Maybe because it's close to the Lougheed SkyTrain station — and across from Lougheed Mall — but customers have already found Old Xian's Food restaurant in a tiny strip mall on North Road in Coquitlam.
Old Xian's Food is the fourth Old Xian's restaurant in the Lower Mainland, offering northwestern-style Chinese comfort food and snacks.
The open concept restaurant — with seating for 18 — quietly opened just a couple of weeks ago but appears to have found a following.
Deanna Woo, a Vancouver foodie, posted on Instagram a video of the crazy, long fat noodles to be found at the new restaurant, located at 501 North Rd. (at the corner of North Road and Austin Avenue) and she dubbed the place her "favourite noodle spot."
Old Xian's offers a range of hearty dishes, including Chinese burgers (shredded meat in a Baji bun), a variety of meat and noodle dishes and vegetable dishes, including a tasty-looking cucumber salad.
Among the noodle dishes are:
- Spicy and sour pork noodles
- Braised beef noodles
- Hot spicy oil on tomato egg and spicy sour pork
- Stewed pork noodles and
- Cumin lamb on beef noodles
Seeking a vegetarian option, this Tri-City News reporter tried a bowl of hand-pulled noodles with hot spicy oil.
The dish was large for $12.99 and, in response to a request, the spice was mild. Fat bulbs of bok choi dotted the dish, along with shredded carrots, and the noodles were indeed very long and fat, as well as tasty.
The portion was huge and a cardboard container and non-plastic bag was presented for taking home the remainder.
According to an English transcription of the website, Old Xian's Food was started by a female chef to bring northern Chinese food to the Lower Mainland.
There are Old Xian's restaurants in Richmond, Burnaby and Vancouver.
Cash is encouraged, otherwise you pay two per cent to use a debit or credit card and parking is limited — it's best to walk or take SkyTrain.
Old Xian's Food in Coquitlam is open seven days a week. As for delivery options, Old Xian's in Coquitlam delivers via Uber Eats.
For more choices to dine or brunch in Coquitlam, visit the city's database of 300 local restaurants on the Coquitlam Tourism website.
