As the day transitions into the afternoon, Sze leaves the familiar streets of Brooklyn for the vibrant, sensory-rich environment of Flushing, Queens. This leg of the journey is perhaps the most personal, as it takes him to Maxi’s Noodle 2, a destination that serves as a culinary North Star for his Taiwanese heritage. The restaurant is helmed by Maxi Lau-O’Keefe, a figure Sze holds in high regard for her mastery of traditional Chinese and Taiwanese comfort foods. For Sze, the food at Maxi’s Noodle 2 is an antidote to the homesickness he has experienced since leaving Taiwan. It is a place where the flavors are unadulterated and the techniques are preserved with exacting care.
Central to the experience at Maxi’s are the iconic wontons. During his visit, Sze steps behind the counter to observe and participate in the preparation of these oversized delicacies. Filled with a precise mixture of shrimp and pork, the wontons require a specific folding technique that is as much an art form as it is a culinary task. Despite his own professional standing, Sze admits to being humbled by the complexity of the process. The "expert fold" practiced by Lau-O’Keefe and her team is a testament to years of repetition and a deep understanding of how the wrapper interacts with the filling during the cooking process. It is a moment of apprenticeship that highlights a fundamental truth of the culinary world: there is always more to learn, even for those who have reached the top of their field.
Once the work is done, Sze settles into a meal that captures the essence of his cravings. The centerpieces are the thin noodles, which are crafted using duck eggs. The use of duck eggs instead of standard chicken eggs is a critical detail; it lends the noodles a richer color, a more supple texture, and a distinctive "snap" that is highly prized in traditional noodle making. These are served in a clear, soul-warming soup alongside the aforementioned wontons and a deeply flavored beef soup. This meal is not merely about sustenance; it is a connection to a lineage of flavors that spans generations and geography. For a chef like Sze, who spends his professional life interpreting Taiwanese cuisine for a New York audience, eating at Maxi’s Noodle 2 is a way to recalibrate his palate and reconnect with the source of his inspiration.
