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Mui Garden Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Chinese Chinese
4265 Main StreetVancouver, BC V5V
Neighbourhood: Riley Park
(604) 872-8232
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11 am - 9:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
27 reviews for Mui Garden Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"This is the Honger's equivalent of comfort food." In 4 reviews -
"A great Hong Kong style cafe place." In 3 reviews -
"...but Mui Garden serves a mean curry made with coconut milk." In 3 reviews
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27 reviews in English
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Review from Ellen L.
1/28/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Excluding beverages and dessert, there are 238 items on their menu. You've got Malaysian, Chinese, and HK cafe styles. Decision overload much?
Of course I ordered the Beef Brisket Curry with Rice ($10.50). Subtle in terms of spiciness, and rich in coconut taste. Really light and delicious. Brisket was tender. Potato pieces were mush-able. I went in with high expectations of this signature dish and was not disappointed.
Special Fried Kuitkow ($9) was decent, but not as good as Hawkers Delight down the street. It's missing that char from good wok heat.
And for vegetables to complete a balanced meal, I decided on Pan-Fried Green Bean w/ Minced Pork ($10). Sooooooo gooood. The best way I can describe it is "aromatic." I don't think the green beans were deep fried, so it wasn't greasy like many other Chinese restaurants.
Everything was dimensional in flavour and well-seasoned. No duds today. Hooray for a winning culinary adventure!
CASH AND DEBIT ONLY. -
Review from D C.
Vancouver, BC
5/13/2012
Another casual hk cafe - been going there for over 10 years now, mainly because the food is consistent, it's rarely packed, and my friends and family love this place.
Their signature items are their Malaysian style curry, meat skewers, and fish cakes. They also have a tea-time menu that is a smaller portion of the regular menu items, that comes with a drink, and is priced slightly less.
However, it's not my first choice of what I consider hk cafes. I'm a 6' 210lb guy and i rarely get full eating their meals, so value-wise, I find better deals elsewhere. But overall, the food is good. -
Review from Rudy W.
5/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
this is a typical hongkong restaurant.
not sure who come up with malaysian food. having one items from frozen food section doesn't translate the restaurant into malaysian food.
anyway, so if you are looking for malaysian food. this is the wrong place.
if you are looking for a home cook meal from HK, then this place hit the spot. -
Review from Alice A.
3/3/2012
Legit, my Yelp friend, legit indeed.
I wanted the roasted duck so bad, but ended up switching it up with congee for a change. Sole and pork liver congee special it was, it came with a side of radish cake. Enjoyed them both. Yum.
We also tried the curry beef brisket. It wasn't what I expected (thick and spicy), but it was good - the beef was definitely chunky and tender. No nasty after breath too, I guess the hot Chinese tea helps.
Clean washrooms, no food smell on your clothes when you leave, comfy booths, decent service. All round pleasant.
Will I return for more? Oh yeah for sure! -
Review from Rudi T.
5/10/2012
Great size restaurant. Bigger than expected. Came for the Hainanese chicken rice and was not disappointed. Friendly staffs too.
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Review from Larry L.
1/9/2012
I have been to the location in Richmond and have walked past this one many times, not realizing that this was a Mui Garden. Famous for their curry beef brisket!
Instead of going for a greasy breakfast aka brunch after lunch, it was decided that what would hit the spot best would be, curry beef brisket. Yes! Perfect. The simple mention of those three nouns left no doubt what a genius of a suggestion it was. Heck, she had me at curry..... and then at beef..... and then at brisket. I fell for the combo suggestion in one fell swoop!!
It was just the right spot to hang out and have some good ole Chinese food, Mui Garden style. It was nice to just come in and order and eat. Nothing fancy, no need to dress up and look impeccable. No fake attitudes or pretending who we're not and just hang out with a buddy over a couple of dishes of Chinese soul food and eat. Bonus was that I got a parking spot right in the front!
Now there is parking in the back, just so you know.
I was happy I didn't have to order. Besides, my Cantonese sucks and because of that, at these places, I let the pro handle the ordering. Usually when I try to order Chinese food, I get something totally different than what I thought I ordered.
So, we ordered:
Curry Beef Brisket on rice - plate of rice and a bowl of golden curry with coconut and been brisket, slow cooked to perfection. A couple pieces of potato in the stew to round out the flavour and texture. The flavour of the curry was very smooth and not too spicy. The coconut helped to round out the curriness and smoothed the edges of the spice which was a perfect blend with the potato and beef.
I had forgotten how good this curry was.
