Special Noodle - Santa Cruz: Authentic Chinese Comfort Food & Hearty Noodle Soups

The potion sizes were huge so make sure you don't go overboard with the dishes. We got a small size hot and sour soup which came in a large bowl. It as quite flavorfull and soothing. We got the pepper lemon chicken, noodle soup with pork belly and butter noodles. Everything tasted quite nice.

Fast, delicious, great portions. Definitely recommend the lamb stone pot noodle soup and crab rangoons. Going into food coma now

Our hotel was within walking distance of this wonderful establishment. Authentic food, fast and friendly service (QR code ordering), they even allowed our small dog to be inside with us. We ate here 2 days in a row. Not everything is pictured here since we ate right away and forgot to take some pictures. -Xiaolong Bao (steamed), and pan-fried baos （生煎包）were very delicious and juicy. Beef as well as pork noodle soups are tender, the broth was flavorful. We ordered flat noodles option which were so fresh it seemed handmade. The fresh cucumber (拍黄瓜）salad was exceptionally authentic as prepared like in the northern part of Chinese region. Green onion pancakes are crispy, not greasy. Fried sesame balls with red bean paste are not oily, good choice as desert. Will be back for sure next time we visit north Cal! Hope they open a location in SoCal!

The stone-cooked fillets are amazing—tender, juicy, and packed with that sizzling stone-pot aroma. The slightly fried dumplings are perfectly crisp on the outside and soft inside, making them super satisfying. And the pork knuckles are rich, tender, and full of bold, comforting flavor. Overall, a delicious place to enjoy well-crafted Chinese comfort food!

I love the authenticity of their dishes. It's really good, however, not for everyone. My children and Fiancée did not care for how oily some of the dishes are. I also like the convenience of ordering, 1st, scan the QR code, which is the menu that's on the table 2nd, pick your food preferences, and then 3rd submit order. You will automatically know the total of your bill. You can pay card, cash, or tap (google or apple Pay) by the counter. One thing that I really enjoyed was their red vinegar. This is the best so far of all the Chinese restaurants I've been. This place has the best red vinegar. It truly complimented and enhanced the flavor of the dish where I added the vinegar to. The dishes are family style, I believe. Per order is good for 3 to 4 people, so make sure to check the menu online before ordering. Rice are not paired with the entrees (ask first to be sure). This place is pricey but I love the food. It's worth it for me.

Amazing food, and a super friendly staff! We tried lots of goodies and LOVED the crispy crab ragoon. The beef wrap was something very new for us and delicious. Now, about the dining room music and the Chinese propaganda TV blaring at the same time. Even after requesting to hear one or the other we were still in loud contrast land. That is super annoying, almost like the dishes you can hear in the video. I would come back for the food.

Delicious! An unexpected traditional find in Santa Cruz. Friendly staff as well. We got spicy beef noodle soup, fish noodle soup, mapo tofu, cucumber salad, and eggplant + string beans. Portions were very generous, enough to take some to go. We reached the $88 limit and got free soup dumplings :)