My lips were still buzzing in the parking lot.
Chuan Noodle House, the Chongqing-style noodle spot that took over the old Grandma Liu Hotpot unit in the Richmond plaza regulars call Diabetes Plaza, soft opened on August 3.
We covered the coming-soon signs back in June, so I went in for lunch days after the doors opened to see what actually landed.
Fair warning: my spice tolerance is WEAK, and Chongqing noodles are famous for exactly two things, spice and that numbing mala buzz.
The room is simple and no-frills, but look into the corners and you will find little pandas perched on bamboo, a quiet nod to the theme.
Ordering runs through a QR code at each table.
Noodles are the main draw, with more than 8 options: braised beef brisket noodle soup, braised intestine, braised beef tendon, signature pork roast noodle soup, chongqing noodle, wanza noodles, and more.
The top four hang as giant posters on the wall, and the menu rounds out with topping add-ons and cold appetizers.
I went with the signature roast pork noodle soup, and before your order gets ringed up, you pick your size, your spice level, and whether to keep toppings like cilantro and peanuts.
The medium size was ACTUALLY a proper lunch size, the large will likely be something to share.
I stayed at mild spice level, and mild here is honest work: it never felt overbearing, but by the end of the bowl my lips were pulsing with that low mala hum.
If your tolerance is weak like mine, do not wander above mild.
The noodles are the reason to come.
They have that nice bounce Chongqing bowls live or die on, a chew that springs back instead of going soft in the broth.
The soup surprisingly eats cleaner than the salt-bomb and overly oily versions around town, which let the roast pork do the talking.
The pork itself was a touch tougher than I would like, though the portion was generous, and I would not have said no to more peanuts.
Richmond has options for this exact bowl, including 18 Tee Chongqing Noodles in the same plaza, and I would call Chuan a decent addition rather than a coronation.
Worth a try if Chongqing spice is your thing.
Skip if numb lips sound like it would give you a bad day.
When we went, every order came with a free can of pop as a soft-opening promo. Based on the poster outside the store, that promo seems to be only until Aug 5th.
Chuan Noodle House joins other recently opened Richmond spots like Pocorit Cafe, Pika Herb, and Baskin-Robbins at Lansdowne.
For more new and upcoming food spots in Metro Vancouver, take a peek at our tracker here, and subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Address: Unit 145 Union Square Shopping Centre, Richmond BC