VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — There is a legend behind Ten Seconds Rice Noodle in Virginia Beach.
Owner Gin Gin Chen tells 13News Now that the story started because of love.
"The story does originate from a legend where it's a man who was studying, and his wife really loved him, so she made these noodles for him, and she had to cross this bridge," Chen said.
The legend says this bridge was long.
"By the time she crossed the bridge, she was like, 'the noodles are soggy and not as good as they are when they are freshly made.'"
Frustrated, this woman had to come up with a plan.
"So, she came up with this idea of, you know, cooking the broth and putting it in a separate container, keeping it warm, adding a layer of oil on top to keep the broth warm. Then she kept the noodles separately with all the toppings on the side. So, by the time she got to him, they were able to assemble it, and the broth was hot enough to cook the noodles. So, that's kind of the origin of the story and how we got here," Chen said.
This assembly style is here in Virginia Beach, and it is delicious.
Ten Seconds Rice Noodle still sticks to the basics today: hot broth, rice noodles and toppings of your choice.
They are giving you more variety, though, not only in the numerous amounts of toppings, but the broths, too!
"We have the original flavor, the spicy flavor, if you like something tangy, if you like something sour," Chen said.
The broth and noodles are delicious. If that isn't your thing, though, they have other options.
Their appetizer list is long. They serve popcorn chicken, dumplings, chicken wings, smashed cucumber, seaweed salad and more.
Along with appetizers, they also sell Bubble Tea with their tapioca made in-house. The list of these flavors is also long.
"We also have some hibachi if you're just not in the mood for noodles," Chen added.
However, you really should try the noodles and broth.
For Chen, this is bigger than just a bowl.
"It really gives the community a chance to experience Chinese culture in a different way," she said.
She's crossing her own bridge to bring her culture to you.
"It's definitely something different, it's something fun, and it's something new, and it's a way to kind of experience Chinese culture a little bit."
You can visit Ten Seconds Rice Noodle at 4224 Virginia Beach Blvd Suite 101, Virginia Beach.