Food is best when enjoyed with a side of authenticity: Unfortunately, you can’t order a side portion of tropical-Thailand-humidity or Bangkok-bustle in, say, New York City. A dish can tell you so much about a place. It’s more of an experience than just a meal–it's an entry point into a culture, which is why we’ve created a selection of some of the most delicious, legendary noodle dishes—from Japanese ramen to Hawaiian saimin—that are worth circling the globe for.
Pho is to the Vietnamese what pasta is to the Italians. In cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh, you’ll find locals slurping up steaming bowls of this noodle soup, every hour of every day. The dish is made of a beef or chicken broth, linguine-shaped rice noodles and a host of spices including ginger, star anise, and coriander seeds. The best part of a bowl of pho are the garnishes, which turn it into a kind of ‘build your own’ meal: Fish sauce, hoisin sauce, Thai basil, cilantro, mint, scallions, chillies, bean sprouts, and lots and lots of fresh lime. You can find pho all over the country, but the best places to enjoy it are at local restaurants with sidewalk seating. Generally, the more unassuming the place looks, the better the pho will be. One example is Pho Binh, a low-key spot in Ho Chi Minh City, which serves up bowls of pho that are both traditional and delicious.
Although saimin is originally from China, it was developed and perfected by Hawaiians, following the influx of Japanese and Chinese immigrants in the 1800s. The dish contains egg noodles, dashi (Japanese-style broth), green onions, and a choice of additions, such as (what else?) spam. Saimin is believed to have been popularized as a fast food dish during Hawaii’s plantation era and has since evolved into an Hawaiian staple. In fact, it is so popular that Hawaii's McDonalds has added it to their menu. Saimin is essentially a street food, which means the more authentic the place, the better. Jane’s Fountain, a low-key diner in Honolulu, has been serving up this steaming dish since the 1940s and is still going strong!
Noodles and wontons in a single dish? Yes. This Cantonese dish, which is made of egg noodles, hot broth, a choice of leafy vegetable, and wonton dumplings, is an absolute winner. The wontons are usually filled with shrimp or pork (or a combination) and the dish is served in small bowls so the noodles don’t overcook and become soggy. Wonton noodles can be found all over Hong Kong, but two of the best spots are Michelin-starred Ho Hung Kee and Meen and Rice (from restaurateur and hotelier Yenn Wong) which offers a fresh take on traditional Cantonese cuisine.
Shan noodles are a lesser-known dish, but are by no means less worthy of a plane flight. Originally from the Shan state in eastern Myanmar, which borders Thailand, Laos and China, these rice noodles are a Myanmar staple. Sticky in texture, because they are made from a glutinous variety of rice grown in the area, you really can’t get these anywhere else. The dish is often served with vegetables and a choice of protein (usually chicken or pork) in a soup, or dry. Of course, like most street foods, these are best eaten at a popular local spot. If you’re up for a really authentic experience, swing by the Bogyoke Market in Yangon or stop in at 999 Shan Market.
Does enjoying a bowl of spicy, fried noodles while you gaze over a Balinese beach sound enticing? Of course it does. Mee goreng, which is also found in Singapore, is most common in Indonesia and Malaysia. Traditionally made with yellow egg noodles that have a chewy texture and are fried with garlic, onion, Chinese cabbage, eggs, tomatoes, and a choice of protein, this dish is a big bowl of comfort. If you’re looking for authentic mee goreng, you’ll find it sold at warungs (casual restaurants or cafés in Indonesia) or mamak stalls (food stalls) in Malaysia. If you’re after something slightly more upmarket, the light-filled Chopsuey Cafe in Singapore serves a delicious crab mee goreng with king prawns and fresh crab.
One of the most enticing things about laksa is its unmistakable bold orange color. This curry-based noodle soup, which uses vermicelli rice noodles, usually has a coconut or tamarind (known as asem laksa) base and is utterly delicious when served with shrimp. The dish can be found across Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore but was recently made internationally famous in Singapore, when Gordon Ramsay took part in a laksa cook-off with local chefs (the restaurant 328 Katong Laksa took the crown). If you’re after a casual lunch, Tiong Bahru Market (which serves everything from duck porridge to yam cake) in Singapore boasts two lip-smacking laksa stands.
