- Chinese Food
- Chinese Restaurant
- California
- San Diego County
- San Diego
- Clairemont
- Chinese Restaurant in Balboa Avenue
- The Noble Chef (豪記私房菜)
The Noble Chef (豪記私房菜) Photos









Hours
Monday, 4:00 PM - 9:00 PMTuesday, Closed
Wednesday, 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Thursday, 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Friday, 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Saturday, 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Sunday, 4:00 PM - 9:00 PM
About The Noble Chef (豪記私房菜)
The Noble Chef (豪記私房菜), located on Balboa Avenue in San Diego, is a Chinese restaurant specializing in authentic Cantonese cuisine. While described as a "tiny little restaurant," it is highly regarded for its quality and flavorful dishes, often hosting large banquet gatherings.
The features of The Noble Chef include a menu of super authentic Chinese dishes, with several standout items. Their specialty, the French beef, consists of tender chunks of beef stir-fried in a delicious sauce, served medium rare on a bed of onions and lettuce. Another highly praised dish is the duck and taro clay pot, noted for its fragrant taro and tender, flavorful roast duck in a rich sauce. Other popular choices include the pea sprouts with garlic, and scallops with XO sauce, which has a delicious, moderately spicy sauce. According to regular patrons, must-try dishes also include roasted duck in Cantonese style, Guifei chicken, sizzling beef steak with black pepper, and pea shoots with preserved eggs.
The environment is characterized as a "tiny little restaurant," suggesting a cozy and intimate setting. Despite its size, it is capable of accommodating large groups, as evidenced by the banquet tables mentioned in a review.
The services at The Noble Chef are described as friendly and helpful. Waiters are attentive, efficiently handling orders and quickly packing up leftovers for customers. For those dining in for dinner, a complimentary sugar soup, a traditional Cantonese after-meal dessert, is offered, adding a sweet touch to the dining experience.
While no specific promotional information beyond the complimentary sugar soup for dinner is mentioned, the consistent praise for the authenticity and high quality of the food serves as a strong recommendation. Although noted as being slightly pricier than other Cantonese restaurants in town, the significantly higher quality justifies the cost for many satisfied customers. For local users seeking a truly authentic and delicious Cantonese dining experience in San Diego, The Noble Chef (豪記私房菜) is a highly favored option.
The Noble Chef (豪記私房菜) is located at 6159 Balboa Ave, San Diego, CA 92111, USA, and can be contacted at (858) 278-8688 or +1 858-278-8688.
The Noble Chef (豪記私房菜) Location
6159 Balboa Ave, San Diego, CA 92111, USA
Customer Reviews
Tiny little restaurant with super authentic Chinese food. There were at least three banquet tables filled with so much food the waitress actually split some of their dishes into smaller plates so that they would fit on the table. We got their specialty dish, the French beef. It came with super tender chunks of beef quickly stir fried in a delicious sauce. The meat was medium rare and amazing, and served in a bed of onions and lettuce. We got the pea sprouts with garlic for a simple and delicious vegetable dish. Scallops with XO sauce also had chilies, onion, and a delicious sauce. The waiter warned us that it was spicy, and it was very tasty and not too hot. My hubby's favorite was the French cooked beef. Mine was the duck and taro clay pot, as it was fragrant with taro, and the roast duck with bones was tender and tasty and deeply flavored the thick sauce. It was all good, came quickly, and the waiters packed up our leftovers quickly and easily.
This is our favorite Cantonese restaurant in town. Although slightly more pricier than other Cantonese restaurants, the quality is also much much higher. Our favorite dishes are: Roasted duck in Cantonese style, Guifei chicken, sizzling beef steak with black pepper, and Pea shoots with preserved eggs. Waiters are friendly and helpful. You also get free sugar soup, a traditional Cantonese after meal dessert if you dine in for dinner.
Went based on recommendations from friends and also reviews. We were rather disappointed with this restaurant. The portions were small, some of the dishes they really skimped on the ingredients, and the quality of ingredients were no better than other restaurants we have been to in the area. Based on that, we were paying more for the same dish elsewhere. We were seated quickly but at a table right next to the door. Restaurant is small so reservation is a must, otherwise you will have to wait. Lots of ppl waiting when we went. We were seated promptly by the door. Unfortunately the door kept opening and closing, letting in cold air. Not very pleasant. Had to put on jacket to eat. Staff worked brisk and efficient. Not very friendly. For food, the best dishes were garlic beef and black pepper fish. The beef was tender, sweet peas were crunchy and sweet. The fish was fried, light and delicious. Those were the 2 dishes that came out well. Portions were small but they were good. House Clay pot was decent too, it had bbq pork, chicken, squid, shrimp, tofu and cabbage. The dishes that were disappointing were: winter melon soup. There were barely any ingredients in there. There were 5 pieces of winter melon, chicken feet and some soy beans. It seemed like they threw in scraps to make the soup. Beef chow fun had lots of noodles, but where was the beef? There was only 6-7 pieces of beef in there. That's quite sad. Honey bbq pork was a average, a bit too dry. Given the options available in the area that offer good food and better portions we will likely not return. Free mall parking.
I order from Chinese restaurants very frequently. Generally, my estimated time is always pretty accurate. This last time they told me it was going to be an hour wait no problem. I go there and then I have to wait another 50 minutes. I just wish the hostess would’ve Let me know. Also, the soy sauce chicken came completely raw as you can see in my picture. Generally, their food is pretty decent however, this last time it was pretty terrible.
Authentic Cantonese BBQ That’s Worth the Wait The Noble Chef is a traditional Cantonese BBQ restaurant, and it might just be the most popular spot for authentic Cantonese-style roasted meats in the area. With limited seating, it’s clear why this place is in high demand—when we arrived on a Saturday evening at 5:30 PM, we waited for 40 minutes to get a table, which speaks to its popularity. At the entrance, a glass display showcases the day’s freshly roasted offerings, including BBQ duck, BBQ pork (char siu), and pork knuckles. Once seated, we were promptly served Pu’er tea, and they don’t charge extra for the tea, which is a nice touch! We ordered the Combination Platter with a choice of three items: BBQ Duck, BBQ Pork, and Royal Yellow Chicken. While the char siu had a bit too much fat for my taste, and the roast duck had a slightly thick layer of fat under the skin, the flavors were spot on! The Royal Yellow Chicken was delicious, especially when paired with the dipping sauce. We also tried the French-style beef cubes, which were incredibly tender, though the soy sauce flavor was a bit strong. Another standout dish was the Two Mushrooms & Silken Tofu—the tofu was lightly fried, giving it a crispy exterior and a soft, custard-like interior. Paired with enoki and shiitake mushrooms, it was super flavorful and perfect with rice! The service was attentive, with the staff coming by to replace our plates and clear away bones from the BBQ platter. While the roast meats are excellent, the vegetable dishes are on the pricier side. Given the long wait during peak hours, I’d recommend coming during off-peak times, or opting for takeout or pickup during busy hours to save time.
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