In a city infused by an eclectic mix of food and culture from around the world, a simple noodle house brings authentic Shanghainese cuisine to the Inner Richmond neighborhood of San Francisco.

Gourmet Noodle House, which occupies a corner of Geary and 2nd Street, specializes in Shanghainese delicacies–especially their famed noodle bowls. Inside, black and white photographs of old Shanghai and images of famous Shanghainese performers adorn the wooden walls, contributing to the restaurant’s traditional atmosphere. The friendly waitress often converses with regulars in Mandarin or Cantonese, and the general chatter amidst customers creates the typical ambience of a Chinese restaurant.

Though the restaurant offers traditional appetizers, such as Shanghai style smoked fish and bean curd, Gourmet Noodle House prides itself in its noodle bowls. The succulent noodles are made, though not hand-pulled, in-house from scratch as well as the rich and flavorful broths. The popular “Stewed Beef, Tomato & Clam Noodle Soup” features the house made noodles in a rich tomato broth filled with plenty of tender beef and clams as well as fresh mushrooms and tomato chunks. Another favorite is the “Lion Head Meat Ball Noodle Soup,” which features traditional Shanghainese pork meatballs that represent the head of a Chinese guardian lion.

In addition to noodles, Gourmet Noodle House also offers classic dishes, such as sautéed crystal shrimp, sautéed fish slices in rice wine sauce and sweet and sour spare ribs. The noodles and the house specials capture the uniqueness of Shanghai’s cuisine that developed under profound influence from the neighboring Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. Jiangsu cooking emphasises the selection of ingredients according to the seasons and incorporates plenty of fish and seafood due to the region’s close proximity to rivers and the sea. Zhejiang dishes, not greasy and characterized by light, soft flavors, include poultry and seafood and bamboo shoots. Shanghai cuisine emphasises retaining ingredients’ original flavors and tastes sweeter compared to other Chinese cuisines.

Customers have different preferences, and Gourmet Noodle House’s menu has plenty of choices that can satisfy everyone’s palette. A customer’s ability to handle spice, fondness for meat or vegetables, preference for oily or light foods and inclination towards noodle soups or dry dishes would influence his or her choice, and even during busy hours, the patient waitress will take the time to suggest dishes that may suit his or her taste. The chefs are also willing to make accommodations if a customer has a certain request.

Popular with locals and students, as well as tourists, Gourmet Noodle House offers authentic Shanghainese fare at a reasonable price with both dine-in and to-go options. From steaming bowls of noodle soups to flaky sesame biscuits filled with red bean paste, every dish brings Shanghai culture to us, and us a little closer to Shanghai.