About five years ago (I guess) Steve and I noticed a new noodle shop on 3rd Avenue at 84th Street, it was a convenient and enjoyable spot to grab a bite to eat. It was and still is Lili's Noodle Shop and Grill Lili's 3rd Ave -- we went back again tonight and it was as good as ever.

The weather in NYC is still pretty sour-- overcast, raining, seventies, so I went for some soup. I had the Wonton and Roast Pork with Udon noodles. While I'm not happy that the bowl was $9.45, I was extremely impressed with how perfectly executed it was. The roast pork was cooked perfectly and had the right flavor of five-spice balanced by a bit of sweetness, it was moist and tender. For $1.50 (the original price was $7.95) I added the udon- it was perfectly cooked, and it was the slightly-flattened shape, which I prefer because it seems to be easier to eat. The soup was piping hot, while Jessica prefers the narrower shaped bowls, I prefer the wide mouth like this, so it cools enough that I can eat it.

Steve enjoyed his Vegetable Mai Fun and Bubble Tea, I didn't try either so I can't comment directly on them. What I can comment on was the great service, a common problem in Chinese restaurants. We were seated promptly, served the water as requested (no ice), and when I asked for the traditional soup spoon, rather than the metal type, it was delivered without fail (as shown in the picture above).

Here's another example of the service quality. Steve and I split a Large Roast Pork Bun (which again, was pricey at $1.95). When ordering, the waiter informed me that it would take a while for the bun to arrive, and he recommended we don't wait; I agreed. When it did arrive, it was hot outside, but still frozen in the center (I had cut it in half). I notified our waiter, he rushed it away and arrived a bit later with a whole new one (i.e. not cut in half) and apologized profusely. Those little touches make all the difference.

We enjoyed our meal and Steve had plenty to take home (I didn't finish my soup either, but didn't take it home). If you haven't been to Lili's I recommend giving them a try; there's a second location on North End Lili's North End as well.