Food tatses best when it's fresh, even better when you can watch it be made.
Such is the case at Nanzhou Hand Drawn Noodle House, a small restaurant on Race St. in Chinatown. The noodles are hand-drawn in the small kitchen in the back, and the chef shows no hesitation in demonstrating how he takes what looks like a raw loaf of bread, pulls, twists, stretches, flips, rotates only to draw perfect, spaghetti-like noodles.
Nanzhou offers a choice between these thinner, hand-drawn noodles and thicker shaved noodles, which are similar to a wider fettuccini. The noodles compose traditional Chinese noodle dishes as well as soups.
The soups seem to be the main draw to this humble storefront, which was bustling with regulars even at a late lunch hour. The waitress recommended the beef broth ($4.50), which did not disappoint. It was flavorful and bold, yet did not overpower the soft, rich shaved noodles (which went wonderfully with the beef, complementing its rustic texture with their polished, smooth feel).
The service is excellent, as well. The place seems over-staffed for its size, but perhaps not for its lunchtime rush. Each server was familiar with the menu, helpful and very friendly.
But perhaps the biggest draw of Nanzhou Noodle House is that two can eat for approximately $10. The portions are large — one soup is probably enough for two — and the prices are refreshingly low.
Stumble in to Nanzhou — past the front window awash with top ratings and five-star reviews — through tables of locals and epicureans in-the-know and share a $5 soup and an experience worth quite a bit more.
Nanzhou Hand Drawn Noodle House 927 Race St. (215) 923-1550
