Even as a chef, I keep a stock of instant noodles in my pantry (my favorites are from the brand A-Sha). After all, it's nice to be able to always be just minutes away from a quick, cheap meal. However ...

Kat Thompson is the audience editor of Eater’s Southern California/Southwest region. For cookbook author Kristina Cho, noodles — especially the Chinese versions she grew up with — are like poetry.