If you thought the food scene at Lansdowne was moving fast, Aberdeen Centre just said, “Hold my bubble tea.”
It feels like every time we walk through the second floor lately, there’s a new “Lease Terminated” sign or a massive board going up. It’s been a bit of a roller coaster—some legendary staples are leaving after nearly two decades, while other newcomers didn’t even make it past their first year.
Here is the full breakdown of the massive shifts happening to the Aberdeen food scene right now.
1. The End of an Era: Chef Hung is Out, Taoke is In
After an incredible 16-year run, the Chef Hung flagship has officially closed its doors. It’s hard to imagine that corner of the second floor without the “King of Beef Noodles,” but the space isn’t staying empty for long.
A new brand called Taoke has already moved in. They’ve wrapped the entire storefront in high-end wooden boards with some deep mythological storytelling about the “Taotie” (a beast of abundance). Their tagline is “Boil and Sizzle,” which has us betting on a Hot Pot and Grill hybrid—possibly a rival to Sura or a faster version of the long-awaited Bellwether.
2. The Garaku Drama: Lease Terminated
This one was a shocker. Garaku Soup Curry, the famous Sapporo chain that had huge lineups when it opened in late 2023, is officially gone.
We stopped by recently and the scene is a bit eerie—nothing has changed inside, but the Lease Termination Notice is still taped to the glass. According to the paperwork, the restaurant was evicted for owing over $53,000 in rent. It’s a sad end for a spot that brought a really unique Hokkaido-style curry to Richmond, but it seems the high overhead of a mall flagship was just too much.
3. Meiten Closes (And the “Alleyway” Problem)
Meiten, the Japanese Katsu and bar spot, has also quietly shut down. This unit is in a notoriously difficult spot—tucked away in the back corner of the second floor, down a little “alleyway” that makes it easy to miss if you aren’t looking for it. As of now, there’s no confirmed tenant to take over, leaving that corner of the mall feeling a bit quiet.
4. The $10 Silver Lining: Takanotsume Ramen
While investigating the quiet corner near Meiten, the BiteBuddy team noticed a massive deal happening just a few doors down at Ramen Takanotsume.
In this economy, finding a quality meal for ten bucks is almost impossible, but Takanotsume is currently running a “Happy Hour” promo to keep the foot traffic moving:
The Catch: It’s a slightly smaller portion than their “Mega” bowls, but it’s top-notch quality. We usually just add an extra order of noodles or a side to round it out.
The Deal: $10 Ramen (Choose from Shoyu, Shio, or Miso)
When: Weekdays (Mon–Fri) between 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM.
What’s Next for Aberdeen?
With Garaku and Meiten gone, there are some prime units sitting empty. We’re keeping our ears to the ground to see if more “Boil and Sizzle” concepts or perhaps some international dessert chains decide to take the plunge.
For live updates, make sure to follow the BiteBuddy Instagram! 🔗
