THE PLACE: The third in a series of Hong-Kong style noodle shops opened in Chinatown a few months ago. Maxi’s Noodle has been on my list since their first location in Flushing debuted, but I find myself in Manhattan’s Chinatown much more often. When I came by, the crowd was sparse and I cozied up to one of the simple tables with bright red chairs. The crowd was a mix of wandering tourists and local Chinese eaters. The success of these restaurants is a testament to Maxi Lau O’Keefe who has dedicated these restaurants to her mother who passed away from cancer a few years before opening in 2019.
THE MENU: Most of the menu is customizable by choosing a soup with noodles and then picking which type of noodles (vermicelli, flat rice, udon, or duck egg noodles) and how many and which toppings you’d like (pick from wontons, fish balls, beef tendon, pork strips, and more). While that is the main event, there are also a series of typical Cantonese appetizers like (imitation) shark fin soup and curry fish balls.
THE DISH: For my Wonton Noodle Soup, I was very taken by the deep red broth made from pork bones and shrimp. It was not nearly as spicy as it looked, but rather sweet and tangy. The chewy duck egg noodles were a revelation, but of course, the show stopper were those big juicy wontons. Thinned skin and loaded with shrimp and pork, they had lots of flavor and were a filling, satisfying golf ball of deliciousness. Maxi’s is a welcome addition to Manhattan, even if we had to get the second sequel. Price: $10.75-$13.13
| MAXI’S NOODLE 3 |
| 68 Mott Street (between Canal and Bayard Street), Chinatown (212) 299-8209 |
| maxisnoodle.com |
