Fresh Chow Fun noodles?

[invinoveritas]

Does anyone know where to buy fresh chow fun noodles, preferably in the East Bay?

[bigwheel042]

How long will unrefrigerated fresh noodles keep? I just bought a package at New May Wah and absentmindedly stuck them in my refrigerator...

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New May Wah
719 Clement St, San Francisco, CA

[Tumkers]

So Ranch 99 and other large Chinese grocery stores usually have them *near* the refrigerated section off to the side of produce on a metal rollaway cart. However, if everyone decides to make chow fun the same day they run out. If you go earlier in the day, the better your chances.

The packages do say "keep refrigerated" so I have refrigerated them if I haven't used them the same day-- but it adds a step to your dish. You have to take out the hard noodles and steam them in a ceramic dish set on a rack or in a steamer with a little water until just heated through about 10 min. This method is in the Blonder and Low book, Every Grain of Rice.

[david kaplan]

One disadvantage of the packaged noodles is that they are often difficult to pull apart into single strips without tearing, even if they're not refrigerated. At Kun Wo, where I buy them fresh and unpackaged, they toss a just-cut pile into a plastic bag, and they stay loose and separate until I cook them. That way, my fried chow fun noodles (often as pad kee mao) consists mostly of long, individual, unclumped strands -- I rarely get as good results with the 99 Ranch packaged noodles. Plus it's fun to watch the noodle-making and -cutting machines while they prep your order.

[david kaplan]

Kun Wo, in SF, right near 16/Mission BART.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/526978

[Robert Lauriston]

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/20334

[invinoveritas]

I might have to make the trip to SF....

[Robert Lauriston]

You can find them at Yuen Hop in Oakland.

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Yuen Hop
824 Webster St, Oakland, CA

[carieshmarie]

I keep hearing about chow fun noodles at Yuen Hop, but have yet to see them there. I've only seen the bags of egg noodles. Does anyone know where in the store the rice noodles are? I've tried asking, but didn't get a straight answer.

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Yuen Hop
824 Webster St, Oakland, CA

[kc72]

nr the registers in the middle of the store

[yimster]

If I remember right they close on Wednesday. So call first before making the trip.

[wolfe]

Ranch 99.

[invinoveritas]

tried Ranch 99 in Concord; they only carry the wide dried rice noodles....not exactly what I would like

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99 Ranch
4299 Rosewood Dr, Pleasanton, CA 94588

[wolfe]

The Richmond store has them in the cooler next to the produce department along with the tofu and green onion pancakes.

[kc72]

Yup

And if the OP is looking in the Concord area, maybe the Country Square Market might have them also

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Country Square Market
510 Contra Costa Blvd, Pleasant Hill, CA

[Melanie Wong]

Rice noodles that have been refrigerated are to be avoided.

[K K]

Correct. The problem with some Ranch 99 markets is that they pretty much stick all ho fun type rice noodles into the refrigerator section, hardening them in the process (and also drying them very quickly).

Marina Foods in San Mateo (for example), they put them on a separate wooden shelf, next to the dry noodles, and never stick them in the refrig. I have a feeling they are trucked in already refrigerated (or under cold storage conditions), and just let them sit in the store. When the supplies are restocked, you can tell they are "fresh" so to speak, as when you gently poke a package of ho fun (or banh cuon/cheung fun, the ones from Hon's Wun Tun Noodle House via SF) with your finger, it is supple yet a little bouncy.

In the East Bay I would try some mom and pop grocery shop in Chinatown (Oakland) instead, or Marina Foods supermarkjet locations in Union City and Fremont, assuming they practice similarly to San Mateo where they don't stick the ho fun lai fun cheung fun in the refrig.

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Noodle House
1305 Gateway Blvd Ste E7, Fairfield, CA 94533

99 Ranch
4299 Rosewood Dr, Pleasanton, CA 94588