AMONGST THE NATIONS
>> Tati: WELL, IN HONOR OF THE
GAMES BEING HELD IN BEIJING, WE
THOUGHT WE’D SHOW YOU WHERE TO
GET AN AUTHENTIC TASTE OF THEIR
CUISINE.
WE’LL TAKE YOU THE DINE IN THE D
AT NOODLE OPEN TOPIA.
>> STEAMING BOWLS OF NOODLES,
SOME NICE AND SPICY, OTHERS WARM
AND SAVORY, IS WHAT YOU’LL FIND
HERE AT NOODLE OPEN TOPIA.
>> THE REASON THEY’RE KIND OF
FALLING, THEY’RE USING EXTREMELY
HIGH FLOWERS TO DO THIS.
AND YOUR TECHNIQUE REALLY IS
TENDER.
AS WELL AS YOU CAN CHOOSE.
>> IT’S THE KIND OF FOOD OWNER
LI JAI GREW UP WITH.
>> MY HOMETOWN IS ABOUT A FIVE
HOURS DRIVE SOUTH ON BEIJING.
YOU KNOW, THE SOUTH PART IS
DEALING WITH RICE, BUT THE NORTH
PART IS FLOWERS.
I’VE BEEN EATING NOODLES SINCE
MY CHILDHOOD.
>> HE FIRST CAME THE MICHIGAN TO
GO TO SCHOOL.
>> I STARTED MECHANICAL
ENGINEERING OF FOOD.
I COULDN’T FIND NEW ENGLAND
SIMILAR HERE.
I WANT THE BRING ALL OF THESE
ASIAN NOODLES TO HERE.
>> NOODLE TOPIA OPENED IN 2017,
BUT HE STAYS TRUE TO HIS
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
BACKGROUND, BRINGING IN THESE NEW-AGE SERVERS.
NEW-AGE SERVERS.
>> WE HAVE PEOPLE ESCORTED TO
THE TAKES.
MOST PEOPLE LOVE IT.
>> BUT IT’S NOT JUST NOODLES
THEY’RE SERVING UP.
>> I CANNOT WAIT TO DIG IN.
SO LET’S GET INTO THE MENU.
WE’RE GOING TO START WITH SOME
OF THEIR DIM SUM OR SMALL
PLATES.
THESE ARE THEIR BEEF DUMPLINGS,
SO THEY’RE STUFFED WITH BEEF,
ONION, AND CARROTS.
AN THEY COME STEAMING TO YOUR
TABLE.
NEXT WE HAVE KIND OF A DIFFERENT
TAKE ON POTATO SALAD, AT LEAST
FOR MOST AMERICANS.
SO IT’S THINLY CUT POTATOES WITH
GREEN ONIONS, AND THAT RECOMMEND
TOPPING IT WITH A CHILI OIL.
ANOTHER GREAT VEGAN OPTION IS
THIS GREEN ONION PIE.
SO IT’S KIND OF LIKE A SAVORY
PANCAKE FILLED WITH LOTS OF
FLAVORFUL SPICES AND GREEN
ONIONS WITH A NICE CRISPY
EXTERIOR.
ROUNDING OUT THE DIM SUM WE HAVE
THIS BUN STUFFED WITH PORK
BELLY.
MOVING ON TO THE NOODLES, ONE OF
THEIR MOST POPULAR DISHES ARE
THESE BEEF NOODLES.
THE BEEF IS THINLY SLICED AN
SERVED ON TOP OF NOODLES AND IT
COMES WITH GREEN ONION,
CILANTRO, AND WHITE RADISHES,
ALL IN THIS NICE SAVORY BONE
BROTH WITH A HINT OF CHILI OIL.
NEXT WE HAVE ONE OF MY PERSONAL
FAVORITE, THE SCHEZUAN NOODLES.
IT HAS GROUND PORK, BOK CHOY,
PEANUT, LOTS OF GARLIC.
