101 express, not freeway

101 Noodle Express
1408 E Valley Blvd
Alhambra, CA 91801
(626) 300-8654

price: $
verdict: tasty, try it!

i normally don't get too embarassed taking food pics. in fact, it feels rather natural now. food comes out, i take out my camera, i take a few pics, and then i stuff face. very routinized i must say and no longer out of the ordinary. but when i'm with old chinese folks, i get VERY embarassed. there's something about the way they look at you (especially when they think you're strange and god knows i'm no stranger to strange) that makes me feel like i was caught peeing in my pants. last time at 101 noodle express, i supressed my urge to take pics because of these stares, BUT today, i donned my "who the fuck cares" face and took pictures as the food came out. TAKE THAT OLD PEOPLE! i still got the looks but i did not pee in my pants.

this noodle joint is situated in a strip mall right next to a cheapy bowling alley. it is known for it's lamb and chicken noodles which is a must order when you go there. we got both last time and it was good, though nothing to praise jesus about. it was a hearty dish and the lamb was super tender and did not have the stink of badly cooked lamb.

this time, we did not order any noodles and instead went for three simple dishes. we ordered this "lang poon" which in cantonese means "cold plate." if you look closely, there's four sections of coldness. the edamame, greens, and dried tofu section at the top, the spicy beef tendon on your right, a serving of seaweed with sesame seeds (it tasted old today) at the bottom, and spicy pig ears to your left. this is one of my favorite eats at 101.

the beef roll is also a MUST ORDER. if you don't, it's like going to disneyland but not seeing the castle or going to las vegas but not visiting any casinos. that's ridiculous says me. ridiculous. so order it. anyways, THE beef roll is a flat piece of scallion pancake filled up with thinly sliced beef, parsley, and green onions and then rolled up like a wrap. this heifer is super oily though and will leave a grease print on your fingers and your lips, but it is rather delicous. i have been told by the old folks that it's the best place to get these beef rolls in da sgv. i believe them because they are old.

another greasy bite!

we also ordered a plate of pan fried pork and leek dumplings which was NO bueno. NO! a pan fried dumpling should have a nice, firm, crusty bottom, but these were soggy and soft. NOBODY likes saggy soft bottoms do they? the filling was also bland and the leeks left a little stink in the air. if you can't already tell, i did not enjoy these dumplings.

i do suggest you come here for their lamb noodles, the cold plate, and their beef rolls. i can't vouch for their dumplings though since i've had them twice and twice they were bleh (perhaps that's why they are called noodle express and not dumpling express...just a thought). anyways, yummy cheap eats at 101 so go get yourself a table! you will most likely have to wait because it's popular with the locals as well and cash only.