this space brings back a little nostalgia. it used to be one of our go to spots for dim sum when…read moreit was south ocean. today, it's home to pho anh vu, an ontario based vietnamese chain that has made its way to richmond on garden city road. the dining room is spacious, bright, and inviting, with plenty of tables for both small and larger groups. two cherry blossom trees wrapped in warm lights immediately caught my eye, while tropical murals and woven basket pendant lights add warmth and character to the space. it feels modern, comfortable, and much brighter than i remember. i ordered the bun thit nuong cha gio, a generous bowl of vermicelli topped with smoky grilled pork, a crispy spring roll, fresh herbs, cucumber, bean sprouts, crushed peanuts, and a side of fish sauce to pour over everything. the grilled pork had a beautiful caramelized char, while the spring roll added a satisfying crunch and extra layer of texture. my partner ordered the com ga nuong, featuring two pieces of grilled chicken over broken rice with a light salad and a side of house fish sauce. the chicken was juicy with nicely charred grill marks, and the broken rice did a great job soaking up all the savoury flavours. don't skip the pickled garlic on the table. it adds a bright, tangy kick that cuts through the richness of the grilled meats and gives each bite a little extra pop. both dishes were generous, filling, and packed with flavour. if i had one observation, it would be that the seasoning leaned a little on the salty side, and i found myself reaching for my water more than once. the menu is more focused than many vietnamese restaurants. if you're hoping for favourites like banh mi, banh xeo, or banh khot, you'll need to look elsewhere. the drink selection is fairly limited as well, so the emphasis here is clearly on pho, vermicelli bowls, broken rice, and a handful of classic vietnamese comfort dishes. a couple of things worth knowing before you go: the restaurant accepts cash or debit only, so leave the credit card in your wallet. if you're visiting after 6:00 pm, complimentary parking is available, just remember to register your licence plate at the tablet near the entrance before you sit down. overall, pho anh vu serves satisfying vietnamese comfort food in a beautifully refreshed space. while i still have fond memories of south ocean, it's nice to see this location begin a new chapter. if you're craving grilled meats, vermicelli bowls, broken rice, or a comforting bowl of pho, it's worth adding to your list.

Grabbed lunch here with my wife and daughter today, and as always, I had to get my usual: the Beef…read moreRib Noodle Soup. If you haven't tried it, you're missing out. The broth is so flavorful and the beef is always fall-off-the-bone tender. Just a heads up, they do run out of the ribs so try to get here early if you would like to try it. The last couple of times we've come, the beef ribs were a bit smaller than they used to be, but they were awesome about making up for it. Last visit they threw in an extra rib, and today they gave us this massive extra bone loaded with tendon. I loved it. My wife was too shy to use her hands to eat it, so hey, bonus piece for me! Aside from the food, the service here is amazing. Everyone is super attentive and friendly. The vibe is really comforting to, it's way more spacious than your typical cramped pho restaurant. Parking is free during lunch, but you have to register your car if you're here after 6pm. It's cash or debit only.

Was in the area and trying out rice noodles…read more Ordered the original crossing-the-bridge noodle soup and the curry coconut crossing-the-bridge noodle soup. The ingredients for both are the same except the soup. The broth of the original noodle soup was good but the curry coconut was a bit oily. The amount of ingredients were alright I found the noodles were a bit overcooked and too soft and mushy to my preference. the positive note was both soup came very hot and decent temperature Overall, it was decent. ok for a quick lunch

First time trying this rice noodle chain restaurant and I have to say the food was above average…read moreand especially the soup base was worth trying as it was made from scratch with pork bone, natural umami and no trace of MSG which is rare nowadays! Ambiance is simple, with fast friendly service. Oh yes! don't forget to order their wings & the fried tofu!! Lots of free parking at this retail mall.

The popcorn chicken was outstanding. It was perfectly seasoned, crispy on the outside, and…read moreincredibly tender on the inside. I also loved that they used dark meat, which made it even more flavorful and juicy. The spicy beef noodle soup was delicious. The noodles were cooked perfectly, the beef was tender, and the dish was very satisfying overall. My only suggestion would be for the broth to have a bit more depth and boldness in flavor. The pork soup dumplings were excellent. The wrappers were thin and delicate yet held together perfectly, and each dumpling was packed with a generous amount of rich, flavorful broth. Easily one of the highlights of the meal.

