China Town Express- Newcastle Upon Tyne UK.

“Noodle soup with char siu” says me. “Do you want the char siu on the side or in the soup” says he. “On the side I say with confidence and excitement.” He nods in approval as he takes my order. After a pause, a glance of acknowledgment, he whisks away my knife and fork, the standard implements assigned to most other patrons in this unassuming eatery, replaces them with chopsticks, smiling, as I show my appreciation with a nod.

The dish arrives, as above, beautiful in it’s simplicity, perfect noodles, sublte, aromatic broth, a feat of precision and soul in itself. And then there’s the char siu. I’ve eaten a lot of BBQ pork in my time, I was gobsmacked. The crunch of the perfectly charred fat, the sweetness of the delicate meat enhanced but not overpowered by the marinade. It was a meal I was sure to remember, a meal I ate alone, with joy and rapture.

Here, in this working class city, shops are boarded up, there is a distinct feeling of emptiness on the streets,  the residents packed up and shipped out in search of work and a better life. Here it is that I find the best meal I encountered in the country. Now, months later, I still dream about it and wonder, will I ever find myself turning the corner and walking into China Town Express again, to sip on hot Hong Kong tea, waiting for char siu perfection to manifest, or, is it better kept as a memory…….