Chinese Noodle House, a beloved hand-pulled noodle spot in Sydney's Haymarket, is set to close on 12 December after a decade in operation. The closure has prompted long queues of loyal customers, but the story does not end there: two competing venues with the same name are set to open.
The landlords, who ran the eatery until 2016, plan to open a new Chinese Noodle House at the same Thomas Street address in February. Meanwhile, the current tenant owners, Eric Zhang and his family, aim to reopen nearby under the same name, creating two identically named diners.
The situation is further complicated by the existence of Chinese Noodle Restaurant, a neighbouring venue with a similar menu and decor. Both trace their origins to former restaurateur Xiaotang Qin, whose many 'Chinese Noodle' spots across Sydney are now run by relatives and former employees.
Eric Zhang expressed gratitude for customer support, saying, 'All our customers are standing behind us, they said they’re going to come back and they always support us.' Landlords John Sun and Susanna Chen cited rent disputes as the reason for not renewing the lease, with Chen stating, 'We built this restaurant, we do everything, the menu, everything, from the beginning.'
Customers have shown strong allegiances, with some queuing at the wrong restaurant. Regular Fiona remarked, 'There’s a real allegiance, you’re either a Chinese Noodle Restaurant or a Chinese Noodle House person.' The future of the iconic noodle scene in Haymarket remains uncertain as the two new venues prepare to open.
