Wu Yue Ren Jia (吴越人家): an inexpensive lunch/dinner spot

This chain noodle restaurant was established over ten years ago and though there used to be 12 restaurants in the chain, only 5 remain. The quality of the food has, in our experience lacked consistency in standard but, the restaurant IS consistently clean and pleasingly inexpensive.

On some days we’ve eaten extremely good noodles. Fresh ingredients, good service (a chance to practice your Chinese), and clean surroundings is what keeps us coming back. Unfortunately sometimes the food is not so fresh. Like today - the Noodles with Rich Tasty Pork Rib (chún xiāng pǎi ròu miàn - 醇香排肉面 - 22 RMB) were obviously prepared prior to our arrival, the sauce on the ribs had begun to harden slightly as it was cooling in the kitchen.

Considering the ribs on the menu are given a ★ to denote high quality - we would expect just that, and are dissapointed when we don’t get it. However other items, not only the ★ items, can often be very good. Usually we order the Noodles with Deep Fried Beef (jiàng bào niú ròu miàn - 酱爆牛肉面 - 18 RMB). The beef comes on the side cooked with cucumber and comes in a thick dark sweet sauce. The noodles come in soup. Then you combine the beef into the soup or eat from both dishes as you wish. Similar to the dish pictured which is Husband's Roast Noodle Soup (Preserved Peanuts, Tofu and Vegetables) sì xiǎn kǎo fū miàn - 四鲜烤夫面 - 10 RMB.

Another option when you order most dishes is to have the noodles come without the soup. We like this because without the hot soup we can eat faster and spend more time building snowmen. You should order what you want by pointing at the menu, and ask qǐng gěi wǒ bàn miàn - 请给我版面. The noodles will come in soy sauce and sesame butter.

On some items the waiting time is indicated by stars. One star * for fast items, ** for slower, *** for slow. At meal times this place will certainly always be busy. So it’s good to know how long to wait.

Located at Huáihǎi Lù 淮海中路706号 near Sīnán lù 思南路. Shǎnxī Nán Lù 陕西南路141号 near Nánchāng Lù 南昌路. Tàikāng Lù 泰康路5号 near Sīnán Lù 思南路. Pǔdōng Nán Lù 浦东南路2060号. Wūlǔmùqí Běi Lù 乌鲁木齐路129号 near Yǒngjiā Lù 永嘉路. Open 10:30 to 21:30. (NB. The menu is not exactly the same in each restaurant, but is very similar).

Cross-posted on www.likealocal.cn