I have this insatiable craving for restaurants that offer something different. Hand-pulled noodles, for one. Well, hand-pulled noodles are widespread in the Metro. However, in Masangkay St. which is studded with Chinese restaurants, this one is unique, and very accessible to my weekly Sta. Cruz visit.
Lan Zhou La Mien noodle house intrigued me the day it opened its door three years back. What really caught my attention was this guy making hand-pulled noodles by the restaurant's front glass window. And so I went in, and that was my first taste of hand-pulled noodles ever.
I visit this place once a month, and I order the same dish -- spare ribs la mien. I also order steamed dumplings to go with the noodles. The average price for their noodles is Php 120 (a big jump from the former price of Php 90). One serving can actually feed two persons. A single-serve big bowl is composed of 60% noodles, 10% meat, and 5% Taiwan pechay, leaving only 25% for the sabaw. That's not a problem though, 'coz one can ask for a broth refill. That's getting your money's worth.
Top: Lan Zhou La Mien noodle house is located along Masangkay St. in Sta. Cruz, Manila, right across Metropolitan Medical Center. It's a small, air-conditioned restaurant that offers a variety of noodle dishes. Based on my observation, their best-seller is the beef la mien. They also offer dumplings and friend noodles. The restaurant is always filled with customers, especially during lunch and dinner. Bottom: The "master pullman" working on a lump of dough to produce the desired consistency. To his right is a big pot of flavorful soup base. La Mien literally means "hand-pulled noodles".
Spare ribs la mien. I've tasted all their la mien varieties, but this one is my favorite. This is one of their underrated dishes, since most customers order the more popular beef la mien. Spare ribs la mien is oozing with flavor. The noodles are firm but not hard, the meat is spicy and tender, and the broth is rich and tasty.
No comments:
Post a Comment