Supersized Wontons at Maxi’s Noodle | NYT Cooking
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 23 มี.ค. 2023
- Meet Maxi Lau. She’s the owner of Maxi’s Noodle, a small but mighty noodle soup shop in Flushing, Queens. Opening a wonton restaurant was initially her mother’s dream, but a serious cancer diagnosis derailed those plans. After her mother died, Maxi decided to rebuild her own life. Leaving her job in corporate management, she retraced her mother’s steps, learning to make wontons with a family friend in Canada. Three years later, Maxi’s Noodle was up and running. “Anything to do with my shop, it reminds me of mom,” she says. “The shop equals mom.”
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She's got a lot of that New York and Hong Kong/Cantonese spunk...and, a lot of determination. Maxi's mom would be abundantly proud.
If our Asian dads say "business is OK," it means the business is VERY GOOD. :D, thank you for sharing this wonderful story. I love the father+daughter dynamic here. <3
Can I give a shout out to her aunt’s place, Kissena Cafe? It was one of the very few edible places for students in Queens College, and the aunt/uncle always huddled around a small electric hot plate churning out coffee, tea, and sandwiches. You can smell the kitchen and feel warm and welcoming despite such a small place. They were always nice. I remembered seeing Maxi’s flyers in their shop and people still popping in and ask “where’s the wonton?” 😂
such a repreive from the pretentious celebrity chefs
I love Maxi’s wontons and lo mein. Yea, she seems like she’s always rushing but that’s what makes her business successful. I’m not there to shoot the breeze. I’m there to indulge and feel transported back to Hong Kong. Thank you Maxi for working so hard so we can enjoy the fruits of your labor. You make your momma proud. ❤
Had to close my restaurant because of cancer. So glad she could make her mom’s dream come true. Wasn’t expecting to be crying from a food video.
One of the best stories I have seen in a long time, and I appreciate that they are speaking in Cantonese. I’m Cantonese, and lost both my parents, so seeing her talk to her dad, argue to resolve, laugh and love on video makes me remember whatever culture background you have, food, family and love bring us together. Thank you Maxi family for being authentic and thank you NYT for sharing a story of love. ❤
My dad and I ate at this shop last summer when we were staying with my family in Flushing, NYC. Let me tell you, the food was incredibly DELICIOUS especially for its value. We just weren’t expecting to be so blown away because the restaurant was so hole-in-the-wall. Now watching this on NYT and also hearing the store’s backstory makes me appreciate it all more. Best of luck to this family, and I will be back soon!
I'm so excited to see Maxi's Noodle profiled in the NYTimes!! Their food is genuinely so good. My dad is a super harsh critic (if you're Cantonese too, you know) and he says these are some of the best wontons he's had, and we constantly keep a pack of their wontons in the freezer. Wishing them continued success!
Love to see NYT featuring the great gems that would otherwise be overlooked here in NYC and providing great profiles on the fantastic people behind the scenes.
A beautiful story about legacy and family. Definitely adding this restaurant to my must go list
My heart breaks for you. Mom's oncologist was heartbroken when he got the results that she was terminal after 17 years of battling. They both had an amazing relationship. He asked if I could tell her. Hardest conversation I've ever had. I came home early, she said she knew I had bad news. I still perfect my mom's dishes, a few weeks before her death she woke up at 4 am to prepare Thanksgiving dinner. I woke to hear pans falling. I told her I'd do it, she should rest She looked at me and said it's our last thanksgiving, I'm not dead. Let me do this. Its been 23 years and I still remember her passion, drive and culinary skills.
I’m in tears, your whole story and relationship with mom and dad is so beautiful. Thanks for sharing and wishing you well from afar!
When the dad start to say how he didn't think she could do it, I instantly thought of my own Cantonese father! Such an immigrant parent thing to do! Maxi is such an inspiration! You can just feel her enthusiasm and passion via this video.
A story as heartwarming as a bowl hot wonton noodle shop, I'm happy to see Maxi redirecting her grief and applying her grit and determination to create something very special for herself, her family, and her patrons and community. Starting a restaurant is no easy task and doing it after losing her mother and changing careers entirely is just beyond comprehension. I grew up wrapping wontons with my mom I'm glad I learned the skill, while still working in the corporate world. Good job NYT, keep these stories coming!
her mom would be so proud looking at the wontons and the shop! great energy and emotion that carries over to the food, from training with family friends (sounds like an epic training montage hearing that she started from cutting the scallions right and having to practice with massage balls haha) to the humor and partnership between she and her dad share together. it's beautiful to see something like this in honor of her mom that could be shared with the community
Beautiful, just beautiful. She is honoring the life and love of her mother. And it’s so amazing to see how she and her dad carry on. They can butt heads in a playful way. And they play into their own unique strengths and put that into their relationship and their shop.
Been eating here regularly for years since they first opened. It's fantastic and authentic Hong Kong style with huge bulbous shrimp wontons. Undoubtedly the 2nd best wonton noodles in NYC. That's a compliment considering how many rival shops there are. Their customer service is extremely rude but I just somehow convince myself that it adds to the Hong Kong authenticity. Always fond of her dad though. He's funny and calming. He loves chatting with the regulars. Will be back soon!
haha love the dynamic between maxi and her father. can attest, this place is bomb; we’re always copping several bags of frozen wontons whenever we come here.
What lovely people. Just shows what can be achieved for love. Thanks for posting. Really enjoy your videos.