6. Kung Fu Noodle
6733 Bandera, (210) 451-5586
Disclaimer: Don't go into Kung Fu Noodle expecting a whole lot other than good noodles, dumplings, buns and great service. You really won't find much else, and that's exactly how we like it.
Located inside a sleepy shopping center that also holds an Arby's, Kung Fu Noodle is open seven days a week, but that doesn't guarantee you'll be lucky enough to try all of their handmade offerings. And the noodles truly are hand-pulled by the family of four that runs the joint. The slapping and pulling of said noodles from the kitchen in the back might be alarming at first, but that first comforting bite will seal the deal for a return visit.
The menu is small and concise—this is, after all, a family-run eatery with 10 handmade, bare-bones tables and stools crafted from varnished two-by-fours. The decor is equally sparse, save for a string of red lanterns and a Maneki-neko, or good luck kitty.
Fans of a good bit of heat will want to try the noodles with lamb, and don't let the cheery, soft-spoken server talk you out of it. The bowl is served piping hot and laced with small but fierce Szechuan peppercorns and Tien Tsin chile peppers that deliver a punch of heat straight to the back of your throat. She did try to warn us, after all.
An order of dumplings, almost two dozen (we're guessing, we never stopped to count while popping the bites into our mouths), are delivered warm and snuggled up together in either pork and mushroom, pork and celery, pork and chive, or beef.
There's no fanfare, and Kung Fu Noodle comes highly recommended by area chefs familiar with the cuisine. Moreover, it's cheap and tasty—you'll want to head to this noodle depot ASAP.
