Noodles & Dumplings

Inside a red building with black trim at the south end of Johnston Street in Lafayette, you will find master Chinese kitchen skills on display.

Behind a glass window, you will see a small group of men expertly mix ingredients to create dough that is rolled, twisted, pulled and folded.

The result? Fresh, homemade noodles for soups and other cooked dishes, bao and dumplings.

Noodles & Dumplings has developed a reputation over time for serving authentic Chinese cuisine.

“We get a lot of compliments about our food,” said Noodles & Dumplings co-manager Shelbey Leloers.

Noodles, dumplings and baos are the restaurant’s calling card, but the soups and wok-cooked dishes are just as appealing.

The menu features noodle dishes like spicy youpo noodle, which is noodles topped with beef or chicken along with carrots, cabbage, bean sprouts, broccoli, garlic and chili powder. Vinegar and hot oil are the finishing touches.

Beijing noodles are another featured dish. Noodles are topped with ground pork, cucumbers, carrots and sliced green onions. The dish is finished with soybean sauce. As the kitchen cooks each dish, the noodle guys make their magic to keep up with the customer demand.

“Those noodles are usually made on the spot. But a lot of prep is done before we open because so many noodles are ordered every day,” she said.

One of the restaurant’s mainstays is the sugar-glazed duck. This dish is from Jiangsu province and traces its recipe lineage to the Qing Dynasty. During the Chinese dynasty era, the dish was prepared for royalty and the rich.

Yet, it is the bao and dumplings where a taste of Chinese culture is amplified.

Dumpling wrappers are made from unleavened wheat flour and water. Each is kneaded — smooth and elastic — then allowed to rest. Meat and vegetable fillings are then prepared. Each dumpling is individually cut from the dough. Filling is put in the center of each dough wrap and sealed.

The prepared dumpling is then placed in a huge vat of boiling water and cooked until it floats to the surface.

Number 31 – steamed colorful combo dumplings – is a menu item that gives a flavor tour of Noodles & Dumplings. Servers will bring a bamboo steamer (zhenglong) to the table. After the top is taken off, eight dumplings await. Two pork, two shrimp, two beef and two vegetable-filled dumplings.

John Carmesin, who also manages the restaurant, witnesses the excitement of diners when they see and then eat the food.

“They are like, ‘Wow’. Most of them comment on how fresh the food is. But that is because everything is made from scratch right in our kitchen,” he said.

The larger bao are made from leavened yeast dough. When filled and steamed, the result is a larger, bread-like treat.

On the menu, several baos are offered, like xiao long bao, which are steamed buns with meat and broth; BBQ bao (steamed buns with BBQ pork), pork scallion bao (steamed buns with pork and green onions), cheese bao (deep-fried buns with cheddar cheese) and vegetable bao (steamed buns with tofu, mushroom, cabbage and noodles).

Both Leloers and Carmesin have gotten an education about Chinese culture and food by working in the restaurant.

“I’ve learned the differences in a lot of the dishes. We even get the chance to go in the back and help prepare foods that are cooked later,” Leloers said.

Carmesin believes customers would be just as impressed by the preparation as they are by the flavor of dishes they enjoy.

“We’ve rolled dumplings. I have seen the cheese wontons wrapped. I feel like it’s just a whole new experience with food and eating that I enjoy to watch and sample,” he said.

For Your Kitchen

Chili Crisp | A crunchy, aromatic condiment made with fried chilies, garlic, spices and oil, chili crisp adds heat, texture and savory depth to everything from noodles to dumplings.

Chinese Spicy Mustard | Made from ground mustard seeds, Chinese mustard delivers a sharp, pungent heat that quickly clears the sinuses, making it a classic companion for dumplings and fried dishes.

Soy Sauce | A staple of Chinese cooking, soy sauce is a savory, salty fermented condiment used to season marinades, stir-fries, sauces and countless other dishes.

Anatomy of a Bowl: Braised Beef Noodle Soup

Broth | A mild, savory beef broth is slowly braised to develop rich, comforting flavor.

Protein | Tender chunks of braised beef shank or brisket add hearty, slow-cooked flavor to the soup.

Noodles | Fresh, hand-pulled wheat noodles, also known as Lanzhou-style noodles, provide a chewy, satisfying texture.

Garnish | Green onions, cilantro, broccoli and tomatoes add freshness, color and contrasting textures to the bowl.

Know Your Noodle

Bánh Phở | Thin, flat rice noodles made from rice flour and water, bánh phở are soft, smooth and delicate, traditionally served in Vietnamese soups like phở.

Chow Mein | Chinese wheat noodles made with flour and water, chow mein noodles are springy and chewy, with a firm texture that holds up well when stir-fried.

Japchae | Korean glass noodles made from sweet potato starch, japchae noodles are translucent, chewy and pleasantly bouncy, absorbing sauces while maintaining their distinctive texture.

Soba | Japanese noodles made primarily from buckwheat flour, soba are thin, earthy and slightly nutty, with a firm, delicate texture and distinctive savory flavor.

Ramen | Japanese wheat noodles made with flour, water and kansui, ramen noodles range from thin to thick, with a springy, chewy texture designed for broth.

Udon | Thick Japanese wheat noodles made from flour, water and salt, udon are soft, chewy and satisfyingly dense, with a smooth surface that carries flavorful broths.

Noodles & Dumplings

5621 Johnston St., Lafayette
337-345-8156
noodlesanddumplings.com