The Spicy Noodles That Make My Nose Run, My Eyes Water, and My Heart Yearn
This is Highly Recommend, a column dedicated to our very opinionated editors’ favorite things to eat, drink, and buy.
I’m a creature of habit, especially when it comes to my first meal after a long flight from New York City to San Francisco. Sure, I could try something new (it’s my job!), but why would I when I know I’ll be grumpy, hungry, jet-lagged, and have already decided that I’m going to the same place for the same thing that always cures my grumpy, hungry, jet-lagged state: the house cold noodle at Chong Qing Xiao Mian.
The three-year-old Sichuan standby from Z&Y veterans Jenny Wu and Truman Du does not have A/C, quick water refills, or any defining ambiance besides dark-wood veneer. But that’s not what I’m here for. I’m here to recover from the chaos of flying coach with a noodle dish that wakes me up from my plane-induced stupor with sinus-clearing Sichuan peppercorns and fruity, fiery chile oil. The heat runs through the porky, ragu-like sauce that crowns a tangle of chewy, thin, extra-soft mixian noodles. Cool, crisp cucumber sticks tame the spice, and a snow cap of bright cilantro and toasted peanuts add some textural crunch and herby depth. After a vigorous stir, you get the perfect bite: nutty, meaty, grassy, and nose-running-ly spicy. It’s the best—and only—San Francisco welcome I could ask for.
