Noodle Bull on Fumin Lu

Practically every expat I encountered in Shanghai raves about Noodle Bull. It is also cheap at 26rmb for a bowl of noodles and around 5rmb for an assortment of sides like tofu. “Noodle Bull is so good!” “Oh! You have to try Noodle Bull!” Okay, okay. I’m going.

I met a friend there after work and sat down at the communal tables where your menu is rolled up in a vase. The interior is minimalistic with wood furnishing and a large mirror at the back giving the illusion the restaurant is bigger than it is. The holistic, natural look goes with the theme of taking a health-minded approach and omitting MSG. Apparently, there is free wifi considering the number of diners with their laptops out.

I ordered the spicy beef noodle soup with 1.5mm hand-pulled noodles (you can also choose hand-sliced noodles or 5mm hand-pulled noodles) and got some tofu to share. The tofu was quite nice in texture and absorbed the flavor of the sauce it was marinated in.


Out came the noodles. It looked good. There were nice hunks of beef in there. It looked like it should be really good.


It wasn’t. The flavor of the broth was flat, tasting more watered down than anything. Maybe this impression was due to all the MSG-laden food you get in Shanghai. But it did not help that the flavor of the broth was lacking in any body or richness you would expect out of a Taiwanese soup. Where was the flavor? This seeped into the characteristics of the noodles and vegetables, which were also flavorless. I ordered the spicy soup and it did not taste spicy in the least. The only item in my bowl that carried any weight was the few, but tasty pieces of meat.


Was it a bad soup day? Did the stock not marinate enough? Is my Chinese palate becoming more MSG-dependent? Either way, the meal was completely disappointing aside from the tofu and the few pieces of beef. Someone convince me again why Noodle Bull is so good.

Noodle Bull. 1f3b, No.291 Fumin Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China. 上海市徐匯區富民路291號悟錦世紀大樓1F3B

Nero di Seppia da Shanghai

I went to Luna Bianca before at the recommendation of a long-time expat hanging around Taikang Lu for a good pizza. Whilst there, this girl was eating a black squid ink pasta and it was dying her mouth black. When she opened her mouth, her teeth were washed over with black and her lips painted. It was quite a sight. Her family members made a lot of fun of her. She looked embarrassed at first, but completely dominated the whole meal. I could smell that sweet black ink from where I was sitting.

Went back again a few weeks later on a solo mission. Once seated, the server greeted me with a small selection of bread, which looks like excess pizza dough reformed and thrown in the oven. The tagliatelle came out deep black from the squid ink sauce. It was so black, the plate was dyed. There were chunks of squid, whole mussels, and some shrimp nestled in the pasta. It existence was almost denied to the eye from the deep, jet-black mess. After one bite, I wiped my mouth and the napkin revealed a sauce so dark it was like a black fountain pen exploded in my mouth. Oh my. That is a mess. I did not think this could be possible with nero di seppia. The bits of seafood were plentiful though seemingly hidden and not overcooked. The black ink sauce was smooth, slightly sweet, and savory with a deep flavor from the seafood.

Tagliatelle al nero di seppia dyes everything black inside and out. Literally. It was an unusual gastronomic experience. However, the meal was thoroughly enjoyable and challenged a palate used to tomato, cream, and pesto based sauces.

Luna Bianca. 38, Lane 155 Jian Guo Zhong Lu 建国中路155弄38号. Shanghai, People’s Republic of China