Canton Noodle House, Burwood

There's no shortage of Chinese restaurants or barbecue shops when it comes to Burwood Road. Tonight we were looking for a quick bite-to-eat before a Saturday night movie session. Sheer proximity and a reassuring crowd of locals lead us to the cheap and cheerful looking Canton Noodle House.



As we wait for a table to become available, we admire the handwritten specials on fluorescent cardboard, blu-tacked artfully on the otherwise bare white walls. Within a couple of minutes we are ushered to a table, a process which involves much breathing in and fumbled apologies as we try to squeeze through tiny gaps that even Kate Moss would struggle with.


Deep-fried calamari with salt and pepper $11.80

We can’t resist an order of salt and pepper calamari. It is a side ambition of ours to find the best version there is in Sydney. The calamari is tender and the batter is light, albeit a little on the floury side. I take great pleasure in pecking at the generous scattering of finely sliced shallots and chilli, garnished with crispy shallots: all fried and salty and very addictive.


Stir-fried beef with Chinese broccoli $13.80

Our order of beef with vegetables is tailormade for us, after we have a hankering for some beef and make some enquiries of our waitress. Most Chinese kitchens will cater to your request. We always check which vegetables are available for that day.

The beef is tender but slightly spongy in texture. The oyster sauce is tasty though, and the Chinese broccoli provides a pleasing vitamin-packed crunch.


Eggplant and pork mince hotpot with special spicy sauce $11.80

I've always had a soft spot for the Szechuan style of hotpot with eggplant and pork mince. Soft cooked Chinese eggplant and fragments of pork mince absorb the sweet spicy flavours of hot bean sauce. It's a winter dish that begs to be dolloped over mountains of fluffy steamed white rice.

It's perfect comfort food although we collectively think the sauce could do with a little less sugar and a little more chilli.



There's a rather extensive menu for such a small restaurant with minimal floorspace. Plenty of deep-fried goodness abounds with chicken, fish fillets, whitebait, tofu balls and soft-shell crab all available in coats of crunchy golden brown. Add whole live fish, mud crabs with ginger and shallots, stir-fried bitter melon and pippies in XO sauce and you have a seemingly neverending banquet of available choices.

Noodles come in soup or dry, and word has it that their won ton noodle soup is a house specialty. I think I've just found my perfect excuse to return.

Canton Noodle House
45 Burwood Road, Burwood, Sydney
Tel: +61 (02) 9744 1833

Open 7 Days: 10.30am – 10.00pm

Unlicensed. BYO corkage $1 per person.
Cash only, no credit cards.