Rice Noodle Cart

Supposedly she’s been a mainstay in the neighborhood since the nineties — and I found out today there’s a reason for that.
First — here’s the more interesting, important, true story part of my review (and probably why she’s a neighborhood mainstay). I was ordering my food and a homeless man grabbed my collar from behind and asked for money. Now I could hold my own but before I even reacted, my heroine Ms. Rice Noodle Cart Lady, promptly stood up, yelled at him, shooed him away, and then advised me to never give that man money. She protects her customers — she’s the best! Five stars for personnel.
And then she proceeds to make delicious food!
Now, here’s the five stars for food. I got the Rice Noodles and it’s WAY better than any dim sum restaurant could serve. Noodles were rolled very dense and chewy. The key is the peanut sauce and sesame seeds. Makes it much sweeter and thicker than other carts, although it lacked vegetables. Regardless, it’s essentially different from HK style and merits five stars on this dish alone. Also, the cart has fish balls and tea eggs among other items. And it’s cheap.
The cart is on the SE corner of East Broadway and Rutgers St.

Wow, Ican’t believe this is so good. Chun Fun is nice and soft with the savory sauce soaked in. The porridge is not so good unfortunately, but edible.

I love getting the rice noodles with fishballs with all the sauces. It makes for a quick, but filling breakfast and even as a snack. What’s even better is that it’s super cheap and conveniently located right outside of the East Broadway F train station!

Rice Noodles are outrageous! Cheap too!

The owner of this small street cart joint must rake in money! Each morning at the dawn of a work week the women is out there working hard serving dedicated new yorkers.
There is always a line whenever I would walk by in the morning but the service is fast! The prices are cheap! For $ 3 you’ll get a full meal. While she has so conveniently sets up shop outside of the F train station that catches an eye of all the commuters. The perfect place for a street cart business.

You can find this lady standing outside the f train station on warm days! She is so friendly and her food is so good. They’re all very cheap. There’s lo mein and mei fun (thin noodle), congee, glutinous rice, and a few more! There are two sizes. One styrofoam and one small quart. Get the small quart size for more! Simply delightful :)

Can’t beat the price! I don’t eat fish balls but the noodles are pretty darn tasty
Get there early. When the lady sells out she’s gone. Cash only obviously

Deliciousness! I have been waiting for her for a few days to open. The little Chinese lady states that she was off because of the blizzard. But that she is back now and usually there mon-​fri from early in the morning till the afternoon. I got the medium rice rolls for $ 3.25. Omg it was so good, fresh and just the right texture. It was so much food, I couldn’t finish it, next time I would probably just get the small and next time I’ll definitely get it with fish balls and the congee. The lady was also really nice and quick. Although there was a line already by the time I got there, it moved pretty quick. She is a one woman show but she was pleasant while packing up my food. One star off because the hours are so sporadic and I can’t always get it when I want it.

Although I could get fish balls and rice noodles for 25 – 50 cents cheaper at different carts/​places, I always buy it here. The only reason why I always come back her is the lady that owns it. She’s so sweet and fast with the service. You order what you want and 15 – 20 seconds later, you pay for it. 2 thumbs up for the sweet owner and a cheap but filling meal :)

This same lady has been working at this stand since I was in elementary school and now I’m a graduate and working for a few years now. But forget about me… Let’s get to the food.
She serves a huge variety but the best is of course the steamed rice noodles with fish balls. I get all the sauces available (soy sauce, hoisin sauce, hot sauce, and peanut sauce) the combo is incredible and a small box is enough for a snack during the afternoon or even for breakfast (she opens early. Around 7ish). I also like her beef tripe and turnip. She used to remember me a few years ago. But seems to forgotten but it’s okay. She has a huge customer base I’m sure. Definitely come grab something from her stall if you are in the area

Right outside of the east Broadway F station! The menu is pretty simple since it is just a street cart.
I really liked her curry fishballs and would recommend asking her to put the curry fishballs if you order fishballs with rice noodles. They give you more fishballs here than Wah Fung on chrystie street but the price is slightly more expensive.

I grew up in this neighborhood and always remember walking by this area to go to my grandmother’s house or after shopping with my parents in chinatown. We would always pick up some cherng fun and fishballs from the rice noodle cart right outside the east broadway train station on our way back and that would be our lunch treat for the day. There is just something very satisfying about the marriage of the sauces they put on the steamed rice noodles the soy, hoisin, peanut, and hot sauce with a sprinkling of sesame seeds on top is great. Fishballs are a quarter extra with your rice noodles and they all squish in together nicely. The portion is not as big as it used to be and its no longer a dollar anymore but $ 2 isn’t a bad deal for all of the memories it brings back from eating it in times past. The lady that now runs it has eclectic hours. She comes early and leaves around 3:30−4 and sometimes she takes sundays off. But whenever I spot the cart I know what I am having for lunch that day.

