Every week, I document another dish that impressed and satiated me during my food adventures around New York City
SADLY, LITTLE TONG NOODLE SHOP IS NOW CLOSED.
I must really like this place. I almost never feature a dish from the same restaurant mere months after the first feature. But the latest noodle soup I tried at Little Tong Noodle Shop was too good not to mention.
On my first visit, I ordered the Grandma Chicken Mixian after much agonizing with the waiter over which one to try. So when I came back recently for a fun Valentine’s Day lunch, I knew which one I wasn’t going to order. But I was wrong.
My wife really wanted to try the signature Little Pot Mixian and I really wanted her to try the one I tasted last time, so I ordered the same thing I did last time. Not something I usually do.
And even though the dish initially placed in front of me was a Dish of the Week last year, my wife was happy to let me taste and appreciate her lunch. It was Valentine’s Day after all.
This noodle soup seems to be a bit more authentic to the Yunnan cuisine. Unlike the homey earthy chicken broth, this is made with a more rich and decadent pork broth. It’s also loaded with chewy minced pork, chives, and bitter pickled mustard greens. The entire mixture has a unique sour quality that is balanced by a potent kick from chili vinaigrette.
The complex flavors are much more difficult to pinpoint than those in the chicken soup. Both feature phenomenal tender rice noodles and a chef’s deft touch. Next time I come here, I promise to order a third dish. And odds are you’ll be reading about it on this page and possibly sooner than you think. Price: $15
| LITTLE TONG NOODLE SHOP |
| 177 First Avenue (at East 11th Street) East Village (929) 367-8664 |
| littletong.com |
