Ok. So we shall start out with a bit of an anomaly. It was a Saturday night, it was raining, and we were hungry, so of course, the logical thing to do is to drive forty minutes out into Durham to have some soup. (I know, "what is a logic?" But I'm getting to it, don't worry)
Like I said, it was raining, and we get to this little hole in the wall Chinese restaurant called China Express at the intersection of highways 55 and 54. There was an Indian restaurant next door that appeared to be closed, and we ran inside to avoid getting wet.
The place looks, basically, like any other Chinese restaurant. However, unlike other Chinese restaurants, it has a dark secret. It specializes in...
Korean Noodle Bowls.
I know what you're thinking. Really? A "Chinese" place that specializes in Korean Noodle Bowls? What is going on here?
Well, we ordered some Chinese appetizers, and after noting that they were mediocre at best, I ordered the Jan Pong, a spicy seafood, meat, and vegetable soup that was well hidden on the menu on the back (just kidding. It was the first item on the back of the menu. I plead guilty). But it was seriously delicious.
You can't really tell from this picture, but this was a LOT of food.
Don't get me wrong, though, because there was no way I could complain.
Look at that. Just look. The vegetables are colorful, the shrimp are perfectly plump, and you can't tell, but the noodles are just the perfect combination of firm and tender, and as long as my arm, at least. Even though my arms are small, I think that's pretty long for a noodle. The broth was spicy, yet it was also flavorful, capturing the flavors of the squid, scallops, and shrimp as well as that of the vegetables, creating a wonderful mixture of flavors that just explode in your mouth.
I really don't think they should call this place China Express. The Chinese food is ok, but Durham is a town that would appreciate a good noodle restaurant. Despite the fact that North Carolina is not as diverse as some other states, even in the "metropolitan" Triangle, I think that we could all appreciate the ownership of this place opening up a Korean restaurant instead of a Chinese restaurant with a well kept secret.
Despite the false getup, this place is awesome. I usually refrain from using such a terrible word, but the experience was nothing short of that. And, as I was looking up in awe over this wonderful Jan Pang, I noticed that the restaurant's ceiling has really cool panelling. Check it out!
DRAGONS. DRAGONS EVERYWHERE.
Ok. I'm not going to pretend that I am not amused by dragons. As a teenager, I cannot resist a good depiction of a dragon. It's also so quintessentially Chinese looking, that I feel that people could go to this place and order Chinese food without thinking twice about it. Which makes me sad.
Moral of the Story: When you are at an ethnic restaurant, make sure to explore the menu. You may find something that you wouldn't expect that is incredibly more delicious than everything else, but the trick is to be a little adventurous.
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