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Tsim Chai Noodle Restaurant
Category: Restaurants Chinese Chinese [Edit]
50 - 8251 Westminster HwyRichmond, BC V6X 1A7
Neighbourhood: Golden Village
(604) 273-6288
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 11 am - 11 pm
Fri-Sat 11 am - 12 am
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
30 reviews for Tsim Chai Noodle Restaurant
Review Highlights
30 reviews in English
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Review from Eugene C.
Vancouver, BC
9/25/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Decided to stop here on this rainy, blustery day for some wonton noodle soup.
Place was pretty packed, and they asked if I wouldn't mind sharing a table. I was starving, and didn't want to wait so I went ahead and sat down.
So many good things on the menu, but I decided on the wonton noodle soup, as that sounded perfect for a cool wet day such as today. Did try ordering gai lan, but they informed me that they were all out.
The wontons didn't take too long to arrive, and I immediately proceeded to scarf them down.
The wontons were SO delicious! I can definitely taste the difference in their wontons, compared to wontons I have had at some other places. I've been to some other places that have very little prawn in their wontons, and mostly "filler" (fatty pork, etc.).
When I'm super hungry, I'm notorious for diving straight in for the food, and not waiting for the food to cool down a bit. However, I couldn't resist moving onto the next yummy bite, even as I'm burning my mouth from the hot temperature of the wontons!
Also, as mentioned by other reviewers, their wontons are huge! If you were to put a whole one in your mouth, some people may see a similarity between you and a chipmunk storing it's food temporarily in it's cheeks!
On a side note, I was actually rather pleased with the taste of the hot tea they had today. Instead of the "run of the mill" type of tea, they had a nice lychee one.
For payment, it's cash only, but that's not too big a deal for me as I am used to these types of places accepting only cash.
For parking, it can get a bit tight. I ended up parking at the neighboring plaza (which is not far at all).
You know that feeling you get when you burn you mouth and/or tongue? I have that feeling right now...my tongue feels like there's tiny little "holes" all over the surface... But it was all worth it!
Note to self: Next time be patient and maybe wait for the food to cool down a bit...! -
Review from Kenneth E.
Vancouver, BC
Always busy here, tough for parking, some in the back.
Dad likes the wontons here and myself, the egg beef flat noodle is quite consistent. Just a nice saucy with the texture.
Not the friendliest service but gets the job done. -
Review from B L.
Richmond, BC
2/28/2012 1 Check-in Here
Not as good as I had expected. This place has quite the reputation in the Asian community, so maybe that's why I had some higher than normal expectations.
Your very typical chinese congee/wonton house, open space, round tables, average but efficient service.
Order a wonton noodle and fish congee. Both were just average. Ive def had better.
If you go during late night (after 9 I believe), you can order from their late-night "Da-laang" or Chinese tapas (as my friend likes to call it), where you order small dishes and get free congee.
All in All, quite standard. -
Review from Lindsay W.
Richmond, BC
12/25/2011 2 Check-ins Here
so i'm new to the vancouver chinese food scene, so today, guided by yelp reviews, i headed to tsim chai noodle restaurant hoping for amazing noodles that i've been craving ever since i got here a month ago.
upon arriving at tsim, i was entirely underwhelmed by the decor, but i suppose the focus should be on the food. however if you're looking for somewhere with a great atmosphere, tsim is not the place for that. however, what it is lacking in decor it is certainly not lacking in menu options. with well over 290 items, i'm sure there's something for everyone.
i ordered the prawn wonton that had rave reviews and am not disappointed. huge delicious wontons. the broth is mild, a bit fishy, but not salty, thank goodness.
my error was in ordering a noodle dish. i ordered #95, 'boneless chicken and vegetable chow mein'... i assumed vegetable meant mixed vegetables, but it was simply some cooked chicken piled on top of bok choy on top of vermicelli noodles. any of the exposed noodles were almost too crispy to eat (especially with chopsticks), and anything under the chicken or vegetables was decent, albeit a little on the sloppy side; the sauce was relatively flavourless. however, for $8.95, it was a gigantic portion, and will probably feed me for 3 or 4 days, if i'm not sick of it after tomorrow.
i'm not holding this against the place, but i definitely won't be ordering that again. the take out was ready in about 10 minutes, which was very quick, but i am very disappointed in the chow mein. -
Review from Edward L.
