten with rice. The fried kway teow had a slightly charred-by-really-hot-wok flavour - you know that's wok fry done right! Not at all greasy. This was my favourite out of the two.
Restaurant was tiny and cramped - a true hole in the wall. We came in on Saturday 8pm, and there was a consistent flow of customers; actually, quite hard to get a table. You can hear the chef banging the wok right behind the register and it was really really warm. Kinda cool to be honest, feels like I'm in someone's home and I can hear them cooking for me. This place has potential to be bumped to 5 stars - we shall see how things fare out in future visits.
See complete current menu here:
http://www.yelp.ca/biz...
http://www.yelp.ca/biz... -
Review from Carmen P.
Vancouver, BC
2/12/2012
I was told that Malaysian food was going to be as good as its going to get here in Vancouver at this joint so I decided to give it a try. Prices are really good at about $5.75 per meal however not worth the trip if you don't live around the area.
We tried that veg fritters, Char Kueh Tiau and soto ayam. The veggie fritters were so so and looked like its been sitting on the counter for the whole day. The Kueh Tiau wasn't too oily, had the charcoal taste but it was rather sweet which was strange and needed a little bit more egg and beansprouts. The soto was very light but quite average in terms of flavour. Doubt I'll be back and will have to resort to making my own Malaysian from now on. -
Review from Peter T.
Updated - 1/3/2012
Since I was back in Vancouver I just had to stop by Hawkers again. I just love this place. We ordered 4 dishes (rice, noodles, veggies, spring rolls) and it was more than enough to feed 5 people. And it was all less than $25! Amazing.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/23/2011
I wish that Seattle had even just one place like Hawkers Delight. This is a fast, fresh, delicious,… Read more »
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Review from Purdy J.
10/7/2011
Cheap, good eats but not a place where you'd want to hang around around and slowly enjoy your meal. If you've never heard of this place, you probably wouldn't go in if you were walking by. Perfect for filling up your tummy on a budget. Loved that they provide cups and 2 water coolers for you to serve yourself the healthiest liquid on earth.
Food is served hot and generally comes with generous portions of rice. The ratio is definitely off with a little too much rice but that's okay, just eat the amount of rice you need. Loved the vegetable curry option with potatoes and chickpeas... It had a perfect level of spice-just enough to make you sweat a little. The noodles in soup are on the smaller size but equally as tasty.
Restaurant is very small and resembled the basement cafeteria/food court at the ubc international village but with better and cheaper food. Good for a quick meal or for take out.
*Cash only. Most meals are $5.25, lamb is priciest at $9.Listed in: Cheap Eats
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Review from Cathy S.
6/19/2011 ROTD 11/9/2011
We wanted fast, cheap and tasty eats and Hawkers delivered. This place is the epitome of a no frills hole in the wall.
We ordered 3 dishes, all in the $5.00 each range. The mee goreng was ordered spicy and was served as such. We were pleased that it was far less oily than we anticipated.
The chicken curry noodle, loaded with chicken, was delicious although in hindsight we do prefer it with the rice option.
My husband took the first bite of the laksa, said that it tasted "off" and pushed the bowl away. Given the fact that he just spent 2 weeks on business in Singapore eating street food daily, one would think that I would defer to his judgment and just let it go. Nope, I dug right into the bowl and unfortunately his initial assessment was correct, one of the components was bad with a capital B. If I felt like playing chicken with my GI tract I would have investigated further to identify the culprit but decided not to risk it.
Despite one bad dish this place still warrants a 3.5 - 4. Hawkers is what it is and for the price of a gourmet coffee, one can get enough decent, somewhat nutritious food to keep you going for a meal or two, an anomaly in Vancouver.Listed in: Small but Mighty List
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Review from Quddous B.
Vancouver, BC
Updated - 9/11/2011
One of our favourite lunches.
This place is amazing especially if you are trying to have a vegetarian meal. Lots of options.
Everything is delicious and cheap. Most meals are about $5 (including tax).1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/12/2010
Great because fast and really cheap. You can get better tasting food at Banana Leaf but it will cost… Read more »
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Review from Stephen Y.
Vancouver, BC
5/31/2011
Great cheap food and a freakin amazing selection of dishes
Too bad about the satay off the menu because that was my fav
The Hainanese chicken rice still pretty good ($5-6) and quite filling... Damn ! 5 bucks ! that's the cost of an over-priced caffeinated drink at Starbucks. Mee Goreng OK - but you get what you pay for ... not a lot of ingredients but filling
Place is crowded at lunch hr - do it chinese style... share a table.... quick and friendly service -
Review from Kari C.
