We paid a visit to Congee Noodle House, reopened after three years

Daryn Wright/Daily Hive

Rarely do we hear of a comeback as epic and highly anticipated as that of Congee Noodle House.

The longtime Mount Pleasant restaurant for casual Chinese fare initially closed in early 2020 when a construction site next door caved in. The retaining wall of the construction pit collapsed and caused much of the restaurant’s ground-level parking lot at the rear of the building to fall into the pit.

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Any construction that might have been undertaken to restore the back lot and the restaurant was then paused indefinitely due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It seemed Congee’s fate had been sealed – or so most of the community and its dedicated regulars thought.

Now, more than three years later, the restaurant has returned with a bang.

Daryn Wright/Daily Hive

Daryn Wright/Daily Hive

Freshly opened just last week on Wednesday, May 24, Congee Noodle House has already had a steady flow of customers, new and old, flocking to its 141 East Broadway space for its comforting and delicious food.

Dished couldn’t resist stopping by the restaurant to see what had changed in the past three years and try some of its most iconic dishes (spoiler alert: it’s just as good as we remember).

Jessica Lui, the daughter of the restaurant’s co-owners, acted as a translator and guide for us, helping us pick out which dishes were must-tries and showing us around the slight remodel the restaurant has undertaken.

Daryn Wright/Daily Hive

Originally opened in 1998, Congee Noodle House has been part of Lui’s family for her entire life, celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2018, shortly before the incident with the sink hole.

For its reopening, much remains the same, save for two new private rooms which can accommodate parties of up to around fifteen people, as well as some new menu items.

Lemongrass Chili Spot Prawns | Daryn Wright/Daily Hive

These new dishes have a Southeast Asian influence, Lui says, giving patrons a range of other options in addition to the Chinese dishes regulars return for. Think House Style Lemongrass Chili Prawns (currently available with the hyper-seasonal Spot Prawns), Chicken in Wasabi Sauce, and Pan Fried Hitachigyu A5 Wagyu Beef.

Returning favourites include mixed noodle dishes, crispy chicken wings, Gai Lan with garlic sauce, and a huge range of congee options, of course.

The wings! | Daryn Wright/Daily Hive

Daryn Wright/Daily Hive

Lui says one other recent addition to Congee’s menu is the ability to special order certain dishes in advance. This gives the restaurant the chance to play around with some more upscale dishes while still maintaining its more approachable, affordable dishes.

Since its reopening, Congee has been extremely busy – something that is a bit more of a challenge to navigate now that the regular dining space has been slightly reduced due to the addition of the private rooms.

Lui says that this means some of the larger tables end up being filled by strangers dining together, a communal experience that is reminiscent of eateries in Hong Kong.

Daryn Wright/Daily Hive

Despite its long closure, it’s clear that Congee Noodle House still has a strong hold on the community, and the excitement for its return is palpable among the people lining up for a taste of the iconic BBQ pork plates and crispy tofu.

Congee Noodle House is open daily from 9:30 am to 10 pm but plans to reinstate its infamous late-night hours soon. It’s open for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and everything in between.

Congee Noodle House

Address: 141 East Broadway, Vancouver