Photo: Chloe Chen
Yunnan Rice Noodle, also translated to Yunnan Cross-The-Bridge Noodle in Chinese, has a long history. It gained its name and style from a woman who crossed a bridge to bring lunch to her husband working on an island — therefore, she packaged the other ingredients separately from the noodles and broth to prevent the food from getting soggy. Downtown San Mateo’s Ten Seconds Yunnan Noodle brings this story to life, offering customers a unique meal experience.
Upon walking in, I was welcomed by staff and directed to choose a table. We arrived just as they opened so there was no line yet. The restaurant has a cozy, modern atmosphere lit up by a row of rustic bamboo lanterns. There are eleven tables split into two rows of seats, with around four people per table. Orchids sit on the cashier table, decorated with other Chinese ornaments. The waiter cheerfully greeted us and recommended customers’ favorite dishes, as well as described their flavors to better assist our choice.
They have an extensive menu to choose from, including four different soup bases and three to four versions of each base. There are red thumbs up next to signature dishes, making it easier for customers to choose from the many choices. Unlike other restaurants, the unique style of the cuisine, with the meal arriving with the soup base and bowls of ingredients to put in yourself, grants a “How to Eat?” section necessary to ensure optimal enjoyment. The first step is adding the beef and lettuce to the soup, followed by adding the other ingredients, finally ending with adding the rice noodles to the soup and waiting for “ten seconds.”
I began with two appetizers, dried velvet mushroom which cost $5.50 and salt pepper chicken cartilage which cost $8.99. The dried velvet mushroom, sprinkled with black sesame and cilantro, had a rich flavor with hints of garlic. The savory dish had a tinge of sweetness and included other vegetables such as purple onion and carrot that balanced the chewiness of the mushrooms. The salt pepper chicken cartilage had a perfect crispness complemented by the nice flavor of fried dried shallots. It is a unique and flavorful dish, but the cartilage might be a bit hard to chew for some.
For the main course, we ordered four dishes each costing $16.99. Three of the dishes were served with ingredients on the side and the pork tripe chicken rice noodles were already mixed. The ingredients on the side were the same for all three soup bases, containing peanuts, lotus, goji berry, leek, corn, mushroom, ham, quail egg, pickled cabbage, tofu skin and pieces of meat. The noodles were on the side in another bowl.
The pork bone soup base with original crossing-bridge rice noodles had hints of salt and was very soothing to drink. Due to the plain soup base, I could taste the original hints of the ingredients used to broil it. The meat is well cooked in the soup, adding a saltiness to the plain flavor. The tomato soup base with rice noodles had a nice mix of savoriness and sourness. I could taste the flavor of fresh tomatoes, and the chewy noodles balanced out the flavor. The hot and sour pickled pepper soup, with golden pork belly, was pungent and had a strong flavor.
It is a good dish to eat on cold days as it made me sweaty and hot afterward. As for the spice level, it was a bit spicy as I don’t usually eat spicy foods, but had a nice balance between the sour flavor. The pork tripe chicken rice noodles were surprisingly delicious with the pork trite having a chewy texture.
Finally, I ordered a double-layer milk roll for $5.99, a dessert not on their menu but recommended by the waiter. It was extremely well-fried — crunchy on the outside, contrasted by a soft, sticky filling with a sweet flavor. It wasn’t too sweet and is a perfect way to top off the meal. There were five rolls and considering the memorable texture and flavor, completely worth the price.
Whether you are looking for a casual restaurant to eat out or celebrate a special day, Ten Seconds Yunnan Rice Noodle is a unique and fun place to check out. The pricing is reasonable and “with 10 seconds you’ll get a good taste of Yunnan,” earning it a solid five out of five stars.
