No. 1 Beef Noodle — Restaurant in Burnaby

During my recent visit to No. 1 Beef Noodle, I had the pleasure of trying a few dishes that truly showcased the restaurant’s attention to quality and authentic flavors. Here’s a rundown of what I experienced:

The first dish was a beautifully presented plate of clams paired with slices of sponge gourd, all nestled in a light, flavorful broth. The clams were fresh, and the subtle sweetness of the sponge gourd complemented them perfectly. The lightness of this dish made it a refreshing starter, ideal for those who enjoy delicate flavors.

I also had clams in black bean sauce. This dish had a rich, savory profile with a slight hint of heat. The black bean sauce was robust, yet it didn't overpower the natural taste of the clams. Topped with fresh green onions, this dish was a delightful contrast to the lighter first course.

Finally, I tried their beef noodle soup with pickled greens, I think it was A2. The broth was deeply flavorful, likely from hours of simmering, and had a wonderful depth that was both comforting and satisfying. The addition of pickled greens brought a tangy, slightly spicy element to the dish, balancing out the richness of the beef and broth. The noodles were perfectly cooked, and the beef was tender, making each spoonful a perfect bite.

The service at No. 1 Noodle House was equally impressive. Stone, Lucy, and Lily were attentive, friendly, and made sure that every aspect of the dining experience was seamless. Their recommendations were spot-on, and they truly went out of their way to ensure we had a great meal. It’s clear that they take pride in their work, which added a personal touch to our visit.

No. 1 Beef Noodle offers a great selection of well-prepared dishes that cater to a variety of tastes. Whether you’re in the mood for something light and refreshing or rich and savory, there’s something here for everyone. The food presentation is also noteworthy, with each dish arriving at the table looking as good as it tastes. Combined with the excellent service from Stone, Lucy, and Lily, I highly recommend giving this place a try if you’re in the area and craving some quality...

Walked into No.1 Beef Noodle House on Willingdon—new place, new vibes. The time? 10:10 PM. Late night. Tired. Hungry. Mood: borderline hangry. And then boom—Ginny hits the scene like a culinary guardian angel. Warm welcome, quick wit, and a sparkle in her eye like she knows exactly what your stomach needs before you do.

She points to A06 – House Special Noodle like it’s a national treasure. And sweet Mary, was she right.

🥢 A06 – House Special Noodle: Rich, savoury broth deep enough to swim in. Noodles with the perfect chew—not soggy, not stiff, just bang-on. Tender beef slices, bursting with flavour, and shrimp balls so fresh I thought they’d jump back into the bowl. This isn’t just comfort food. It’s therapy in a bowl. If hugs were edible, they’d taste like this.

🍤 L07 – San Francisco Broccoli with Prawns: Prawns—juicy, snappy, cooked to perfection. Broccoli still had that firm bite, bright green, kissed by wok heat. Sauce? Light, garlicky, addictive. Bloody brilliant.

🥟 C01 – Shanghai Style Pork Dumplings: Steam rising, dumpling skins thin and supple. Bite into one, and boom—juicy pork explosion. Like a flavour grenade going off in your mouth. A proper xiao long bao that doesn’t skimp on broth.

🍗 E01 – Hainanese Chicken with Rice: Silken chicken, gently poached and bursting with clean, honest flavour. Paired with fragrant rice and that ginger-scallion sauce? It’s like being punched in the face by subtlety. Absolute poetry.

🥡 Takeout Containers: Even their takeout boxes are quality. Can we talk about that kind of detail? Class act.

💳 Final damage? $84.61. Worth every bloody penny. I’d pay extra just for Ginny’s...

A very bad experience today.

I went with a friend of mine there today at 6 pm, the atmosphere was nice, and we were greeted and served some complimentary tea. We had few questions to the nice waitress and she had to go to the kitchen to check what some of the dishes contains: since the menu doesn’t list it. Food came within 20 minutes, we both agreed it was nothing special and just ok. The waitress checked on us twice to make sure that we liked our food.

As we were leaving, my friend asked for a container to pack her leftovers and we were told there’s a charge of 25 cents for each container (something we have never heard of) and when we asked to pay we were told we can’t use the machine for any transaction less than $25 which made absolutely no sense.

As we left, my friend’s car was blocked by another car, so we waited there. Then the worker who was taking the to go orders said “you got your food, please leave” so we told him we’re waiting for the car that’s blocking us, he didn’t apologize for what he said neither did the other car owner did after he came to move his car.

We will definitely not be coming back or supporting this business.

The only reason for two stars and not one is the very kind waitress.

UPDATE: Thank you for replying, and the fact that you have a notice of the extra charges on the menu to something that I never saw in any other restaurant doesn't make it right.

It's ironic that a big concern here, which was the rudeness and unprofessionalism of the restaurant worker who asked us to leave while my friend's car was blocked by someone in the restaurant...