I've always heard people rave about this place and never knew why. It's located in a rather obscure mall next to a dingy supermarket.
You know the food is authentic when most of the clientele looks like they're here for a layover from YVR for Cathay Pacific.
The late-nite "siu yeh" dishes here are pretty huge. To be honest I was expecting something half the size, which is really nice.
Jellyfish - huge portion. Great texture, not mushy.
Prawn and egg drop rice noodles - a bit salty, but with huge prawns.
Drunken chicken - unlike a club, even the sauce wasn't watered down! Be sure to drink / use up the sauce.
Seafood and mushroom congee - generous filling.
So why only 4 stars? This place is cash only. Yes it's Richmond and most other places are cash only too blah blah, but this actually caught us off guard. My friend had to walk to the bank to bail us out.
One last thing, they also sell their in-house XO sauce here. It is freaking good.
Recommended.Listed in: 2011 Cheap & Tasty
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Review from Randy F.
3/26/2011 3 photos
A favorite of noodle and won ton afficianados, Tsim Chai is the
epitome of fast and convenient food (why go to McDonalds??). The
prices are superb and the variety covers the soup, noodle, porridge
continuim. Added plus, they stay open relatively late until 10 pm.
The won tons here are done very well. Super thin skin and plentiful
shrimp and pork fillings. I'm not much of a won ton fan, so it's not
usually what I order but it was good.
I thought the chili oil wontons would be good as I love the Taiwanese
spicy wontons. The version here uses the same great wontons but the
sauce is merely chili oil. A bit too simple and I didn't find it as
good.
I also ordered the specialty chicken porridge and liked the tender and
flavored chicken. Smooth porridge texture too.
I can see why people like this joint, but I'll be honest, I liked
Michigan Noodle more.
Cash OnlyListed in: Cash Only!
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Review from Anne R.
Vancouver, BC
10/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
Yes, the wonton soup is amazing. I got shrimp wonton, no noodles ($6.95 I think, 6 big wontons). The broth isn't THE best, but the wonton's certainly are!! We also shared the pineapple sweet & sour pork ($9.95), which was surprisingly the best we have ever had, anywhere. The tea is fantastic, too.
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Review from .Nette T.
11/28/2010 2 photos
Tsim Chai Noodle House's steaming hot bowl of wonton noodles was the perfect way to end a busy day of outdoor activities. I'm glad I found this place through Yelp. They have some seriously good wontons.
Located in a nondescript mall in Richmond, we went in on a cold and rainy night. Restaurant was relatively clean and service was actually friendly.
We were immediately seated and both ordered Wonton Noodle Soup. It came out piping hot (always a good sign) and I was amazed at how crunchy, fresh, juicy and plump the wontons were.
The wontons had big shrimp and bits of pork which made them plump. Okay, they weren't plump; they were on steroids. They were on steroids with translucent wrappers, which is not an easy feat. A lot of restaurants serve the wontons in opaque wrappers which aren't aesthetically pleasing and interferes with the texture, making it a gummy mess. Noodles had the "bite" that should be in every wonton noodle soup; chewy, with a slight crunch to it.
We also ordered Gai Lan (Chinese broccoli). Gai Lan was vivid green, had lots of leaves and most importantly - you could tell it was fresh because the stalks weren't ginormous which meant it wasn't cheap and old gai lan. It also had a nice crunch to it.
When I told our server that I was from the US and only eat Chinese food in Vancouver, she pointed to a table near us and said that table literally landed only a while ago and the first place they went was their restaurant.
See? Didn't I tell you? The Chinese food in Vancouver is worth the trip! -
Review from Stephen Y.
Richmond, BC
3/15/2011 2 Check-ins Here
A stalwart joint in the heart of Richmond, this place serves up great wonton noodles and congee at the dirt cheap price. It's ambiance is inversely proportionate to the taste of the food, so you're not gonna be wowed by the decor...but we're not here for that are we?
