(This venue is closed.) Liuzhou rice noodles are native to a city of that name in the Guangxi region of southern China. The're also widely known as luosifen, literally "snail rice noodles." In China the snails — some sort of river-going mollusks — generally figure only in flavoring the broth, except, reportedly, at higher-end restaurants. In Vietnam, which borders Guangxi, a related dish called bun oc commonly includes the snail meat, too.
At this food-court stall, the base was a "seafood soup" (according to the wall menu; language barriers clouded full investigation). My bowl, however, had little marine or riverine character, only a piercing yet fast-fading spiciness, as well as lingering sourness from vinegar and pickled bamboo. This was the stall's "classic" version (read: less replete with peanuts, assorted greens, fried tofu skin, and other add-ins, and therefore suitable for a second lunch in quick succession). For a few dollars more, a "super" version would also include wood ear mushrooms, a quail egg or two, and a choice of sliced meats — beef, ham, pork, or pork knuckle, but not snail.
Luo Zhuang Yuan
New York Food Court, stall 26
133-35 Roosevelt Ave. (Prince St.-College Point Blvd.), Flushing, Queens
www.BeyondMenu.com/47109/flushing/luo-zhuang-yuan-flushing-11354.aspx
