Over the past few months, New York City’s noodle offerings have been stretched far beyond the ramen and pho dishes that have long been popular. Here, six new spots sure to bowl you over.
Topped ramen
Jeju, 679 Greenwich St.; 646-666-0947
Chef Douglas Kim, an alum of Per Se and Bouley, serves ramyun — the Korean version of the Japanese favorite— that’s inspired, in part, by prepackaged ramen. In a nod to the dorm-room staple, the noodles are cooked to a springy al dente, but the toppings are decidedly sophisticated and include kimchee and uni. One of the standout bowls, the Fish Coop ($16, pictured), has a uniquely complex chicken and bonito broth and, in a nod to Kim’s French culinary training, is topped with confit chicken. “It’s a fresh version of instant ramen,” Kim says.
Table service
South of the Clouds, 16 W. Eighth St.; 212-888-9653
This new Greenwich Village spot focuses on food from China’s Yunnan province and serves an elaborate spin on one of the region’s signature dishes: Crossing the Bridge ($18, pictured). Chef Liheng Geng’s version begins with a colorful tray of fish, pork, beef, Silkie chicken, eggs, herbs, vegetables and, crucially, the Yunnan rice noodles known as mixian — all added to a steaming bowl of broth tableside for optimal freshness. “I wanted to give locals a way to experience the food of my hometown,” says Geng.
Chinese meets Indian
The Chinese Club, 208 Grand St., Williamsburg; 718-487-4576
Chef Salil Mehta grew up in New Delhi, where Chinese restaurants are just as ubiquitous as they are in New York City. But instead of the sugary Americanized variations of Chinese food, in India, dishes such as lo mein are flavored with curry. Mehta does the same at his new spot, spicing up the rice noodles in the Singapore Maifun ($9.95, pictured) with plenty of cumin and turmeric. “Traditional Chinese food is great, but it’s missing that spice,” Mehta says.
Spicing up Bushwick
General Deb’s, 24 Irving Ave., Bushwick; 718-417-3300
Bushwick chef Kevin Adey earned a Michelin star cooking pasta at Faro, but now he’s turning his carb-cooking skills to Sichuan noodles out of necessity. “In this neighborhood [there were] no Sichuan places,” he says. His offerings include Niurou Mian ($16, pictured), a dish of egg noodles cooked with the broth and meat of a cow’s head.
Small comfort
Ho Foods, 110 E. Seventh St.; 347-788-0682
This East Village restaurant is tiny, but its hearty Taiwanese beef noodle soup ($14.50, pictured) packs big flavor. The broth is made with “tons of dried spices, medicinal herbs and fermented bean paste,” says chef-owner Richard Ho, who recommends adding spicy oil for an extra kick.
Delicious details
Little Tong, 177 First Ave.; 929-367-8664
Chef Simone Tong’s mixian (rice noodles from China’s Yunnan province) are silky and satisfying, but it’s her accoutrements that really shine. The tangy Little Pot Mixian ($15, pictured) comes with savory minced pork belly, shiitake mushrooms, garlic, chives and housemade pickled mustard stems. Many of the East Village spot’s other dishes are topped with lovely edible flowers. “It’s not just for show — everything works toward the flavor of the dish,” Tong says.