Si Jie Noodle Express — Restaurant in San Jose

Was in the area and saw this newly-opened restaurant so decided to give it a try! I've been to other local restaurants with this name, so I'm not sure if they're all by the same owner.

I was impressed by the decor! The place has a fast-food vibe but it actually has some Chinese-looking decorations. The staff is very friendly and fast with taking order and answering questions. Ordering is done via a QR code as is the norm nowadays, took me sometime to go through the menu but they were very patient. They did keep getting my order/table confused with my neighbor though, but they're going through soft opening so I'm sure they'll get better quickly.

I ordered a dry noodle dish and a basket of xiaolongbao, and both were delicious! The xiaolongbao has fairly thin skin, compared to Din Tai Fung it's almost as thin but not quite as sturdy, one was already broken when it was served. There is a good amount of broth inside though! I did quite enjoy it. The dry noodle dish is good too, I packed most of it back to eat for dinner.

Overall enjoyed my meal! Will come back when I have noodles or bao...

Finally a great new spot in San Jose for Chinese-style braised dishes! Si Jie Noodle Express brings back all the flavors I miss from street-side 卤味 stalls in China.

We tried the Five-Item Braised Platter (pork belly, smoked duck, duck feet, duck gizzard, pork liver) — it also comes with braised rice, egg, and peanuts. Huge portion and only $20, perfect for sharing.

The smoked pork belly is incredible — smoky, tender, not greasy, melts in your mouth. The braised mix platter (pork stomach, chicken gizzard, duck feet, pork ear, seaweed) is super flavorful and not too salty, great with rice or beer.

Other highlights:

Stir-fried pork with rice noodles – chewy noodles with wok flavor. Pan-fried juicy buns – crispy bottom, thin skin, juicy filling. Cabbage pork buns – soft and homey taste.

Small but cozy shop, clean and comfortable. Prices are very reasonable, portions are big, and flavors are top-notch. They even sell frozen handmade buns and dumplings...

Food Ordered: Steamed Soup Dumpling Combination Chow Fun Chicken Chow Mein [Not pictured] Kung Pao Chicken (Stir fry) Red Oil Pork Won Tons Mixed Chili Beef (Stir fry) Broccoli Beef Mix Noodles Sweet Garlic Eggplant

The service was great. Gets a bit busy during lunch time but that’s to be expected. The ordering menu is via phone and I liked it because it had a picture of what each dish looks like. In addition, some of the food options lets you customize to remove certain ingredients or use an alternative. Overall, food was amazing and great portion for sharing.

Would...