Midtown Lunch

Summer is finally here and as much as I love eating massive lunches like a roast beef sandwich or a whole platter of fried chicken with rice and peas, I tend to lean towards the more simpler (and lighter) lunches. First thing that comes to my mind and stomach are cold noodles. We have talked much about the cold ramen (Men Kui Tei and Sapporo ) and lets not forget Korean cold noodles. These are all great summer treats that don’t make you feel disgusted after eating them, but sometimes I want something even more simple.  And that is when the Chinese version steps in.

The cold sesame noodles at Chinese restaurants are served year round and are listed under the appetizer section. It is simply made with noodles, sesame sauce, peanut butter, soy sauce and bean sprouts are optional. The version I had at Hop Won really hit the spot. For $4.25, I got a box filled with noodles (looked like about 2 packages of noodles) that had the perfect texture and were drizzled with light soy sauce and a sesame/peanut butter sauce. It was topped with bean sprouts, scallions and a dash of sesame seeds. Everything was great. The light soy sauce added a hint of saltiness while the sesame/peanut sauce added sweetness to it. When I make it at home, I like to add shredded chicken but really, this is one dish I don’t mind not having any meat.

I’m not sure why the cold sesame noodles are always listed in the appetizer section. When I think appetizer, I think small but wherever I go, the cold sesame noodles are big enough to be entrees. I’m not complaining but just curious. So what are some of your favorite cold noodles in Midtown?

Hop Won, 139 E. 45th St. (btw. Lex+3rd), 212-661-4280