Suzhou-style red soup noodles can often be found at hotel breakfasts, which suggests they are considered one of Suzhou’s traditional foods. But whether a hotel can truly capture the authentic flavor of those served at traditional noodle shops is questionable. That’s why when I first saw Suzhou red soup noodles at the first hotel, I didn’t try them. It wasn’t until the last day, at the hotel breakfast, that I finally picked up a bowl.
I had originally thought about finding a local noodle shop to try the real deal, but unfortunately time didn’t allow it, so I settled for the hotel version instead. Personally, I think many people might find it hard to get used to—especially visitors. The soup’s deep red color alone can be off-putting, not to mention the floating oil on top. Not everyone is comfortable having such a heavy bowl of noodles first thing in the morning, as it can feel like a burden.
But appearance isn’t everything—you only know once you taste it. The first aroma that came through was savory and rich. The noodles themselves were chewy and a little slippery, thin noodles that paired well with the toppings and the broth, making the flavors quite layered. I couldn’t finish the soup though—it was a bit too salty and greasy for me—but I did eat all the noodles. I believe this isn’t the true limit of Suzhou red soup noodles. There must be better versions out there that I didn’t get to try—or perhaps the truly traditional ones might even be too much for me to handle.
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