I highly recommend their shrimp wonton noodles (the wontons are huge!) and if you come here later at night with a group of friends or family, order off their late night menu which serves up a massive bowl of congee and you pick some delectable dishes to go with it.
Their congee is also excellent and hits the spot on rainy day (do get the preserved egg and salted pork congee)!
It's these sort of places which had me moving back to Richmond after living in Yaletown. Om nom nom!Listed in: Noodles Pour Toi.
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Review from Melissa C.
Richmond, BC
Are you feeling sick? Did you just have your wisdoms pulled out? Or do you just need a bowl of yummy comfort? This is the place for the Best Congee that can be bought! I recommend their Fresh Sliced Fish Congee ($5.75). The congee is thick, smooth and flavourful. The fish is soft and plentiful. And the size of the bowl is more than enough to satisfy your stomach. Usually with my bowl of congee I also order a plate of Kai Lan with Oyster sauce ($4.75). Nicely boiled for a tender bite and the salty, sweet oyster sauce is a perfect match with the kai lan.
What else can I say.. best place for congee!Listed in: A warm hug on a cold day
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Review from Marc D.
Vancouver, BC
Updated - 1/11/2009
Ok, couldn't stay away for long and returned today for lunch. We sampled 3 new dishes today:
Wonton in chili oil: If McDonalds made wontons these would be the super size. Oh wait, no, they tasted really good too. Scratch the Mickey D's reference. If Tsim Chai was in Texas these would be Texas sized wontons. Wait - Chinese food in Texas doesn't bring up good images. Never mind. This was a huge pile of their deliciously perfect 2 bite wontons. The juicy shrimp had the same pleasant crunch to them, and the housemade chili oil really provided a nice punch. I think there were something like 10 wontons in this dish. That is like 20 for those of you that are used to "regular sized."
Beef tendon and wonton noodle: The noodles once again were perfectly cooked, and didn't taste like ammonia at all - suggesting they change the water really regularly, which is a good thing. I really can't stand ammonia tasting noodles like you frequently get at other places. The tendon had been simmered in a nice star anise flavour, which blended well with the shrimpy soup stock. And of course, the star wontons were present here again. I've got to rotate between this and the brisket wonton. Both are so good. I wish they had the option to mix them. I think I'll ask next time!
Housemade fishcake noodles: This had fishballs and fishcake that were both made in house. They were pleasant, and not of the overly fishy variety you sometimes find elsewhere. I still come back to the above 2 dishes as my favourite though!
This place is definitely a keeper!Listed in: Vancouver Chinese Food, Vanoodle, Vancouver Dumplings, Vancouver multicultural fried…, Thanks, Yelp!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/7/2009
I love places like this - where you can get food identical to what you find in HK without having to… Read more »
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Review from Ervinna L.
8/8/2008
The BEST wanton noodle I have had. We drove 3 hours from Seattle, after driving in the traffic and stuck in the car for that long, we desperately need some GOOD food to cheer us up.
I spotted a Chinese guy reading his newspaper outside a mall. He looks like he knows where a good place is. After chatting with him for 2 minutes, I knew he is the one, he would know where I could find some authentic wanton noodles :) Mr. Chinese guy did not fail us. He recommended Tsim Chai Noodle and told me what to get.
We LOVE the wanton noodle it was extremely good. The noodle was smooth and the shrimp wantons were gigantic. The noodle was serve in a tiny bowl (Hong Kong style) but also charge at a very reasonable price. We also had the Hong Kong Milk tea, which was top notch. I will be back to Vancouver for Tsim Chai noodle. -
Review from Gloria H.
12/4/2008 5 photos
LOVE this place. This is always our first stop in Vancouver because it's enroute to the hotel and other malls.
Located inside a neighborhood strip mall, this place gets busy early and quick so plan accordingly or wait patiently. Most people tend to eat and leave unlike at dim sum places so expect quick turnaround.
