Noodle Express - Dim Sum Edition

Noodle Express - Not Just for Noodles Anymore

This week brought me to a few exciting eateries in Winnipeg - but I had to focus this week on one of my favourite lunches - DIM SUM!!! For those of you who have not experienced Dim Sum (more often referred to by my grandma as "tea") you are really missing the boat. I have taken more newim sum'ers (new dim sum'ers - clearly just watched The Internship and stole that term) that I can count. We have gone to various spots in Winnipeg: Kum Koon Garden, Dim Sum Garden, Yea Dim Sum, Victoria Seafood and on and on. The restaurant that I keep coming back to however is Noodle Express. Located in the heart of China Town - this small unimposing and easily missable restaurant is, and has been family run for as long as I've been going there. I have wonderful memories of going there with my dad and my grandpa when we was still around.

As we walked into the restaurant on a busy Saturday afternoon we are confronted with an outstanding aroma. We ended up having to savour only the aroma for about 15 minutes as there were no tables available. Happily we waited and soon enough a table opened up and the feast was about to start. We were handed a couple of paper menus to fill out as we sat at the table. I will make a note here that this is one of the reasons why I go to Noodle Express and not some of the other larger Dim Sum Restaurants - we fill out the order on the menu and the dishes come out fresh and hot. Never - and I mean NEVER are the dishes cold after being wheeled around a 10,000 sq ft room, being picked over and left off other peoples plates like the last kid being picked for basketball at gym class.

Since two of the four eating had never been to Noodle Express before, I was asked to pick some dishes. I love it when peoples stomaches and - bowels - are put into my hands. We ordered a schmogasbord of steamed and deep fried goodness. As we were at Noodle Express it was only right that we eat some awesome noodles. I asked the table if the white people liked soft or crunchy noodles. The majority were in favour of the crunchy noodles and we therefore ordered the Cantonese Chow Mein. It is unreal. I can confidently say that I have had over 1,342 different Cantonese Chow Meins in my lifetime and the main difference between them is the sauce. Noodle Express has aced the sauce. Fresh and light.

As for the Dim Sum dishes we ordered 2 orders of Sticky Rice, Deep Fried Chinese Perogies, Shrimp dumplings, Shrimp and Mushroom dumplings and the Steamed BBQ Buns. Incredible. All of them. Obviously we are always concerned about having a balanced meal. As a result I made sure we had some greens - Chinese Greens - Gailans to be extact. Please Please PLEASE TRY Gailans. They are a perfect mix of asparagus, broccoli and spinach. I JUST BLEW YOUR MIND! They are delicious with a side of oyster sauce to dip them in - can't beat it. I will caution you, however, that you will only need a 1/2 order. The full order is not something to just jump into. It takes years of practice and even to this day - it is a challenge.

In the end we finished nearly everything on the table. Mostly because my dad always used to say - the amount of rice specs that you leave on your plate will be what your wife's face looks like in the future. I ate all my rice.

I hope next time you are thinking of going out for Dim Sum or even something new you swing by Noodle Express and indulge in some Tea.