Updated - 3/31/2011
Went here for lunch today and it was a step down from my usual experience. The tofu puffs were soggy, and the gado gado's egg was overcooked and chalky (it had the grey sulphur ring, and was stinky). There was also cucumber in the gado gado instead of the green vegetable in the picture on the wall, which I was expecting.
It wasn't their usual best. The lamb curry is now almost $9 and chicken satay skewers are off the menu. Come on, Hawkers...don't do this to me!Listed in: East Van, Yo!, Surefires
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/15/2011
I grew up in the 'hood, and love this place! It's an institution of spicy, sour, amazing Asian food.… Read more »
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Review from Elle G.
Vancouver, BC
4/7/2011
This is my favourite go-to neighbourhood restaurant. Aesthetically, it's a hole in the wall, but the food is delicious and cheap. Two can easily stuff their faces for less than 10 dollars.
I come here so often it's almost embarrassing. The staff are friendly but must secretly think "don't you ever buy groceries? Try fruit once in a while."
My favourite is mee goreng and nasi goreng but the vegetable curry with rice runs a close second. The vegetable fritters are also delicious, albeit greasy and never hot. -
Review from Alice A.
1/22/2011 ROTD 5/16/2011
Take it from the Singaporean when I say it's pretty darn authentic. The bf ordered Hainanese chicken rice and it was solid. Chicken meat, tender and moist; chili could be spicier but no complaints since it was the proper kind of chicken rice chili i.e. watery tangy garlic chili. For me it was a toss up between tofu goreng and gado-gado, I decided on the latter. Not the best I've had, I prefer the peanut sauce thick and chock full of peanuts but got a diluted version instead. Perhaps the first option would have been better.
In any case, I know hawker food when I see hawker food. No doubt I'll be back to give their mee goreng, laksa or fried bee hoon a shot. Until the foodie strikes again... -
Review from Michelle R.
Vancouver, BC
7/14/2011
When you're limited in time and budget...and you're hungry, as in "I need to eat NOW or there will be consequences...", this is the place to go.
The moment you part with your $5, you can hear the cook in the back clanging his cooking implement on a giant wok. Not that I've seen the giant wok, but the sounds suggest mad, wild cooking.
Often, within less than 5 minutes-- we have...our faves: nasi goreng (they put potatoes in the rice- how cool is that, lol=), mee goreng, and my partner's favourite, lamb curry (comes with a good helping of rice). The lamb has recently gone up in price to about $10. Perhaps it has something to do with people sitting there, slurping it up, and groaning "I can't believe this is only $5!!!"
As for seating, this is as casual as casual goes and there should be a picture of it in the dictionary under 'hole in the wall'. A lot of 'take outs' get 'taken out' in the half hour it takes for us to finish our meal.
For no nonsense, hot, and mostly good food, this is the place to be. Not a fan of the laksa here...but you can't go too wrong with mee goreng. It's very much like the streetside, hop off the bus and hope to find food type place that will only disappoint if you expect too much. -
Review from Pia W.
***Warning: Do not come here if you are a critic whose liking of the food is based mostly on the restaurant's choice of interior decor***
Ok, you have been warned. Now let's get to the important part of this review: The food.
Having heard about this place and being a fan of cheap, authentic and good food, I decided to try it out for dinner. Not only that, I brought one of my Singaporean friends with me to try it out so that I would have all aspects of my review covered.
We tried the Laksa, Mee Goreng and a tofu dish with peanut sauce (I forget the name of it). My Singaporean friend gives all of them a stamp of approval in terms of authenticity. Being a noodle fanatic, the Laksa was delicious! The ingredients used were all fresh, and the coconut curry broth was spicy, tasty and aromatic. Move over Banana Leaf -- if you want good Laksa for your buck, come to Hawker's instead. The Mee Goreng was full of spice and flavour -- slightly on the oilier side, but I was too busy enjoying the taste of it to care. As for the tofu dish with the peanut sauce, I caution you to share it -- either you have to love tofu to eat it for your meal, or you should find people to share it with, because the peanut sauce deceivingly covers a majority of the tofu squares.