Laksa vermicelli soup - Nice sized bowl, great for sharing. Vermicelli, shrimp, chicken, lemon grass and a cornucopia of wonderful herbs and spices to round out the broth. I was drinking the soup like it was drink. I could have just that and nothing else. I really enjoyed it.
Both dishes came with a drink, so we got a "dong lai cha" and a "Yin Yeurng" (yin and yang coffee/tea mix) no sugar, Hot.
Ok Ok, I butchered the pinyin pronounciation on the drinks, but that's just how I spring roll.
Still too full to bother checking my spelling and, well, I am well fed today.
*** for those of you who are wondering what a Yin and Yang coffee is. An old Chinese mafia friend of mine from Hong Kong with Two wives, owns a golf course in China and loves gambling with totalitarian monarchies, introduced this drink to me.
It is a mix of tea and coffee with canned milk and can be served hot or cold.
I've been addicted to this drink ever since and it gives me a sense of empowerement when I can't decide if I want coffee or tea. Hey! Why not have both?
So it's either the feeling of empowerment or it's the double caffeine dose that keeps me going, if not jittery.
(not good for diabetics BTW).Listed in: Cantonese Food
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Review from Herman E.
Updated - 1/7/2012
Here I am again for the usual fix of curry beef brisket. Tasty as usual.
Malaysian roti with curry is like a fried swirl or batter shaped into a flat cinnamon bun and it is dipped in the same curry sauce as beef brisket. Just as tasty!
One surprise I had was the stir fried bitter melon with beef in a black bean sauce. It was not very bitter!!!! Most bitter melon dishes I had in the past are exactly as described, bitter. This was a pleasant surprise!
Shanghai noodle stir fry was good. Can't really mess that one up.
I'm still a fan!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/17/2011
Only one thing needs to be mentioned here, their curry. They also do HK cafe style food and it is… Read more »
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Review from Patricia L.
Vancouver, BC
If you are a "hole-in-the-wall" lover, then this place is as much of hole as it gets. This is ghetto with a capital triple G, as in GHETTO GOOD GOLD!
That being said, a lot of the best food in this city is to be found in these holes. These holes don't really care if you find them or not. Their sole reason for existence is to produce good food for hungry people. Pure and simple.
Everything here is good, but just go for the triple G's (GHETTO GOOD GOLD) and get the Curry Beef Brisket on rice. It's heaven when you're having a hell of a day on Earth. Don't say I never gave you nothing when I just gave you the gift of knowledge of the magical Curry Beef Brisket on Rice! Guess what I want for dinner tonight?Listed in: I HEART Food!
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Review from Edward L.
Mui Garden is a staple of every HK expatriate in this town. Yes, the place is ghetto. Yes, it's been around for a long time. This is the Honger's equivalent of comfort food.
Parking is a bit sparse. If you go a block west of here, there are some free spots if you're lucky.
The interior is quite plain, but not too beaten up.
Between 1100 and 1800, you can order these set menu dishes for some $7, which includes a drink. This is what 80% of the customers here come for.
The signature dish here is their curry beef brisket with rice. The beef brisket is cooked just right (nice tender pieces), and the curry is nice and creamy. My only complaint is that there isn't enough rice to mop up all of the curry. So you end up drinking curry at the end.
Today I also had a chance to try their tom yum soup, and cod and tofu hot pot. The tom yum soup is freaking good. I have no idea how they got all the spices down when I couldn't find any herb bits in the soup. Maybe they filtered all the pieces out. The only thing that was off about the soup was the noodles they used. There is too much in the soup. It would be much nicer if they used half as much, then left the herbs inside.
As for the hot pot, this is not the typical type (pot of bubbling soup sitting on a mini-burner). Instead it's a sizzling hot stainless steel pot, on a plate. The tofu was a bit shriveled, but everything else is good. The flavour is balanced, and not too salty like most other places.
You really can't go wrong with this place.Listed in: 2011 Cheap & Tasty
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Review from Beck C.
10/23/2011
Crave-worthy Chinese comfort food on the cheap.
I grew up on this place & it hits the spot every time.
Just make sure you stick to the HK cafe classics.
The waitstaff is all brisk efficiency & the curry brisket on rice is what you WILL order - no if's & but's about it!
The ONE exception to my warning above: the Singapore laksa.
Chockful of seafood (rubber squid included) & noodles.
If you have gripes about authenticity, drown them in this bowl of spicy goodness & call it a day! -
Review from Mars K.
