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Categories: Asian Fusion, Vegetarian [Edit]
Neighborhood: West VillageW 4th St (A, C, E, B, D, F, V)
Houston St (1)
Christopher St (PATH)
Mon-Sat. 11:30 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sun. 11:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
"This place is off the chizzzain! I went there with a date last summer and was happily seated outside (perfect evening, nice breeze). After…" read more »
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CAPSULE: Small hole in the wall spot, quick service but usually crowded, delicious and authentic (for the most part)
VERDICT: Great stop for a quick bite or some savory delivery.
The first time I went here I was a bit put off by having to eat at a counter with strangers in what amounted to cramped quarters. Going beyond the lack of real estate, the full on view of the clean kitchen and the chefs going about their business right in front of you actually added a lot to the experience. Seating sometimes is rough, but the hostesses are friendly and pretty accurate with letting you know how much time there is before you're ready to sit.
The fried dumplings are greasy fatty goodness. Authentic flavor, nicely fried. I always go for the Singapore Noodles. Delicious egg noodles in a milky thick curry broth, hits the spot every time. Other favorites are the basil fried rice and cantonese fried rice, each full of fried flavor (though a bit thin on toppings).
Great for takeout and delivery too, the soup noodles come in two containers and mix just as well at home. I would avoid the dumplings if you get delivery though, the crispy skin gets soggy by the time they are at your door. Usually super fast on delivery too.
The food at Noodle Bar is all right, but not the most beautiful thing in the world. The serving time is so quick that it's slightly unbelievable, if not suspicious. But having worked in a Chinese restaurant, I do realize that it really only takes about 30 seconds to whip up something in the wok, using the prepared ingredients.
I went with the $8 Mee Siam lunch special and was decently content with it.
One of the rolls was really fishy and not very pleasant, but I really liked the dressing on the salad.
The noodle in the Mee Siam was well-prepared and not overcooked. A great little lunch spot.
A mad scientist is in the kitchen at Noodle Bar -- and I kind of like it!
Food is mostly very fusiony, and probably unlike anything you'll have anywhere in the world (except maybe Hong Kong or Singapore). There's something they call "Hunan bolognese" with tomato sauce, very tender shredded pork, a bit of heat (from red peppers), lotus root chips and udon noodles. Sounds crazy? It is, but it's also pretty good.
The really brilliant dish I keep coming back for, over and over again, though, is the roti canai, which is incredibly good. I am fairly certain the restaurant purchases the roti frozen and just reheats, but I don't care: they have a better source for this stuff than any other place I've tried in Manhattan (including Rhong Tiam and Laut). The roti is incredibly buttery and flakey and comes with a choice of either a chicken curry sauce or red bean and tomato sauce (I think vegetarian). Both are brilliant. I'm pretty sure I could eat this appetizer every day for a year and not get sick of it.
Some fusiony dishes are a bit less successful -- or at least a bit less to my taste -- like the "stir fried tofu, Indian style". I think maybe I was expecting something more Indian in style and spicing. Instead, this was a stewy / soupy yellow sauced dish that carried that slightly acrid taste of cumin and turmeric that have been stirred into a dish "raw", without being tempered as part of a tadka. I personally did not enjoy this dish.
The noodle soups I've tried have been competent (noodles aren't overly soft and if you order delivery, they bring the broth separately so you can determine how soft or al dente you want your noodles). Taro rolls are a little bit greasy, but delicious. Other apps (dumplings, kimchi pancakes) are pretty run of the mill.
Sau bien are not, as I'd hypothesized, sau bing, a Chinese flatbread, but are instead sandwiches made on a soft roll, almost as soft as a potato roll. It had the potential to be great, but my "Asia de Cuban" sandwich (roast pork, chinese spam, melted swiss, kimchee) was overwhelmed with an orange, mayonnaisey sauce (sriracha aioli, they called it). Next time I'll ask for the sauce on the side.
Anyone who comes wedded to a very static concept of Indian, Chinese, Korean, Thai or even Singaporan food will probably leave disappointed (unless you try the roti, which can't possibly disappoint anyone). But if you're open to fusion cuisines and interested in seeing what one nutty little place has done with a variety of cultural influences, Noodle Bar is certainly worth a few meals. I wouldn't say that everything on the menu is strong, but there are enough standouts and interesting dishes that I keep coming back -- admittedly in part because of curiosity!