The place definitely is small and has the hawker's feel to it. There is an order window where you order and pay, and they will bring the food to you when it is ready. With the Asian-style coloured cafeteria eating utensils, plates and bowls, it really takes me back to the good ol' days in Asia where food was good and cheap -- just like it is here at Hawkers.Listed in: My Noodle Noodle
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Review from Luke L.
Vancouver, BC
4/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is fantastic little place to eat (and I mean little, the room is Tiny!) I've never had the tofu puffs everyone raves about, but I think I've enjoyed just about everything else, and really, I mean 'enjoyed'~ I've found the food to be consistently delicious.
Notable about Hawker's is that it passes the test of authenticity; so many restaurants offering cuisine from around the world have to pare down recipes to make them more palatable for the masses, and I understand why this happens. I mean, everyone's got bills to pay, right? And if easing off on the (fish sauce, hot peppers, anchovies, whatever) manages to get em paid, well.... that said, I always appreciate a place that manages to grind out enough of a reputation for quality, consistency, affordability, et cetera, that it can manage maintain authenticity despite the fact that some folks simply aren't going to like it. Hawker's does this. So if you like trying new things and aren't afraid of new flavours, give Hawker's a try.
Oh, and it's dynamite cheap :)Listed in: food
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Review from Ly H.
3/5/2011
Hands down the best cheap meal in Vancouver. We've had a hard time sourcing good cheap eats in Vancouver. Is there such a thing as a good (maybe even great) meal for under $6? I didn't think so until Hawker's Delight.
I went with a friend who grew up with Malaysian food. She definitely felt it was authentic enough and tasty.
My favorite is the Hainanese chicken rice. -
Review from Jess M.
Vancouver, BC
10/7/2011
Good, basic place to get a quick, cheap bite to eat. I had the Mee Goreng which is fried noodles with tofu, green onion and potato. I didn't get it spicy and I think they ended up making it a bit bland for me. But it was only $5 so I don't expect too much. I definitely want to try some more things.
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Review from Nikki W.
Vancouver, BC
12/11/2010
When people say hole-in-the-wall, this is exactly what they mean. But it's hole-in-the-wall in the very best way possible: cheap, fast, delicious and all the focus is on the food. The decor has improved slightly since their renovation, but it's still very utilitarian here. If the ambiance bothers you, you can always just order take-out.
Hawkers is probably just as fast and greasy as a meal from McD's, but better value, considering how much food you can get for $5. Plus it tastes way better! My go-to dish here is the 'dried bee hoon' noodle dish, which is thin noodles topped with sliced chasu, fishcakes, prawns, gailan and minced pork sauce. The dish is a generous size, and usually lasts me two meals unless I'm really starving. I'm personally not a fan of lamb, but I always hear other customers ordering the lamb curry.
Just talking about Hawker's is making me hungry! I better go back soon. -
Review from Rachel P.
Vancouver, BC
3/28/2011
A bit underwhelmed, which is a shame because I love street food, particularly Malaysian food.
Don't get me wrong, the prices are great and I certainly feel that we got a lot of food for the amount of money we spent. The flavors just didn't quite do it for me....
Spring rolls and Veggie fritters were ok. Very standard greasy fare.
The laksa was what disappointed me. Laksa is the yard stick of any self-respecting Malaysian restaurant in my eyes and the flavors were very "muddy" and not fresh at all. The only vegetables were a few stray carrots and the one lone shrimp that had certainly been frozen. It was not the vibrant, flavorsome bowl of noodle-soupy goodness I was ready for.
I think I would rather pay a few more bucks and try somewhere else. -
Review from Justin L.
8/15/2011
Neighborhood staple. What's that? It's not the best Malaysian or Southeast Asian you've ever eaten? Well, it's pretty good for the price! Actually, I doubt I need to defend this place from imaginary would-be interlocutors/detractors. Fellow-eater and myself were satiated after ordering a dish each. Again, excellent for the price. Let's hope they don't keep raising those numbers, otherwise my defense will erode...
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Review from Dee B.
1/1/2011
Why, Yelp?! Why are you leading me to these not-so-great places?!
Greasy, too spicy, can't remember what I ate. I'll give it 2 stars for price because I didn't feel ripped off after eating this sub par fare. I do recall eating chicken which resembled a bad dream.
Never again. -
Review from Billy L.
Port Coquitlam, BC
1/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
After seeing a review from Sarah decided to try this place out as I love Malaysian indonesian styles food. As expected, this place is a serious hole in the wall.