One word — delectable.
She’s only here mondays through fridays and if you come by after 2:00, chances are she is sold out of most things because it is that popular. Throughout the years the price has increased and the quality has not decreased.
My usual is the glutinous rice with chicken or the rice noodle with fishballs because they always taste great whether in the hot sticky summer or cold winters.
If you have yet to try this small cart with a lovely lady serving up delicious food, you must try it. As for me, I will be returning as often as I can.

I used to go to school at P. S 2 (a block away from the cart), and everyday after school my mom would either buy me a pork bun from the Wing Soon restaurant (which has closed) in front of this cart, or the delicious noodles with fish balls from this cart.
Back in the 90s, yes, the 90s (she’s been running this cart with her husband for that long), I remember a rice noodle with fish ball dish would cost $ 1. Now, I don’t know the price, but I’m pretty sure it’s still affordable. The lady would remember me since my mom and I would visit her every other day. Now, I doubt she actually remembers me, since I moved and haven’t been to this cart in years, and I’ve also gotten fatter.
Anyways, the rice noodle with fish balls is the most popular order. Topped with peanut butter sauce, a sprinkle of sesame and soy sauce, it’s the perfect snack in the area to leave you satisfied. Would I come back? You bet!
P.S: There used to be an older gentleman running a different cart on East Broadway and Pike in front of the then Hong Kong Supermarket serving up the same thing. I haven’t seen him in years and I’ve wondered what he’s been up to.

Always long line when I pass by in the morning. most people get the rice noodles mix with different sauce. I like her tea leaf egg instead. 1.25 for 3 eggs. Is messy to eat with the shell. this cart close early. sometimes I see her her pack up by 4 or earlier. The woman who work the stand is very friendly to customers.

Nice, quick, affordable snack or meal situated right outside the F train East Broadway station. Items are made quick, packed, and ready to go. Hot and tasty treats. My go to item here are the dried shrimp rice noodles which are mixed with soy, hoisin, and choice of peanut sauce or hot sauce. Filling and deliscious. They even have pan fried noodles at a huge portion. Lot’s of veggies and ingredients with rice noodles. Very satisfying. Service is quick and great.

Fish balls and steamed rice noodle rolls with hoisin and peanut sauce. Topped with sesame seeds and and optional drizzle of hot sauce. The woman running the cart has been doing this since I was a little girl and her hours have gotten a lot less predictable, but she’ll be there on the corner on most mornings and early afternoons. Give it a shot if you’re in the area and down for an authentic Chinese breakfast.
Pros: Cheap and fast!
–You can ask for the noodles without the dried shrimp. Noodles are always soft with the right amount of chew.
–Sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaves is also a solid pick.
Cons: Can get a little messy with sauce spilling out from the styrofoam container. If you got the medium/​large in the plastic container, you’re good to go.
–Cart has been a lot less routine and predictable, but she’ll be there on the corner on most mornings and early afternoons.

I’ve been coming to this cart since before I could speak English. It has been the same little lady for almost 20 years.
I love her rice noodles w/​fishballs. Her sauce is not overwhelming.
Her hours seem to be more randomn nowadays but if you see her out stop by. I gave her a ⁴⁄₅ because over the years, her prices have increased but she’s also giving out smaller portions.

Affordable and decent for a breakfast. I always wonder why Chinese selling their food at such lower price. Will they make money? Actually they will and that’s their strategy. I prefer rice noodle than normal noodles, because they are better absorbed by my body.
White rice is healthy and delish.

I am not well versed in Fuzhou cuisine, but I am definitely interested in learning about it.
I live in a neighborhood where there are a few Fuzhou supermarkets, tons of Fuzhou restaurants and everything else in Chinatown now.
Fuzhou is a Southern province in China, not too far from Hong Kong. These days in Chinatown, all you hear spoken on the streets is Fujianese. This is new wave of Chinese immigrants.
With an influx of people from Fuzhou brings also their food. This cart sells Fuzhou specialties. Definitely come here to try the rice noodles with fish balls (no meat). $ 3 for a medium size container. The lady also tops it with chili sauce, peanut sauce, hoisin sauce and sesame seeds. There was a long ling when I came in the afternoon, but it was worth it.
She also sells other things also. Tea eggs, plain rice noodles, mien, and lotus wrapped sticky rice.
If you’re around here and see the long snaking towards the East Broadway F stop, definitely try it out, you won’t be disappointed, I promise.