Here at UC Berkeley, we’re spoiled by the culinary diversity of the Bay Area: you could have a different bowl of noodles for every rainy day of the year! Actually, we don’t have enough rainy days here in California. Nonetheless, noodles aren’t limited to any season, weather, A.M. or P.M. Here are four of the Berkeley Spoon team’s favorite East Bay noodles, all within a 25 minute BART ride from campus.
Shandong Restaurant
“I probably shed a tear upon the first bite of Shandong’s handmade hot & spicy chow mein. Tender chicken and the chewiest of chewy noodles coated in a glossy, numbingly addictive sauce—few culinary experiences have been quite so transcendent.” –Irene Chen, Managing Editor
Oakland Chinatown’s Shandong Restaurant is an iconic East Bay noodle institutions, boasting an extensive menu that goes beyond traditional Shandong cuisine, including Cantonese dishes like Egg Foo Young, Shanghai-style rice cakes, and Mongolian stir-fried beef. However, they are most known for their dumplings and handmade noodles: the latter are served 29 ways, in either soup or dry chow mein form.
Huangcheng Noodle House
“You can’t find knife cut noodles anywhere in the East Bay, and for like $14 a bowl (tax and tip included) I can get more than one meal out of it! Also, all of their noodles are good.” –Chelsea Mai, Alum, Operations Director
Huangcheng is another dependable and highly recommended Chinese noodle joint in Oakland, offering ribbons of knife-cut noodles, either “fried” or soupy. As Chelsea noted, this is currently the only restaurant in the East Bay that serves this heralded Shanxi dish, alongside traditional small plates like shredded potato and sautéed cabbage with vinegar.
Ippudo
“Ippudo has the most authentic taste in comparison to other ramen places in Berkeley, and it even offers a vegetarian option with broth that is comparable to the traditional flavors.”
–Wan-yu Lai, Writer
One of many successful locations worldwide, Ippudo on Shattuck is a solid option to satisfy those ramen cravings without leaving town. Offering six different ramen broth variations, as well as a comprehensive list of extra toppings, the menu at Ippudo is extremely customizable, down to the done-ness of your noodles.
#SpoonTip: Bring your own container for the leftover broth, and add your own noodles and toppings the day after for another meal!
Larb Thai Food and Tapas
This place, and this bowl of noodles is my newest obsession. The Thai boat noodle soup from Larb hits so many pleasure points of the brain: rich from the iron, fresh with the addition of cilantro and green leafy vegetables, and texturally contrasting with a few pieces of pork rinds on top. My first spoonful of the broth was thrilling, to say the least; the blend of spices felt completely new to me and was masterfully balanced. This dish, as well as their dry tom yum noodles, is worth the trip to El Cerrito even on the stormiest day and is bound to warm you from head to toe.
As the weather gets colder, you may feel even more compelled to seek comfort in a bowl of chewy, saucy goodness than usual. So try some of our favorites—you won’t be disappointed!