Vancouver’s Chinatown is probably one area where one would not expect a Filipino restaurant that especializes in noodles.
But this is where you can find The Filipino Noodle Joint, a fast-food and take-out establishment opened by Louwella Malda and boyfriend Kyle Roberts in 2022.
Located at the food court of Chinatown Plaza (180 Keefer Street), the place boasts, per its website, of “authentic, delicately delicious Filipino flavors”.
Malda, originally from Pagudpod town in the Philippine province of Ilocos Sur, is the joint’s cook.
Roberts, for his part, grew up eating Filipino food in a family with a Filipino stepmother in Ontario.
The establishment’s website recalls that The Filipino Noodle Joint originally opened in Toronto before the Malda and Roberts moved to Vancouver.
Vancouver food writer Sherman Chan sampled a variety of dishes and described the establishment as a “hidden gem”.
In a post on his popular Sherman’s Food Adventures site, Chan related that the “food is prepared with love and is definitely more home-style than the mass-produced restaurant variety”.
Chan had Ilocos Pancit, egg noodles and veggies topped with longganisa Filipino sausage, bagnet crispy fried pork belly, and fried egg.
“This thing was packed with chewy noodles that were nice seasoned and completely covered by meat!” the food writer noted.
Chan also tried sweet-style Filipino Spaghetti, saying this was “one of the best I've ever had”.
“To complete the trifecta of classic noodle dishes, we had the Pancit Palabok with the usual shrimpy and fishy taste (topped with smoked fish flakes, shrimp and chicharon),” Chan also related.
“However, the flavours were more pronounced in this one and for me at least, that was perfect.”
Chan also tried dishes like Ilocos Miki noodles, sisig pork hash, turon banana fritters, buko pandan cooler, and halo-halo cold dessert.
For more details: www.thefilipinonoodlejoint.com
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