YOU HAVE SOYBEANS HERE, GREEN
ONION, CILANTRO, AND IT’S ALL IN
THIS SPICY YET SLIGHTLY SWEET
BROTH.
IF YOU WANT TO TASTE A BEIJING,
CHECK OUT THESE BEIJING NOODLES.
SO THIS ONE ISN’T SERVED IN A
BOTH BUT INSTEAD YOU GET THIS
VERY SAVORY PORK BELLY SOYBEAN
SAUCE THINLY SLICED.
CUCUMBERS, PICKLED CARROTS AND
IT’S FINISHED WITH A FRIED EGG.
AND FINALLY WE HAVE A NOODLE
DISH FROM HIS HOMETOWN.
THESE ARE THE LAMB NOODLES.
THIS IS DEFINITELY FOR THE LAMB
LOVERS OFF HERE.
THIS IS LOTS OF NICE, RICH,
SAVORY FLAVORS.
YOU ALSO HAVE MUSHROOMS, A BIT
THICKER STYLE NOODLES.
GOJI, DAY LILY, AND IT’S
FINISHED WITH A BED OF CILANTRO
TO BRIGHTEN IT UP.
>> Tati: THIS PLACE LOOKS SO
GOOD.
>> IT REALLY IS.
>> Tati: SO MICHELLE, THIS IS
ONE OF YOUR PERSONAL FAVORITES,
THOUGH, WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND?
>> MY PERSONAL FAVORITE IS THE
SCHEZUAN NOODLES.
I’M NOT A SUPER SPICY GIRL.
I THINK THINGS MILD.
THAT’S THE PERFECT AMOUNT OF
SPICE, BUT YOU CAN KIND OF
CREATE YOUR OWN.
THEY COME WITH A BUNCH OF
ACCOUTREMENTS.
I BELIEVE WE HAVE A VIDEO HERE.
YOU CAN CUSTOMIZE IT.
THEY HAVE HOMEMADE CHILI OIL TO
MAKE IT MORE SPICY.
IN THE MIDDLE YOU HAVE VINEGAR,
WHICH GIVES IT A SOUR TANG.
THAT’S MORE POPULAR IN WESTERN
CHINA.
AND THEN IF YOU WANT IT A LITTLE
SALTIER, OF COURSE, YOU HAVE THE
SOY SAUCE.
SO MAKE IT HOW YOU WANT IT TO
BE.
>> Tati: I LIKE THAT,
CUSTOMIZATION.
SO TELL US ABOUT THOSE COOL
ROBOTS.
HOW DO THEY WORK?
THEY LOOK LIKE LITTLE CATS.
>> THEY’RE ADORABLE.
SO BASICALLY THERE’S TWO
DIFFERENT ONES.
THIS ONE IS KIND OF YOUR HOSTESS
OR HOST ROBOT.
SO YOU SEE HERE, THAT’S BASED ON
HOW MANY PEOPLE YOU HAVE AT YOUR
TABLE.
YOU ENTER IN THAT, YOU START
ESCORTING, AND IT WILL TAKE YOU
TO YOUR TABLE, AND IT ACTUALLY
KNOWS WHERE TO GO BASED ON
MAGNETS.
WHAT’S THE SCIENCE BEHIND THOSE.
HOW DOES THAT WORK.
IT KNOWS WHERE TO GO.
AND OF COURSE THERE IS ANOTHER
ONE THAT WILL COME BY AND
DELIVER YOUR FOOD.
NOT THE NOODLES.
THAT’S OBVIOUSLY HOT AND COULD
SWAP, BUT ANY OF THE DRY FOODS
AND YOUR DRINK, AS WELL.
>> OKAY.
GOOD FOOD AND A LITTLE FUN WITH
THE ROBOTS MIXED IN THERE.
SO WHERE ARE THEY LOCATED?
>> THEY ARE LOCATED IN MAD ISN’T
HEIGHTS OFF JOHN R. ROAD ALMOST
EXACTLY BETWEEN 12 MILE AND 13
MILE
>> Tati: ALL RIGHT.