Just a few years ago, New Haven had no noodle houses, and now there are three downtown, all no more than a block from Yale. Nestled atop the space that once housed Yalie’s Pizza, York St. Noodle House at 166 York Street sits above all competitors in the Elm City. Five dollars gets you a steaming bowl of noodle soup that will keep your hunger satisfied all day. Renée, Adam, and I arrived just before noon to a virtually empty dining room, and thirty minutes later, there was a line snaking out the door. Adam & I ordered the Vegetable Dumpling Noodle Soup ($5.00), which was served in a large bowl with a hole and a groove for holding chopsticks. Each bowl featured three plump veggie dumplings floating in a clear broth with sprouts, thin rice noodles, cabbage, and green onions. Renée chose Wok Noodles with chicken ($5.50), stir-fried with broccoli, kale, and cabbage. York St. Noodle House also has an extensive bubble tea list, so I picked a Green Apple Bubble Tea smoothie ($2.75), which was wonderfully slushy, refreshingly tart, and chock full of black tapioca beads at the bottom of the glass. It’s no wonder that I often walk past customers sipping these drinks on the streetside patio in the afternoons. York St. Noodle House has rib-sticking and inexpensive food, fast service, and seemingly all the business that they can handle.
