The Magic Is In The Details

Shanghai Mochi Stir-Fried ($9.95)

A large menu doesn’t have to be intimidating, especially if you know that no matter what you order, each item will be as delectable as the next.

That is just the case at Chinatown’s Little Village Noodle House. The extensive selection of Chinese fare goes beyond tradition at the beloved restaurant, with new recipes and concepts constantly being thought up.

The latest focus at Little Village is making sure that vegetarian and vegan customers have options — and not just salads and steamed veggies, but a delicious and innovative dishes as well. Luckily, the restaurant hones masterful cooking methods, and what the restaurant can do with vegetables is impressive enough to be chronicled in a sacred cook book.

For example, Mushroom and Pea Stir-Fry ($10.95) only combines a few items — including snow peas, button mushrooms and a light garlic sauce — but it is how the dish is prepared that makes it exceptional. The ingredients are quickly stir-fried in an extremely hot wok to ensure that the peas don’t lose their crunch or color, and that the mushrooms remain meaty.

The culinary concentration at Little Village is made even better by the impeccable service shown by its welcoming staff. After all, Little Village offers an experience, not just a place to eat.

MUNCHING ON MOCHI

The cuisine of Shanghai boasts quality ingredients combined with fresh, original flavors, a concept that Little Village has adapted into a selection of its dishes, including Shanghai Mochi Stir-Fried ($9.95). Cylinder-shaped rice cakes are stir-fried with won bok, bamboo shoots, slices of pork and mushrooms in a shoyu-garlic sauce. The starchy texture of the mochi presents a new take on typical fried noodles and fried rice dishes, and is concurrent with the restaurant’s theme of simplicity in the kitchen. Furthermore, Shanghai Mochi Stir-Fried can be prepared vegetarian-style upon request, so that everyone may enjoy it.

Little Village Noodle House