Old Friends

I've long loved double pan fried noodles. A dish introduced to me by my sister, who has been an advocate of this crispy, saucy meal for years.

Never a disappointment, this dish is one of my all-time comfort foods. I split this one with my sister earlier in the summer and the two of us polished off the whole plate. Just looking at it makes me feel good (and hungry.)

Thin, crispy fried noodles are tossed with meat, vegetables and brown sauce to create a myriad of textures and flavors.  Some of the noodles have become soft and limp with sauce, while others are still brittle and crispy. Bok Choy lines the plate, holding the sauce well, while providing a green crunch and multiple textures itself. The stalks crunchy and toothsome - the leaves soft and pliant. Snow peas, straw mushrooms and bamboo shoots round out the vegetable portion of the dish, with soft and meaty pork filling the protein component.

Another great aspect of this, is that it is generally very consistent from restaurant to restaurant. Of course some places make it better, but overall the concept and execution are the same.

I've found that cheaper restaurants have a disagreeable sauce laden with cornstarch and not much flavor. These places should be avoided for all their dishes.

This is one of my all time top comfort foods. What are some of yours?