What’s the difference between a good noodle and a great one?
To chef Katie Liu, it’s a cliche but true: love.
“For me, a really important part is to trigger that emotion,” she told KCUR’s Up To Date. “It’s really the passion.”
Growing up between Los Angeles and Taiwan, Liu often felt like she was searching for belonging. It was through food that she first learned to channel the comforting feeling of home.
Now, as owner of the James Beard semifinalist restaurant Chewology, Liu refracts Taiwanese flavors through a Midwest lens for a culinary experience that feels both fresh and familiar.
For Natasha Bailey, founder and executive chef at Eatable Catering Co., a great noodle has just the right structure.
“I like a texture, I like how it holds a sauce,” she said. “I like a strong noodle … a little al dente but not too soft.”
KCUR audience editor Gabe Rosenberg — no noodle newbie himself — said all noodles are worth celebrating.
“There’s that phrase, ‘Why pick between all of God’s beautiful children?’” he said.
Bailey, Rosenberg and KCUR Adventure! contributor Xiao daCunha shared their picks for the best noodles in Kansas City. Plus, we rounded up recommendations from KCUR’s Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.
Zero Zero Handmade Pasta
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Zero Zero Handmade Pasta is one of Kansas City’s most in-demand restaurants.
Xiao daCunha:
Aoyama Ramen is my go-to for shio ramen, a style defined by its clear, sea salt broth. The base brings out the natural flavors of chashu pork, seasoned egg, bean sprouts and scallions on top. I love adding corn for sweetness. The rich garlic ramen features a seafood and pork bone broth.
Kin Lin has a beef noodle soup that reminds me of the one I grew up eating during cold Shanghai winters. The broth has a soy sauce base and is infused with spices that wash over you in rich layers. The beef falls apart easily into the noodles, and the portions are huge — go with an empty stomach.
Thai Orchid makes some of the most delicious duck noodles in town. Duck is a rare find at Kansas City restaurants, and even rarer to find it so flavorful and tender.
Jazz: A Louisiana Kitchen offers a crawfish fettuccine that inspired me to develop a version of my own. I still love to order this version, that’s rich, full of bold spices and generously loaded. The half portion lasts me two meals!
Zero Zero Handmade Pasta is one of Kansas City’s most in-demand reservations, and for good reason. The restaurant has a seasonal rotating menu, and I’m a fan of all their vegetarian dishes. Right now, the agnolotti with butternut squash, candied pecans, fried sage and aged balsamic is divine.
888 Bakery & Cafe serves its duck rice noodle soup with real-deal Peking roast duck and wide rice noodles. I also love the Korean style seafood noodle soup and the pork and green onion noodles, a simple but standout dish that’s made by slow-cooking green onions in oil to infuse the flavor.
Saap Saap Noodles is a hidden gem in Kansas City. The menu is a fusion of Southeast Asian cuisines, but nothing beats the steak, brisket, and oxtail pho, based on a recipe passed down between generations. It’s spicy, warming and perfect for winter.
Jazz: A Louisiana Kitchen
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The crawfish fettuccine at Jazz: A Louisiana Kitchen inspired writer Xiao daCunha to develop a recipe for her own version at home.
Gabe Rosenberg:
Magic Noodle is one of the best restaurants in Kansas City, full-stop. I love the chew of the mid-round or the mid-flat noodles, especially in their luxurious Peking Duck Noodle Soup, and you can watch your noodles getting rolled, cut and boiled on demand. The pork belly and vegetarian noodle soups are also solid.
Szechuan Dynasty has an extensive menu, so you’ll want to order a spread. I go for the crispy eggplant appetizer, cumin lamb, and ultra-spicy hot pepper chicken, then balance it out with an order of the Sichuan cold noodles that are smothered in a milder sesame paste sauce.
Pho Lan does its namesake noodle soup well, but don’t overlook the Bún Riêu, a tomato and crab noodle soup with a spicy, pungent broth of shrimp paste and crab broth. In warm weather months I like ordering Bún, a Vietnamese noodle salad bowl.
Farina is my go-to date night spot, and the pasta menu is always creative. I love the Lemon Creste di Gallo, with olives, pistachio, calabrian chili and shrimp. If you’re lucky enough to visit during white truffle season, chef Michael Smith makes a dish that’s noodles, cheese and an entire truffle shaved overtop. It’s absolutely worth the splurge.
Cascone’s is the type of red-sauce Italian joint that makes you want to dress up. I can never decide between all their perfectly-executed classics, so the “Italian Flag,” splits a plate between portions of baked lasagna, chicken parmesan, and a decadent fettuccine alfredo that’s better than it has any right to be.
Buck Tui puts most Kansas City barbecue restaurants to shame in terms of creativity, and stands out among Thai restaurants, too. When assembling the perfect platter, start with the pad thai, featuring tender-as-anything brisket, then get plenty of ribs, Isaan Thai sausage, papaya salad and a side of cavatappi mac and cheese.
Heritage by Bo Lings serves a hard-to-find Cantonese noodle dish among its enticing dim sum options. The noodles are pan fried until they’re crisped into a nest, then topped with a savory gravy of garlic and soy sauce, achieving a delectable texture I call “crunchy-becoming-soggy.”
Chewology is usually a place to share dishes, but you may want to keep their noodle bowls to yourself. The vegan Three Cup Mushroom Ramen, which uses mushrooms sourced locally from Myco Planet, is based on the Taiwanese classic Three Cup Chicken. It balances light and dark soy sauces, Shaoxing wine and Thai basil. Their spicy Dan Dan Noodles and Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup are also some of the best versions in town.
Jchang.kitchen
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James Chang’s pop-ups are a hidden gem in Kansas City.
Natasha Bailey:
JChang.Kitchen is one of Kansas City’s best kept secrets. James Chang is an incredible chef known for his chili oil, and he can be found at pop ups and private events across the city. His Taiwanese sesame cold noodles are mildly nutty, just a little spicy and perfect any time of day.
Jade & Ember Munchery recently opened in the former Waldo Thai space, and is where Asian street food meets fast-casual comfort. The pad thai was decent, and Japanese Poutine was interesting and featured nice gravy. I look forward to returning when it’s been open a little longer.
Bacaro Primo is a cozy neighborhood joint that always meets the moment. My favorite pastas include the Rotolo, noodles rolled with braised pork, ricotta, gremolata, and pecorino crema filling; and the Parmigiana di Pollo, the perfect chicken parmesan served with spaghetti.
Thai House serves generously-loaded pad thai for a great price. Their version of the stir-fried noodles has a sweeter profile that works well with seafood. The pad see ew and beef noodle soup are always tasty and, whether I dine in or eat out, my meal always tastes the same.
Tea Garden has a Long Life Noodle Soup that I crave. It’s made with delicate mei fun noodles and the collagen-rich broth radiates warmth and healing. I also enjoy the pan fried noodles and combination noodle soup.
Muni chef Pam Liberda, who’s also the chef behind Buck Tui and the now-shuttered Waldo Thai, doesn’t miss with any of her dishes. I usually opt for the Kow Soi Carne Asada when I visit. The Northern Thai coconut curry is served with carne asada, egg noodle, cilantro, scallion, pickled onion and crispy egg noodles on top. The Birria Beef Ramen also hits.
KC Craft Ramen makes everything from scratch, including its noodles and broth, which has a rich, umami flavor made by simmering pork and chicken bones for hours.
Listener recommendations:
Dining and Cooking