Snapshots: Noodle Soups

Noodle soup weather is finally moving on — though to be fair, I eat bowlfuls of this stuff all year round, scorching summer months included. Here are four I recently slurped down to conquer this winter's never-ending cold.

Pho tai nam gan sach at Xe Lua
While this wasn't the best pho I've had, it certainly was the largest. The bigger-than-your-face bowl — with slices of raw beef, tripe and onions bobbing throughout — could easily feed two. It's a good option if you're downtown for jury duty and looking for a quick, filling lunch. 86 Mulberry St between Bayard and Canal Sts. (212-577-8887)

Beef hand-pulled noodle soup at Lao Bei Fang Dumpling House
"Dumpling" may be the in the name of this mom-and-pop operation, but the belly-warming niu rou shou la mian — brimming with brisket, bok choy and pliant hand-pulled noodles — is not to be missed. But if you really are craving juicy, meat-filled pockets, go for the fennel-flecked pork dumplings, instead of the typical pork-and-chive variety. 83-05 Broadway at Cornish Ave, Elmhurst, Queens (718-639-3996)

Spicy ramen at Totto Ramen
A new second outpost means double the chance at scoring a seat. The best perch is still at the blonde wood bar, where you can watch chefs torch fatty pieces of char siu for their rayu-slicked ramen. The crimson-colored chili oil definitely gives the bowl a bit of a kick, but not so much that you can't taste the deep chicken-based broth. 464 W. 51st St. between Ninth and Tenth Ave. (646-596-9056)

Chicken burdock dip soba at Cocoron
Dip, slurp, repeat. Burdock root gives this bubbling, meatball-studded broth an herbal edge, but doesn't overwhelm the light buckwheat flavor of the noodles. Remember not to leave the strands in there for too long or they'll lose that wonderful al dente snap. 37 Kenmare St. between Elizabeth and Mott Sts. (212-966-0800) 

Ivan Ramen Slurp Shop

Shio ramen at Ivan Ramen Slurp Shop

Shio ramen at Ivan Ramen Slurp Shop

There's been a ton of buzz surrounding the New York homecoming of Long Island-bred ramen guru, Ivan Orkin. While his full Lower East Side shop is still in the works, noodle lovers can now slurp down bowls at his aptly-named spot inside the sprawling Gotham West Market. A two-part broth (it's a blend of fish dashi and schmaltz-infused chicken) gives his shio (salt) a rich unctuousness, but the noodles are the true star. Made from both wheat and rye flours, the strands are springy and chewy, truly some of the best I've had.

Ivan Ramen Slurp Shop, 600 11th Ave. at W. 44th St. (212-582-9351)

Snapshots: Time Out New York

In true Food & Drink fashion, my short-lived stint at Time Out New York came to an end with a plate of Dominique Ansel pastries. It was a whirlwind eight months full of eating, drinking and writing that — while stressful at times — truly helped me grow as a reporter and editor. 

A look back at some of my favorite pieces:

It took two weeks to fact-check the entire Chinatown issue, but it gave me a chance to put all those years of Chinese classes to good use. I also discovered some phenomenal cheap eats along the way, like the roasted duck at Pho Hoang and soul-warming beef noodle soup at Lao Bei Fang.

One of my favorite desserts — the dreamy black sesame crème brûlée at  — made it on the cover of TONY's annual 100 Best feature. And I got to try a Cronut without waiting in line.

My very first assignment was a huge Japan package, which meant eating at some of the city's top sushi temples seven days straight. Later this summer, I did the same for BBQ and burgers and for Thanksgiving, organized a massive pie-tasting at TONY headquarters.

And finally, thanks to a lot of persistence and late nights, my fellow assistant editor Christina and I pulled together a Fall Preview that featured a whopping 123 restaurants, including big names like Toro, Golden Cadillac and one day, the full Ivan Ramen in the Lower East Side.