Beef noodles add spice to US food market

When you stroll down the streets of Silicon Valley in the United States, you might notice a newly opened restaurant called Mifen Prince.

Despite the odd name, once you step inside, the tangy, fermented sour broth will transport you to the misty forests of Southwest China.

The chain belongs to Chen Yuzhu, 40, a native of Guizhou province. Its signature dish is Huaxi beef rice noodles, an everyday food across the province, made with stewed beef, beef broth and vegetables.

The popular food originates from the Huaxi district in Guiyang, the capital of Guizhou.

On June 19, the opening day, the dining room buzzed with customers. The sour soup varieties proved the most popular. "This is a spicy, sour taste I've never experienced anywhere else," one customer told Chen. "In the first hour, we made over $1,000 (7,164 yuan)," Chen said proudly, showcasing bowls of noodles in a bright red broth, which was fermented from chili peppers and tomatoes.

While Guizhou rice noodles might seem exotic to some, US diners have embraced them.

"The US already has Vietnamese pho and Japanese ramen, but Guizhou rice noodles offer a uniquely gripping flavor experience, thanks to the spicy and sour soup," Chen explained.

Some Guizhou natives, however, might find Chen's version quite bold. "Back in Guizhou, Huaxi rice noodles usually come in a clear broth, and diners add seasonings themselves," Chen said.

But US customers seem to prefer richer broths and premium ingredients. That prompted Chen to draw inspiration from ramen and Korean chili pastes to craft his signature sour soup beef noodles.

Nonetheless, he still offers the traditional Huaxi version for customers craving an authentic taste of home. "When I opened my first shop in New York, most of my customers were Chinese. Now, after adapting the recipe, I'm happy to see Guizhou beef noodles attracting people from many different cultural backgrounds," Chen said.

Chen arrived in the US after graduating from university in 2008, and worked in foreign trade before deciding to bring his hometown flavors stateside.

He opened his first shop in the Flushing neighborhood in New York, believing there would be room for Guizhou rice noodles in a city as diverse as the Big Apple.

Having never worked in a restaurant before, he even spent six months in a Chinese restaurant learning the trade from the ground up. "I wasn't used to the fast pace at first. Running a restaurant is exhausting, and every detail matters. The biggest lesson I learned was perseverance."

Even in the week leading up to this new store's opening, Chen worked late into the night importing spices from Guizhou.

To preserve the soul of his noodles, he insists on using spices shipped directly from home and simmers beef bones with more than 40 seasonings to create a rich broth.

"Guizhou spices have their own character. Take Sichuan peppercorns, for example — we use ones from Xingyi that come straight from farmers, and their aroma is incredibly strong," he said.

Chen believes good food is the best ambassador for his homeland, more powerful than any billboard in Times Square. "Imagine you're tired from traveling and you find a bowl of fragrant Huaxi beef noodles in an airport corner — you'd never forget Guizhou," he said.

Asked why he switched from foreign trade to noodles, Chen replied simply, "I wanted to try something new, and I realized this is what I love."

As he expands his noodle empire across the US, the fame of Huaxi beef noodles has also surged back in China. Many tourists now insist on tasting a bowl, even if they have no idea where Huaxi actually is.

According to local media, the dish, which dates back to the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), received an industry standard in May, setting specifications for noodles, beef, soup base, chili paste, and pickled vegetables.

Prepackaging is helping the dish transcend regional boundaries. Like Guangxi's river snail rice noodles, Huaxi beef noodles are moving from small workshops into e-commerce and broader distribution channels, allowing consumers in Europe and beyond to taste flavors from Guizhou.

The new standards will boost product quality and brand reputation, paving the way for industrial-scale production, said Wang Hui, an associate researcher at the Guizhou Academy of Agricultural Sciences.

Wang Yi, deputy general manager of the Guizhou Huaxi Beef Rice Noodle Industry Development and Operation Group, a local producer, said, "Our central kitchen is able to produce three metric tons of broth and five tons of beef ingredients each month.

Through six company-owned stores and online platforms, we offer more than 10 products in flavors such as clear broth, sour soup, and a braised dish."

Wang Hui predicted, "Standardized manufacturing will also drive coordinated development across the entire supply chain, from rice cultivation and chili farming to cattle breeding and e-commerce."