Ordered the gado gado and the hainese chicken.The only thing I didn't like was the constant wok banging behind my ears. I guess the kitchen is pretty open but the sound of metal on metal was irritating. I'll probably go back and try other dishes for sure though when I'm in the area.
Everything is so cheap here, cheaper than McDonalds. -
Review from Meg B.
Vancouver, BC
2/19/2011 6 Check-ins Here
Fast & tasty. Even when the place is busy, generally the wait isn't long. My personal favourite is the lamb curry (spicy). I was disappointed to hear this evening that the satays have been discontinued, but no biggie. Over the years I have tried all their offerings and have enjoyed them all.
For under $20, for 2 or 3 people, one can order an array of dishes, stuff yourselves silly and still have leftovers.
Good bang for a buck and speaking of bucks, its cash only. -
Review from Rachael T.
Toronto, ON
7/23/2010 ROTD 9/17/2010
Take out heaven @ Hawker's Delight. I think there are 17 options for you. Pictures left right and centre with variations with different types of noodles to choose from for certain dishes. If you haven't been here, even their relative small selection can drive you bonkers.
Plates that get taken out starts to make your mouth water and you wonder if you should order that instead. I asked the lady in the front what was popular and she told me the Mee Goreng.. which I believe that it is a stir fry saucy noodle essentially.. another thing was the thick dry noodle bowl (COMBO 5a), which is similar to the dry noodles at Phnom Pehn.... I couldn't help it I was sold looking at the variety of items on the dish - pork sauce, veggies, fish cake, bean sprouts etc etc.
I convinced my lady Cyndi to get the Laksa as she wanted curry.
I was sooooo happy with my selection.. this dish was soooo greasy, saucy, and savoury. With each bite, I was piling the meat sauce on top to make sure I get the most of everything. The thick noodles were awesome texture and the toppings seemed endless. Unfortunately, Cyndi didn't like her Laksa too much - she thought it was too spicy, although I thought it was very rich flavours. For a super hot day, I couldn't take the curry but i would still recommend it because I thought it was great.
I think each dish was $5.25.... You can easily share if you were not super hungry... but this was too good. I want my own portion to myself.. not matter how un-hungry I am! -
Review from Renee C.
9/23/2010
I literally happened bu this place (as it is besides the yummy Quejos), and recognized the name thanks to Yelpers. I couldn't even remember what kind of food it was, just that it was known to be really really good.
Ooohhhh! Malaysian! Sweet! I have been to Malaysian and have always been a fan of the food. I have the tofu dish with peanut sauce. Seriously? Under $5. That still exists?
Yes, yes it does. AND it was good. Very good. Hawkers Delight, where were you in my University days? Oh yeah, a province away. Oh, well, I have found you now, and I have a feeling we are going to be good friends - you and your hole-in-the-wall mystique and yummy quickly prepared food. and me and my hungry little tummy. It was meant to be. -
Review from Jay S.
12/12/2010 1 Check-in Here
I already wrote a Quick Tip, but Hawker's Delight deserves a full review....
Maybe there is better Chicken Rice somewhere out there in Vancouver. Maybe your girlfriend thinks the mee goreng is too spicy. Maybe the lines are long and the tables tight.
But dear fellow Yelpers, None of that matters...
You see, this is the **ONLY** restaurant in ALL of North America that will make you a PROPER bowl of Mee Siam or Lontong. And they both are glorious.
That's because the (very friendly) uncle you see standing at the wok is actually from Boon Lay. His right arm is probably larger than the left, as it should be, a testament years of stirring his char kway teow and hokien mee - both of which are beautiful, but are over-shadowed by the mere presence of the mee siam.
Whenever we visit Vancouver we eat here. Sometimes several times a trip. (OK, yes it's true... sometimes several times a day.)
It truly is as close to the Makan Sutra incredible culinary experience of Singapore that you are going to find in North America. ...and all that for just 4 bucks.
It doesn't get any better than this.Listed in: EcoRoaming the World
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Review from Edward L.
3/15/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Came here for a snack. Had the veggie fritters. They tasted a lot like tempura, but weren't fresh. They are served in this little heated tray (cafeteria-style) on the counter where you place the order.
My friend had the curry chicken noodle soup. I tried a little bit. It's not bad, but the soup is waaay too salty.
Will try another item next time. -
Review from Kathy K.
West Vancouver, BC
11/10/2011
Great place for lunch! I recommend their Mee-Goreng, Laksa and Veggie fritters.
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Review from Mark H.