Pad Thai has become such a common meal around the world, it almost seems silly that you should travel to Thailand for it. But you should, because there’s nothing like eating a freshly made plate of Pad Thai on a busy street in Bangkok. The dish usually consists of stir fried rice noodles, eggs, tofu, tamarind pulp, fish sauce, palm sugar, dried shrimp, garlic, shallots and either shrimp or chicken. But we all know the dish really comes to life when you add the garnishes: fresh lime juice, chopped peanuts, coriander, bean sprouts and chili flakes. In Bangkok you’ll find hundreds of food carts with cooks swishing the ingredients in smoking hot woks (the streets off Khao San Road are known for this). If you’d rather take a seat in a restaurant, head to Thip Samai. This restaurant is legendary for its delightfully sweet and sour Pad Thai dishes.
Don’t roll your eyes. As good as your local ramen joint might be, what originated in Japan is still better in Japan. This flavorful bowl of soup and noodles has become so popular around the world that almost every Asian-style restaurant now has a take on it. But even when it comes to traditional ramen there are many, many variations—whether its shio (meaning ‘salt’) ramen or the shoyu (meaning ‘soy sauce’) version. And that's exactly why you should visit Tokyo to eat this legendary dish. You won’t go wrong with most of the ramen spots in the city, but Kagari, a restaurant hidden down a small alley in Ginza in Tokyo, is legendary for it’s tori-paitan ramen - a delicious, rich and creamy chicken noodle broth.
When it’s 100 degrees outside, sometimes the idea of a bowl of steaming hot noodles isn’t too appealing. Which is why bibim guksu, a cold noodle dish, is so popular in Korea. The wheat noodles (called somyeon) are boiled in water and then immediately rinsed in cold water. The dish is then made with a mixture of red pepper paste, gochujang (a spicy Korean condiment), garlic, vinegar, and sugar and garnished with sliced cucumbers, sesame oil, and a boiled egg. The result? A spicy, sweet and sour bowl of flavor. You’ll find bibim guksu all over Korea, but Myeongdong in Seoul is famous for its bibim guksu and kalguksu (a noodle soup made from knife-cut noodles). Just don’t forget to order kimchi on the side. You are in Korea, after all.
Knife-cut or knife-shaved noodles (also known as dao xiao man) are worth traveling for, just to see how they’re made. Chefs in China hold a ball of dough above a pot of boiling water and swiftly slice the noodles directly into the water using a purpose-designed knife. The result? A short, fat, chewy noodle which is served in a broth or dry with various toppings, including pork and black bean paste. Making these noodles involves serious skill and is most common in the Shanxi province of China. But if Shanxi isn’t on your list of places to go, then Noodle Loft in Beijing is known to serve up a splendid selection of Shanxi cuisine.
This thick and hearty Persian soup is real comfort food, ideal for winter. Made from linguine-shaped reshteh noodles, khask (Persian whey) and a variety of wholesome ingredients including spinach, lentils, chick peas, turmeric, and parsley, this vegetarian soup is brimming with flavor. The soup's noodles are believed to bring good fortune, which is why this dish is often eaten before the Persian New Year, Norouz. Ash reshteh is incredibly common in Persian cuisine and it’s likely you’ll find people pouring out of soup cafeterias or local eateries during their lunch break, slurping up bowls of vegetable goodness.
Tallarin saltado is a Peruvian chifa dish. In case we lost you there, chifa is a Cantonese-Peruvian cuisine. You’ll find countless chifa restaurants across the city of Lima, serving dishes such as tallerin saltado, which is a fried noodle dish made from linguine or linguine-shaped noodles. The ingredients usually include tomatoes, onion, garlic, ginger, green onion, cilantro and beef, all stir fried in a piping hot pan. It’s a well-known fact that Peru’s most famous culinary star, chef Gaston Acurio is a big fan of chifa cuisine. In fact, he even opened his own chifa restaurant, Madam Tusan, in Milaflores, Lima.