Noodles

The steaming-hot pork-bone broth that serves as the base of Nom Nom Ramen's tonkotsu-style soups might not sound appealing in the midst of 90-plus temperatures, but its cold cousin provides all the flavor and none of the perspiration. Hiyashi chuka - literally "chilled Chinese noodles," as Japan adopted ramen from the People's Republic - features Nom Nom's custom-made noodles flash-chilled and scattered over a savory dressing of soy, vinegar, sesame oil, and katsuobushi, the fermented tuna flakes used to make dashi.

First came the hand-drawn vermicelli, then the soup dumplings, bubble tea, and ramen. Philly's Chinatown has been slowly but surely acquiring a number of Asian street foods that are the stuff of obsession elsewhere. The latest arrivals, popularized by Xi'an Famous Foods in New York, are these Xi'an liang pi noodles at the two-month-old Happy Noodle Bar on Race Street. Yes, the Chinese "burger" might catch more eyes, its zesty minced pork and chiles sandwiched between what looks like a Chinese English muffin.

Lucky Choi is another new restaurant at an old Chinatown spot, and while the decor certainly won't win any awards, the food has something going for it. The present owners have revamped the place somewhat, doing away with the booths that once lined the northern wall. (Now if they could do something about the carpeting. . . . ) Most of the dining-room tables are round, large, and equipped with Lazy- Susan centers for family-style dining. Lucky Choi offers chow mein, chop suey and lo mein dishes, but seems to be patterning itself after a Washington restaurant that's known for its noodle dishes and dim sum. This brings it some innovative tastes with nuances of Cambodian and Taiwanese cooking.

To find a location that provides breakfast, pasta and ice cream under one roof, you'd normally have to go to a shopping mall. At Noodles in Chestnut Hill, they're all in one restaurant. Housed in the defunct Primarily Pasta store, Noodles is the latest effort in the burgeoning food empire of Paul Roller. This bright and casual (two Roller trademarks) place is small and it's already a hit with the locals so there's a wait during peak times. But everything is available for takeout if you're in a hurry.

This is one of those stories that came about by happenstance - the result of being served a cabbage salad not long ago that contained interesting crunch. Surprisingly, the crunch was from those instant, uncooked noodles that come in packages of Oriental noodle soup mix. If you've cruised the supermarket aisles, you know the mixes: the ones that often offered four or five packages for a dollar, that you keep squirreled away on the pantry shelf because they make quick, easy lunches or snacks.

Once upon a time, some funny-looking little Japanese cars started appearing around the country. They were cheap and quickly became best-sellers. And U.S. automakers laughed, until they cried. A few years back, a Japanese dry soup with funny-looking noodles started appearing on supermarket shelves, right next to the All-American, red-and- white-labeled Campbell's condensed and Chunky soups. But Campbell Soup is determined not to suffer the fate of American automakers by allowing the Japanese to grab a significant chunk of its business.

The Glorious Noodle (Poseidon Press, $16.95) is a worldwide tour of noodle eating, as enjoyed from California to the Orient. It is also a trip back in time with some historical foods enjoyed by such ancients as the Etruscans. Author Linda Merinoff, a journalist, caterer and candy-maker, has included some informative history and interesting lore that shows the noodle's role as a staple of mankind. Her book has more than 200 recipes, as commonplace as cold noodles in a sesame sauce and as offbeat as a dessert made with chocolate noodles.

"Noodles" - that infamous, treacherous, slippery, dangerous, exciting, awful bump that sent four women careering to the hospital this week - is still part of the women's downhill ski course. But thanks to Thursday's heavy snowfall and some modern technology, the skiers have learned to master it. At least that's what they were saying yesterday. Thirty-seven downhill racers cruised down Roc de Fer, the mile-and-two- thirds course here, and all 37 made it down without incident.

Anybody who frequents the supermarket knows that even imported pasta costs only about 80 cents a pound, and that explains how Noodles in Chestnut Hill keeps its prices so reasonable. And the restaurant even makes its own. If you can deal with the often ditsy help, tiny tables and spine-stiffening chairs, you will enjoy great food made from fresh ingredients and herbs. Your kids will love it even more: spaghetti and an ice cream counter - who could ask for anything more? Noodles, part of the Paul Roller triumvirate that includes Flying Fish and Roller's, is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner six days a week.

Pity the poor copywriter who was assigned to come up with a catchy, all- purpose description for Juzo Itami's Tampopo and settled in defeat for "the first Japanese noodle western. " It may herald a new movie genre, but it hardly does justice to a delightful, haphazard comedy that is so Eastern in its viewpoint. Then again, what do you say about a movie that argues persuasively that there is no distinction between food and sex - except to claim that there are far more sensory thrills to be derived from the former - and uses the symphonies of Gustav Mahler to accompany the pursuit of the perfect noodle?