I've walked by noodle bar countless times and never bothered to walk in until tonight...I am glad I did. The service is INCREDIBLY fast. Which is always a good thing. The food is equally as good. I think the only thing bad about this place is that they do not accept credit cards. Regardless, if you have a craving for something asian-ish but are tired of the fried rice and dumplings then head to Noodle Bar and satisfy that noodle craving you didn't know you had.
mmmmm noodles. quick, easy, frill-less and STILL delicious!
If you are in the mood for just some "basic" good noodles, keep this one in mind.
oh and HUGE bowls of soup.
We've hung out a couple of times now, Noodle Bar, and I have to say I'm looking forward to a bright future together.
Firstly, your food is pretty tasty-not amazing, but well prepared and well worth the price. I really like that you do that tamarind heavy style Pad Thai, which is sweet and savory at the same with a touch of tang. My noodles were firm and not at all massacred as noodles can tend to be in Pad Thai, which is fairly impressive as well.
Not to mention your $4 glasses of wine, which were surprisingly tasty and not at all house wine-y, if you know what I mean. My friends and I enjoyed them very much. We also enjoyed your waiter, Atreyu, so named by my friends and I since he looks an awful lot like that character from The Neverending Story. Do you know who I mean? He was super nice and friendly.
Will be back many a Monday afternoon, I'm sure.
A hidden gem on carmine street. There's something comforting about walking into this small, narrow, restaurant and hearing the woks sizzling and the delicious smells wafting about. Pick one of a handful of tables in the restaurant or sit by the bar and watch the chefs serve up your meal before you can even finish mouthing your order.
My picks: the shrimp pineapple fried rice, crispy fried tofu, and mee goreng noodles. I'm also fortunate enough to work nearby and be able to take advantage of the decent lunch special.
One thing to note - make sure you hit up the ATM beforehand - this place is cash only!
You have got to try the noodle soup with chicken and egg noodles. Forget the name haven't lived there for a while now....but it is a somewhat spicier soup with amazing broth. I probably ate it at least once a week.
Fairly cheap especially for NYC, cash only!
mentirosos.
my $7.50 pad thai lunch special dish was supposed to come with a salad, a veggie spring roll, and a taro roll. my salad came out in the form of a soup, and my taro roll in the form of a shrimp roll. stop lying to me!!
the pad thai tasted a little off (nothing a little sweet chili sauce cant fix), but at least it was brought to the table not 4 minutes after id ordered it. his mee goreng tasted a little more than a little off. to be specific, it tasted like ketchup.
but i bet ill be back, even though it's cash only. it IS a block away from my work after all.
Solid--David Chang isnt shaking in his teflon skin-but this joint delivers.
Nicely sized portions fairly priced. Take-out ready in under 10 minutes. Quick friendly service. Smallish space-but surprisingly quiet (everyone is slurping their noodles!). Some items need a bit more spice and some of the appetizers are a tiny bit stingy. I cant recall any dish I did not enjoy though. Peanut salad dressing and chili dipping sauce rock.
I certainly have had better Thai and if this wasnt around the corner-I dont know if I would exactly run here. But if you find yourself in this part of town--stop on by.
So I've been here twice now - I think it's your typical mix-asian cuisine of Thai, Chinese, Malaysian ( I think).
The came here during my lunch break but was quickly running out of time ( I was looking for another place to eat!) Came to the noodle bar needing something that was filling and quick.
I like their seating - you can sit by the counter and watch your food be cooked. The table seating is nice especially on nice sunny days when you have time to idly watch people, or when there is a lull in the conversation.
Mee Siam: Very tasty and came out very quickly. I totally stuffed this in my mouth as quickly as possible because of time constraints and because it was really good.
Singapore Noodles: My friend got this. Ever have a roti canai and there is that leftover sauce that made it so tasty? Imagine the noodles soaked in that sauce, with chicken and a nice cut up egg. Aww... delicious. The chicken was pretty moist too!
I was so low on time, and when told that we needed the food quickly, it came within a matter of minutes. Excellent. I would come back here for cheap tasty food!
