Gene's Woburn

I thought it would be fitting to start this write-up of Gene's Chinese Flatbread Cafe in Woburn by again having the first dish I ever tried when he was located in the middle of nowhere in Chelmsford. He now takes Credit Cards. There is free on-street parking and also a lot opposite.

Gene relocated to Woburn since the old location was being torn down to make way for affordable housing. After that, he added the Boston and Westford locations.

#4 Hand-Pulled Noodles 油泼扯面[ ($6.87 $7.56 $8.50). "Freshly hand-pulled noodles, seasoned with minced garlic, crushed cayenne peppers, chopped scallion, and cilantro." I ordered it extra spicy. The extra spicy actually worked. I wonder what happened to the big blob of garlic that used to be on top? You now have the option to order this with meat. I had to ask what the protein was. I picked pork (+2.50). I didn't expect to get this large amount of meat that was really delicious. It wasn't until I ordered this online that I was made aware of this option.

Ordering online incurs a surcharge, so it's better to call them directly. It's also better to pick up your food yourself, if possible. The delivery service takes a significant cut from the restaurants. You didn't think they survived on tips alone, did you? Yes, I wrote this a while ago, but it's still true.

Here is the #10 HOT SOUR DUMPLING SOUP 酸汤水饺 ($10.35). "House made pork dumplings (12-13 dumplings) in spicy, sour soup with bean sprouts, onions, carrots, cilantro, and black sea weeds". This is absolutely delicious and has plenty of tasty dumplings. I always forget to count them, but there must be at least a dozen of the tasty morsels in there. They have now added veggies to the soup, adding a nice texture. The soup itself is excellent.

#2 LAMB HAND-PULLED NOODLE SOUP 羊肉烩面 ($12.95). "Freshly hand-pulled noodles in lamb broth with slow cooked lamb, dried lily flowers, and wood ear mushroom, add with chilly oil and cilantro." There were mushrooms in the soup; the only one I recognized was the Wood Ear Mushroom, but they were all tasty. The lamb actually tasted of lamb. The hand-pulled noodles are Escherish since they have no beginning or end. They are fascinating and toothsome with a delightful texture. The noodles were extra good today since they were thinner than usual. The broth looked really weak but wasn't. Full of flavor and spicy since I ordered it extra spicy. I managed to eat about half and will have the rest for dinner.

#16 HOT SOUR HAND-PULLED NOODLE SOUP 酸汤扯面 ($9.97). "Freshly hand-pulled noodles in spicy sour soup with pork and bean sprouts, carrots, cilantro". Extra spicy, and that actually works here. Tons of tasty pork and lots of noodles. Well, there is only one. The broth is really excellent and both hot and sour. You can now get a knife and fork for utensils, so now you can cut the noodle into manageable pieces. Finally, I can use the spoon for broth and noodles. It's self-service, but the staff behind the counter is always pleasant.

Address: 466 Main St, Woburn, MA 01801 (781) 938-6888

Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.

-- Mahatma Gandhi