Mister Lee's Noodles Bethlehem — Restaurant in Bethlehem

We went for restaurant week and I loved the food overall! Here are my thoughts:

Starters - Spring Rolls and Wings The wings were amazing. They were so crispy, tender, and juicy, and I loved the sauce! I could have eaten a whole pile of these. The only drawback was because they were served in a deep bowl, it was difficult to get all the sauce out. I wish I would have thought to ask for a spoon! The spring rolls were fine (hot and crispy) but not mind-blowing. I think a lot of the filling was some sort of rice noodle and I would have liked more of a vegetable-heavy filling with a little bit more texture. The sauce had a very deep tang (I want to say citrusy?) to it. I liked that it came with a little bit of salad-y stuff on the plate though.

Mains - Fried Chicken Ramen and Cold & Spicy Noodles The ramen changed my life. I have never been a "soup for my entree" girl at restaurants but I'm a convert now. The broth was rich and sweet, the noodles were perfectly chewy and flavorful, and the chicken on top was crispy and tender! I honestly do not remember the spicy noodles because I was too busy with my ramen.

Desserts - Butterscotch Rice Pudding and Chocolate Peppermint Cakes The rice pudding was up there with the ramen. All I can say is that it was perfect and amazing and will live in my dreams. The cake was the one bad dish we had. The dish came out with two little bundt cakes each filled with whipped cream, topped with three little chocolate-peppermint marshmallows, and there was what I think was cherry sauce on the plate as well? The whipped cream and the marshmallows were both good, but the cake itself was surprisingly dry and tough, and I didn't think that the cherry went with the peppermint vibe.

Overall, I highly recommend and will...

Mister Lee’s is an amazingly creative noodle shop. Each visit has been fun and delightful. I’m not afraid of ordering the stranger-sounding items on the rotating menu, as the kitchen has always managed to make the flavors work with the noodles.

In the most recent visit, the squash dumplings were phenomenal. The garnishes (squash puree, granola, pickled squash) were really fun and thoughtful, providing some crunch, acidity, and warm spice. The pastrami mazemen was a great concept but needed a little tweak in flavors. It was too acidic and needed a fragrant oil (traditionally scallion). If ramen’s core is noodle and broth, mazemen’s core is noodle and aromatic oil. Maybe an oil made using pastrami rub and some dill?

In a previous visit, the cold beet noodles felt light and refreshing, perfect for the hotter months. The pork belly came with a sauce that’s oddly reminiscent of Bali. It’s a fun juxtaposition.

Don’t walk in here expecting great traditional ramen, though. These ramen are interpreted through the Western lens and would feel off by Japanese standards: the noodle to broth ratio is strange. The potstickers likewise felt very Western, especially with its texture (the filling often not emulsified, the skin not as smooth and stretchy). That’s not a dig. I’m emphasizing how everything here feels fusion in a good way.

The Purple Panda Bear cocktail is a home run. I typically don’t like tiki-style cocktails, but the novel pairing of ube and rambutan creates a creamy, almost-vanillic, lychee-floral accord that feels like...

Stopped by Mister Lee's last night before a show at the Wind Creek Event Center - there are a decent amount of food spots in the area but I think we picked the best one. Seating in the restaurant is a mix of individual tables, family-style benches, and a modest bar, but there's plenty of room and nothing feels too crowded. Mister Lee's has an impressive list of cocktails, beer, sake, and wine to kick things off and the bartender I had while waiting for some friends to arrive was great. Once seated, service was excellent - one of those rare situations where the server showed up right when they were needed each time. When the food came out I knew I was in the right place. I got the hot & spicy ramen with a side of "chicken and jazz", which was bites of fried chicken with a special sauce and jalapeno slices. Between the ramen and the chicken I was in heaven. Though not as spicy as I was bracing myself for, the ramen was absolutely delicious and the portion was very, very large. The others eating with me all enjoyed their food as well (fried chicken ramen, mushroom and tofu dumplings, spicy beef salad with noodles) and at the end of the meal we were all very satisfied and pleased with our choices. If you're looking to eat outside of WC Event Center or casino, I highly recommend Mister...