I visited this place under duress. Duress being the fact that the Thai joint across the street was randomly closed on a Thursday night for dinner. I looked at the menu here and nothing seemed too interesting, but I decided to try the bee hong goreng with chicken.
I see the other reviews commenting on the freshness of the ingredients here. My dish tasted fresh alright... like fresh grease. Definitely not impressed, and definitely not worth the price. Also, the morose waitress who took my order seemed on the verge of suicide, so even though I had asked for takeout, I left a decent tip anyway hoping that may help make sure she didn't off herself later in the night. Too bad I won't be back to this place to see if she did.
I happened to have a week-long class down the street from Noodle Bar. And, I used to eat low-carb things like salad and fruit for lunch. However, for this one week, I went to Noodle Bar....every day.
I love noodles in soup, so I am pretty sure I tried almost everything in that category. Service was fast, there was a decent variety, and the food was good. There's a lunch special that comes with a few spring rolls and a salad. Thank god I was by myself so that no one could distract me from the noodles.
yum yum yum
I debated whether or not to review this place since I found the food very yummy, but I also found a piece of metal from the sponges they use to clean their woks. Granted I didn't die and they were very very apologetic about it and gave me the dish for free. I understand accidents happen, but still it hurt my tooth on just that one bite. Other than that incident, I had the chicken broth noodle soup, which was excellent. Not too salty, just right with tons of yummy stuff floating in it. Thank god the metal sank to the bottom. The rest of my gang also really liked their dishes as well and they accomodated vegetarians.
Noodle Bar may be more outstanding than I think it is but I only went once and based on my meal, I felt meh. My cousin, on the other hand, lives across the street and orders their Cantonese fried rice anywhere between 2-4 times per week. I can't blame him though because looking at the dish, it may as well have come straight out of our grandma's wok. Srs! I went the risky route and tried their Mee Goreng. The description was not anything I was familiar with so I thought what the hell, it won't kill me. I'm still alive, so that thought was accurate. I wouldn't recommend the dish though. You couldn't taste anything but the sauce and I don't even recall the sauce being that appetizing. One of the patron's noodle soups looked good so I would recommend trying that, or going with the standby. Cantonese fried rice.
This place is exceptional. I loved it!
It is a little crammed and busy...but the bar seems to get people in and out. It would be best if you sit at the bar, anyway. They make the food right there in front of you and the service is amazingly fast. They make everything with what looks like the freshest ingredients in Manhattan.
They have good house wine, great appetizers (Taro Spring Rolls are delicious), their noodle entrees are between $7.50 and $11...beat that for dinner in the Village.
I had the Pad Thai and it was amazing. The flavors were perfect. Fresh veggies, juicy chicken and tasty noodles. Watching them make it in front of you in about 2 minutes is great too...I loved watching my food being made.
If you are in the area it is worth a go. I was down there to see a show at the Minetta Lane Theatre...just around the corner. It would be perfect for anyone looking to find a place to eat before or after a show in the Village.
It is CASH ONLY.
1) Quick!- They cook right in front of you. And, it takes less than 10 minutes to cook up your food.
2) Cheap!- You can easily have Dinner for under $15 including tax and tip!
3) Big Portion...huge plate of noodles!
3) Yummy! It tastes so good. It's hot and fresh and they have Sriracha and a chili garlic oil paste thing that is super yummy.
I love this place. Great for a quick lunch by yourself. I took a friend here the other night and he fell in love with it. It is an absolute steal!
One Drawback:
CASH ONLY. But, there are plenty of ATMs in the area if you need it.
I think between eating in and take-out, I have been here over twenty times and everything is always excellent. Great neighborhood place to bring friends or a date, or drop by alone. Everyone here is so friendly and welcoming.
I have sampled most of the menu items and my favorite standbys are the crab rangoon, the cucumber, sweet cashew, and bell pepper salad, the bee hong goreng, tom yum bouillabaisse, and thai basil fried rice. I've tried pretty much everything on the menu except for the sandwiches (the noodles are just too alluring to have a sandwich), and everything has been consistently delicious. I also recommend the ginger-lemongrass creme brulee for dessert.
