The Best Chinese Beef Noodle Soup in Orange County / Los Angeles

Believe me when I say that I have tried more than my fair share of beef noodle soups in the Orange County AND in the Los Angeles area.  Since beef noodle soup is OC Foodie's boyfriend's #1 favorite food, we have dined at countless restaurants to find the tastiest beef noodle soups in Southern California.  Listed below are only the places that I remember that have made an impression, and I'm sure there are many restaurants we have ordered beef noodle soup but didn't pass the average test.

The end result?  This may be one of the most comprehensive lists and reviews of beef noodle soup restaurants in the OC/LA area.  And as we try more places, this post will probably have to be updated every so often!  (Many of these places were tried before I started this blog... apologies for lack of pics.)

In order (from low to high):

• 88 Beef Noodle (Arcadia, CA) -> Rating:  3 out of 5 
• A&J Restaurant (Irvine, CA and Arcadia, CA) -> Rating:  3 out of 5 
• 101 Noodle Express (Irvine, CA) -> Rating:  3 out of 5 
• Tasty Noodle House (Irvine, CA) -> Rating:  3 out of 5 
• I-Tea Cafe (Irvine, CA) -> Rating:  3 out of 5 
• Phoenix Food Boutique (Arcadia, CA) -> Rating:  3 out of 5 
• Luscious Dumpling (Monrovia, CA)-> Rating:  3 out of 5 
• Tofu King (Irvine, CA and Arcadia, CA) -> Rating:  3.5 out of 5 
• Sinbala (Arcadia, CA)  -> Rating:  3.5 out of 5
• Dai Ho Restaurant (Temple City, CA)  -> Rating:  4 out of 5
• Capital Noodle Bar (Irvine, CA)  -> Rating:  4 out of 5
• Class 302 Cafe (Irvine, CA) -> Rating:  4 out of 5
• Din Tai Fung (Costa Mesa, CA and Arcadia, CA) -> Rating:  4 out of 5
• O'shine Taiwanese Cafe (Tustin, CA) -> Rating:  4.5 out of 5
• Bull Demon King Cafe (Rosemead, CA) -> Rating:  4.5 out of 5
• King Chops (Irvine, CA) -> Rating:  4.5 out of 5
• Noodle King (Alhambra, CA) -> Rating:  4.5 out of 5
• Monja Taiker (Rowland Heights, CA) -> Rating:  4.5 out of 5

And the winner is.... 

Spicy beef and tendon noodle soup

• Chef Hung Taiwanese Beef Noodle (Irvine, CA) !!  -> Rating:  5 out of 5.  

I had done my research and browsed their website before deciding to try this restaurant.  I am always hesitant to venture out to the super busy (and very difficult to find parking) Diamond Jamboree plaza. I have to admit, the description instantly caught my eye... "Award winning Taiwanese beef noodle soup!" I was already in the mood for trying a new restaurant and after reading this on their website, I was suckered and convinced into trying this place.  

The soup broth was very rich and flavorful, the beef and tendons were tender, and the noodles seem to be handmade with the perfect amount of chewy-ness.  This is by far the best beef noodle soup I've had (and I've tried quite many places)!

Spicy wontons

Another dish that I usually order are the spicy wontons, which were good but didn't deliver like the beef noodles did. (Best spicy wontons would have to go to Noodle King.)  The bean curd side dish ($4) was skimpy and dry and unfortunately not quite as good as any of the other restaurants above.  

For a bowl of beef noodle soup (range from $7-10), the price of ~$11-12 is definitely the most priciest so far. But after trying out the very comprehensive list of restaurants (and there may be a few I may not remember or did not make an impression), this has been the best so far and I will be coming back!  

BCD Tofu House (Korean)

 

One of my very first Korean food experiences was at BCD Tofu House in K-Town, Los Angeles.  It takes me way back to my undergrad college days where friends introduced me my first soon tofu where we cracked raw eggs into steamy pots of steamy spicy tofu soup.


As I entered the BCD location in the busy Diamond plaza in Irvine, I had a sense of nostalgia as I looked at the familiar sign.  I also caught a glimpse of a sign that said it was open "24 hours" which is pretty crazy for such a popular restaurant.  Thoughts of being able to get some delicious food at 11pm or even 2am crossed my mind...

Side dishes

Side dishes - small fried fish

I ordered the soon tofu (of course!) with seafood since I have been imaging the taste of >8-10 years ago.  It came with rice in steaming stone pots and a decent amount of side dishes (Kim Chee, radish, fish cake, salad, potato salad) including a small fried fish which was a nice surprise.   Thinking back, I remember my friend had saved this fish to bring back to the dorms to enjoy later as a snack.  The kim he also included 1 Raw oyster, which was unexpected (thus, confirmed with waitress they intended for it to be in there). 

Steamed rice

Seafood soon tofu soup

The soup came out bubbling.  Raw eggs were provided to crack into the hot steaming earthen pots of soup. My seafood tofu soup (soondubu) was good as I had remembered, but not too hearty or filling as it could've been.  Perhaps the K-town location was more generous or times may have changed, but there were only  a few pieces of squid, a couple wimpy shrimp and clams. 

Prices were fair (although a few dollars more than it had been back in the day) and I would come back if craving Korean foods at odd times considering this is open all day!

Rating: 4 out of 5

Cost: $$

Service: 4 out of 5 
Recommend: Yes