Tasty Congee & Wantun Noodle Shop: A Contemporary Upgrade

Celebrating Tradition with a Modern Twist

The design of Tasty Congee & Wantun Noodle Shop is inspired by the visual form of Wantun noodles. A series of long vertical metallic strands enclose a semi-porous staircase, creating an elevated drama that can be seen from the exterior. These slats blend in with the sloped roof and entice customers to discover the upper level of the restaurant.

The 8,000 square foot space is spread across two levels, with an internal staircase clad in marble and metal slats. The main feature of the restaurant is a 4.8-meter long marble table installation, inspired by traditional Chinese garden rock art. This playful and curvy table appears to be floating and functions as an 18-person sharing table for multipurpose events.

A backlit copper mesh rear wall highlights the open kitchen, where specialist chefs display their noodle-making techniques. The design creates a holistic customer experience through a mixture of single height, double height, flat, and sloped three-dimensional volumes created by the building's geometries.

The key challenge for Bean Buro was to create an ideal experience that could cater to a wide variety of customers. The design needed to entice and impress elite high-end customers without being intimidating or aggressive. It required a careful aesthetic approach that responded to both local Chinese customers and global international visitors.

The Tasty Congee & Wantun Noodle Shop project started in November 2014 and was completed in March 2015 in Chengdu, China. The design was driven by contextual narratives derived from the Chengdu leisurely culture within the Sichuan archaeological context. The restaurant design celebrates the reputation of the noodle brand and 70 years of Wantun noodle history.

This outstanding design by Bean Buro has been recognized with the Silver A' Design Award in 2016. The award acknowledges the remarkable level of excellence, innovation, and technical skill demonstrated by the design. Tasty Congee & Wantun Noodle Shop is a testament to the power of design to elevate and transform traditional street food into a contemporary international dining experience.