When I asked Statesman restaurant critic Mike Sutter what new spot I should check out, he recommended Chen’s Noodle House. I trust Mike’s taste and had heard the buzz about Chen’s and at the last minute, rounded up my boyfriend and friends Marc and Megan to join us for a quick bite.

Marc and Megan have both lived in Asia – Megan as a child and Marc very recently in Taiwan and Beijing. It was hilarious to watch this white guy with blonde hair ordering food in rapid Mandarin.

The menu here is very basic, and the restaurant is tiny. We had to wait a couple minutes for a table for four to open up. There is no bathroom on site and the Chens directed me to the nearby Asian supermarket to use the facilities.

We ordered dumplings, green-onion fried pancakes, and I had the beef soup. The star of the show is the noodles that Mr. Chen carves quickly from a brick of dough that looks kind of like a huge slab of tofu into boiling water. Each noodle is differently shaped as a result of this technique and it was the first time I’d tried them this way.

To be honest, I actually prefer thinner noodles but if you go to Chen’s, you should check out the ones they are known for even if you go back and get the skinny ones.

Next time, I’d order the same dishes, bring my own beer, and try out the skewers too.