Vancouver, BC
2/6/2011
Originally I wanted to try Hawker's Delight just a block away, unfortunately it doesn't open on Sundays. I wasn't going to squander my free parking so after a quick walk around the block I ended up at Mui Garden, with no expectations.
It wasn't obvious from the outside but once I glanced through the menus (3x), it was clear that Mui Garden is a HK Style cafe and all my favorite items are there, but today something else caught my eye.
One of the 3 menus was a chef's feature for a fish-based noodle soup. I've had a fair share of Viet Pho and Japanese Ramen so I'm familiar with how good a bone-stock can taste. But fish based? that I've never tried. The standard price of $8 includes a choice for 2 toppings, choice of noodle, plus a drink. For toppings I opted for beef brisket and fish-tofu, beef balls and beef tendons are among other possibilities. As for noodles, there's egg-noodle, ramen, rice noodle, and korean glass noodle etc. I opted for the ramen.
My bowl of noodles arrived fairly quickly. It was pretty much served like a Japanese Ramen, including the style of spoon used. I started by tasting a spoonful of soup and it didn't disappoint. It was rich, thick, and very tasty. It was so tasty that I started getting worried about MSG. I didn't have the heart to ask. Maybe it was wishful thinking but I wanted it to be true that the fish-stock was so healthy it outweighed the effects of potential MSG and fatty brisket.
I would definitely go back to Mui Garden, the only way to really judge it for what it is, is by trying their standard HK-style items like baked pork chop rice, baked spaghettis, and spam/egg sandwich etc. Based on other reviews, their curry brisket is also a must try. Looks like I might have to go back several times. -
Review from Ainsley D.
Vancouver, BC
11/10/2010 1 Check-in Here
I'll say this for Hong Kong-style cafes, if you go to one and it doesn't have one or multiple of the following, you are not in authenticity, péng yu, and I suggest you go elsewhere. They are as follows:
1) Laminated menus with no less than 100 items on them
2) Breakfast foods in combo with Chinese ingredients (pig liver and fried egg congee anyone?)
3) One large or several small tables of Chinese men talking loudly and drinking tea
4) The accumulated dust, dirt and grease from a restaurant 20+ years in existence
5) Waitresses with bad attitudes if you f*** with their day.
This place...this place is awesome. "What makes it awesome?" you say? Well shut your food hole and I'll tell you.
Curried. Beef. Brisket. "What is curried beef brisket?" you ask? God! Shut up and let a man speak!
Anyways, a rich, decadent curry sauce. Slighty spicy, coconuty creamy with the right blend of spices which luxuriates a mix of perfectly soft potatoes and the fatty, unctuous goodness of beef brisket.
That my friend is worth walking 1000 miles over, maybe even 2 if it comes from here.
I came here with the infamously famous Tyler S and his future sister-in-law Tina. We sat down and had a conversation to end all conversations, a debate to end all debates; Socrates and Plato themselves could not have debated this fully...
What is the difference between Horlicks and Ovaltine?
Ye gods!
In addition to the greatest curried beef brisket you will ever wrap your flapping gob upon, we also had a mixed meat hot pot and a house special chow mein (some places will call it "Cantonese chow mein" but that is a term that will get you many a blank stare here).
The service here is typical; know what you want and don't waste their time. The greatest thing about waitresses in places like these are:
1) They are very effecient at their jobs
and
2) Sometimes they can be charmed, but only if you're a charming "cha lo"...
Anyways, Mui Garden = good. Ainsley = charming. Curried beef brisket = should be on your bucket list.Listed in: Curried Beef Brisket
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Review from Kari C.
11/24/2010
I raced here this morning after a late-night YELP convo with some local foodies who were discussing three of my favourite words: CURRY BEEF BRISKET! Hello, sailor!
Embarrassingly, this is the neighborhood that I grew up in, and I have passed by this place at least a hundred times, as it's near or on the way to the elementary school, high school, and culinary school that I attended. The place looks unassuming but cute, and I didn't think anything set it apart from many other Chinese food spots in the city, until last night. They also do Malaysian style food, like rotis, too!
I was on a mission and bundled up (thick socks, fleece-lined boots, 2 pairs of skinny jeans, 4 shirts, 2 hoodies, long wool coat, giant scarf, gloves) and headed out, feeling like the little snowsuit-ed kid in A Christmas Story who yells, "I can't move my arms!" While on the topic of ACS, Mui Garden has Ovaltine. Score!
The weather was a miserable -4°C and I hopped through the door, greeted by clean booths, warm-coloured walls, and beautiful photography of cherry blossoms (my favourite), and a server.
