Would you believe me if I told you that you can still find a delicious and filling lunch for under $10 in Downtown Vancouver? Well, Oyo Korean Noodles just opened inside Pokerrito and it absolutely fits the bill. It’s a hidden gem as it is quite literally tucked in the back of another restaurant! You order their delicious noodles from a window through the shared kitchen. The menu is small but everything on it is under $10! They have one hot soup noodle, a few cold noodle dishes and a few side dishes. They are planning on expanding the menu later on, but right now they just want to focus on executing their current dishes well. I came by for dinner, but I can definitely see this being a hot spot for lunch as well. Check out my full review of Oyo Korean Noodles Vancouver below!
Oyo Korean Noodles Vancouver – Budget Friendly Noodle Bowls
On my visit I pretty much went and got one of everything on their menu. We went with:
- Soyo Noodles
- Market Noodle
- Sweecy Noodle (aka Bibimguksu)
- Beef Dumplings
- Kimchi Salad
- Tteokbokki
The Soyo Noodles ($9.99) features green onion infused soy sauce, soft tofu, pickled radish, garlic, sesame seeds and chives. The green onion soy packs a ton of flavour and the presentation of this dish was really beautiful. The top of the noodles is layered with ultra thin slices of soft tofu and radish circles. The chili oil on top was also incredible. It’s a house made concoction that really packs a nice punch.
The Market Noodle ($9.99) features anchovy broth, zucchini, carrots, eggs and soy marinade. The broth was super comforting for the cold rainy day and the noodles were perfect.
It was light but still flavourful with great umami from the anchovy broth. Again, this was super tasty with the chili sauce.
The Sweecy Noodle ($9.99) features sweet spicy sesame gochujang, cabbage, pickled radish, garlic, sesame seeds and chives.
It was slightly sweet, a little tangy, a little spicy and definitely going to be a go to summer dish for me. The pickled radish really cuts through any heaviness in the dish.
For our sides we got the Beef Dumplings ($9.99) features beef galbi marinade, soy marinade, sesame oil, sesame seeds, green onion, korean chilli flakes. The dumplings are on the smaller side but there are lots of them in one serving. The filling is flavourful, but the wrappers were a bit overdone.
The Kimchi Salad ($4.99) is a total sleeper hit and a must get. It features lettuce, kimchi dressing, pickled radish, sesame seeds, chives and cheese. It was super light and refreshing and pairs well with all the noodles dishes.
The Tteokbokki ($9.99) tempura flakes, sweet gochujang, chives. The sauce was spicy but just a touch sweet and the rice cakes had a great chew. This reminds me of the rice cakes you get on Sotteok Sotteok. The tempura crisps were super crunchy and a great textural contrast.
Worth a Try?
Yes! For less than $10 per dish it was an absolute steal. Every dish was well thought out and executed. One thing I also wanted to point out was that the food looks exactly like the pictures they use to advertise! So many times I’ll go into a restaurant expecting a certain dish and it looks totally different, but Oyo’s is pretty much picture perfect. This spot is small so expect a little bit of a wait during rush hour times. However, it wasn’t super busy when I went and food was out in less than 10 minutes. They currently have a 2 can dine for deal for $24.99. You get your choice of two noodles and one side. They are open daily (except Sunday) for lunch and dinner.
Oyo Korean Noodles
Address: 991 Hornby Street Vancouver, BC (Inside Pokkerito)
Website: https://www.oyokoreanoodles.com/