SGV: Getting Spicy at Noodle Harmony

 

I’m on a Sichuan food kick. When I saw Noodle Harmony opened about 3 months ago in Monterey Park, I starting plotting when I could get over there to get spicy food.

I had noodle visions dancing in my head but I still have to get an equal number of appetizers!

I always get pig ear when I see it and this turned out to be the best dish of the meal. Usually this appetizer isn’t too spicy but Noodle Harmony does it right with a heat that builds up. I loved the super slim shavings of the ears as well. Sometimes when they’re sliced too thickly, it can get chewy. Instead, these were nicely crunchy with cartilage.

 

 

My friend is into fried intestine so we got a dish. Of all the offal out there, intestine is one of those things I don’t like. There’s a certain chewiness I don’t care for but also I don’t like the funk.

Frying the intestine seemed to have taken away the funk though I could still faintly smell and taste it. This is beer drinking food. I hope the next time I encounter this, I’m having a late night meal with crisp beer. It’d go so well.

 

 

We really liked how supple the wonton skins were for the wontons. This also had a nice spicy chili oil.

 

 

When I asked the difference between the dan dan noodles and the Chengdu noodles, our server said the Chengdu ones were better because they had extra sesame. So we went with them.

The sauce was very thick and although we liked the dish, I knew I’d get too full to finish the rest of the meal so I took home the leftovers.

 

 

The beef noodle soup’s broth wasn’t too spicy and had a sweet note. It was balanced well. The beef could have been more tender and I would have liked a different noodle than the one for the Chengdu noodles. Maybe Noodle Harmony can look into a mung bean or other transparent noodle for this dish. It’d absorb the soup better as well.

Overall, I’d rank this spot just behind my favorite Mian. And ahead of Chongqing Special Noodles.

I would recommend going during an off time even though the spot isn’t very crowded only because the parking lot is shared with a 99 Ranch Market and it was very insane trying to park. Or park on the street.

 

Noodle Harmony

735 W Garvey Ave., Monterey Park, CA 91754  —  (626) 656-6562

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