Dining
BY DACIA GARCIA
Owned and operated by Xue Mei Simard and Duane Simard, Stretch the Noodle has taken the art of hand-stretched noodles on a journey from China to Portland, Oregon before settling in Georgetown. How we got here As a teacher in China, Duane Simard often indulged in hand-stretched noodles at a nearby restaurant. As a middle school teacher in China, Duane Simard often indulged in hand-stretched noodles at a small restaurant nearby. Xue Mei Simard, his wife, said. “[Duane] went to visit the store owner who stretched the noodles [to] say goodbye and ‘Sorry we can’t eat here anymore.’” she said. “[The store owner said] he thinks it’s really nice if you can...bring the business [to the U.S.].” Xue Mei Simard took cooking classes when visiting family in China to learn how to make the beloved noodles. Stretch the Noodle rst planted roots in Portland before moving to Texas in 2023 to be closer to family. The food truck opened at its Georgetown location in January 2024. What’s on the menu Customers can enjoy the noodles in a range of dishes, from beef bone soup and wonton noodle soup to stir-fry. Dumplings with a variety of llings and mini bao buns are also available. “It’s not only the noodles,” Xue Mei Simard said. “We added a lot of recipes. We have dump- ling baos, which is my family recipe.” Xue Mei Simard said her favorite part of the job is cooking food that customers enjoy. She said it’s important to make every meal with the highest quality. “I like every order to be made carefully,” Xue Mei Simard said. “Everything comes out nicely. That’s the way I like it, and the customer will be more satis ed.” What’s next Due to health reasons, Duane Simard has been limited in how much he can help, but he plans to return after he recovers from knee surgery, so they can begin serving summer-only items. Xue Mei Simard said the pair has no plans to open a brick-and-mortar location. She said she and her husband would just like to make enough money to spend during their retirement, which she hopes will start in two to three years. Stretch the Noodle brings Chinese hand-stretched noodles to Georgetown
The Chao Mian features hand-stretched noodles with stir fried vegetables available with chicken or shrimp for $13-$16 .
PHOTOS BY DACIA GARCIA COMMUNITY IMPACT
The truck o ers dumplings with various llings including pork, pork and shrimp, chicken and vegetable for $10-$12 .
The popular La Mian meal contains noodles in beef bone soup with chunks of beef and vegetables.
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3309 W. SH 29, Georgetown Facebook: Stretch the Noodle
Owner Xue Mei Simard learned the hand stretching technique by taking courses in China.
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