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Subterranean Sheng Wang is off the Chinatown tourist trail, which lends this Fujian hand-pulled-noodle joint a back-alley feel. The brown Formica counter and dull mirrors offer little distraction; solo-slurping locals tend not to linger. They do, however, tend to return, for wheat noodles that are crafted on-site in two forms: The more familiar strand style (lamian) resembles spaghetti; peel noodles (dao xiao mian) are shaved into chunky, irregular ribbons from a wad of dough. Both are toothsome, sog-resistant, and vastly preferable to the packaged rice and thread noodles also for sale. Pick a starch and choose from nearly twenty soup toppings. Thinly sliced gelatinous beef and chopped pork bones (the remnants of which are tossed on the table by patrons) are served in oversize, white, plastic containers and enhanced with a few wedges of bok choy and earthy pickled greens. Peer through the worn Plexiglas in the back of the tiny room for a glimpse of a fish-ball-making operation. The spongy orbs, filled (unusually) with pork, can be bought in bulk or added to your soup bowl. This is the real deal, so be prepared to gesture as much as you speak; the paper takeout menu is the only place where English is found. — Krista Garcia

Beef peel noodle, $4; fish ball hand-pull noodle, $4