Negatives are that seating is a little cramped as there are only a few small tables (also a few outdoor tables weather permitting) and bar seating, but if you can grab the 4 seats at the corner of the bar, you're golden. It's also cash only which is a bit of a pain, but the prices aren't bad so you can get away with using that last 20 in your wallet.
noodle bar is my go-to place even when i'm broke. wine and beer is $5 or less and all the entrees i've ordered have been less than $10 and the portions are big enough to leftovers for the nxt day. this is one of those restos i can take all my friends to, even the picky eaters.
the table seating is a bit cramped but they open the front windows when the weather is nice and gives you a perfect view to people watch. it's a little hot to sit at the counter in the summertime but it's fun to watch the cooks in the kitchen make your food in 5 minutes flat.
the roti is fantastic, whether you get the chicken curry or red bean. the taro spring rolls are fried and oily but the crabmeat and shrimp filling is so delish that you don't think about the cholesterol building in your arteries. i recommend the thai beef papaya salad and the watercress and bean sprout salad if you like the taste of sweet fish sauce. i always order the mee siam or bee hong noodle dishes and you can't go wrong with either. the spicy noodle with coconut shrimp tastes kind of like spicy pad thai and the shrimp is heavily encrusted in coconut - my jaw got a little tired from all the required chewing. all of the fried rice dishes are great. the duck noodle soup has succulent peking duck and the broth is delicious. the seafood noodle soup was a little bland though. the pad thai a little too sweet and saucey.
I feel pretty guilty about going to this place since I live in Chinatown. Noodle Bar is a touch pricey for what they serve. It's pretty tasty and I am really a big fan of cooks cooking right in front of me.
However, 5-6 some odd dollars is too much to pay for kimchi pancakes! A bowl of noodles shouldn't be 14 dollarz!
That being said, can I mention again it is pretty tasty? Sometimes I go, sometimes I don't, nowadays I try to stay away. But I have had some good memories here and I would recommend it to someone over Bar Pitti or the Italian restaurant next door.
Mostly bar seating forces you to get a little closer, so not a bad place for a date. Both my and my dining companion's eyes darted right to the Honey Roasted Duck Soba w/ mango, tamarind and ginger dressing!! Delish. For those not so exotically inclined, Noodle Bar offers a dizzying selection of, well, noodles. For really crazy daredevils, try (gasp) ... RICE. They've got a few of those dishes too.
3.5 stars.
Ordered the lunch special with shrimp pad thai and it came with 2 spring rolls and a side salad. Also ordered the crab rangoon and a Thai iced tea.
The crab rangoon came as 5 light, crispy, delicate pieces, with more cream cheese and hardly any crab/scallions/onions. Still, very yummy dipping it into the sweet Thai chili sauce! The shrimp pad thai was pretty good, although I would've preferred it was a little more dry. The spring rolls were wrapped in a different type of spring roll paper, crunchy and were good. The side salad was standard iceberg lettuce with thousand island dressing?? The Thai iced tea was too watered down.
This is a staple for the folks in my office. Perfectly serviceable pad thai, and a lunch special that includes two delicious rolls and a soup or salad, depending on the season (actually really don't like the soup).
Was not a fan of their angel hair, as it was just too plain to really enjoy.
Otherwise very good stuff and friendly service in the restaurant!
Noodle Bar is a solid West Village lunch spot. The soups are good. But I like the drier noodles, with the fried shrimp or fish. The combos are a good deal, and they provide a nice mix of cuisine on your plate.
I'm not sure why it's never too crowded. It's not mind-blowing, but for the neighborhood, I would expect a longer wait. But I've never waited more than a few minutes for a table.
Julie K. and i have been wanting to try this place out for a while. i think she first mentioned it almost a year ago! well, one warm and humid night after work- Julie and i decided to skip out on some big party-plans and just spend some time alone. awww... we sound like the cutest lesbian couple, huh? well, i do LOVES that bitch.
