After not having been to Sue’s Kitchen for about a year, the feeling was like seeing an old friend again. There was a new waiter that I had not seen before, some of the cold side dishes at the counter had changed.

I don’t really know why it took so long to come back here, I used to eat here at least a couple times a week, this was like my regular go-to-place for a casual meal.

The restaurant is small, around ten tables, so the place is usually packed during meal hours.

Most of the patrons here order the Stew Beef Noodle Soup, which is what this restaurant is known for. Thick chunks of tender beef and tendon atop a bed of chewy noodles in a dark red robust spicy broth. I, however, not being a big meat eater, usually opt for either the Minced Pork Noodle, or Vegetables with Noodle.

This evening, a friend and I ordered the Xiao Long Bao (Steamed pork dumpling), which came only four to an order for around $3. I actually prefer the smaller portion size of the XLB here rather than the usual eight that most places offer. The skin was medium thickness, not too thin, the way I like it. The pork filling was moist and juicy.

We also had the Minced Pork Noodle, long chewy noodles with a mixture of minced tofu and pork, julienne cucumber and 2 halves of an soy sauce egg. The Onion Pancakes that my friend ordered was soft, yet a tad crispy at the same time. She had no problem finishing most of the pancakes.

One of the reason that patrons like me come here is probably because of the very fresh selections of cold side dishes that one can pick and choose from at the counter area. There are usually around ten items to pick from. We chose the Pickled Cucumbers, Spicy Sliced Beef Stomach, and the Bean Curd Skin. Each selection had its own distinct flavor and complimented our meal well.

Sue’s Kitchen: 23918 Crenshaw Blvd. Torrance, CA 90505  Phone: 310-539-1992