Tasty Noodle is a large, modern Chinese restaurant located in the strip mall area off of Calgary Trail. Correct me if I'm wrong, but Tasty Noodle used to operate under the name Noodle Noodle, which was previously located in Chinatown across from Garden Bakery. I remember going to that restaurant when I was much younger, and my uncle even held his wedding reception there. Despite this newer location being open for a fair number of years now, I've never been due to the driving distance. It's hard living on the northside when everything seems to be on the opposite end of the city.
I've actually been sitting on this review for a while now since I felt very uninspired by my experience at Tasty Noodle. Summed up in one word, it was just very meh. There was certainly no urgency on my part to write about it; I prefer being positive, rather than a cynical critic.
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| The blue skies and lack of muddy snow is indicative of how long this post is overdue... |
When we walked in, the restaurant was bustling with activity. I'd say it was pretty much a full house, with an army of push-cart ladies and waitstaff with trays weaving through all of the tables and traffic. Always a good sign. Although on our visit, I did notice that we might have been only one of the handful of tables with actual Chinese people sitting down... maybe not a good sign after all?
A check sheet was placed on our table along with our tea of choice (chrysanthemum) while we waited for one of the push-carts to come by. Since it was only the two of us, we were limited in how many items we could order without pushing our gastrointestinal limits.
A staple dim sum item is har gaw, or imperial shrimp dumplings ($4.95) as it's listed on the menu. Taking up only half of the steamer, the dumplings were pretty small. The translucent wrapper was also a bit too thick and gummy for my taste.
The sui mai or minced pork shrimp dumplings ($4.95) are another dim sum staple. Looking back at the picture, they appear to be strangely pale. Other than that, it was probably the most decent thing that we ordered that day.
One of my favourite items to get is the chinese donut rice roll ($??). This version was quite disappointing as the rice roll was way too thick and gummy. The chinese donut was also over-fried and rock hard, where in an ideal world, I would be describing it as crispy outside and slightly chewy on the inside.
The deep fried shrimp dumplings with mayo sauce ($5.25) was next to come by. These were okay, but again, they came out looking a little pale. Most places also give a portion of four dumplings for a similar price, when these just came with three. I guess times are hard.
Last but not least, we got the shrimp rice roll ($??) for my sister since it's her favourite dim sum item. Similar to the chinese donut earlier, the rice roll wrapping was overly thick and gummy. The shrimp were on the small side, and while soy sauce was drizzled over top, the whole thing was a bit flavourless.
Closing notes: The decor is clean, which is rare for a Chinese restaurant, but it's not much of a redeeming quality if the food and service is subpar. Prices are also on the higher side (which I wouldn't mind paying) but sadly, the quality just wasn't there to justify it. Maybe their dinner menu is a different experience? Regardless, I'm okay with the fact that I live across the city, since I wouldn't go out of my way to come here again.
Tasty Noodle
3203 Calgary Trail NW
(780) 422-6862
- CT
Very unimpressed with the food..I should have returned it and got my money back. First time..and definitely the last time.
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