The Shoestring Cafe — Restaurant in Richmond

The Shoestring Cafe

Located at 4611 No 6 Rd #180, Richmond, BC V6X 1Z7, The Shoestring Cafe is a hidden gem offering an exceptional dining experience.

Our meal consisted of three courses (x2), including:

• 1 appetizer • 1 main • 1 dessert

Additionally, we ordered a side of seafood and corn chowder.

We began our meal with warm, freshly baked bread accompanied by two distinct sauces. The homemade touch was delightful and set a positive tone for the evening.

Seafood and Corn Chowder

The chowder featured sea scallops, tiger prawns, fresh corn kernels, and cream. This was one of the best seafood and corn chowders I have ever tasted. The seasoning was impeccable, and the soup was rich and creamy. It unquestionably deserves a perfect score.

Rating: 10 out of 10

Appetizers

Grilled Jumbo Tiger Prawns with Corn Cakes

The tiger prawns were impeccably crispy and well-seasoned, providing a delightful start to the meal. The corn cakes added a wonderful texture and complemented the prawns perfectly.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Baked Scallops with Lobster Sauce and Parmesan

This dish was undoubtedly a highlight of the evening. The scallops were baked to perfection and paired with a creamy, flavorful lobster sauce. The addition of Parmesan added a wonderful depth of flavor. It was an exquisite combination that I thoroughly enjoyed. Rating: 10 out of 10

Mains

Sea Bass

The sea bass was expertly cooked and seasoned. It was juicy and flavorful, making for an exceptionally enjoyable dish. The presentation was also impressive, adding to the overall dining experience.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Rack of Lamb

Ordered rare, the rack of lamb was substantial, juicy, and delicious. It was a standout dish that I relished. The accompanying sides were equally well-prepared, enhancing the overall dish.

Rating: 9 out of 10

Desserts

Chocolate Soufflé

This dessert featured dark chocolate, brandy, and vanilla ice cream. It was rich, indulgent, and thoroughly enjoyable. The soufflé was light and airy, with a perfect balance of flavors.

Rating: 9 out of 10

Blueberry and Mango Panna Cotta

The panna cotta was sweet and creamy, topped with a luscious blueberry puree. The mango added a refreshing twist, making it a satisfying conclusion to the meal.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Ambiance

Despite its small size, the restaurant was cozy, inviting, and exuded a charming atmosphere. The decor was tasteful, creating a warm and welcoming environment.

Service

The service was exemplary. Our server was professional and attentive, thoroughly explaining the menu and checking on us multiple times throughout the meal. The staff’s knowledge and friendliness significantly enhanced our dining experience.

Rating: 9 out of 10

Price

For the quality of the food, the price was slightly above average. However, it was justified by the excellent dining experience. The value for money was evident in the quality of ingredients and the skillful preparation of each dish.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Tips

It is important to note that The Shoestring Cafe does not serve any special drinks such as wine or alcoholic beverages.

Verdict

Despite its modest size, The Shoestring Cafe excels in providing high-quality food and outstanding service. It is truly a hidden gem in Richmond and comes highly recommended. We will certainly be returning...

Came twice for regular dining (not dineout) throughout 2024, and then my most recent visit was during dineout 2025.

Cozy little restaurant - about 8 tables total. When it is not dineout season, there will be additional menu items on the blackboard that are not found on their printed or online menu (perhaps new dishes being tested, or seasonal offerings - not sure).

All tables used to be given a complimentary baguette with house-made shrimp butter. They no longer offer it for free and it now costs $5 for a 2-person portion. I think it's worth the $5 - the shrimp butter was fragrant and the bread was fresh with a crisp crust. We had a table of 4 and just all shared 1 order of this. I'd say it's honestly ok for 3-4 people unless you intend to chow down on bread.

All the appies I've ever had from here have been good. Their seafood and corn chowder is VERY rich and slightly on the sweet side, but mostly well-balanced and still a 4/5. Crab cakes were really quite good - could taste the crab and not just a mouthful of binders. I don't remember the other appies we've gotten here, but I remember appetizers being the strongest and tastiest part of the meal.

Their entrees are mostly fine. Cajun chicken Alfredo was fairly flavourful, but just a lot of noodles in comparison to the chicken fish duo from the 2025 dineout menu was tasty, really enjoyed the pan sear on the fish skin steak was overcooked even though we asked for 'medium' but thankfully it wasn't too tough. we've had the rack of pork in the past; it was fine but not particularly memorable braised lamb was very tender duck breast was very tasty but felt like quite a small portion All the entrees (aside from the pastas) came with random veggies and a scoop of mashed potatoes. I have to say the single most disappointing thing on any of the plates here is the potatoes - they are flavourless, lacking in texture, and sincerely taste like instant mashed potatoes. Really lackluster and brought down the overall enjoyment of the entree.

Desserts are fine. I'm not a dessert person so can't comment too much. panna cotta with mango and blueberry - panna cotta was fine. Mango sauce was far too sweet. chocolate souffle with ice cream - wish it was more 'dark chocolate'-y tasting. Souffle was a little too liquidy in the center. Still tasty. Finished most of it.

Servers are friendly and efficient. When I ordered the pasta, I wasn't able to finish and asked to pack the leftovers to bring home. Server was concerned and asked if the flavour/seasoning was ok - I clarified that I was just full, but I appreciate that they cared about my experience.

Overall a pleasant experience; food is on the pricey side but tasty and worth the occasional splurge. The only thing I really hope they work on is the potatoes because I could make better mashed potatoes at home and for these prices I would expect the sides on my plate to still have some quality standards...

Had a lovely belated birthday dinner in a very inconspicuous, unassuming and industrial location in Richmond. It is a fusion of Chinese and Italian cuisine and although it sounds a bit odd, the chef executes it quite nicely. We essentially made our own 5 course tasting meal and started it off with the corn and seafood chowder; wow was it ever amazing. The corn was fresh, sweet and crunchy, the chowder base was creamy and full of seafood flavours. It had scallops and tiger prawns. We then moved onto our 2nd appetizer of calamari! The coating was light and flavourful but not overpowering; the sweetness of the squid was still very evident. It sat on a bed of fresh salad and sweet red onions; just so perfectly crunchy. Our 2 mains arrived in a timely fashion. We had the miso glazed grilled seabass fillet (with mashed potatoes, asparagus and broccolini) and the pan fried linguine with prawns (olive oil, jalapeno, Chinese back bean). The seabass fillet was just seared so perfectly with a crunchy skin, the body was buttery and flaky. The mash potatoes were a bit of a miss for me (rather bland), but the pan fried linguine more than made up for it. I was floored when I had my first bite. The garlic, the spice, the subtle Chinese black bean flavour all worked harmoniously and it was just unreal. I could not believe this rather "simple" looking dish had so much flavour to it. I would go back for this linguine dish alone. We capped off our dinner with the chocolate soufflé. Can't say I'm an expert in soufflés, but the chocolate flavour was on point and had bitter notes to complement the mild sweetness. I would definitely return to this little café, which is only open during dinner hours and has maybe 30-ish seats in total. I would say the corn and seafood chowder, the calamari and the pan fried...