Hand-pulled noodles make a splash in New York

NEW YORK - Groups of men regularly gather at the gate of a small noodle shop at noon in midtown Manhattan, chatting about office affairs while waiting for mouthwatering hand-pulled Chinese noodles to be served.

Like many white-collar workers in New York City trying to survive another day of stress at work, they visit Tasty Hand-pulled Noodles II, located on 9th Avenue, for a bowl of spicy and delicious noodles.

At this simply decorated but locally revered restaurant, set up by Liu Haokun, diners can find a wide spectrum of dishes. There are 25 varieties of noodle soups alone, with vegetable and egg noodle soup served with choice of broth and noodles, the top choice at $8.50 per bowl.