Tsim Chai Noodles - Chinese, Vancouver, Canada

8251 Westminster Hwy, Richmond, BC V6X 1A7
(604) 273-6288
Parking: parking lot
Hours: Mon-Thu, Sun 11am-11 pm, Fri-Sat 11am-12 am

Last Visited: July 3, 2009

Food: 4 stars

Atmosphere: 3 stars

Service: 3 stars

Price: $$ to $$$

Some friends brought us to Tsim Chai Noodles for an evening snack and the place was completely packed despite it being rather late. We managed to come here two days in a row, once for a late night snack and the next day for a light lunch. Lunch was a little less crowded and noisy, but you can guess that if we went back so soon, the food was fabulous.

A restaurant of the same name is located in Hong Kong, but I don’t know if they have any affiliation. The style of food, soup noodles and the like, is also served at the Hong Kong restaurant. This restaurant’s atmosphere is like that of a café – a lot of hustle and bustle and very casual.

For late night snacks, Chinese people often turn to sweets, so I enjoyed a steamed milk, but before I got to that, more food came along for us to try.

- Steamed Chicken: The chicken was tender and flavorful, not overcooked. While it’s not the best that I’ve had, it was very good. The fact that Asian folks are willing to pay this price for half a chicken shows you that it has to be pretty good. $10.95 (half)

- Kang Kung (Ong Choy) with Bean Curd Sauce: This seasonal vegetable has very thin stalks and long leaves. The leaves are tender like spinach and the section of stalk that is close to the leaf tend to be more tender. The vegetables were fresh and tasted good.

- Steamed Milk Dessert – Smooth and creamy, the steamed milk was available hot or cold. I chose hot because the creaminess seems to come out more. Yum. This item wasn't on their main menu, but written as a special on the wall, so you may need to ask for it.

Although we had just eaten dinner a few hours before, this was a fine snack and I heard the place is busy all of the time. The population is able to sustain this kind of eating.

Lunch on a weekday had about half the room full and the pace was a little less frenetic.

- Wonton and Shui Kau with Noodles in Soup – It’s a gorgeous bowl of noodles and dumplings. Both the wontons and shui kau as just as they should be – thin skinned wrappers surrounding fresh ingredients of shrimp, pork, and in the case of the shui kau, a little bit of black or wood fungus. Terrific. $6.45

- Beef Brisket and Wonton with Noodles in Soup – Another spot on bowl – the beef brisket is tender and the noodles are al dente. A few stalks of fresh greens accompany this dish. Also terrific. $6.45

Congee, fried rice, chow mein, and other similar dishes are available all day. Prices are very reasonable and although the service may leave opportunities, the food is available rather quickly and has a great value. Food here is a lot like the quality found in Hong Kong, and the atmosphere tends to be more comfortable. I would come here at least once a week if I lived close by – it’s no wonder it’s busy even on a late night. Fabulous.

One item to note – they only accept cash, so come prepared.