For once, a noodle shop that names itself after big portions actually backs it up.
Jiawei Big Bowl Rice Noodle quietly opened earlier this month inside Richmond Public Market, taking over the stall that used to be Hight Dragon.
The concept is Chinese rice noodles, or mixian, in a rotating lineup of broths.
You can get them in tomato broth, pickled fish, pepper pork tripe, and a few others I did not get to this time.
They also kept some of the old tenant’s pho on the menu, with beef brisket and rare beef bowls still hanging around for anyone who walks up expecting the previous spot.
The pho board even brags that it only uses prime beef brisket from Costco, which is a very Richmond flex.
I went with the combo, which lets you pick one noodle bowl, one side, and a drink.
My order was the tomato broth with beef, a fried twisted donut, and a can of Coke.
The combo add-on runs an extra $3.50 on top of the bowl.
Then the bowl landed, and it was BIG.
It genuinely earns the name, which is more than I can say for most stalls promising a big bowl.
The tomato broth had real tomato strength to it, tangy and a little sweet, not the watered-down version you sometimes get at a food court.
The rice noodles were soft and slippery, and the thin beef soaked up the broth instead of disappearing into it.
The portion is the real story here.
Most of the stalls nearby charge around the same money for a noticeably smaller bowl, so the value lands hard.
The fried twisted donut came with a side of pickled cabbage and carrot, and the sharp pickle cut straight through the fried dough.
Taste wise, it is simple and I had no complaints.
This is not a bowl you cross the bridge for, but it is a solid, filling weekday lunch that does exactly what you want it to.
Nothing outstanding, nothing bad, just a big honest bowl for the money.
Ben’s move: get the $3.50 combo, since the side and the drink turn one bowl into a full lunch and stretch the value even further.
Jiawei now joins other recently opened Richmond food spots like Wharf and Flame Steveston, Taiwan Bento 101, and Dear Garden.
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Address: Richmond Public Market, Richmond, BC