Noodlebox — Restaurant in British Columbia

I recently had the unfortunate experience of trying Pad Thai at a local restaurant, and I must say, it was utterly disappointing. I had high hopes for this classic Thai dish, but it fell short in every possible way. Here are the reasons why I strongly advise against ordering Pad Thai from this particular noodle box location:

Lacking Authenticity: The Pad Thai I received was a far cry from the authentic flavors and textures that I've come to expect from this beloved dish. It lacked the balance of sweet, sour, and savory that makes Pad Thai so delightful. Instead, it tasted like a bland mishmash of noodles and underwhelming ingredients.

Overcooked and Mushy Noodles: The noodles in the Pad Thai were overcooked to the point of being mushy. They lacked the necessary firmness and chewiness that are essential to the dish. It felt like I was eating a plate of soggy, overcooked pasta rather than the delicate rice noodles that are a hallmark of Pad Thai.

3.Imbalanced Flavors: Pad Thai is known for its perfect balance of flavors, but unfortunately, this version missed the mark completely. It was excessively sweet, drowning out any other discernible taste. The absence of tanginess and umami left the dish feeling one-dimensional and uninteresting.

Unappealing Presentation: The dish appeared hastily thrown together, lacking any effort in its presentation. It looked more like a disheveled mess rather than an enticing Thai delicacy.

In conclusion, I strongly discourage anyone from ordering Pad Thai from this location. The lack of authenticity, overcooked noodles, poor choice of ingredients, unbalanced flavors, and unappealing presentation make it a dish that is simply not worth your time or money. Save yourself the disappointment and explore other options for a truly satisfying Pad...

OK. I’ve been a Noodle Box customer since they started in Victoria. That’s over 20 years ago I think. I lived behind the Kitsilano / West 4th location for several years and was a frequent customer there as well. I almost-always order the spicy peanut noodle box … so I know how THAT dish has changed over the years. Last night, I’d had quite enough.

The peanut sauce was always the richest, thickest, peanutiest sauce around. Last night, there was barely any sauce at all … unless … I guess … you paid for the “extra sauce.” And the sauce itself tasted only marginally of peanut and mostly of salt.

Low quality “shrimp.” Minimal vegetables. My “box” … although labeled as such … came in a bowl. My partner’s “mild” bowl and my “mild-medium” non-box were dry, unusually spicy and difficult to eat.

We realize many restaurants are struggling.

The thing is, your formerly-loyal customers (remember us?) see constantly rising prices, the incessant demand for more and more in tips … while we experience your disingenuous attempts to mask reductions in quantity and quality. This bites the hand that feeds you. It’s not the other way around. Many appear to have forgotten that.

We also spend time in Kelowna. THAT location has been “pending opening” for over a year. Just another indication of the apparent downward spiral of this once-terrific franchise.

Sad … and thanks for...

I go here weekly to order the green tea bubble tea ever since it came out. It just tastes like green tea with pearls which is what I gravitate towards to. However today I came in and when I tried the drink not only did the employee put a sparse scoop of pearls (than the usual) and provided an inconsistent portion, but the actual green tea itself tasted like soap or tangy and unusual. I came back to tell them that the green tea tasted off, but the lady at the front just explained how she made it and that if we wanted a sweeter option to just order something else. As someone who works in the food industry, I believe it is policy to never tell the customer what is wrong and right, but to just provide another serving. I'm not sure if it was the process of steeping the tea or if it was an old batch, but even so I was very disappointed with especially the customer service I received today. It is not about the actual tea itself, but I am very upset over the interaction I had with the lady at the front and found it very invalidating that she simply explained there was "nothing wrong" without finding...