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Skipping the Meat

Columns Veg'n Out

February 24, 2013

Story By: Terri Hefner | Photos by: Nathalie Walker

Mushroom and Snap Pea Stir-fry ($10.50)

Mushroom and Snap Pea Stir-fry ($10.50)

Noodle lovers know that Little Village Noodle House lives up to its name, cooking up all your favorites from hearty chow fun to fine rice vermicelli, utilizing Northern China, Hong Kong and Szechuan cooking styles. The Chinatown eatery has a lot to offer, and along with noodles you’ll find oodles of other irresistible dishes as well, and its menu boasts an ample “Vegetarian” list.

But there’s much more than meets the eye here.

“In most of the entrees, you can substitute tofu or vegetables for the meat,” says David Chang, vice president of the restaurant, who says he’s a bit perplexed when people ask if there are any vegetarian dishes, since the restaurant is happy to make substitutions.

“We can always recommend something. It’s unlimited.”

So don’t be shy if you see a meat dish you like.

“You can always request to skip the meat,” Chang assures, and points out a few dishes from the menu that he says are “totally vegetarian.”

Eggplant with Garlic Sauce ($9.50) is a signature dish here. It “skips the meat” deliciously, sauteing the eggplant with Little Village’s “special garlic sauce.”

Another customer favorite is Mushroom and Snap Pea Stir-fry ($10.50), in which sliced, small white mushrooms nicely complement the crisp snap peas in a light sauce.

Another “must-have” signature dish, says Chang, is Dried String Beans ($9.50). The beans are stir-fried on very high heat (hence the “dried” description) with the restaurant’s special chili garlic sauce, resulting in a tantalizing texture and spicy flavor. “This is very popular,” he says. “We only use a special soy sauce for this dish.”

Whether noshing on noodles or a sizzling stir-fry, you can skip the meat without compromising flavor at Little Village Noodle House.

Little Village Noodle House

1113 Smith St., Chinatown
545-3008
Monday-Thursday, 10:30 a.m.-10 p.m.;
Friday-Sunday, 10:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m.
littlevillagehawaii.com

Honolulu, HI 96817

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