Five Street Eat-Style Bowls of Noodles You Shouldn’t Miss in 2019

The period after Spring Festival can feel extra long... when is Qing Ming again? Who invented the five-day working week? Why is rent a thing? If you need a bit of comfort, there is nothing better than a big mess of hot steaming noodles. Below are five hearty bowls we’ve fallen in love with recently – we hope they can give you some comfort to you too.

Hefu Noodles

Located in the basement of Dongzhimen's Ginza Mall, Hefu Noodle feels like a traditional Chinese scholar’s study – red sandalwood furniture sits among vases, red lanterns, large calligraphy, lotus-shaped lamps, and shelves crammed with books. The Jiangsu-style noodles with crab roe and bamboo shoots (RMB 39) is extra inviting thanks to a splash of color from cilantro, mushrooms, mu’er, and other vegetables. The soup is amazingly moreish, bursting umami and white peppery flavor from eight hours of boiling.

Check out our other impressions here.

Xiangren Longji

Xiangren Longji represents Hunan-style noodles with straightforward heat, topped with a generous amount of chopped cilantro and shallots. The chunky slices of beef are well marinated and packed with a spicy kick – the calling card of this southern cuisine – while the broth is hearty and simple and full of flat rice noodles. Diners are invited to top their bowl with accompanying condiments, such as crunchy deep-fried soybeans which are seasoned with salt and chili pepper, as well as pair the noodles with sticky tofu, and marinated chicken feet.

Check out our other impressions here.

Best Wish Niangpi

The diminutive Best Wish Niangpi at Topwin Center serves Northwest-style niangpi (酿皮), strips of steamed wheat flour. We recommend the regular version, which you mix with sesame and chili sauce to give the thick and wobbly noodles a nice garlicky and spicy heat. The laozao is also a winner, with the combination of egg and milk topped with goji berries, peanuts, sugar, raisins, and sesame seeds proving comforting enough to even replace your daily morning muesli.

Check out our other impressions here.

A Bu Noodles

Buried in the maze-like basement of Hopson One, A Bu Noodles provides Qinghai-style al dente dry noodles with minced yak sauce (think spag bol of the plains). Pair the noodles with yak chuan’r and savory milk tea (RMB 16), which is a mixture of Qinghai local brick tea and milk. The place can get extremely busy during lunchtime, but the food is served super fast.

Check out our other impressions here.

Taste of Shuhe

A sister branch of Yunnan hotpot buffet restaurant House of Shuhe, Taste of Shuhe in Sanlitun's Shimao Shopping Mall offers an array of rice noodles, including the region's most famous “crossing the bridge noodles,” or guòqiáo mǐ xiàn (过桥米线, RMB 26). A ubiquitous dish in Yunnan province, this specific style is native to Mengzi in the southeast of the province. We also like the dry noodles, which come garnished with assorted vegetables and mushrooms, and flavored with cilantro, scallion, nuts, vinegar, soy sauce, and chili oil. There's also a self-service counter dedicated to Yunnan chili peppers and herbs for additional heat, as well as a buy-eight-get-one-free deal to keep people coming back.

Check out our other impressions here.

READ: This Qing Dynasty Foodie Taught Farm-To-Table Two Centuries Before It Was Cool

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Email: tracywang@thebeijinger.com
Twitter: @flyingfigure
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Photos: Dianping, Tracy Wang