A Hand-Pulled Craft

QQ Noodle
3625 Thornton Ave.
Fremont, CA 94536
(510) 713-0228
www.qqnoodle.com

QQ Noodle specializes in hand-pulled Chinese noodles known as lamian. It is the texture of the noodles that stands out. The noodles are smooth with a firm chewiness quality to them. In a world where convenience trumps craft, it is refreshing to know that there is still pride in this noodle house.

I was first aware of hand-pulled noodles by watching Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern. They were shooting in China at the time and showed Zimmern’s failed attempts in making lamian. You could see the smirks on chefs’ faces. Watching the chefs make the noodles was a truly impressive act. I’m so used to seeing pasta or noodles made in factories, but never by hand. In my mind I said to myself, I have no plans to travel to China to experience something like that. I wish I was able too. Little did I know, a small Fremont restaurant was serving hand-pulled noodles. No need to travel across the ocean, I only had to travel down five blocks.

To spice up your palate, try some of the fiery appetizers. We ordered the Hot Oil Beef Tendon and Sliced Pork Ear to start off our meal. Each is soaked with plenty of hot chili oil.

I’ve enjoyed the Shredded Pork Chow Mein and Tomato & Egg Noodle during two separate visits. The Chow Mein is loaded with noodles, crisp bean sprouts, tender pork, and vibrant green bok choy. This stir-fried goodness best highlights the hand-pulled noodles because of how the flavors just get immersed within each other.

Those wanting to go for a simpler route can try the Tomato & Egg Noodle dish. Sweet tomatoes are mixed in with fluffy scrambled eggs. The juice from the sweet tomatoes runs through the tangled noodles.

QQ Noodle also has a variety of noodle soups to choose from like the House Special Noodle Soup. They pretty much have you covered in terms of how you want to enjoy lamian. Large mouthwatering up-close pictures of their offerings fill up each page of their menu.

One lasting impression hit me, when we talked to the server.

“We only used four noodles,” our server said. That left me in awe. When looking down at your bowl of hand pulled noodles, you would expect that there were more than four. An order of a heaping bowl of noodles here will definitely fulfill your appetite.

It’s a spot for dates because…
The preparation and dedication to the craft of making hand-pulled noodles is an experience in itself. Noodles will not just be noodles anymore.