As much as I love to try new things, we always end up ordering the following as they are must have:
wonton - we always get at least 1 order of plain so there are more to share - these puppies are huge and all shrimp, the crunch as you bite into it is just marvelous.
dumpling - this is the oblong cousin of wonton with a bit more ingredient, specifically shredded bamboo shoot and wood ear with some ground pork. also very tasty - like the wonton, the skin is perfect - not too thin or thick and smooth.
fried dace fish cake - many places have this order BUT this place is as authentic as we've tried anywhere. the unique flavor of the dace fish with just a hint of the orange peel to punch it up. this goodness treat is just addicting and mouth watering. even hubby is addicted to it and have since ordered this wherever he sees it on menu but continue to be disappointed...
stir fried pork liver and kidney - damn, this is the BOMB! the sauce is so freaky good and the liver and kidney are perfectly cooked, I mean perfectly! You can't overcook these delicacies or it'll become too chewy and really nasty. again, soul food at its best!
their homemade hot sauce - not very spicy but sure is tasty. it goes well with everything, yes I mean everything!
We always get some tender greens w/ oyster sauce on the side too but that's just something to make it feel like a balanced meal.
LOVE this place...now I'll be drooling for the rest of the day. -
Review from Adelina W.
Richmond, BC
1/23/2010 ROTD 10/15/2010
Cheap? check!
Delicious? check!
Satisfying? check!
Great place for a huge bowl of noodles. The bowl is more deceiving than you think and is quite full. The wontons are large and have lots of flavour. The brisket was for the most part fairly well cooked - the larger pieces were "tougher". Service was quick and efficient, but not very friendly - but that is typical of this type of restaurant. We were there during afternoon tea time so our noodles came with our choice of drink - 50 cents more for cold. I got the HK style milk tea - delicious and my companion got iced lemon tea which was okay. -
Review from Amary N.
Updated - 7/21/2009 1 photo
Oh oh...the wonton noodles is a bit soft for the soup ones. But the dried noodles came out nice. You still get big shrimp wontons.
Of course I will still come back here and eat again.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/31/2008
WONTON NOODLES....SUI KAU....Pork liver....Excellent soup broth. All the reasons to be in love with… Read more »
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Review from Eileen S.
8/11/2009
A toss up between this place and Mak's. If we had more time in Vancouver, maybe I would be able to decide who takes top prize in my book.
This is really good stuff! The wontons are huge and delicious. However, I prefer the broth at Mak's. Now if only they got together... that would be fantastic!!! -
Review from Patty H.
10/17/2009
LOVE their BIG shrimp wonton in soup!!! many other soups & noodle soups as well, but i almost always get the same things! the wontons are SO full of shrimp the whole ball is ORANGE!!
Very cafeteria-like, fast service, simple, no frills, some english. It's definitely the food that i'm there for!
(4.25 stars) -
Review from Dan T.
5/1/2010 1 photo
There are things in each family that you don't argue about with your parents. In mine, it would be where the best wonton noodles are to be had in the Lower Mainland.
I don't think I really had much to argue when I was presented with the hulking wontons barely restrained amongst the tangle of noodles. Not only is there a (very) generous shrimp to pork ratio, but the shrimp is fresh to boot!
The noodles must also not be overlooked. You just don't get the same quality of noodles in New York (ask me why, I know not), as the ones here have a toothsome density to them and do not make you feel like you are gnawing on soggy shoe strings.
I also had their preserved egg and pork (and dried oyster - nice touch!) congee, which is one of my all time favourite comfort foods. I can't say that it made leaps and bounds above other congee that I've had, but it was still something I deeply enjoyed. -
Review from Billy C.
Richmond, BC
Excellent congee and deep fried dough. We had the Tilapia fish congee and Hong Kong ("little boat") congee. Both were really good and reminded us of what good, not-too-thick, not-too-watery congee should taste like.
A great place to go if you're itching for that Hong Kong-style cafe meal (which I get on a regular basis). Shrimp won ton's, Beef brisket & tendons... all so good. Mmm.... Service was also friendly and commendable.
Our only complaint is for $6.75, the Tilapia fish congee could have included more ingredients other than fish. Maybe a few stalks of veggies... some fish maw... anything else would have been nice. -
Review from Ed L.
