In 2025, it’s rare to leave a restaurant and pay less than $40 for a meal-for-two (inclusive of taxes and gratuities). At Mom’s Pan-Fried Bun it’s not only a possibility, but you may also leave with leftovers.

Every table gets an order of the pan-fried buns ($7.99 for 4) and since there’s a constant rotation of them cooking, it’s usually the quickest to arrive. With a choice of “fresh meat” or “braised”, the fresh pork version is more traditional and didn’t disappoint. With a thin steamed shell and well toasted bottom, each palm-sized bun had a decent meat-to-dough ratio and was fluffy and juicy.

I’d pass on the Mom's special steamed pork soup dumplings ($5.99 for 6) as there’s nothing special about them. In fact, the overly pulverized filling, thick wrapper, and non-existent soup makes these taste like the xiao long bao you’d find frozen at the supermarket.

The pan-fried pork dumplings ($6.99 for 8) are better, at least the filling had the crumbly texture you’d expect from something made at a restaurant. Like the buns, they had a well toasted crust, but these seem to be pre-boiled and then pan-fried to order as while the wrapper was sizzling hot, the inside was lukewarm.

Vegetable haters rejoice as Mom’s Pan-Fried Buns is all meat and carbohydrates. The closest vegetable dish they have on the menu is the tomato flavour noodle soup with fried pork chop ($9.99). While the menu describes the dish as having bean sprouts and antler mushrooms, none arrived in our bowl. Rather, it was heavy on the pork chop with a couple of bean curd sticks and cilantro to complement.

I preferred the stronger flavours of the braised beef noodle soup ($9.99), which holds up against the soft chewy noodles. Once again, while there were plenty of bite-sized beef cubes, there wasn’t much else other than bean curd stick. All in all, the noodles were fine but could really benefit from being served hotter and the actual noodles cooked less.

The honey garlic fried chicken wings ($6.99 for 6) are surprisingly delicious with its uber crispy coating. I liked that the sauce was drizzled on, rather than tossing the wings in it, so there was just enough for flavour without being drenched. And thankfully, these were actually hot, making me want more after one crunchy bite.

Their deep-fried rice cake with brown sugar syrup ($2.90 for 6) was also crispy and incorporates an airiness that’s almost churro like. It’s just a shame there’s so little of the watery syrup that’s served in a vessel built into the dish that makes it difficult to dip. They should just drizzle the sauce on top, like the chicken wings, to ensure they are better coated.

Given you can self-order through a QR code at the table, I’d recommend ordering in batches to ensure the dessert comes after the meal. Our red bean paste pie ($3.50) was one of the first things to arrive so by the end of the meal the pastry was dry and cool. At least the red bean paste was thick and sugary, so it was well flavoured despite not containing much filling.

Mom’s Pan-Fried Bun’s dining room is small and densely packed with tables, so I’d recommend visiting as a table of two – anything more and be prepared for a longer wait. Even during our weekday lunch visits the place was packed with a Tetris feeling vibe as tables were split and pushed apart and people squeezing through cracks to get to chairs. The only saving grace was the food arrives quickly so tables turn over in quick succession. 

You visit Beef Noodle House for their beef noodles, or the stew beef with noodles in brown sauce ($14.95) to be exact. With a choice to order them neutral, a little spicy, or very spicy, the little spicy version adds a mild chili taste that is perfect. And after almost a decade, I’m happy to say the dish is just as stellar. The thick wheat noodles slightly al dante so they resist getting soggy, the broth rich and savoury, and the beef served as large tender chunks. If you want a deal, visit during lunch on Tuesday, and pay with cash to get 15% off.

It’s the same Tuesday discount you’re score on the pan-fried dumplings ($5.50), which are a great add-on with the noodles. At Beef Noodle House, they are so crispy you’d think they’re deep fried, if it weren’t for the uneven toasting that indicates they’re pan-fried.  I did find the filling too bland, but made use of the table-side sauces.

The restaurant offers a special weekday lunch menu with a selection of items ranging from $8.95 to $11.95 (a different lunch menu is available Tuesday). The stir-fried green beans with pork and water flour and vermicelli ($9.95; not available Tuesday) consists of a mixture of two types of noodles, tossed with chunks of lap cheung (Chinese preserved sausage), ground pork, and eggs. While it’s sauceless, the dish was still flavourful and reminded me of the stir-fried glutenous rice dish (sang chow loa miy fan) that’s found during dim sum. For the price, it’s a surprisingly large portion, but the green beans were too dry, adding colour, but not much flavour to the noodles.

The Shanghai style fried noodles ($10.95 on Tuesday; $9.95 the rest of the week) were better, using the same pasta as the beef noodles. There’s a nice wok hay essence but the dish is a tad scant on vegetables, including a decent amount of pork but only a handful of bean sprouts instead of the crunchier cabbage that’s usually paired in the recipe.

If you’re sharing noodles, a rice dish is a great second option to add on. The deep-fried chicken in Hunan style ($11.95 on Tuesday; $10.95 the rest of the week) was fantastic, the nuggets fried until crispy and tossed in an addicting sweet and savoury sauce. It’s garlicky and well balanced in sweetness so you can’t help but keep reaching for another piece. The dish is ideal for sharing as there’s tons of chicken to go around and it’s all protein with not a bell pepper or onion in sight.

A freshly prepared hot lunch doesn’t need to cost a lot when you visit Beef Noodle House. Bring a $20 bill and you’ll even have change to spare.