2 posts were merged into an existing topic: South Carolina
Conflicted between maintaining my health and trying as many questionable joints before my wife returns from vacationing with my daughter, I sashayed into the somewhat recently opened burp bowl cafe at 88th and 2nd.
I didn’t take it as a particularly good sign that I was their only patron at 7pm but after I ordered and sat at one of their four small tables, my fears were somewhat allayed by the steady stream of Asian customers picking up takeout orders. I say somewhat allayed because the Chinese food in this area is so bad, I could probably make a fortune rebranding Trader Joe’s orange chicken.
The next warning sign occurred when an Asian couple sat down at the table next to me and, discussing what to order, said of the dish I ordered “the beef with noodles soup, noooo, that’s really, really spicy”. On cue, about a minute later, the waiter brought over the dish they’d just called the way too spicy, they looked at the dish, looked at me, sorta smiled and stopped talking.
I stirred the soup half expecting the spoon to melt, instead it emerged slicked with hot oil. I laughed nervously, knowing the Asian couple was pretending not to watch, I nonchalantly shoved a big bunch of noodles into my mouth and told myself no matter what, I wasn’t going to scream for water.
Shockingly, and I’m sure disappointingly to the next table, the first bites were spicy, spicier than any of the Szechuan food we had in flushing the other day, but within the range of what I could tolerate. I decided to eat the noodles, veggie and brisket, all delicious, and leave the broth behind. Ten or twenty paper napkins later (used to wipe the sweat off my face, scalp and various other body parts that yes I have the good grace not to name), I was done and a very satisfying bowl of noodles it was:
The couple next to me ordered wontons in broth, the wontons looked homemade, and some sort of cold noodle dish that also looked wonderful.
So now the wait begins to see what will be what with my stomach in the wee hours of the night but on end, very happy to have burp bowl in our neighborhood.
Best,
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Finishing the burp bowl adventure, I did indeed have some stomach issues but thankfully they quickly subsided.
@Saregama has been low key urging me to give hui Szechuan another try and, unsurprisingly, she was spot on, easily the best Szechuan we’ve had on the ues.
Discovered a new sign of getting old, drinks at hui were half price because as we’ve aged, our dinner time gets earlier and earlier and now, at 6pm, intersecting with UES happy hours 
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Glad you liked it! What did you order?
I need to go there one of these without my friends so I can expand what I’ve tried.
Looks great! I love a bowl of noodz that makes me sweat everywhere 
We started with assorted dim sum which was a mistake, the wrappers were gummy and I doubt they were made in house. But the mapo tofu and dry sautéed string beans (with ground pork) were both very good.
Lot of tables were eating beef w broccoli, etc but there was some interesting stuff on a couple of tables. Def not will be going back.
Should have been “def going back”
We usually skip the dumplings here and order from Vanessa’s if we want to start with something like that.
The cold noodles are good, also the shredded potatoes and woodear mushrooms (standard Sichuan stuff). In the mains, one of the fish fillets (fragrant or chilli oil), cumin something, and a vegetable (string beans or other). Occasionally a fried rice if there’s someone who’s spice-averse eating (the yang chow is actually quite good though not Sichuan).
Maybe we go here one of these days when we’re back in the same location for a meal and try some new things.
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Sounds good!
I liked what I ate there in midtown. I went back (dumplings iirc) but I don’t think I took pics that time.
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