Known as the "Suzhou Bowl of Noodles", Meiwei Zhai has been in business for nearly 40 years and has a well-known reputation in Suzhou. Many diners from Shanghai will confuse it with the traditional Shanghai restaurant Meiweizhai, but they only have the same name, not the same origin.
Unlike most Soviet-style noodle restaurants that win with white soup, the red noodle soup is more popular, especially the fried fish and eel noodles. This bowl of noodles brings together two kinds of toppings, and the ingredients are very rich. The eel is swarthy, long strip-shaped, charred on the outside and tender on the inside when eaten in the mouth, fresh and sweet and palatable. The fried fish is also very flavorful, the surface is fried and crispy, the fish meat is delicate, and the sweetness prevails in the taste, supplemented by the freshness of the fish. The soup in this bowl of noodles is bright red and free of impurities. A splash of oil and green onion floats on top of the soup. The noodles are curled up and hidden under the toppings, and their complexion is white and firm. In addition to the common dragon whisker noodles, Mei Mei Zhai also provides small wide noodles (i.e. wide noodles), which are softer than thin noodles, more elastic and less vigorous.
Among the several stores in Suzhou, the Northwest Street store has the most positive taste and the best business. The shop has a gold-lettered sign on a black background, and the decoration has a strong old-fashioned Suzhou noodle restaurant style. Carved doors and windows, black tile eaves, and teak-colored eight-immortal tables give the store a retro atmosphere. Several chefs are busy in the semi-open kitchen, and the operations are clear at a glance. The soup is constantly boiling in the pot, and the water needs to be changed frequently to keep the water clear. The noodle master holds long chopsticks in one hand and a fence in the other, and drains the noodles skillfully.
Service is not the strong point of Mei Mei Zhai, diners need to make their own noodles, and solo diners may feel overwhelmed when there are many people. However, the waiter is still neat and will not wait too long. It is worth mentioning that in addition to the pastry, the zongzi of Meiweizhai are also highly praised, and its seasoning is accurate, salty and light, which should not be missed.
