Northern Chinese food has finally infiltrated Manhattan’s Chinatown, appearing at its fringes at a tiny new noodle shop with the enticing name of — Strange Taste. Much of the menu is Fujianese, including delicious soups with duck and taro, and, for lovers of meat and psychedelia, “beef trip with mei fun soup.”
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Look around the edges of the menu, however, for the northern (and western) Chinese stuff. There’s a good and greasy rendition of dan dan noodles that will set you back only $4, which is quite hot, but a little low on Sichuan peppercorns (the proprietors have the neighborhood’s tender-tongued Cantonese and Fujianese to worry about), but even cheaper is the scallion pancake. While not quite a meal, this doughy tuck-in is much bigger than usual, and served with an armada of sauces, of which my fave is chunky chile. 20 Henry Street (25 Catherine Street), 212-285-8727. The cost: $1
