Our Story

Located in Burnaby, BC, the restaurant opened in 2003 and was previously known as Paradise Vegetarian Noodle House.

With the start of the pandemic and former capacity restrictions and changes in management, PVNH has decided to transition the concept from table service to casual, counter service. With these new changes, comes a new name but not to worry, the original part-owner and cook, Yen, and her son, Daryl are still in the kitchen!

Nam Vegan Express is now owned and operated by Yen and Daryl, who believe in a healthy, vegan lifestyle.

Through years of experimenting with different blends of spices, herbs, vegetables, and vegan mock meat, Yen found a delicious vegan solution in order to substitute the meat ingredients in home-cooked recipes. The menu includes many traditional Vietnamese recipes, including Vegan Pho and Vegan Bun Bo Hue.

Nam Vegan Express welcomes you to a unique, healthy dining experience of a home-cooked Vietnamese vegan meal!

In the Media

The resulting dishes are delicious for those who aren’t afraid of new taste sensations – and those looking for a healthier and more earth conscious way to eat…. When Yen chose to become a vegetarian, she had to cook meals that were so good her family would eat them, despite the absence of meat. And from those experiments came the delicious dishes she serves at Paradise… ” VEGETARIAN CUISINE IN CITY – February 7, 2007

-Lori Pappajohn, The Record

In the Media

” Paradise is more than just a pretty name at this humble vegetarian restaurant. It’s a state of mind where the two owners live, peacefully and perhaps even blissfully… The pork, the chicken, the seafood are made out of soy or wheat products and so vegetarians can – without fear or loathing – safely eat pork, chicken, shrimp, and ham here. Stocks, too, are made from vegetables… The food at Paradise is healthy, hearty Vietnamese home cooking. There are some 50 items, nearly all dishes are less then $10 for generous portions and more in the range of $8 … You’ll find food for your spirit as well as your body. ” VEGETARIAN FOOD IN PARADISE -October 25-31, 2007

-Mia Stainsby, Vancouver Sun

In the Media

“WHAT TO EAT: Spicy lemon-grass chicken, a great pretender to the poultry throne done up with red peppers and wafting an exotic chili and citrus scent… Or the pho beef noodle soup that’s truly faux.” THE LUNCH BOX – October 14, 2004

-Mark Laba, The Province

In the Media

” Our dining critic Mark Laba has been singing the praises of this suburban find and I second the emotion. It’s vegan and full of the distinctive flavours of Vietnamese cuisine. The Lemongrass Chicken was scrumptious ” THE-LIST GREAT THINGS TO DO TODAY – Jan 4, 2005

-Lorne Mallin, The Province

In the Media

“Started off with a bowl of pho beef noodle soup ($4.95-$5.95), a delicious broth that even appeared to glisten with the fake meat fat on the surface… I was curious to taste the way this place reproduced salmon flavour so we ordered the sizzling salmon ($8.95), tender silvers of something that actually had a smokey salmon finish…. Everything here is extremely flavourful and this eatery has the unique distinction of being the only vegan Vietnamese restaurant in Canada…” EVEN THE PHO IS FAUX -Sept 2, 2004