Ten Seconds Shi Miao Dao Rice Noodle

CHINA 🇨🇳
(YUNNAN)

One of the benefits of all the younger generation Chinese money flowing into Flushing and other parts of the city is a wealth of options for regional cuisines. In large Chinese cities with hungry and affluent people, there is a desire to eat the foods from all around the vast country, where regional styles are wide. These hungers have of course traveled with the newest residents, and new, sleek restaurants seem to be popping up weekly to cater to them.

One of the biggest trends of the last few years is the cuisine from the southern province of Yunnan, and specifically the rice noodle soup known as "crossing the bridge noodle." The original version of the soup is mild and subtle, without spicy or sour add-ons, and available here for $8.95. There are about a dozen other options for those looking for different tastes.

"Crossing the bridge noodles" (the literal translation) is the most famous dish from Yunnan and is known throughout China. There is some debate about the origins of the name and story behind these noodles, if you have a moment dig into this fun rabbit hole.

Served traditionally, a tray of ingredients (below) comes out while the soup broth is heated up. Sliced meats of your choosing, pickled vegetables, lettuce, and a quail egg make up some of the items that will eventually make their way into the soup. In Yunnan, rice noodles are eaten almost exclusively as the southern climate supports this staple over northern grains. A bowl of hot cooked rice noodles (below, top right) is brought out just before the broth.

In the name, ten seconds is simply a translation of shi miao dao, roughly the time it takes for your noodles to be ready after everything is combined. This chain operates hundreds of locations throughout China and this is the second in town after the one in the East Village. The experience there was fine but not thrilling, but here in Flushing all the tastes just seemed to have a bigger profile. (There is now a third location, also in Flushing further south on Kissena Blvd.)

When the bubbling stone bowl of broth arrives in this Instagram world, they will ask first if you want to do the combining on your own, probably an easier way of letting you take a bunch of videos. Let them do it though, and enjoy the beautiful presentation and process.

The cold blustery day of this meal required some spice and an order of spicy beef flank rice noodle ($11.95, above) appealed as the most likely to warm the bones. While certainly not the highest grade of meat, considering the price point the cuts of beef are decent enough. As all of the ingredients from the tray have disappeared under the lava-like surface of the broth, it is a joy finding them all later in the meal.

Importantly, the stone bowl comes very hot, which they will warn you about. This keeps the soup warm for a really long time, allowing for a slow enjoyment if desired.

Always a fan of black fungus with vinegar sauce ($4.95, above) a side was added, but the sourness of their concoction was almost too extreme. Luckily the crunchy pickled slices worked very well once added to the soup.

Sometimes restaurants on 40th Road can "hide" as the street is not usually part of any walk from transit, but next time in Flushing divert down here for the rice noodles of Yunnan.

🇨🇳🇨🇳🇨🇳
FLUSHING Queens

135-25 40th Road

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