I came here after work on a Saturday, after 3pm. I didn't know what to expect. Reading the reviews…read morebefore hand I kinda of was expecting a wait; but there was no such thing as I got seated pretty promptly. They have rice and noodle options as well as a dim sum section on the menu. I ordered 3 items, A12 the beef noodle soup with beef, tripe, tendon, and thick noodles. The popcorn chicken and the beef pancake. I like the option that you get to choose the type of noodle. The noodles were nice and al dente and had a good ratio of all the type of meats in the soup. What I didn't really like about the dish was that the beef flavour was on the lighter side (had more of a vinegary taste) was quite subtle and if you like more veggies; your only getting one piece of bok choy. The popcorn chicken was good; juicy, nicely seasoned, and crispy. What I didn't like was the beef pancake. I should have listened to the reviews, but as usual; I had to form my own opinions. The beef pancake was full of sliced cucumbers, and barely had any meat; just a single slice of beef. I was shocked that the ratios were so off on this beef pancake. It was like 20% pancake, 75 % cucumbers and 5% meat. Definitely would not order this item again. Service was attentive, they had 3 waiters waiting around; and came pretty often (about every 5 minutes) to fill up your water. Overall, a decent experience. I'd come back again, but definitely would avoid the beef pancake. An upside is that they also take credit card, without an added fee Parking was very easy to find. You can either park on the street for 2 hours or there is a parking lot in the back. You'd have to register your plate if you want to park in the back, but my server was pretty adamant about getting that info when I first sat down.

Brought the whole fam out for a get together and this place did not disappoint…read more Definitely make a reservation if you have a larger group. This place moves fast with quick turn-around and efficient service, but it gets busy, so booking ahead saved us a long wait. Just keep in mind it's cash or debit only, so come prepared if you're ordering a feast for a larger group. Speaking of a feast, I only managed to snap a few food photos this time as everyone was way too hungry to wait even a couple of seconds for me to shoot each dish as it hit the table. Here are a few must haves on our list: Xiao Long Bao & Pan-Fried Buns, Shanghai Noodles, Beef Rolls, and Yellow Fish with Seaweed. Great food, fast service, and perfect for a big fam gathering. We'll definitely be back.

We came on a Saturday for earlier dinner, around 6pm. There is a free parking lot out front -…read moreregister at the kiosk in the restaurant. We got in just before the dinner rush so were seated right away at the last open table. This place is a legend in itself, since their original location. Shanghainese place. We ordered: hot + sour soup - solid 4/5. Could use more heat but I like the level of acidity and they were generous with the veg/shrimp in it. Add some chili oil and you're good. XLB - theirs are big, and thin skin but still holds up well. Theres an aunty standing behind the counter making them nonstop. We got the regular pork ones and they were great. Absolutely loaded with soup (seriously, most soup in xlb ive seen in a long time) and the pork filling was nice and juicy. 5/5. shen jian bao - a lot less dense than most versions. Still quite light, and the bottom was nice and crispy. Filling was the same as the xlb. Also loaded with soup. This might be my fav version of this dish. 5/5. sauerkraut fish soup with noodles - I think this was made to cater to a more canto crowd, and I like it. Its lighter, much less greasy, and much less salty. Fish slices were cooked to perfection, still with some bite and not mushy. The purists may not like it but you can eat a lot of this and not feel sick. Could use more of the pickled greens though. 4/5. Total bill was $65 + tax and tip for 2 ppl, and we took home enough food for 1 meal. The restaurant itself is utilitarian. clean, somewhat modern and comfortable enough. There are some big screens showing stuff on TV. You can order with the waitress or use the QR code and order from your phone. Cash or debit only. Come here for no frills, high-value shanghainese food that is surprisingly light. Definitely recommend. Theyve been around for a long time for good reason.

Great variety of food to choose from and great Korean flavours from their dishes! We tried their…read morehot plate spicy squid - it has quite a spicy kick & great to pair with some kind of rice to eat with - and great flavour. Their summer item Mama's Potato Chips are ok - crunchy and have a honey sauce inside - a bit on the pricier side though. Great service from the staff! Will come back to try their other items and hot pot!

I've been wanting to try this new Korean place. It is modern, clean and conveniently located in…read moreRichmond. Food is yummy and delicious. The beef bone soup is very comforting and the fried chicken is just what I much preferred - quite plain with sauces to dip rather than smothered with sticky sauces.

Came here for Valentine's Day. My husband and I both love soup curry from this exact chain in…read moreSapporo, so when we discovered they had a location here, we had to check it out. The space was clean and our food arrived fairly quickly. We ordered the fried chicken and beef brisket soup curry. The spices weren't as strong and fragrant as the one we had in Sapporo which is what made it so memorable for me the first time. It was also a bit salty for my liking. But the fried chicken piece was about double the size than the one in Sapporo! Perfectly juicy and the crispiness is a nice contrast to the soup and soft vegetables. Beef brisket was soft and tender but would pick the fried chicken over the brisket. The rice was a bit lackluster compared to the more fragrant one in Sapporo. It's hard to compete with soup curry from the motherland, but this is still worth trying if you're looking for something different from the usual ramen or sushi.

Very interesting place on the ground floor of Aberdeen. Note that this is NOT traditional Japanese…read morecurry. This is soup curry, it is much more soupy. You sit down and order from a kiosk. I guess that's the trendy thing. They give you rice refills. The soup - I ordered the kakuni pork belly curry soup. The Kakuni is really really well done. Very tender and soft, absolutely wonderful. I also liked all of the other veggies - broccoli tomatoes corn etc. the soup is on the peppery side but has a great soft flavour to it. I also added eggplant which had great texture. The rice is also very unique. It is more like whole grained rice and feels healthy. Its texture contrasts with the soup and goes well with it I think. Don't expect traditional curry but if you're open to something new this is an enjoyable meal.

