Mambo Cafe - Richmond, BC

The Budgie family has invited me over to their nest for a yogi get-together for Bunny's birthday but I don't have time to make something to bring.  There are tonnes of take out places in Richmond but I want a wide variety to choose from so food court it is!  I know some of you are judging me for going to this normally shunned dining place but in Asia the food court fare is celebrated.  Go to any food court in Hong Kong and you'll see that it's packed and it's because the food is good and cheap.  That tradition has continued in the Aberdeen Mall where the food court is easily the busiest segment of the building.  Mambo Cafe, a Hong Kong style cafe joint, is just one of many different stalls offering a variety of cuisines to hungry patrons.

Mambo is the recipient of the Diner's Choice Award for Best Food Court Stall.  I'm beginning to wonder if every restaurant has won an award for one reason or another.  ANYWAYS, it doesn't seem too busy and no one in line so it can't be that busy, right?  I am such a amateur - there was a stack of orders behind the counter and after a 25 minute wait, I receive my order...

Panfried E Fu Noodle with Asst Mushrooms - $6.95

Yogi party...  Hm, there might be a vegetarian in the mix so what options do I have?  I usually only eat these noodles when it's served at Chinese weddings but since there weren't many vegetarian options available, e fu it is.  Large portion sizes, so no wonder this place is so busy, but how about the taste?  The noodles weren't bad but it wasn't amazing either - packed full of mushrooms and there's a nice crunch from the bean sprouts but something was missing...  As this dish is generally on the drier side, whatever sauce there is has to be flavorful and added at the right moment so the noodles soak it up but alas, the noodles were a bit on the tasteless side but the mushrooms do help bolster the flavor.  Not bad.

Thai Chicken Fried Rice - $6.95

It's your basic fried rice with large chunks of chicken with a tangy sweet and sour flavor - it's not revolutionary but it's pretty good.  The chicken has a few fatty pieces but the yogis enjoyed it for the most part.


The Piglets have been here a few times and we'd probably come back again if we needed some quick take out.  It's not fancy, it's not going to be on any cooking program but the food is generally pretty good and it fills the belly without emptying the pockets.  Bon appetite!


Pros:

• Free parking
• Free wifi (from Aberdeen)
• Ample seating - food court
• Large portions
• Cheap prices
• Orders come with hot drink (cold for an extra $0.50)

Cons:

• Ambiance - it's a food court
• Expect a 20-30 min wait
• Cash only

The night was a success (Happy birthday to the nicest girl on the planet!) but the real treat of this meal had nothing to do with rice and noodles - one of the hostesses of the night, Baby Budgie, made these:

Brownie on top + Chocolate Chip cookie on the bottom = Brookie.  Or was that a Crownie?  Either way, it was BINSANELY DELICIOUS!  I had one during the evening but took 2 to go.  I finished those up an hour later...  at midnight...  I sicken myself.  Why can't there be birthdays at Mama Budgie's house everyday???