We love visiting the New York Botanical Garden during the holiday season, especially for their amazing Holiday Train Show. We’ve been there a couple of times in the past, before the pandemic, and we finally got to go back again this year at the beginning of December. If you are a fan of trains, architecture, and/or miniature anything, this is a great event to visit!
If you are not familiar with the Holiday Train Show at NYBG, it really is a treat! They create a miniature wonderland nestling 175 famous New York landmarks, such as Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, Rockefeller Center, etc. And what is really spectacular about it is that they are built from natural materials such as pinecones, acorns, and seeds.
After taking in all that we could from the Holiday Train Show, we wanted to find a place to eat nearby. We had some food from Pine Tree Café at NYBG a few times in the past, but they are just a-ok… We wanted a really good food! As we did some research, we found a Chinese noodle restaurant called Zhongzhong Noodles, and we thought having a bowl of hot noodles on a cold day would be just perfect! I enjoy Chinese dishes from hand-pulled noodles eatries, like the ones from The Handpulled Noodles, but I don’t usually try noodle dish similar to ramen from a Chinese restaurant. So, I was very interested in their dishes!
It was rather hidden away, placed in a residential area, instead of in the other main streets. But we found it, and we walked in. It was still a bit early, so the place was nearly empty. The inside was much larger than it looked from the outside, open and clean. By the time we left, it was pretty busy, so we were lucky to get there early!
Zhongzhong Noodle’s menu is inspired by Sichuan cuisine, and they offer noodles, rice bowls, and other small plates. We ordered noodles dishes and one appetizer dish to share. We also ordered a can of Iced Tea ($1.50). We sat at one of their tables, read the “MIX WELL” signage, and waited with excitement…
The small plate of our choice was Marinated Fried Chicken ($4.95/5 pieces). They had the ad for this chicken everywhere, and they looked sooo good… The staff brought the chickens to our table, and I must say, it didn’t quit look the same as the photos in the ads… The photo had more of this fiery orange color, which made me assume they were spicy. The real ones didn’t have that orange color.
Fried chicken order supposed to come with 5 pieces, but we got 6 pieces! Yay! It came with a dipping sauce. It tasted like some king of chipotle mayo, which I really enjoyed. The chicken was tender, freshly fried, not greasy. They were super juicy with crunchy and crispy exterior. So addictive, especially with the tasty dipping sauce that gave a little kick. We really enjoyed it.
Now, the main dish. My hubby chose one of their signature dish, Braised Beef Noodle ($14.95). I wish I could show how big these noodle bowls were. They were pretty nice size!
I tell you, the broth for Braised Beef Noodle was out of this world good! With one slurp, I was instantly sent to a noodle heaven. Delicious! Earthy, rich and packed with flavor, with perfect seasoning. Hint of kick that comes after, without making it too spicy. The noodles were kind of bunched up together, I am not sure that is how they cook them intentionally? But the signage that says “mix well before enjoying your noodles” totally made sense. The noodles had a great texture, kind of al-dente. They get softer as they absorb the amazing broth as you eat them. Bok Choy was cooked just right, still had nice crunch to it. Beef slices were nice and thick, tender and very flavorful. A total winner! Zhongzhong Noodles certainly knows what they are doing!
I was feeling adventurous, and wanted to order something that was different and interesting. So, I ordered Tomato & Sliced Beef Noodle ($12.95). This reminded me of an old movie called The Ramen Girl with Brittany Murphy…any fans out there???
Tomato & Sliced Beef Noodle was super interesting. Refreshing flavor, kind of antidote to the rich beef broth. Almost like a nice hot tomato soup without being too tomato-y. How is that possible? It came with a generous amount of thinly sliced beef, which went well with the broth, instead of stealing the spotlight. Again, the noodle was not loose, but rather bunched up. Interesting…so, mix well before you eat. I really liked this one, I am so glad I ordered it. I think Abby from The Ramen Girl would’ve liked it too…LOL.
They have a gender-neutral bathroom to the right of the ordering counter. Just look for the bright red containers near the entrance. They had some big soup-dish-looking-mugs along the window, leading to the bathroom.
The bathroom was roomy, clean, and well-lit. They had one of those little table on the toilet paper holder, where you could put your phone or any small item. They also had hooks on the door, so you could hang your jacket and/or bag. I always appreciate these kind considerations to their patrons.
So, our visit to Zhongzhong Noodle was a complete success! They are truly a hidden gem. Their food was amazing, the portion was good, and very affordable as well. We were very happy with our order. Currently, they only have locations in Bronx and Roosevelt Island, but I hope they will expand more in a near future. Until then, we would be sure to return the next time we visit NYBG or the Bronx Zoo!
Zhongzhong Noodles – 657 E 189th Street, Bronx, NY 10458-6212