Photos of the Week: Oodles of Noodles

There are a dozen different ways to get your noodle fix in Philadelphia. From traditional Italian pastas to centuries-old hand-drawn Chinese noodles, we wholeheartedly advocate for carb loading on a regular basis when there are so many delicious ways to do it.

Here are some photos and quick notes on some of the best noodles we've had in Philly lately.

(speaking of photos, check out all our pics from The Farmer & The Chef on our Facebook page. Great restaurant/farm pairing event in Wilmington, DE.)

Cold Sesame Noodles from Cheu Noodle Bar. (Washington West) Served with cucumber, seaweed and cilantro for just $10, they are a perfectly cool little dinner when ordered with some BBQ pig tails, pork belly buns or the best thing on the Cheu menu, the broccoli and Vietnamese sausage in peanut sauce. Cheu is also known for it's several ramen options. A trendy and casual little spot, you may have to sit at the bar but it's fun to watch them cook. Good lunch specials, too.

Go with the shaved noodles, they were the best at our table.

Shaved Noodle Soup at Nan Zhou Hand Drawn Noodle House. (Chinatown) Huge menu, dirt cheap, incredible noodle dishes with more than a century of history behind them. You can add a variety of different meats and fishes - beef, chicken, duck, ox tail, shrimp, clams, you name it - or go vegetarian. Great place to go with a group of friends, too. Bring some wine or beer and get there on the earlier side before the crowd. A must-try especially in cooler weather. You will not find noodles like this anywhere else.

Rigatoni in cream vodka sauce, shallots and prosciutto

Rigatoni Locanda at Sotto. (Rittenhouse Square) Tucked neatly in the shadows of the Walnut Street bridge on 24th Street, Sotto is an unassuming little BYOB from the much-respected owner of Radicchio Cafe. It serves traditional Italian pastas, pizzas, apps and entrees. We weren't blown away by the pizza but both our pastas, the Rigatoni and the Spaghetti Matriciana had surprisingly good sauce. If you're in the neighborhood, it's worth a stop in for a low-key, quality and affordable Italian meal.