The food was incredible, their signature soup was super good and the food is pretty cheap…read more The ice cream at the end is yummy and their drinks are surprisingly delicious. One thing I recommend is to not get the seafood though as the shells do make the weight go up and lead the bowl to cost more.

First time at Big Way after witnessing all the hype and line ups. Came here around 8:40pm on a…read moreSunday night with two other friends and there was no wait to get in or to get a table. My friends gave me some great tips on the "heavy" items to avoid getting so I mainly loaded up on frozen meats, spinach, and vermicelli. I splurged and got some tripe, a beef ball, a fish tofu ball, and piece of fish too. I got the collagen bone broth and my total came out to around $15. It's nice that there is a small sauce bar included, along with kim chi. I made my own sauce but my friend's also recommended adding more raw garlic, cilantro and green onions when my food arrived. Broth was really nice and the $15 bowl filled me up. Good quality food for a very reasonable price. Service was also good with water pitcher refills and asking if we were ready for ice cream. While the ice cream is no DolarShop, it was still decent that it was included. I see why Big Way is so popular. I would avoid when it's busy and one has to stand and wait to get a table but otherwise, solid choice to dine solo or in a small group. Will definitely be back and likely try other locations.

Elysium was a bit of a pleasant surprise since we were expecting a similar dining experience to the…read moreprevious Korean restaurant (Hanpan) that used to be at this location. The dining rooms looked pretty much the same when we walked in. Even though the Elysium menu is similar overall to the restaurant before, there are currently some unique items available now (at least from what I remember, which could be incorrect since it's been a while), such as beef / fish pancakes, mala fried chicken, and sliced steak BBQ. The dishes we tried had a lot of flavour with quality ingredients, but what made our first visit to Elysium special was the staff. Everyone who helped us that night was so friendly and kind! It was a great dinner, and we'll definitely be back.

I don't often see kimbap and tteokbokki on the same menu at dine-in Korean restaurants as they seem…read moreto be considered more like fast food/street food, but Elysium had both. This restaurant has such a big menu but the food quality is consistent! Everything we ordered was nicely plated and tasted good. The restaurant is very spacious and looked very clean. At the entrance, there is a station where you can see the food being prepared and I thought that was very neat. I came here as a group of 7 and the waitress was so kind and patient in helping split the bill by individual items and shared items. The waiter who served us was also super friendly! I'd definitely recommend this place to anyone who's looking for Korean food in Richmond.

10/10 Love these dumplings! The vibe here is very chill but classy and homey which I enjoyed. You…read moreorder at a kiosk which made things super easy. The lady in front is hand making the dumplings and the decor is so fun! I got 10 of the pan fried pork and cabbage and 10 of the boiled beef and radish. For me personally, I enjoyed the pan fried pork and cabbage but my boyfriend preferred the filling of the beef and radish but liked the pan fried style better. I thought the pan fried style was delectable. Super crunchy but the dumpling itself is very juicy still. The wrapper is perfectly chewy without doing too much. The chili oil is decent as well. Would highly recommend!

Not the best I've had but still yummy…read more Service was that of a food court type where you order from a screen and they call out your order. Two level restaurant - interesting decor - a little dingy but hey, it's okay.

This type of cuisine is quite different that most restaurants in the area. We were at the…read moreSteveston wharf at 11:30 am on this BC holiday. The sign on the door read opening hour is 11:30 am but the entire place was dark and no activity. We then walked on to have lunch at another eatery and returned in the late afternoon for drink and some snacks. When we entered, the woman whom I am guessing was the owner sat us at the window table. She was not the most friendly and welcoming. We ordered two iced lemon teas and the kuih lapis type desserts which was good but little different than the ones we had in Malaysia this year. Since already had lunch earlier, we didn't get to sample any of the main dishes.

There is a good Malaysian food spot in Richmond but I wanted to give this mom and pop spot a try to…read moregive an opportunity for new places. However, I was a bit disappointed but not too much as prices were decent depending on what you get. We got the chicken laksa, Nasi goreng, Mongolian chicken, and kuih lapis. Chicken laksa is the ideal order as the soup is decent and the pricing is fair. It is not the best as the soup didn't carry much flavor and the noodles were a bit on the softer side. It was filling however. Nasi goreng is solid. The vegetables felt frozen reheated and wilted, but at least the cucumbers were fresh. The amount of shrimp, squid, and fish cakes was dismal. Flavor profile is good. The Mongolian chicken is okay. It's not fried as the batter is quite soft. It is saucy which my friends were craving. I enjoyed the flavor profile of this one though. The dessert is good. Kuih Lapis is a colorful dessert so it appealed to me in both taste and presentation. One red flag I noticed is that I heard beep after beep of microwave sounds. It's as if all the dishes they prepared well in advance and just reheat for us, plus they walled off the kitchen and the back completely, giving the impression that they want to hide something. Most renowned places won't hide the back like that, as you can at least take a peek of what's cooking behind the scenes in most places. Service is good as they refill complimentary tea throughout our dining experience. Pay at the front for the bill.