Hua Lin is an old school noodle institution that specializes in “dry noodles” — the most basic of noodles. There are only three types of noodles on the menu: dry, soup and meat sauce. Dry in English is a bit of a misnomer, just meaning that they’re not soup noodles. The noodles are seasoned with a little pork lard, soy sauce, vinegar and MSG. (You can request no MSG, which is my preference.) At each table, there are condiments of soy sauce, vinegar, chili oil and red chilies, which you can add to suit your preference. You might be thinking that this all sounds very plain and simple, and indeed it is, but no one does it better. Hua Lin offers two side dishes: tofu skins with daikon and crispy dried fish with chilies. Both of these make the noodles particularly tasty. The simplicity is what makes this place an institution that attracts locals and foodies alike. Hua Lin is only open Monday to Friday from 6:30 am to 2 pm. The proprietors are particular in running the shop their way; it’s not a place you go for service, but it is definitely charming in its own way.