7/30/2010 5 Check-ins Here
One of the best things I love about traveling is street food. Stepping into this place makes you feel like you're in one of those food stalls in Asia (minus the higher probability of diarrhea).
They didn't have satay available the day I went. I opted to try their veggie fritters as they were on the counter, boy were those tasty! 2 for only like $1 and change, packed with flavour.
I ordered up the Laksa and it was only $5 something! It was the best I've ever had. I'm pretty sure they put chicken meat in it along with shrimp, egg, and a kick of spiciness. Definitely made me sweat with the heat. I also got a veggie spring roll which was pretty decent with some kind of black sauce.
Props to the chef who you'll hear banging away non-stop on the wok, and the super friendly lady who takes your order.
Definitely a repeat-worthy place.Listed in: Best Cheap Eats
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Review from Pamela L.
Vancouver, BC
9/22/2010
Hawkers. This place is tiny - like, hole in the wall, tiny. It's uncomfortable in the summer and if you're seated you're likely going to feel people staring at your food while they are waiting to get a seat or place their order. You quickly enjoy your food, scarf it down and then move on. Don't bother trying to get cozy - it ain't gonna happen.
It's inexpensive and damn tasty. I'm a big fan of the veggie fritters, the nasi goreng and the laksa. For under 6 bux, you can order your lunch and have enough left overs for dinner. They are closed at certain hours of the day and I think on Mondays so it's good to check out their hours of operation if you're making a special trip out to their joint. -
Review from Kat S.
5/20/2010
Om nom nom! I love Hawkers! I crave this place all the time. I really wish I had got an extra dish to take home for my lunch. Damn!
Thinking of Hawkers takes me back over 4 years ago when I lived a few blocks away. Me and my roommate would wander up this way with the intent of getting groceries from the produce market a couple doors down. But passing Hawkers and knowing we could eat a full meal for $5 and save ourselves the effort of cooking was often too much for two poor and time strapped students to pass up! It was especially hard when they had the bay windows open so you could smell the food. To exemplify how much we liked this place, when I texted my friend to say I was having Hawkers for dinner last night, she replied with, "You bastard."
Anyhow, I pop in here whenever I am in the neighbourhood and want some cheap eats. I love the veggie fritters at the front counter, now. So good. I used to always get Nasi Goreng, Mee Rebus, or Mee Goreng, but yesterday I decided to try something different. I went with the Sayur Lodeh. It was good, for sure. I really liked the coconut broth which I totally polished off even though I could see the grease floating on it. Yum!
Tips: A spicy dish of Nasi Goreng will cure your oncoming cold! It's true. Though, I don't suggest playing sports after a big dish of the spicy stuff. Ugh.
Also, they will gladly put your order in your own tupperware if you bring it. Yay!
The bathroom is to be avoided. It's basically a closet if I remember right. And I really hate having to walk past kitchens to get to bathrooms. I didn't use it yesterday, but I doubt it has changed.
There were some changes though.... The lamb curry price has gone up. It's $7 or $7.25 or something now. Seems to be the only one that has changed, but it is an expensive meat, so no big surprise considering their prices haven't changed in the last 4 years. They also got new chopsticks! Some pretty green plastic ones.
Cash only! -
Review from Marc D.
Vancouver, BC
7/26/2009
* Almost like the hawkers in Singapore *
With the heat yesterday sitting in the small dining area it *almost* reminded me of being at an outdoor hawker food court in Singapore. Ok. Scratch that. It wasn't even close to hot enough. We are such wimps in Vancouver with heat - complaining when it hits 25 degrees!
(Although I do confess that when in Singapore I frequently will happily visit the indoor ones too!)
I'm not sure how I never put up a review for Hawkers before. But after visiting yesterday I realized I should as it is a long time favourite for me.
My favourite dish here is the lontong. The rice is prepared inside of a banana leaf and compressed into nice little rice cakes. These are covered with a mild coconut curry filled with all sorts of goodies like fried tofu, cabbage, carrots, a hard boiled egg, fried onion paste, a hint of chili oil, and a slight hint of belachan (shrimp paste).
It makes for a very filling meal for an incredibly reasonable $4.75.
Also tried out one of the vegetable fritters they had just freshly prepared and had sitting on the counter. This was a massive fritter filled with all sorts of different veggies. It was served at room temperature but wasn't the slightest bit greasy. After ordering it they gave a quick spoonful of a vinegar based sweet sauce that soaked into the fritter. Delicious snack for $1.05.