First came the hand-drawn vermicelli, then the soup dumplings, bubble tea, and ramen. Philly's Chinatown has been slowly but surely acquiring a number of Asian street foods that are the stuff of obsession elsewhere. The latest arrivals, popularized by Xi'an Famous Foods in New York, are these Xi'an liang pi noodles at the two-month-old Happy Noodle Bar on Race Street. Yes, the Chinese "burger" might catch more eyes, its zesty minced pork and chiles sandwiched between what looks like a Chinese English muffin.

I try to buy produce locally and cook it seasonally. But there comes a time in late winter-early spring when I can't bear to roast another Brussels sprout, bake another sweet potato, or massage another leaf of kale into submission. That's when I buy broccoli grown who knows where and transported to my friendly neighborhood Whole Foods Market. Call it a bridge to the days of peas and asparagus. Once I get it home, I usually douse it with curry powder and roast it, or microwave it and finish it under the broiler.

OF ALL THE topics that diners tend to fuss over, "authenticity" is the fussiest to understand. Just listen to one of the food scene's more talented over-thinkers run a restaurant through his or her analytical atom smasher and you might agree. The quantitative critiques - service, prices, vibe - are all there, but things get weird once culinary credibility undergoes cross-examination. Is it "authentic" to use this sauce? In that soup, is marjoram an "authentic" garnish? Was the pot used to braise tonight's pork wrapped in indigenous leaves, buried beneath loose earth and gently attended by a pitmaster with Taíno ancestry?

Here is an excerpt from Craig LaBan's online chat from March 5: Craig LaBan: What's been making your dinners, drinks, and snacks happy? My new invention to keep the kids from fighting at dinner? Personal nachos! Made these babies to order - chili for some, black beans for others, hold the salsa, heavy on the cheese - all a hit thanks to those addictive, amazing fresh chips from Tortilleria San Roman in the Italian Market. Are they the best chips on earth? ¡Creo que sí!

These noodles are a fun and approachable dish good for a busy weeknight or to celebrate Chinese New Year.   Shrimp and Shiitake Noodle Stir-Fry   Makes 4 servings 2 tablespoons sesame oil 1 small sweet onion, sliced 7 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, thinly sliced 1 red bell pepper, cored and thinly sliced 91/2-ounce package thick Asian-style noodles, such as udon ...

Here is an excerpt from Craig LaBan's online chat of Tuesday, Jan. 8: Craig LaBan: It's been a few weeks since we last spoke and I hope you all had great family celebrations and wonderful meals. I'd love to hear some of your highlight experiences. One of mine was a visit to the Italian Market, where I feasted on fresh tortillas from the Tortilleria San Roman (my vote for best addition to the Market), and also learned of a potential end of a sausage era, as Sonny D'Angelo announced that his family was considering selling the century-old butcher shop.

START 2013 RIGHT with food that symbolizes good luck. These easy appetizers are perfect for New Year's Eve or New Year's Day entertaining, too. "Long noodles are associated with long life and good health," said Hiroko Shimbo, author of Hiroko's American Kitchen (Andrews McMeel, $24.99). Here she turns soba noodles into sushi rolls. Pair with your favorite cold dipping sauce. Slice 1 medium mango, half an avocado and 1 peeled Kirby or pickling cucumber into 1/2-by-3 1/2-inch sticks.

Philly seems to have a new holiday tradition. The giant yellow noodle is back in JFK Plaza - Love Park - with the untarping scheduled for today. If it helps, think of it as a collosal yellow smile that funds the nearby holiday tree, instead of a crass pitch for Kraft Macaroni & Cheese. "You know you love it," the noodle says, just as it has in other cities, including Philadelphia late last year. Thanksgiving Day, the 60 shops of the annual Christmas Village will open, offering an array of merchandise, including jewelry, ornaments and other arts and crafts, as well as waffles and gingerbread among its "food, drinks and sweets," organizers say. At 2 p.m. Saturday, the village will mark its official grand opening will a visit by the angel known as Christkind, who's flying in from Nuremberg, Germany.

Ramen Boy lasted, oh, about as long as one slurp. Or so it seemed for this sleek Chinatown entry from the owners of Yakitori Boy into the city's suddenly piping hot ramen scene. After a steady thrum of (justified) bad buzz on the "Yokohama-style" bowls, it closed after just five months while the owners regrouped. What a remarkable turnaround they've made in forming a new partnership with the Terakawa ramen restaurants from New York, which brought new recipes and a new chef. The cozy wood counter decor is the same, but the soups, focusing on richer tonkotsu, the cloudy broth steeped from Berkshire pork bones in the Kyushu style, are entirely more satisfying, and definitely worth another visit.

The steaming-hot pork-bone broth that serves as the base of Nom Nom Ramen's tonkotsu-style soups might not sound appealing in the midst of 90-plus temperatures, but its cold cousin provides all the flavor and none of the perspiration. Hiyashi chuka - literally "chilled Chinese noodles," as Japan adopted ramen from the People's Republic - features Nom Nom's custom-made noodles flash-chilled and scattered over a savory dressing of soy, vinegar, sesame oil, and katsuobushi, the fermented tuna flakes used to make dashi.