NYC Restaurants

I was drawn in by the spiced duck wings with hints of star anise, but stayed for the wonderful duck soup. Chong Qing Xiao Mian isn't your typical Chinese restaurant. It draws its following from a selection of hearty noodle soups, much like ramen, ranging from Streaky Pork Noodle, Cowpea Noodle and Mala Noodle made with spicy ground pork. Being a duck fanatic, I gravitated to the roast duck with layers of flavor from Shanghai bok choy, scallion, cilantro, parsley and sesame seeds. Oh, and a nice supply of tasty duck. There's also dry noodles, including Chongqing Cold Noodles, made with purple cabbage and stoned kelp. Other specialties include spiced pig ear and duck gizzards. Space is tight and that may mean waiting for a table.

- Thomas Rafael