They make a very nice laksa as well - but I hadn't been in a while so I had to order the lontong!
I agree with Claudia L completely - Hawkers definitely kicks Noodle Box's butt!Listed in: Vancouver…
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Review from Crystal H.
Vancouver, BC
2/7/2010 1 Check-in Here
I can't believe 2 of us just ate like kings for $12. I don't think I've had this good and cheap of a meal since traveling in Asia.
The selection was plenty: mee and nasi gorengs, laksas, veggie fritters, tofu puffs and so many other varieties, I had to hold myself back from spending all of the $20 in my pocket because with nothing (?) over $5.95, I could have easily ordered for 4 people and not felt guilty (mmmm - that would have meant leftovers). Thanks yelpers for all of the dish suggestions - with this many choices on the menu your guidance was a necessity. Sure, the quality is lower than some sit down places around town (Kam's and Banana Leaf come to mind) but at these prices, it's just impossible to pass up!
The set up works well for the tight space: order, grab a drink, grab your cutlery, bowls and tea and then pull up a seat. You can even go ahead and move the tables around if your group is larger. -
Review from Judy H.
Vancouver, BC
6/8/2011
Cheap, flavorful, and cheap. It's exactly what we wanted for dinner last night, but not exactly a place I'd bring visitors from out of town. And given how lethargic I felt after the grease and MSG settled in my tummy, I'm not sure if I'd go back any time soon. We had mee goreng (fried noodles) which was tasty but not great ("a little one note") and I, on the other hand, scarfed down my Hainanese chicken rice which was perfectly seasoned, with nothing was overly sweetened. It's a good place, but the whole experience made me want to cook all this at home--with fresh organic ingredients, less oil, and no MSG--rather than come back to order it at Hawkers.
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Review from Anthony F.
Vancouver, BC
6/1/2010
Background: I'm Chinese and I've been to Singapore.
Food: Veggie fritters are tangy and fantastic but should be served heated. Laksa (curry seafood noodle soup) has a rich seafood broth and all the right combo of ingredients, but noodles are lacking chewy flour texture of a fresh noodle. Nasi goreng has all the right ingredients again, basically a heavily seasoned vegetarian fried rice with way too much soy sauce. While this place is far from the best Malay in town, it's rates ok for my untrained Chinese palate.
Ambiance: Crowded 2-seater tables and countertop seats. Just marginally better than actually eating on the street (which is what you do with hawkers!).
Service: Great, wiping down tables and removing empty plates frequently even at a high-volume time. This is actually a full-service restaurant and deserves a full-service tip.
Pricepoint: Most dishes are arond $5. Two fritters for a buck. It's cheap.
Overall: This place is great for a cheap and tasty SE Asian meal, and the portions are generous. However, if you are a food connoisseur I highly advise looking elsewhere for the "best in town." -
Review from Johnson C.
Vancouver, BC
After hearing some hype about this place, I decided to check out it. Walking down Main St., I thought I had the wrong address as the place looks like a run down western cafe. However, the strangely alluring busy hole-in-the-wall with large picture menus and low prices beckoned and I had the feeling that I found something special.
Coming at lunch time, the tiny cafeteria was busy (capacity being about 15 people). Packed with patrons all shuffling pass each other down the narrow aisleways flanked by small tables, my friend and I were snapped out of our picture menu gawking and our indecisiveness as someone had to elbow past us to get a tea refill.
As mentioned in other reviews, most of the dishes are about $4-$5 and they offer tons of vegetarian options with the various rice/noodle plates. For about $20, we got a lot of food:
- 6 x satay skewers ($0.75 each)
- nasi goreng (fried rice) - veggie
- mee goreng (fried noodle) - veggie
- lamb curry with rice ($6.75 - most expensive thing on the menu)
Place your order, pay the cashier, grab your utensils and tea, try to snipe a seat, and wipe off the curry remnants from the last diner off the table - and you don't notice any waiting time before they bring your dishes to you.
The portions are perfectly-sized - large and filling (perfect for a cheap lunch) but not so huge that you feel like a glutton (although you definitely are indulging) if you order two dishes. Feel like a small-time baller for $10.
The nasi goreng was good and I preferred it over the mee goreng (felt like it was missing a spicy kick - maybe I'm too used to the 'Mi Goreng' instant noodles I get from T&T). But the highlight was the lamb curry with rice. Not as spicy as its threatening red appearance would lead you to believe but the curry was flavourful and the lamb chunks were so tender and moist - over rice, this was some sensational comfort food.
