Noodle soup as a complete meal for a full adult seems more common in Asia than in the United States, but Buffalo-area restaurants offer plenty of dishes to challenge this orthodoxy.
In this corner, from Malaysia, comes laksa, a funky sour coconut milk broth with shrimp paste, only in Tonawanda. Other contenders include roast duck that stars in Vietnamese Amherst pot, and Riverside pork roast in Chinese noodle soup with pork wonton.
Pho, a Vietnamese beef noodle soup, deserves a mentor of its own, just in time. For now, consider all the ways Buffalo Noodle Soup is used.
As always, please tell me what I’ve missed, via [email protected]
Family Japanese ramen serves Thang’s wakame ramen with broth, noodles, boiled eggs, pork, and seaweed.
Sharon Cantillon
Wakame ramen in a family thang Japanese ramen
25 Grant Street; 716-715-5053; thangsfamilyramen.com.
The ramen specialist at West Side Bazaar offers 15 different styles of noodle soup, including kimchi and tom yum versions, as well as wakame ramen, with sliced chacho, seaweed, menma (fermented bamboo shoots), eggs, and mushrooms ($12.99).
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Pork and chicken broth provides the balanced backbone of Sato Ramen offerings.
Sharon Cantillon
3268 Main Street; 716-835-7286; satorestaurantgroup.com.
Pork and chicken broth provides the balanced backbone of spring noodles, pork chops, and bamboo shoots, with shredded scrambled eggs, bean sprouts and green onions ($12.99). Tonkatsu ($14.99), with broths like pork broth and spicy miso ($13.99) is also popular.
Mohinga at Mandalay Restaurant
6621 Niagara Falls Blvd., Niagara Falls; 8100-283-716.
Burmese catfish soup, or mohinga, with rice noodles, boiled eggs, stewed onions, chopped greens, and fried bean crackers is a traditional breakfast, but you can have lunch or dinner on Niagara Falls, two blocks from 190th Street.
Vietnamese roast duck noodle soup from Red Pepper.
Sharon Cantillon
Vietnamese roast duck noodle soup at Red Pepper Restaurant
3910 Maple Road, Amherst; 3878-831-716.
Chinese-American and Vietnamese highlights of this Amherst mainstay include the Vietnamese duck noodle soup mee vit. This is half roasted duck cut up, bones and all, as a guest star over fluffy egg noodles, in chicken broth with cilantro and vegetables ($15.95).
Bun bo hue dac biet in Pho Cali II
1915 Pine Ave. , Niagara Falls ; 716-299-7117.
The underappreciated Vietnamese noodle soup is bun po hue, lemongrass, and chile broth with rice noodles. Dac biet means a full selection of fixings, including pork and beef steaks, shrimp, scallops, crab sticks, squid, and meatballs ($12.95).
Chongqi small noodle soup at Home Taste
3106 Delaware Ave., Kenmore; 716-322-0088; hometaste88.com.
Notable noodle soups at the notable North Chinese restaurant include N1. Mini Chunky Noodles, a spicy straight pot of broth with smoked minced pork, vegetables, and peanuts ($9.99) or homemade sour napa cabbage with ham and transparent noodles ($13.99).
Laksa at Ong Family Restaurant
2768-B Elmwood Ave. , Kenmore ; 716-575-6467; aungfamilyrestaurant.com.
Coconut curry broth with the backbone of fermented shrimp paste makes sour noodle soup a Malaysian taste. Spoon into a thimble the chili fish paste that comes along, squeeze in a lemon wedge and even with ramen noodles, it’s a soup to be reckoned with ($12.99 to $13.99).
Rakhapura Mutee & Sushi Soup. Pepper chicken soup with chicken pieces, fried onions and lemon.
Sharon Cantillon
Muti at Rakapura Restaurant
302 Main Street; 716-856-0508; rakhapurarrestaurant.com.
Rice noodles in live chicken broth with black pepper and lime juice, tossed with sliced chicken breasts, cilantro, and copious amounts of fried garlic, they’re fairly quiet in themselves. Order Balangchuang, a dose of dried spices and roasted ground shrimp paste, if you want to walk on the wild side.
Pancake noodle soup is served at Family Thai Restaurant with egg noodles, roast pork, choi san, wonton and green onions with pepper on the side.
Sharon Cantillon
Wonton Noodle Soup in Family Thai
863 Tonawanda Street; 716-783-9285; familythai-restaurant.com.
One of Riverside’s most popular traditional Chinese noodle soups, egg noodles and chicken broth serve as a backdrop to grilled pork chops, greens, and wonton dumplings ($10.99).
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