Video Review on youtube: vancity food crew bun cha ca hoang yen
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This place was recommended by a friend. Their speciality is the Fish Cake Vermicelli soup, which was light and tasty. I also got the pork chop on rice, the rice is a tad dry. Perhaps ask for extra nuoc mam or a fried egg to balance it out. The chicken wings amd bun rieu are also supposed to be good, so I will get those next time.
It seems like I’ve been waiting pho-ever to try this place out… Okay, go ahead and groan… that was a bad pun. As their name implies, this Vietnamese restaurant is well known for their specialty pho… a fish cake noodle soup (bún chả cá). The interior of this place is fairly typical of most Vietnamese restaurants but I doubt that people come here for the atmosphere. When you open the menu (which only lists the name Hoang Yen on the cover), the thing that you want to find is the Bun Cha Ca Dac Biet ($11.95 for a small) aka the Special Fish Cake and Vermicelli in Soup. Seriously, this is one good pho! The broth is quite light but still aromatic and flavourful from the use of fresh herbs. The smooth and tender rice vermicelli noodles are the best that I’ve ever had.
I finally tried Bun Cha Ca Hoang Yen after reading many positive reviews and hearing good things about it from friends! This restaurant is different from most Vietnamese restaurants because they specialize in seafood broths, which is what they’re famous for. Hoang Yen is located on Victoria Drive. It is an old, small restaurant with a hole in the wall feel. This place gets lined up during peak hours, and I can definitely see why after trying their noodle soup!
Bun Cha Ca Hoang Yen is notorious for always being busy. It’s located across the street from Hoi An Cafe and Chau Veggie Express. Their deli, Cha Ca Hoang Yen Deli, where they make and sell their own fish cake/fish balls is also down the street. I’ve been twice recently and both times have had a line. A small queue but luckily, everyone eats quickly and leaves. We only had to wait about 10 minutes and shared a table with a random couple.
The crab soup, No. 23, is AMAZING! Perfect for a cold day, hands down. The soup base is pretty rich and flavorful with a strong crab and tomato taste. The vermicelli is just the right texture and the bowl is filled with pork, vietnamese ham, shrimp and tomatoes. A lighter, equally delicious option is the fish cake soup, no. 24.
There's usually a line up out the door, especially on Friday evenings and weekends. It's a small restaurant, so it gets busy fast. It's not a place to sit and chat for hours.
Their special crab soup with vermicelli is to die for! The flavouring is deep and it comes in a generous portion size. I've heard great reviews about their fish cake noodles but every time I come here, the crab cake is just way too enticing!
Its often very busy, so people usually dine and leave pretty soon. I haven't seen anyone (even in a group) hang around to chat once they're done eating. The place is small and if you're in a group of 2 or less, be prepared to share a table.
Regarding service, I haven't had a bad one so far. The staffs are all very busy but they do give me what I need and I don't feel rushed.
Reservation Under Cindy
+4
Bun Cha Ca Hoang Yen probably needs no introduction when it comes to their pho. Situated in East Vancouver within proximity to the popular Western Lake on Victoria Drive, they specialize in their Special Fish Cake Vermicelli Soup and it’s pretty much the only dish every table orders here! My mom is a huge fan of this place so she was pretty excited about bringing my brothers and me here since it’s her absolute favourite! One thing you’ll notice right away is that their menu focuses more on seafood based soups!
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Honestly the food was great but the service was just horrible.
Arrived by 430..it was busy but got a table. For some reason they were closing early so at 445 they were steering away customers. One server had mentioned they were "sold out"..but overheard another server mention they had a party to attend. Get your stories straight! They also ended up taking some customers after the fact that they had said they were closed and let go customers...not a great way to keep your clientele!
Ordered the fish cake noodle soup, lemon grass pork chop and chicken on rice, and spring rolls. The noodle soup was filled with herbs...including dill. Was a pleasant taste compared to your typical pho noodle soup. I enjoyed it and it was a lighter meal as it had no beef in it. The pork chop and chicken with rice was tasty as well and came with a good size. The spring rolls were OK..have had better but they pass. An order comes with 4 rolls. When the server came with 2 rolls I kindly asked where the other two were and she had attitude that almost bit off my head and said "its coming!!". She ended up bringing the other two but was it my fault the order came with two side plates?? That treatment was totally uncalled for.
It is a fairly small restaurant. Be prepared to be in a tight space. Air ventilation is also not great.
After our exhilarating hike up to Brunswick Mountain, we went to Hoang Yen for some of their infamous fish cake soup:. Found a post back from 2014 on the Chowtime website (I used to love reading the food adventures of Ben and Suanne from Chowtimes back in university!) that mentioned the line ups in front of this place. Even now, 2017, the same line ups and crowds. I quite liked their noodles, and it wasn’t just because I was starving. I think it would actually have been better if I weren’t just coming off a hike, dehydrated and too tired to eat. The soup was slightly sweet, with a strong dill flavour. If you don’t like dill, don’t order this. I will be back to try more of their dishes. For around $10, this was a satisfying meal for both my tummy and my wallet.
Great food. Not very spacious. Service was meh probably because of the lack of space to move around. Very very busy. Soup taste very fresh and little to no msg. Loved the crab soup the most. Prices have changed and it's always disappointing to see because the food quantity, quality and service remains the same, but we're charged $1 more per bowl of pho.
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