The much-welcome “Asian Invasion” shows no signs of slowing in our ever more globally minded capital. Across the city, the sound of sizzling woks—and now, the slurping of noodles—is the soundtrack to a quiet culinary revolution, fueled in part by recent waves of immigration tied to the booming electronics and electric car industries. Many of these new eateries aren’t pandering to outsiders craving sweet-and-sour pork with a side of Coke. In fact, some don’t even bother with Spanish-language menus (thank you, Google Translate). These are restaurants for a new and growing Asian clientele—and we, the Chinese food fanatics, get to come along for the ride.
If 2024 was the year of the Wok, 2025 may well be shaping up to be the year of the Bowl. This post focuses on the newest wave: humble-looking but serious spots specializing in soup noodles—hand-pulled, knife-cut, or wheat-threaded.
There are several new spots that specialize in maocai, a popular style of soup preparation originating in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province. Diners choose from an array of ingredients—vegetables, meats, fish, tofu, noodles—which are whisked away to the kitchen, cooked to order, and returned to the table immersed in a rich, spicy malatang (numbing-and-hot) bone broth. The dish is then customized with condiments like chile oil, black vinegar, sesame, garlic, etc.—tailored to the diner’s preferred intensity and flavor balance. Be aware that price can vary greatly, between $150 and $400 pesos, depending on what you select: weighty items like shrimps, tofu and fresh noodles can add up!