Vancouver, BC
4/16/2010 2 Check-ins Here
Best shrimp wonton in metro Vancouver.
Cash only of course -
Review from Regan W.
5/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
Stopped by here because of Yelp, and I'm glad I did. We ordered the beef tendon wonton mein and a beef chow fun (dry style). The noodles were great, perfectly al dente, they use the really thin egg noodle here by the way. The wontons were good also, big and packed full of shrimp and the wrapper is not thick. The chow fun was okay, could use a little more dark soy. All on all this is a good place and IMHO it's better that Mak's Noodle (McNoodle)
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Review from Gersham M.
Vancouver, BC
12/29/2009
Tried to like this place as I love Chinese hole in the wall restaurants. But sadly the food was nothing special.
Huge and generous servings of rather plain wontons. Their brisket was fantastic. Unfortunately the star of the show for a noodle restaurant are noodles, which were uninspired and somewhat insipid. Altogether nothing I'd cross the road to get. You have so many better Chinese noodle choices out there in Richmond and Vancouver. -
Review from Flora C.
7/12/2009
No bad!
Good food and Fair Priced!
Varieties!
People loved their huge won ton with lots of shrimps in it (but almost nothing else but shrimp)... Hey, the real deal in Hong Kong is not all shrimps inside the won ton okay! If they can balance out the portion, their sky will be brighter. -
Review from Revorc P.
8/16/2009 5 photos
Definitely experienced better, but this place is okay. Had a wonton soup & two nooodley dishes to share with the rest of my peeps eating with me. The wonton soup was good. Wasn't super steamy hot, but it was good. The wontons were big and the noodle was just like any other noodle. Nothing fantastic. The other plates were okay. Just average.
This place only accepts cash! Canadian cash too! We had a little debacle trying to get some quick Canadian $$ before eating here. So bring the cash when you wanna eat here! -
Review from Ryan G.
Richmond, BC
10/30/2011
Boring! Food was bland and flavorless. Disappointed after reading other reviews. I'm by no means an expert on Chinese food, but I didn't think much of this place.
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Review from Annie M.
Vancouver, BC
I love wonton noodle soup. Wonton & Shrimp dumpling are delicious and taste very similar to HK. They're the best wonton noodle soup in town.
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Review from James P.
Vancouver, BC
yup, the food at this place is fantastic... we usually do take out and eat at home (becoz the parking is a pain)... their wontons are the size of ping pong balls, and it's stuffed with nothing but shrimps... it's more expensive than other places but it's worth every dollar...
i also like their fried rice and fried noodles... their congee is also very good... one of my fav from this place... deep fried oysters...Listed in: Always Good Food
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Review from Michael H.
Calgary, AB
8/9/2010
We order the same thing everytime. Shrimp wonton with no noodles, steamed gai lan with hoisin sauce, and deep fried salt and pepper squid. The spice on the squid is great, and not overfried and dripping with grease. The wontons are incredible. The gai lan is perfectly steamed. Best little Chinese place in Richmond.
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Review from Katy N.
3/17/2009
The best WONTON NOODLES I ever had because the noodles were made FRESH & al dente and their WONTONS were freaking HUGE!!!!!! If you can't get enough of their wontons, must order CHILLI WONTONS...not spicy...just perfecto :)
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Review from Ben L.
Vancouver, BC
12/4/2010
ahh, Tsim Chai Noodles; the name conjures distant memories of late night eats :) but it has been a week or two since i last gulfed down a wonton noodle soup, so it was time to pay a visit.
upon entering, we were immediately seated and when i inquired about getting an extra napkin, the waitress, or shall i say, dominatrix of the establishment, barked at us as if we were dogs pleading for food. We ordered a curried beef on chow mein since i always had curried beef on steamed rice like a million times. We also ordered a wonton noodle soup.
The wonton noodle soup had 4 wontons, one less than what one would get at #9 Restaurant, but I've got to say the wontons were very juicy and fresh. The curred beef chow mein was also unique, since ive never tried that out before.
Aside from that testy exchange we had upon entering , the restaurant overall was ok.
