Noodles and Dumplings - I'll Drink to That

Eateries that specialize in handmade Japanese ramen noodles and Chinese dumplings are not commonplace here in Southern New England, but when Johnson & Wales grad Yuan Yuan, chef-owner of Y Noodle & Bar, saw the success of a noodle shop in Boston, she thought, “Why not in Rhode Island?”

She found a location on Providence’s West Side and opened in February 2020. Through necessity she quickly turned to takeout, but now in-house dining has reopened along with a new outdoor deck. Most of the noodles, the soup dumplings, shumai and sauces at Y Noodle are house-made by Yuan, with dozens of variations in fillings and toppings. There are also “Y-Bowls,” with meat, fish or eel; Chinese pork buns; many dishes with a Japanese heritage; and two unusual customer favorites: “pork belly topped with cotton candy” and a scallion pancake rolled around two tempura shrimp (Y Shishu). Several of the Y cocktails incorporate Japanese sake, gin or liqueurs and feature yuzu, an East Asian citrus fruit. A Korean spirit called soju and many kinds of sake are also offered. The West Fountain Street block she’s on sports two craft breweries, too—so you can sample the suds and seek sustenance at Yuan’s Y Noodle.

Open 6 days, lunch and dinner. 425 W. Fountain St., Providence. 401.661.9666; YNoodleBar.com