Chinese Noodle House, a beloved hand-pulled noodle spot in Sydney’s Haymarket, will close on 12 December after a lease dispute. The landlords, who owned the eatery until 2016, plan to reopen a new restaurant under the same name at the same Thomas Street venue in February. Meanwhile, the current tenants aim to relocate nearby and keep the name Chinese Noodle House, potentially creating two identically named and competing diners.
The tenant, Eric Zhang, expressed regret over leaving the premises his family has rented for a decade. “We make the business boom, go up and up … we’re working so hard,” Zhang said. He noted that loyal customers have pledged to follow them, adding, “We’re very touched.” The landlords, John Sun and Susanna Chen, cited disputes over rent and a breakdown in the relationship as reasons for not renewing the lease. Chen said they plan to bring back their old kitchen team and menu.
Chinese Noodle House shares part of its name with neighbouring Chinese Noodle Restaurant, both originating from former restaurateur Xiaotang Qin. His many “Chinese Noodle” spots across Sydney are now run by relatives and former employees. The closure announcement has drawn long queues, with some customers mistakenly flocking to the wrong restaurant. Elvis Kernaghan, visiting from the Gold Coast, initially thought his favourite was closing but later realised it was Chinese Noodle House. “I’ve never even tried it,” he admitted.
Regular customer Fiona, who works at the ABC, expressed loyalty to the current establishment. “There’s a real allegiance, you’re either a Chinese Noodle Restaurant or a Chinese Noodle House person,” she said. Neighbouring business owner Andy Dong Lin, who worked with tenant Tina Wang at Chinese Noodle Restaurant, said, “I feel sad for them.” The split has dismayed other local noodle spot owners, with Chunfeng Zhang noting that tenants have no decision-making power in such disputes.