i've walked by the Noodle Bar- but have never read any reviews or heard much about it. Julie K. explained to me that a lot of people know about it and we should give it a whirl. we Koreans sure love our noodles! we walked into the restaurant and spotted the Yelp sticker. i always think that there's a secret voodoo curse behind the "People love us on Yelp" stickers. oh well, i must not let it bother me. the server seated us immediately by the open doors. it was a great view of the bustling West Village- we watched people go bonkers over the grand opening on GROM. (see my review)
our waitress was model-esque. a beautiful Asian woman, every suggestion she had made worked out to be a success. the roti was supremely flaky/buttery. the curry was a little watery, but it tasted delicious. i had their rendition of Tom Yum (spicy seafood noodle soup). I was in need for something hot and spicy... this wasn't your typical Tom Yum... there wasn't much sourness or pungent lemongrass presence. however, the contents of seafood were a plenty. my noodles almost went too soggy because of all the time it took me to eat all the shrimp and clams! lol. i enjoyed it very much.
the service was very spot on. the beautiful waitress kept coming back and talking to us. i simply enjoy their eclectic menu. a little taste of Asia... i like it. the pricing is very pleasing.
quick, filling, and offers economical lunch special.
food isn't great. space is a bit cramped. but if you're hungry and at a loss about where to go (can that even happen in the west village??), then noodle bar is a good choice.
Stopped here on a whim craving a nice snack on a nice day, simply because I spotted someone leaving a parking spot right outside the door. Perfect.
Settled with the coconut shrimp with spicy rice noodles...it had a nice spicy kick which I enjoyed (the noodles were great) but the shrimp were more coconut breading than shrimp. aside from that it was great.
But this place gets one star for one huge, random factor: the absolutely gorgeous waiter that my friend and I dealt with. I would seriously go back just to get another look at that guy. I even tried to slip my phone number on a piece of paper with the money for the bill, but he was so efficient that he whisked away the money before I could find a piece of scrap paper. Nothing is better than noodles...except noodles with some great eye candy for dessert.
yum.
oh, and I'd go back to try the five spice cheesecake or the lemongrass ginger creme brulee when I actually have room in my stomach to handle it. sounds amazing.
We popped in for the lunch special while we were losing our minds waiting for my movers to arrive. The tofu stir-fry was different enough from the tofu stir-fry served at virtually every Asian restaurant that my boyfriend didn't grumble when I ordered it. It had an Indian flair to it, and, much to my delight, the tofu wasn't fried. (Of course, that made eating it with chopsticks a little difficult, but I was up for the challenge!) He got pork with basil, and, since it was the lunch special, we both got house salads and one taro roll and one veggie roll. The taro roll wasn't my piece of cake, but the boyfriend ate both mine and his, so he must have like it. Other items on the menu -- particularly the pressed sandwiches -- look interesting, so I will definitely be back to try them!
Still 4-star - this time for the broth noodles. BBQ pork & crispy wontons, awesome. They don't mention that the dish is chock full of steamed greens - probably kale, maybe a rough spinach, I couldn't tell - but it was huge, piping hot, spicy and delicious. Knock a star off for iffy service and the fact that it's SO cold out there the restaurant was a tiny bit drafty, but for food, you seemingly can't go wrong.
PS - yes, 10 bucks is a lot to pay for noodles...if you're in Flushing. Noodle Bar is in the West Village - you gotta pay to play, kids.
Don't know if y'all have noticed, but it's COLD out there. I really needed something warm and spicy… Read more »
I am not a big noodle person but this place might change that. The decor is cozy, the waitresses cute, and the food is great.
There wasn't much food, but it was fresh, reasonably priced for this area, and the jasmine/apple/green tea is excellent.
I went to Noodle Bar three times in the past 4 days, to order soup to combat a nasty cold.
I'm telling you - they've got some incredible soup. Haven't tried the wok-friend noodles or the cold noodles, but the soups - especially the won-ton soups - are delicious, subtle, and filled with lots of fresh ingredients. I was especially impressed that the BBQ pork in the won-ton soup wasn't artificially colored pink around the edges. (Turns out, that's not what makes the BBQ pork taste good!)
I also tried the singapore-style noodle soup, the spicy coconut-milk broth soup that I've only ever seen at Singapore Malaysian in San Francisco (there they call it "curry mee"). Noodle Bar's version was almost as good, with the chicken, hardboiled egg, udon noodles, bean sprouts, and the earthy, spicy broth. But the chicken was a little overcooked and chalky, and I wish they threw something green in there, like the green-beans they add at Singapore Malaysian. Oh well, it was delicious nonetheless.
