Saturday, December 13, 2008

Nanzhou Handdrawn Noodle House

This is a radical departure from regular programming, but on a cold Pennsylvania winter day like this one there are few things that comfort me more than a hearty bowl of noodle soup, and I can imagine none less perfect than one to be found at Nanzhou Handdrawn Noodle House. The menu is limited, but it's basically impossible to go wrong with any of their noodle soups. It goes without saying that the noodles, hand-drawn in the back of the store, are excellent, but the true star of the show is the rich beef broth (sorry vegetarians). It strikes a delicate level of heartiness that is neither too weak nor overpowering. Topped off with a generous helping of vegetables, it's a fine bowl of noodles. The meats, while delicious, are honestly just gravy. What's even better? Everything is under $7, and the last time I checked the egg and vegetable noodle soup sold for an unbeatable $4.

This is easily one of the best noodle soups to be found anywhere, and if I lived in Chinatown I would surely be a regular patron. Having grown up mostly in Taiwan, I've had my fair share of noodles. But I still do miss these when I'm back in Asia, which truly speaks to how great they are, and makes me infinitely grateful to live near a Chinatown as great as Philadelphia's. In fact one of the things I enjoy most about urban living is the ability to eat truly well, and hence there will always be a place for food on this blog.

Nanzhou Handdrawn Noodle House
927 Race St
Philadelphia, PA 19107

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