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In the summer of 2015, chef Angus An opened the doors to a new project in Vancouver’s Chinatown: a small, soup-focused noodle bar called Fat Mao —“Prosperous Cat” in Cantonese. The kitchen was constrained by a lack of traditional ventilation, so the concept had to revolve around broths. But that limitation birthed creativity.

Inspired by the single-dish noodle shops he loved in Thailand, combined with a nostalgic nod to Japanese manga cafés, Fat Mao serves dishes An remembered from his childhood, layered with Thai, Taiwanese, and Chinese influence.

The walls were narrow. The team was small. But the flavours were bold and different. Ten years later, the noodle bar is a local instit

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