I am of two minds about this Yunnan noodle parlor in Rockville. In one sense it’s an awesome vibe and they have some soups here you won’t find elsewhere. You select the broth and they provide an array of add-ins. I think this place is an import form NYC, though the menu is a bit different.
I chose the maw old chicken soup which starts off with a creamy looking base that has a gentle, gorgeous chicken flavor. On the side were some pieces of ‘old’ chicken off the bone, already cooked, that tasted very good dunked into the broth. Most of the add-ins are agreeable and welcome, especially since they don’t really change the beautiful taste of the broth. More than once I was encouraged to add the miso to the broth to make it more flavorful, but the flavor was joyous as is. I wound up adding all the miso to the last 1/4 of the broth, and that too didn’t change the flavor all that much.
I also tried a special of lotus root and shrimp paste that was deep fried. Bland and oily, yet it was nice to have something else to balance the soup.
I have come to the conclusion, after three attempts at yunnan rice noodles in the area, that these noodles are the Chinese version of bad spaghetti. They are completely mushy. If I ever have the good fortune to visit the Yunnan province, I hope they are better there.
