Updated review for ChongQing July 2025 I had to give one more review update today simply because of the clean fresh look that I didn’t give credit for the last couple times I was here, and . . . look up to the ceiling and you’ll notice the beautiful floating paper lanterns, swaying to the calming music in the background. Just made today’s visit that much better, along with the great food . . . and company, of course
Updated review for ChongQing May 2025 Revelation: I always get the popular beef soup, but I chose the chickpeas and beef dry noodle today—and it was just as good. Another revelation: I was wearing a nice shirt and was offered a plastic apron-bib (or whatever you wanna call it). I felt a little foolish stuffing a paper napkin in my front collar like my Italian ancestors would have done with cloth napkins. Who knew these plastic bibs were available! I don’t usually come for supper, but I was nearby and that’s what made me venture in. Had to rewrite this and add pics because of those two revelations.
2024 This is now my go to noodle place in the city! I have been here four times now and on this particular visit, brought a fellow Asian noodle junkie (he too gave two thumbs up of approval).
I continue to order the same braised beef noodle soup. The menu says vegetables but it really is just Chinese broccoli. You do not need anything else! The beef has just the right amount of fat and is tender, they have a machine that pumps out fresh homemade noodles and we learnt that the broth is meant to be simple and traditional. They will ask you your level of spice and to my knowledge, they are merely adding the oily chili sauce that is available on all of the tables. If you DO NOT like oily (I do) then ask for no spice and then add supplied condiments as you desire (vinegar, or the chili oil, etc.).
On this trip we also went for the dumplings, also in-house freshly made, yum. My normal server was not in today and we had to ask for water refills, . . . and, our plates did not get cleared upon finishing. But our server was very pleasant and offered enough information and grace to make up for these small oversights. Let me be clear, you are here for this soup, and if you are a fan of good Asian soups-you...
Read moreMy recent dining experience at ChongQing noodle and bubble unfortunately mirrored my previous visit, leaving me once again deeply dissatisfied with both the food quality and the lackluster service. The menu boasted enticing images of hearty soup bowls, showcasing plump chickpeas nestled amongst a bed of vibrant noodles. The reality, however, fell drastically short of this visual promise. What arrived at our table was a bowl of unappetizing mush – a bland puree of mashed chickpeas atop a mass of overcooked, almost disintegrated noodles. The dish bore little resemblance to the appetizing photos that had initially captured our attention.
The service further compounded the disappointment. Our server was remarkably inattentive. Despite several attempts to gain her attention, she remained preoccupied. It wasn't until we had finished what little we could stomach of the subpar meal that I finally managed to speak with her. I expressed my dissatisfaction with the overcooked dishes, a point she seemed to struggle to comprehend, responding with a smile and an air of indifference. In an attempt to bridge the communication gap, I even resorted to using Google Translate to convey my feedback in Chinese. This, too, seemed to have little impact. Her only response was a seemingly rehearsed excuse about the kitchen's high cooking temperatures.
The combination of poor service and poorly executed food makes for an undeniably disappointing dining experience. My second visit to ChongQing noodle and bubble has solidified my initial impression, and I can confidently say that I will not be returning. For those seeking authentic and delicious Chinese noodle soups with reliable service, I would highly recommend exploring alternatives such as Noodleholic or Tasty House Chinese and Japanese Noodle Restaurant. These establishments offer demonstrably superior quality in both their dishes and their...
Read moreIt was our first time visiting ChongQing Noodle and we went for a late lunch but it was still quite busy. When we walked inside, restaurant is on the smaller side and there's no air conditioning (which isn't ideal with this summer heat). There was only one person working so service was on the slower side but she was able to handle everything.
We ordered the dry version of braised pork rib noodles with medium spice. We read reviews of people saying that this place is spicy so we went with medium spice to start off. However for our dish, we felt like it wasn't really spicy at all ... we were a little disappointed but now we know to order extra spicy next time. We would have preferred if the noodles were cooked al dente since it was slightly overcooked. Definitely mix it first before eating to coat everything with the sauce at the bottom of the bowl. The pork ribs were a bit dry and there's not a lot of it. However, the flavour of the dish is great, there's a nice umami perhaps coming from the chinese bean paste, it was salty yet balanced with enough sweetness at the end of each bite. The taste of this dish is addictive, we appreciate how they included veggies too.
We would revisit this place to try out other dishes but hopefully they update their website and menu soon. It would also be nice if they focused more on cleaning their utensils and dishes because our bowls were a bit sticky on the outside and some chopsticks were...
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