Stretch The Noodle

"Anyone who visits this downtown Portland food cart will likely spot chef Xuemei Simard quite literally stretching, slapping, and pulling noodles for bowls of killer beef soup or stir fries, fragrant with ma la or five spice. The dumplings, each packing a full shrimp with its tail poking out, are no slouch either." - Janey Wong

"The hand-pulled noodles at this downtown Portland cart are the stuff of legend, with the right balance of chew and tenderness. They arrive stir-fried with vegetables, swimming in a beefy broth, or tossed in a bright noodle salad — all for $15 or less. The $12 biang biang noodles would be our choice, tossed in a garlicky chile oil with the tang of black vinegar." - Katrina Yentch, Eater Staff

"It’s always a delight to watch chef and owner Xuemei Simard working away on her hand-pulled noodles inside the cart she owns with her husband, Duane. It’s even more satisfying to eat them, swirling in an invigorating Sichuan beef broth fragrant with five spice. If the cart is selling her shrimp dumplings, tails sticking out the side of the wrapper like a little handle, get them. Of course, like many food carts, takeout is a given; walk up to place an order." - Seiji Nanbu, Janey Wong, Rebecca Roland

"This Chinese cart in downtown’s Midtown Beer Garden is named for the hand-pulled, stretched, and slapped noodles that form the base of their beef soup, fragrant with five spice, and stir-fries slick with chili oil. The chewy texture of the noodles really shines in their stir-fried dishes with your protein of choice like tofu, chicken, or beef, and sliced scallions and crushed peanuts on top. The portions are big enough for two, so we recommend coming with a group, and ordering most of the menu (it’s short) so you can taste a variety of dishes." - krista garcia

"This sweet downtown Portland food cart lives up to its name: Chefs stretch chewy noodles of various shapes and sizes each day from within the Midtown Beer Garden pod. Some come tossed in chile oil; others arrive piled high with herbs in a delicate beef broth. Each noodle order, however, should also come with a set of fat shrimp dumplings, if available." - Rebecca Roland, Eater Staff