Stellar news: There is a $7.95 curry lunch special! You can pick from the beef brisket or other curried meat/veg, with rice, soup of the day, and a hot or cold drink (some have an extra charge of $1.50), plus they also pour you the usual welcoming cup of herbal tea when you are seated.
My soup arrived quickly. Large chunks of tender (but not squishy) winter melon floated in a rich, meaty broth that tasted of either chicken or pork. It was just what I needed to shake the snowflakes out of my hair and warm up my nose. Less than two minutes later, my curry arrived with the rice and hot Ovaltine (I was in the spirit).
They had just opened for the day and I was mildly concerned that the beef might not be as tender as it could be later on, after a longer period of hot holding, but my worries were quieted as soon as I gingerly crushed a chunk of meat with my incisors. Tender, fatty, melty, saucy beautifulness with a junior kick of spice that slowly warms you up as you continue eating. There were also chunks of potato in the gravy, which was plentiful, and kept separate from the large plate of rice, so I dumped most of it on. It was lovely.
I tried to save some as leftovers, so that I wouldn't explode, and my sweetie could try a piece of this magic. The server asked if I would like the rice and the curry packaged together, which was great, because people never ask and you open the box a day later to a soggy, messy jumble. The little details matter!
Upon leaving, I thanked the ladies who work there, and they thanked me for coming. So I wished them a nice day. And they said the same. Then I said goodbye, and they did too. It was like that episode of Full House where Uncle Jesse visits Tokyo and he keeps bowing to people, who keep bowing back to him.
Quick, courteous, appreciative service and a filling lunch (with leftovers) in a clean, bright restaurant for $8? I left, looking as happy as the little cartoon painted on the window, and couldn't wait to tell my brother what we've been missing all these years.Listed in: East Van, Yo!, Werewolf Time
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Review from Mark H.
11/11/2010 1 Check-in Here
I don't know about you but I've never been a huge fan of Cantonese cuisine, except for the magical delights of dim sum. I think it's the common corn-starchy bland sauce that coats most dishes.
I went with what I knew and ordered the curried beef brisket combo. For $7.99 it comes with soup of the day (in this case chicken feet), rice, and cold or hot drink. Great value.
Portion of beef was substantial, but I think I overestimated my hunger and felt like crap after. Be smart and listen to your mom. Balance it out with some veggies.
I also tried their chicken/pork/beef satays which were alright.
Not bad, but I'll stick with Mandarin style.Listed in: Chinese Chowdown
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Review from JRJ J.
Vancouver, BC
11/19/2010 2 Check-ins Here
This food hut has been around for years - near the corner of King Edward and Main St - north west side of this intersection.
Quick pitstop here to get some dinner for the tikes!
A good place for Hainam chicken and their coconut curry dishes - a favorite of the our 'lofawn" friends. Always comes with a tasty daily soup starter. Plenty of other dishes - I also like their baked "chingish" (hk style) pasta dishes.
Note: fyi - street parking in this area is a pain in the @ss, but who really cares when you want some good eats. -
Review from Joe L.
Vancouver, BC
1/4/2010
Good Hainanese chicken rice. The chicken rice is flavourful with good consistency while not extremely greasy. The chicken with the dish is perfectly chilled and sweet. Prices are very reasonable.
Service, however, of one of the waitresses who served us 2/3 of the time during our dining was nothing to speak of. My parents and I sat down. She delivered 3 glasses of tea but only 2 menus. Did she assume one of us was illiterate? We finished our dinner and there was leftover on both plates. We asked for take out boxES and she only gave us one. If she thought we didn't like one of the plates, may be she should have asked us if we liked our food. -
Review from Q B.
Vancouver, BC
Updated - 11/13/2010
Seriously the best curry beef brisket in the Vancouver area.
If you haven't had it then you need to try it.
If you know of a better curry beef brisket , please let me know.
Everything else here is typical of other HK (Hong Kong) cafes.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/13/2010
Hello best beef brisket curry in existence.
Everything else here is typical of an HK (Hong Kong)… Read more »
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Review from wasabiroll w.
Vancouver, BC
6/28/2011
The sliced beef curry with extra potatoes is the best meal they have.
Service and atmosphere isn't 5star, but you don't go here for fine dining.
so good! -
Review from Johnson C.
Vancouver, BC
Updated - 7/25/2010 3 photos
An update - was silly enough to come here during a warm day for more of their famed curry beef brisket on rice - Mui Garden has awesome HK/Malay-style curry but that on a warm day is a dangerous combination. I've been meaning to try their hyped Hainanese chicken, but I'm a creature of habit.
