Though we understand their circumstances may have been a bit different, like Oliver and his clan of orphan boys, we’ve all fallen into a daze dreaming of “food, glorious food” at one point or another.
After all, it’s been said that food is the great equalizer, connecting us and bringing us together, either with family or friends, colleagues or companions, or any others from all walks of life, to dine often at a communal table or gathering space wherein we share stories and reveal the most authentic parts of ourselves.
In our continued effort, however, to find our way into others’ hearts (and stomachs!), sometimes it helps to venture beyond our tables and into the kitchens of others — especially in a city with such a diversified abundance of eateries as New York.
And of course, you can’t spell “theatre” without “eat.”
So, in our food-based series, we continue to poll some of the Great Bright Way’s best to “dish” (get it?) on where they love to eat, drink, and take in the vibes either pre- or post-show, while also answering why they love to sup there, sharing a favorite dish or two, and more.
Continuing our spotlight of members of The Great Gatsby’s ensemble, today, we lah dee dah with Dariana Mullen, who features as Gilda Grey in the tuner, and understudies both Jordan Baker and Myrtle Wilson as well. Regional credits include the pre-Broadway run of Gatsby at Paper Mill Playhouse, and Rock of Ages at the Arts Center of Coastal California. As a 2021 graduate of Elon University, Gatsby marks her Broadway debut.
But what does Mullen like to munch on?
(354 W. 44th Street)
“I ride or die for this place,” Mullen gushes, noting she has food delivered to the theatre from the establishment up to twice a week. “It’s my absolute favorite spot in New York.”
Noting that when performing, she can’t turn to sushi as often as she’d like, the Hand Pulled Noodle offers a more-than-satisfying alternative.
Now a franchise all over New York – “It’s followed me everywhere I’ve moved across the city,” Mullen laughs – the establishment opened at its initial location in Harlem in February 2015, by Andrew Ding, a classical violist turned culinary expert.
Boasting “big bold flavors that will leave you panting for more,” the eclectic menu is mostly mix and match – you pair your choice of noodle with various preparations of soup and stir-fry – and modeled after Ding’s childhood memories spent in his mother’s kitchen. (In fact, Ding taught his staff to cook his family’s recipes).
“There are so many options to scratch literally any itch,” Mullen continues. Try a specialty dish like Dapan Ji, with mouthwateringly spicy chicken “that arrives still on the bone” intertwined amidst ribbon noodles, and an aromatic blend of cardamom, star anise, and five-spice, or Beijing Bolo, the same noodles doused in a hearty black bean meat sauce.
Mama’s Dumplings, recently christened “the best in NYC” at the 2024 Times Square Taste Asia Food Festival, come steamed or fried (6 per serving), and are available in pork & chive, pork & shrimp, beef & cilantro, or chicken & shiitake varieties.
Wings, wontons, and side dishes are also aplenty, offered in varying broths, flavorings, and spice levels, depending on the dish.
But the signature “hand-pulled noodles” of the title may come with a twist. You may choose Lagman-style – long strands slightly thicker than Udon – or ribbon-style, flattened and pulled at its sides for a wide result. But their signature, known as “ding ding noodles” (and yes, they note the chef’s shared name is merely a coincidence) resemble gnocchi or spaetzle.
Hailing specifically from the Xinjiang region in China’s Northwest, “[they’re] different [in that they’re] made using just water and flour,” according to their mission statement. “They’re rustic and purposely imperfect by design.”
Characterized by variations in thickness and uniformity – one critic notes they’re rougher and more unpredictable in shape than your average noodle, but “fantastically chewy” – the fun lies in eating them and “enjoying the textural journey!”
No doubt Mullen concurs, though her preferences lean toward the traditional.
To start, for the perfect kick, she recommends the Scallion Ginger “OG” Stir Fry. Choose from pork or chicken from the menu (beef, lamb, seitan & jackfruit also offered for an additional charge), but from there, follow Mullen’s instruction.
“Get size #2 noodles” (which look similar to Udon; where the other option looks more like Lo Mein), “with medium spice and fragrant shallot sauce,” she advises, before reiterating: “The most delicious noodle dish in the city. It cannot be beaten and literally saves me time and time again.”
The actress also vouches for the Chicken Ginger Soup (“with extra broth and add a scallion pancake”), which she dubs the “ultimate COVID curer.”
“Every time I had COVID, I lived off this stuff,” she shares. “No joke: The bone broth fully changes your life.”
Talk about feeling like new money!!
The Handpulled Noodle is open seven days a week from 11:30am-11pm. Though we listed the Theatre District location, Mullen prefers delivery from the location at 3600 Broadway, and there’s a third location at 370 Malcolm X Blvd.
(314 W. 52nd St.)
Hailed by customers as home to the “best pho ever,” while also emanating “a fantastic vibe” in a “can’t-beat location,” Cha Pa’s Noodles & Grill – which holds the distinction of being the only exclusively Vietnamese restaurant in Hell’s Kitchen – features high-quality, home-style ingredients, assembled into an array of simple, yet traditional, dishes to bring the best of Vietnamese culture and cuisine to Manhattan.
“I was recommended to this place by the Broadway vets in our cast [when I wanted] to clear out a stuffy nose,” Mullen explains. “I felt better immediately… and I’ve never looked back since.”
Friendly servers – any meal can be adjusted or customized just by chatting with one of them about your dietary needs or preferences – only add to the experience.
And then, of course, there’s the food. “Outstanding pho!” one customer review reiterates, while another emphasizes “this place is serious about their broth.”
Mullen, for one, would be loath to disagree.
On her must-have list is the Vegetable Pho with Beef Broth, citing the combination of the tofu and fresh veggies with the zest of the spicy broth to be “to die for.” Circling back to her stuffy nose conundrum, she says eating this pho, among other dishes, is “like a hard reset on your immune system.” Pair it with a Thai Iced Tea, and you’ll find the result to be, in Mullen’s words, “insaaaaaneeee.”
All phos – which range from traditional beef, chicken, seafood and rare steak to exclusive house phos like Super Bowl, Meat Lover’s & Spicy Beef Lemongrass – are prepared with an 8-spice beef marrow broth, culled from a secret family recipe (if you’re vegetarian, just ask for the alternative), garnished with cilantro & onions, and served with sides of sprouts, Thai basil, jalapeños and lime.
Another hit in her book is the Loaded Pho Fries, smothered in beef brisket gravy, sriracha & spicy mayo, and finished with a sprinkle of scallions.
“I ordered this dish on a whim one Saturday night,” she details, “and it’s become one of my favorites. It’s actually one of the craziest things I’ve ever tasted.”
Since that faithful Saturday, it’s become one of her go-to dishes, tied with the Chicken Satay – skewered, topped with peanuts and scallions, and served with a peanut dipping sauce – to eat alongside her fabled pho.
The one drawback about the establishment is without a reservation, you may have to wait a bit to get in… but such an overflowing line out the door can only be perceived as positive news.
Like the character she understudies, Mullen is done with secondhand grub, and, considering her review, there’s no doubt she’d deem this phenomenal pho as worthy of being categorized as “something that fits.”
Cha Pa’s Noodles & Grill is open Monday-Thursday from 11:30am-3:30pm, and 5pm-8:30pm, and Friday-Sunday from 11:30am-9pm, without a break. Each day, the kitchen closes 15 minutes before the restaurant.
We’ll continue to present a new performer with new restaurants and new menus, so keep checking back to see who we poll and what’s on their mind at mealtime! Until next time, as always, bon appétit!
