We walked into the old Mr. Gold Gelato space on Moncton Street expecting a quiet weekday lunch, and the place was PACKED.
Uncle, the new Chaoshan meatball noodle shop in Steveston Village, has officially opened at 3480 Moncton Street, and the neighbourhood is already showing up.
We first reported on Uncle when the signage was spotted by a Noms Mag community member, and this time we went in to try it.
Before you walk in, there is a sign above the door that reads “Uncle 1954.”
It turns out 1954 is just one chapter in a much longer family story, which the Uncle team shared with Noms Magazine.
The brand actually traces back all the way to 1901 in Chaoshan, where seven brothers started a food shop called 厚利号 (Hou Li Hao) with one dollar, on a philosophy that still runs the kitchen: “Small profit on large volume brings lasting gain.”
It wasn’t about turning a quick profit but on longevity and honesty.
The grandmother rebuilt the business with two dollars in 1954, and the parents’ generation took over in 1977 by obsessing over rice, the foundation behind almost every Chaoshan dish.
Uncle in Steveston is the fourth generation carrying that craft from Chaoshan to Moncton Street.
“Authentic Chaoshan flavor deserves to be shared,” the Uncle team said when asked why they brought the restaurant to Canada.
“Simple in ingredients, yet clean and honest. Modest in appearance, yet precise in technique. Unassuming at first, yet deeply addictive.”
Even when you step inside, you don’t feel like you’re in Steveston at all.
Wooden tables and benches fill the room, and the walls carry traditional Chinese paintings of plum blossoms, bamboo, and orchids.
As per their philosophy, the menu here is simple.
Four bowls of flat rice noodles with different meatball options and one snack.
Pork Tripe Ball Rice Noodle runs $18, Beef Ball at $16, Fish Ball at $16, Pork Ball at $15, and Uncle Snacks at $1.50 each.
We went with the Pork Tripe Ball Rice Noodle and an Uncle Snack.
The pork tripe balls were ACTUALLY impressive.
Each one had that QQ bounce, springing back with a firm chew that held together without falling apart, and the flavour was clean and savoury with a subtle tripe earthiness running through it.
There is a Chaoshan saying that you judge a meatball by its bounce, and the bounce is supposed to come from time, strength, and pounding, not additives.
The flat rice noodles were standard, but the broth was the quiet surprise.
It looked clear and almost too plain, but a layer of spice and fragrance hits underneath on the first sip and turns what could have been a basic noodle soup into something more satisfying.
The Uncle Snack is a traditional Chaoshan pastry similar to a rice cake, topped with fermented radish, and at $1.50 each it is worth trying as a side.
The shop also sells their handmade beef balls to hot pot restaurants like Meat O Meat, made with fresh Canadian beef and pounded by hand until they hit that signature bouncy texture.
Hours are limited too: 11am to 4pm on weekdays, slightly longer on weekends.
Steveston has always leaned Japanese, seafood, and brunch.
A Chaoshan noodle shop on Moncton Street is a completely different addition, and based on the weekday crowd, the neighbourhood was ready for it.
Ivy’s plan: go on a weekday to avoid weekend crowds, but keep the 11am to 4pm window in mind. Get there closer to opening for the best chance at a table.
Uncle joins other recently opened food spots in Richmond, including Daydreamers by Cafe 33, Magpie Coffee, and Chow Noodles.
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: 3480 Moncton St, Richmond BC