It took more than two decades for the Cambie crowd’s favourite HK-style cafe to FINALLY make the jump across the bridge.
Cafe Gloucester soft-opened its long-awaited Richmond location on Alexandra Road on April 21st, and Richmond has welcomed it back with open arms.
We dropped by on a weekday afternoon expecting a soft launch lull.
The entire dining room was full and there was already a 15 minute lineup at the door.
Richmond clearly missed the memo about taking it slow on a soft open.
The new space sits in the old Little Karp unit and the room has been left largely untouched.
It is noticeably smaller than the Cambie original, but the menu has barely shrunk.
You still get the full lineup of HK style cafe classics, the Western fusion sets that built the brand, and a new run of noodle bowls that are exclusive to this Richmond location.
We went straight for the Sliced Beef Shank Noodle Soup.
The bowl came packed with thin, tender slices of shank stacked over a tangle of egg noodles, the noodles holding their bite right through the broth.
The broth itself leaned salty.
It hit the front of the tongue first and lingered, the kind of finish that has you reaching for the tea instead of going back for another spoonful.
Our friend ordered the iconic Baked Pork Chop on Rice set, which took a while to come out but landed piping hot.
The cheese on top was still bubbling at the edges and the rice underneath had soaked up enough tomato sauce to stay glossy without going soggy.
The portion was honestly large enough for two meals, and it came with a soup on the side, which is the sort of small mercy Cambie regulars know to expect.
Two things to flag for anyone planning a visit during the soft open window.
It is currently cash only, and the kitchen is still working out its tickets, so food does come out a touch slower than it eventually will.
There is one upgrade over the Cambie location though.
Free parking at the back, no more circling for ten minutes hoping a meter opens up.
The prices do sit a touch above other cha chaan tengs in the city, something readers already pointed out under our coming soon coverage.
Going by the lineup on a random weekday afternoon, no one seems to actually mind.
Cafe Gloucester Richmond now joins a busy stretch of recent Richmond openings, including Mui Hung Kee, Korean Hot Chicken, and Molly Tea.
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Address: 8631 Alexandra Rd #110, Richmond, BC V6X 1C3