Watching the cooks work their magic behind the bar, I'm very impressed with their ingredients and their prep-work. Everything is clean and well-tended, and they cook things with a certain deliberateness that stands in stark contrast to the chaotic whirlwind which marks a lot of noodle places.
These people care about their food, and the proof is in the soup!
Noodle Bar was a weird stop. I can honestly say that the "People love us on Yelp" sticker was maybe the second reason for going in here. I needed a quick but tasty meal after a bar send off for a former co-worker. After thinking about going for a higher priced locale this place just presented itself and we tried it.
And I was totally into the kimchee pancakes and fried dumplings. The chow mein was not exactly what I wanted to order but after some nice help from the waitress its what she steered me toward. It was a spicy vegetarian noodle dish and maybe I really wanted pork. The price was right and they had wines by the glass, They were not the greatest choices but for 4 dollars a glass I'm not really complaining.
Overall I had a good experience at this place. and would probably give it a 4 if I had something I really loved for the entree. So I'm sticking to 3.5 stars for solid dumplings and a good vibe.
This place was hit or miss for me. We were trying to go to a place across the street that Yelpers love, but it was unexpectedly closed! So, we settled for Noodle Bar. I played it safe and got the spicy Pad Thai ($9.50) which was really quite good and a large portion. Our Thai ice teas ($3 each) were yummy and our server was very friendly. My boyfriend got a cold noodle duck dish ($8.50). To his surprise, the portion was tiny, yet it had been listed on the menu as an entree. It came on this mini-dish, whereas mine came on and filled up a full sized dinner plate. It tasted bland to me and was simply not satisfying. We ended up sharing the yummy Pad Thai!
Noodle Bar is a small restaurant that serves up consistently good noodle soups and rice dishes from it's open kitchen. There a few tables when you enter the restaurant but most of the seating is at the long bar overlooking the kitchen.
Having come here for the past year mostly for lunch, we were jonsing for a hot noodle soup and Noodle Bar came to mind for their superb Shrimp Wonton soup: egg noodles, steamed shrimp wonton, baby bok choy and spinach. Add a little bit of hot pepper oil and you've got an instant flu fix (trust me it works, my sniffles and scratchy throat I've had the last two days are gone today!!).
For drinks they have a selection of Asian beers (Sapporo, Singha and Tsing Tao) and Sierra Nevada for only $5. There is wine and a wide assortment of teas too!
The lunch special price went up from $6.95 to $7.45 -- but for a main dish (like the Shrimp Wonton soup), taro egg rolls and a salad -- it can't be beat for a hearty, complete lunch!
My good buddy loves this place, and recommended we dine there tonight for a bro's meal, and it's perfect for that kind of thing. Low key, cheap, and totally serviceable food. It's an eat-at-the-counter place primarily; there are a few tables but most of the diners eat a long bar counter that overlooks the small kitchen. You can watch the skilled wok chefs tossing your noodles in front of your face, which is fun. The lone waitress had quite a few customers on her hands, and handled it well; I thought the service was quite good.
The menu is broken up by category - appetizers, salads, sandwiches, wok noodles, broth noodles, cold noodles, rice dishes, deserts & drinks. We sampled several of the appetizers, pan fried dumplings, crab rangoons, taro spring rolls, kimchee pancakes & fried calamari. The dumplings were very meaty and not overly greasy - we had two orders. The rangoons were disappointing, sporting very little filling, as were the spring rolls - too fishy, just not my style. The pancakes were decent - not overly bready, but nothing special in terms of flavor. The calamari was slammin', encrusted with szechuan peppercorns, and paired with a zesty white dipping sauce.
The noodle dishes were better. I had the coconut shrimp and spicy rice noodles. Again, the flavors were not too distinct or popping all over the place, but the food was tasty and not overly greasy. The shrimp were delicious, though they felt sort of like a topping for the noodles. My friend both had the Ban Nam Goreng (sp?), which was quite similar to my dish, though the noodles were thinner and it came with shredded chicken.
I would go back here and try some of the other dishes. It's a good option for some quick, filling & economical noodles in the village, and a use-sriracha-and-soy type of joint, but that is all good with me!