After an amazing meal (especially considering the value) our plates and neon-coloured bowls were quickly bussed away. Being as busy as the place was and seeing others hunting for seats, I felt uncomfortable loitering and sipping tea and quickly slinked my way to the exit trying not to bump into someone enjoying their food.
Not a place for a sit-down meal, but as the name suggests, it's a place to get your good grub on, quickly and cheaply like the hawker centres in Asia. Take-out is a good option; charging ~$0.25 per take out container - which I thought I was strange considering they save on bussing and dishwashing - shrug.
Overall, I was pretty happy to find this gem of a hole-in-the-wall and will be back to try the Hainanese chicken rice and laksa. I think the game of human Tetris you play when you come inside the cramped interior is part of the appeal - after all, it feels like you fought for your food. If I worked/lived nearby, I would be a regular here - just please don't elbow me in the head when I'm eating.Listed in: East Van Eateries
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Review from Joe L.
Vancouver, BC
I noticed the restaurant a couple of months ago when we were antiquing on Main Street. With so many good reviews on Yelp, we finally went there tonight.
You definitely can't beat the prices and authenticity for Southeast Asian noodles at Hawkers Delight. Everything on the menu is $5 or less. There is only one dried noodle bowl at $5.25. There are about 15 items on the menu ranging from fried noodle dishes, noodle bowls with soup, noodles dish with sauces, to Hainanese Chicken Rice.
Hainanese Chicken Rice is my all time favourite Singaporean plate but I ordered it almost every time I visited a Singaporean restaurant so I tried something else tonight. I had Mee Rebus and Allen ordered Mee Siam. Mine was thick egg noodles with a hard boiled egg with tofu, scallions in a sightly spicy thick sauce. Allen's was rice noodles with a hard boiled egg, scallions, some dried vegetables unknown to us with a limey sauce. The sauces were thick but not overpowering. Although I prefer Chinese or Japanese when it comes to noodles with soup, our dinner was delicious. I will definitely return to try the Hainanese Chicken Rice. -
Review from Claudia L.
Burnaby, BC
Updated - 7/31/2009
The roof. The roof. The roof is on figh-yah.
We don't need no water, let the the noodle soup burn.
Burn noodle soup. Burn!
With the heat this bad, I had absolutely no appetite during the day. So when the sun began to set into the night, my tummy was rumbling to be satisfied.
We walked in just as they were about to close. I glanced at the menu and was caught between #10 and #11 and the cashier recommended the latter. I didn't even care what it called but it was friggin' delicious. It felt heavenly as a I set up my bowl of noodles, mini neon coloured plastic cup filled with water, paper napkin and reusable wooden chopsticks on the windowsill.
I didn't care that the summer heat was ablaze inside and I ignored the beads of sweat dripping down my brow even though I was praying for breeze of wind to come in through the open windowsill. I must have ate like a vicious animal or slurped the noodles really loudly because it was attracting a crowd outside. Too bad it was closed otherwise they could've joined the slurping party. I felt so privileged to be eating alone facing the open road - hehe!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/22/2009 ROTD 7/7/2009
I love Hawkers (mainly because it kicks Noodle Box's ***)!
I always drove by this place but never… Read more »
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Review from Raymond O.
Vancouver, BC
6/28/2009 3 Check-ins Here
"Skip the canned and bottled drinks. Just go straight to the counter and order a dish. Heck for $5, order two."
For the price of a value meal, you get a nutritional dish that makes you swear you once were a Singaporean and Malaysian altogether in a previous life and their menu is the comfort food prepared for you when you were a child. Remember?
Yummy, spicy, sweet concoctions from Laksa noodles in coconut curry soup to the covert-looking Hainanese Chicken that's flavourful down to the tasty and fragrant white rice.
It can be a squeeze in there bumping chairs around as you go to the counter to refill your own tea and water. Cash only. It's a hole in the wall for goodness sake. All is forgiven.Listed in: C.O.V. (Cash Only Vancouver)
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Review from Peter S.
2/7/2010 1 photo
Hawkers is one of those places that I have been meaning to try forever.
Finally!
Yep, it's legit.
It was a bit rough on my tummy this morning, but I blame my innards for that and not the food. It just isn't used to real street food anymore.
I shall return soon. Hungrier and ready to order at least three dishes.
And some of those fritters too.
