The Goods from Fat Mao

Vancouver, BC | Fat Mao’s downtown eatery has been hopping busy from day one, and now this hot little noodle joint is fully licensed and open seven days a week—the perfect stop for post-work drinks and pre-event sips. Chef/restaurateur Angus An enlisted the help of friend and award-winning wine consultant Kurtis Kolt, as well as Maenam alumni barman Diego Vergel to create a choice drinks list for his newest fast-casual eatery. Fat Mao Noodles (983 Helmcken St.) is now serving up a concise and thoughtfully assembled slate of tasty cocktails, craft beer, and very cool wines-by-the-can, with quality and freshness as its top priority.

“Maintaining a great beverage program in a quick-service environment is not easy.” explains An. “Up until now, quality assurance has been an expensive and daunting undertaking. Only a small percentage of our guests want a glass of wine or a cocktail with their meal. Having a dedicated bartender scheduled is not realistic, and bottle service just isn’t the right fit.”

Both Fat Mao locations are bustling from open until close. At the Chinatown location, guests give their thumbs up to the concise selection of local beers and single-serving cans of wine. The drinks selection at Fat Mao’s downtown address is more eclectic, featuring a larger selection of interesting wines and beers along with flavourful cocktails that pair well with a day of shopping and gallery hopping.

Sharply priced wines ($6-$21) are available at Fat Mao Downtown in a wide variety of serving sizes: by-the-glass in three, six, or nine ounces; and by the can in 250 mL (5 oz) single-servings, 375mL (12+ oz) ‘half bottles’, and 473 mL (16 oz) equal to a couple of glasses. Notable wines featured on the current list include selections from British Columbia’s JoieFarm, Orofino, Birch Block, and Averill Creek, plus contemporary Californian gems like Ferdinand Albariño and Matthiasson’s Barbera-driven Tendu’ Rosé.

“With the popularity of cans and other alternative packaging for wine on the rise,” notes Kolt. “We can offer our savvy guests premium pours in these casual formats, knowing they can ensure freshness, fun, and, of course, deliciousness with every sip—all the things we already enjoy with Angus’ cuisine.”

Barman Diego Vergel reinvigorated the cocktail menu at An’s flagship Thai restaurant Maenam last year. He’d been keeping a slate of creative drink ideas for Fat Mao up his sleeve, waiting for Fat Mao’s Helmcken Street spot to settle into its groove—until now. Vergel has developed three signature riffs on classic cocktails: a Fat Mao G&T with hints of rhubarb, honey and orange; an elegant Yuzu Spritz; and a tropical Mango Mule. Each handcrafted cocktail complements the downtown eatery’s bold food menu, is quick and easy to execute, and sure to satisfy any palate.

Fat Mao Downtown’s beer list may be petite, but it checks all the style boxes with the most popular cans from three beloved local breweries: Dageraad’s Burnabarian Belgian-style session ale, Parkside’s Dawn Pilsner, and Motel Hazy Pale, and Strange Fellows Guardian IPA.

Noodle lovers can now enjoy a comforting bowl of their favourite Fat Mao soup with a boozy beverage from 11:30am to 9pm daily at 983 Helmcken Street.

Fat Mao (Downtown)

Neighbourhood: Downtown

983 Helmcken St.

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