Their lunch specials run from 11AM - 6PM - most combos are pretty cheap with the ~$8 curry dishes at a slight premium, which comes with a Chinese soup and an drink - and I'm happy to report there's no extra charge for ice during 'lunch'.
Service was noticeably slower this time but my friend was pretty impressed by the fact that his lemon coke was served with ice and lemon in a glass and a *can* of *ice cold* Coke on the side. You might be thinking, 'Who cares? What's the big deal?' Well, in most HK cafes, you usually get a room-temperature no-name cola poured from a decarbonated 2L jug. Little things like this matter.
So, the Main St. Mui Garden is still my favourite location and still deserves 4-stars - despite the fact that the men's restroom doesn't have a toilet seat. Probably not a coincidence from a place that specializes in curry.Listed in: East Van Eateries, HK Cafes
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/30/2009
Based on the positive Yelp reviews and having a strong craving for HK-style curry lately, I gave Mui… Read more »
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Review from Derek T.
6/14/2011
Quickly becoming my go-to restaurant. They have daily specials which allow you to have a drink and a delicious meal for under $10 taxed in. Their chicken/beef curry on rice is to die for and is not spicy....well, not spicy at all. You can't go wrong at Mui Garden.
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Review from Beverley W.
Vancouver, BC
1/26/2009
Mui Garden serves up delicious Chinese soul food like beef brisket coconut curry, fried green beans, Hainan chicken and HK style milk tea for cheap cheap prices. It hits the spot.
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Review from Adam K.
Vancouver, BC
4/27/2009
went to the Richmond location, which I couldn't find on yelp.
really good coconut beef brisket curry. would come back for this item alone.
Its supposed to be Malaysian style curry, but from what I can tell, its Hong Kong Style Malaysian curry. Basically, what that means is that the curry is really really heavy on the coconut milk / cream and very smooth / mild in flavor. Its also not so much about different spices / flavors per se, but about a monotone smooth creamy sauce with really tender meat (in this case, brisket). Its definitely not Indian or thai curry is probably what I mean.
This place really reminds me of my school cafeteria back in High School (my cafe or "tuckshop" as they called it was awesome) and is probably why I like it so much.
everything else was, as everyone else has said, good asian/hk style comfort food. -
Review from Kent V.
12/6/2009
Some of the best curry I have ever had, the beef brisket is so tender. Portions are huge at this place, and the price is fair. Their 2 person meal is enough food for 3-4 guys.
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Review from Betty L.
8/14/2010
A great Hong Kong style cafe place. The servers are really nice and friendly. If you order from their special menu during the day you get a drink with it but have to pay a bit if you want it cold. The prices are really reasonable. Their baked porkchops served with rice is nice and hearty. Love their noodles in soup.
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Review from Edwin G.
6/3/2009
I 'heart' their curry fried pork on rice. I 'shit' my pants everytime i have it!! Yay!
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Review from Phat P.
2/21/2011
It was a nice chilly BC night and I was craving for some malay food...
Enters Mui Garden. From the outside, I am not sure how it looks, but it does not really look like a great malay place, but never judge a book by its cover.
Came in, got seated quickly, with some hot tea.
We went for the soup of the day, 1/2 hainan chicken, beef brisket curry, strir fried beans, haian rice, and, cant miss in a malay place, some roti.
The food came out extremely fast, as soon the order was given the chicken was on our table, with the rice, curry, and soup. The beans followed shortly after. Not gonna lie, it seemed suspicious to me, yet everything was just delicious. The chicken was chilled and tasty, served with its side of peanuts and ginger oil. The curry was absolutely delicious with a brisket amazingly tender and yet not fatty. The beans were perfectly cooked, hot but still crunchy. The last item that came was the roti and, as far as I could tell, that was some fresh roti. Yum-0
Portions were nice, (that would have served at least 4 people), and service was friendly and prompt. The place was also fairly clean, which is also a plus.
Delicous experience! -
Review from Bea Y.
11/7/2008
Back when they had an express restaurant on Robson St., they claimed that they "probably have the world's best curry." It's not an easy claim to make, and surprisingly, I have to agree. Well, I actually haven't eaten all of the world's curries, but Mui Garden serves a mean curry made with coconut milk. They have some pretty damn good comfort food. My favorite must-get dishes are the beef brisket curry and four-seasoned string beans with chicken. The rest of their dishes aren't bad either, but they're not the world's best.
