John 3:16 Malaysian Delights has been serving up authentic and delicious Malaysian dishes since 2014. They have since expanded to two locations – their original spot in Richmond and their newer one on the Broadway corridor in Vancouver. They are always incredibly busy with dine in customers as well as take out orders, so I highly recommend you make reservations. There are so many different dishes to choose from here including various satay, Char Koay Teow, Kari Laksa, Nasi Lemak, Hainanese Chicken and more. I came by over the weekend as a guest of the restaurant and was able to sample a wide variety of their most popular offerings. Check out my full review of John 3:16 Malaysian Delights below!
John 3:16 Malaysian Delights – Appetizers
To start off our meal we tried:
- Satay Chicken (4 skewers)
- Satay Beef (4 skewers)
- Roti Canai with Curry Sauce
- Pulut Panggang (Sambal dried shrimp and coconut versions)
- Nyonya Pie Tee
The must order dishes here are definitely their satay and the roti canai. The Satay Chicken ($9.95) and Satay Beef ($9.95) were so flavourful and the curry sauce was a great dip.
The Roti Canai ($9.45) was served in the traditional way with sugar and curry dipping sauce on the side. I am obsessed with how flakey and crisp the roti is here. It is always a table favourite. While I am very familiar with their satay and roti canai, the other two dishes were new to me.
Pulut Panggang ($7.45) is a traditional Malaysian dish that features aromatic glutinous rice rolls that are filled with sambal dried shrimp and then wrapped in banana leaves. They are then grilled so that the banana leaf aroma can seep into the rice. The rice has a nice sticky and soft texture and the shrimps add a nice salty flavour.
The Nyona Pie Tee ($9.45) is a popular Peranakan dish and it consists of a thin and crispy tart shell with a savoury filling. I really like the crisp exterior and the filling was very savoury as well as crunchy from the fresh jicama.
John 3:16 Malaysian Delights – Main Course
For our main courses we got:
- Hainanese Chicken
- Beef Rendang
- Special BBQ Ribs
The Hainanese Chicken (1/2 size $17.45) is always an excellent choice. It is boneless with a silky smooth texture and a lovely ginger green onion taste. A very excellent rendition of a classic dish.
The Beef Rendang ($20.95) is a rich and tender coconut beef stew which was a table favourite. The beef was so tender and the potatoes soaked up all the delicious flavours of the stew.
The Special BBQ Ribs ($20.95) has a nice sticky glaze but I found them to be a bit tough. However the flavour was there and if you’re a fan of a less tender rib, this dish will be for you.
John 3:16 Malaysian Delights – Rice and Noodles
And to round off an incredibly filling meal we had a selection of the following carbs:
- Nasi Goreng Ayam
- Special Curry Rice (Curry Chicken and Braised Pork)
- Char Koay Teow
- Kari Laksa
- Mamak Mee Goreng
- Prawn Noodle Soup
I am a huge fan of the noodles at John 3:16 and it is a go to spot for lunch for me. My personal favourite is the Kari Laksa ($13.95) which features a rich and spicy coconut broth. There’s plenty of delicious ingredients like prawns, fish cakes and egg in this dish and they use a mix of egg noodles and rice vermicelli.
However, after this visit, my favourite Kari Laksa might be taking second place. Replacing it was the absolutely delightful Prawn Noodle Soup ($15.45). There was such a rich and deep prawn flavour in the soup and the spice level was just perfect.
Another massive hit at the table was the Nasi Goreng Ayam ($15.95). The rice was perfectly fried with a delicious wok hei. The massive fried chicken on top was the absolute crowning glory of this dish.
The Mamak Mee Goreng ($13.95) and Char Koay Teow ($13.95) were both very generous in portion size and both featured great wok hei like the Nasi Goreng.
The Mamak Mee Goreng has a great sticky savory, sweet, spicy and sour flavour and the yellow noodles were perfectly coated in the sauce. The squeeze of lime on top just elevates the whole dish.
Worth a Try?
ABSOLUTELY. I have been a long time fan of John 3:16 Malaysian Delights, and this visit reaffirms why I love this spot. The food is flavourful, authentic and filling for a good price. I got to try a variety of new dishes on this visit that I wouldn’t think to order on my own, and as a result I have a whole list of favourites at this spot. I highly recommend you check out John 3:16 Malaysian Delights for the most authentic Malaysian eats in Vancouver.
John 3:16 Malaysian Delights
Address: 1063 W Broadway, Vancouver, BC V6H 1E2 (Broadway location)
6838 No. 3 Rd, Richmond, BC V6Y 2C4 (Richmond location)
Website: https://john316mydelights.com/
I’m very impressed with the diversity of menu options available at John 3:16 Malaysian Delights! It seems like a great place to try some delicious, authentic Malaysian food. Do they offer take-out or delivery services?
Yes they do! There were a lot of people ordering take out when I was there. 🙂