The gold question marks on the windows finally have an answer.
Mr. Noodle Chen, a Chinese hand-pulled noodle chain with more than 300 locations, is taking over the former Pepper Lunch unit at Richmond Central at Garden City for its Canadian debut.
The reveal came in stages, the way Richmond likes its restaurant news.
A Noms Magazine community member first spotted the mystery wrap over unit 1625: gold panels, scattered question marks, and only two clues, Guess Who’s Coming and Hand Pulled Noodles.
Then the signage got a peek hole inviting people to watch the renovation unfold, and the inside gave it away.
Through the glass, the buildout already wears the brand: a wood-panelled back wall with the chain’s slogan, craftsmanship brings good noodles serving the world, and a row of glowing yellow boards above the open kitchen.
Those boards are the show.
They list eight noodle cuts by width, from the hair-thin mao xi at roughly 1mm through thin, medium thin, regular, triangular, and flat, up to a 15mm wide cut and a 35mm extra-wide belt.
Each one glows over the pass like a departures board, Chinese name up top, width spec below, from 毛细 to 大宽.
It is a big room for a noodle shop too, with the open kitchen facing a long dining run and seating still stacked mid-buildout.
Order at Mr. Noodle Chen and a noodle master pulls your lamian fresh, to the width you picked, in view of the dining room.
Per the chain’s site, the menu runs beyond the bowls: grilled skewers and rou jia mo, the Chinese-style burger stuffed with tender pulled beef and green chili.
If the Richmond menu mirrors the chain’s international locations, like its German outposts, expect it to revolve around tan mian and ban mian styles.
There is no opening date posted yet, and stools were still stacked on tables when the photos were taken.
The bigger pattern is the one Richmond keeps repeating.
Another international chain has chosen Metro Vancouver for its Canadian debut, following the path of Marugame Udon, HeyTea, and Truffle Donut.
The noodle window seats will tell you when it opens before any announcement does.
Mr. Noodle Chen joins the list of other upcoming Richmond food spots like Pho Net Viet, Roastory Asian BBQ, and Molly Tea Richmond Centre.
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: 1625-4771 Garden City Road, Richmond BC