I haven't had a soup noodle dish here that wasn't pretty darn tasty. All the veggies are crisp and fresh tasting, and the noodles aren't gunky and gooey. I can be a bit of an anti-salt curmudgeon, but the broth here is only a little on the salty side for what it is. Unlike places like Sammy's, you can taste something other than salt, gluten, and red pepper flakes.
I really like that the preparation is done practically right under your nose at the bar. I haven't seen any sloppy, unsanitary methods, and they are usually spending as much time cleaning and scrubbing the place as they spend cooking. I REALLY like that!
I don't think they make it (just a hunch, I'm not sure), but the almond tofu dessert is so good it's worth saving some room.
If you find yourself in the West Village in desperate need for a Noodle Soup fix and Big Wong or Wing Wong are nowhere around (as these are in Chinatown), look no further than Noodle Bar!
The small and minimalist dcor of the restaurant resembles that of a traditional noodle shop found in Hong Kong or Mainland China, only that the standards are more highly set to meet that of the mandates for the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. There isn't much to comment or review on with respects to the decor other than the simplistic feeling and deprivation priced furniture is a direct representation of the courses served (as noodle soup is traditionally that of a peasant consumable, as the rich generally eat more meat based meals).
The food at Noodle Bar is desired, but not as much as its various downtown counterparts. Get the Egg Noodle with Shrimp Wontons & BBQ Roast Pork (hold the vegetables). Consumers will find that the Wontons, (although a bit more contrasting in texture than that of Big Wong) still boasts flavors that are worth savoring. The Roast Pork is a slightly more reserved in taste but still produces a mild saltiness and semi-rough texture that is common in such applications. This could be due to the pork being a few days older than that of other restaurants which higher turnover rates. The Egg Noodles are as they are in any location, unless it were overcooked. The combination of such elements into one single bowl gives this broth noodle entree a suitable substitute when in need of a quick fix noodle binge.
The only draw of this restaurant is the price. The broth noodle described above totaled $12.50. The same application can be attained in Chinatown for a mere $5.50 - $6.50. Broth noodle is meant to be a peasant food as the traditional means of consuming such a dish involves only broth, noodle, and 2 stems of Choy. Perhaps the location of the restaurant required such a mark up due to rent charges or are playing a simple role of supply and demand, Be that as it may, the restaurant is preferred for a quick noodle fix.
Good lunch special under 10.00. Vegi roll and taro roll, small salad and an entree. Pad Thai, mee goreng among others w/choice of chicken, beef, shrimp. The place is pretty small inside and can get crowded. During the spring and summer there's room for maybe 6 people to eat outside. It's freezing out today so we ordered up. Delivery was quick - 25 minutes, maybe 30. Food was packaged well, still warm, not greasy.
Wheelchair access: When the weather's nice I roll by, if I can get the outside table I take it and have a great outdoor lunch. Otherwise there's a step and it's small inside.
I arrived at the W. 4th street stop a bit earlier than expected for my film at the IFC Center, so I ducked around the corner and hopped in here for a quick bite. I was alone, so I was able to seat myself immediately at the counter (around 6:30 pm on a Wednesday), but I think parties larger than two would have to wait awhile, especially on a Friday or Saturday evening. I ordered a beer and the Roast Duck with Chinese Broccoli Broth Noodles, which was served almost immediately. It looked and smelled so delicious that a European gentleman sitting next to me simply had to ask me what it was and get it too. For the price of a movie, an excellent pre-movie meal.
Stopped by for a late lunch and grabbed a seat at the counter. I have a thing for watching the kitchen action. A couple of things I observed: all the noodles seem to be of the pad thai variety and only the veggies or the meats are different, and some of the meats seemed to be pre-grilled and were simply reheated before serving. Anyways, I got coconut shrimp and spicy noodles. The flavors were underwhelming but totally edible.
On another note, the lunch specials ($8) are much better value for the quality and flavor than the regular menu.
Holiday Catering & Special…
Neighborhood: Murray Hill
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Neighborhood: Murray Hill
Neighborhood: Lower East Side
Category: Asian Fusion
Neighborhood: West Village
Category: Thai
Neighborhood: West Village
Category: Thai
Neighborhood: SoHo
Category: Sandwiches
Neighborhood: Greenwich Village
Category: Vegetarian
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