Noodle Nation — Restaurant in Mountlake Terrace

Noodle Nation, University Way NE, Seattle, WA

Noodle Nation is definitely a go-to place for noodles on the Ave in the University District. The atmosphere isn't fine dining (definitely funky), but the quality and the authentic flavourful experience is. The lower end pricing (almost every main dish is $9.95 with only a few meat/seafood items with upcharge), combined with generous portions and fast service make it one of the better local U district noodle house finds. The menu is colourful and easy to read and understand with vibrant images of the variety of dishes served. Items range from appetisers, noodles, stir fries, curries, soup, salad and the familiar classics such as Phad Thai and Phad See Lew. I especially liked the selection of noodles available in which to choose from in preparing many items in addition to the simple way spice/heat levels were indicated by avoiding the iffy star system. On this visit we started with a spring roll appetizer which featured ample shrimp and fresh ingredients accompanied with an excellent peanut dipping sauce with just the right amount of chili oil and spices.

The presentation was also quite visually appealing as the additional use of lettuce leaves which are usually discarded in process were artfully incorporated. Following we had the Garlic Fried Rice, wok fried jasmine rice (amazingly flavourful with a slight crunch to just the right amount of kernels) featuring garlic, egg, cilantro and green onion with a selected meat choice of chicken. We also ordered the Tom Yum Noodle Soup, a hot and sour broth with bean sprouts, ground peanuts, green onion and cilantro. For the soup we selected the mami noodles with a meat choice of chicken which again was really delicious. This is a family and friends run establishment where the outgoing friendly and welcoming service is definitely...

I've done take-out twice, and it's been great! I'm a big fan of Isarn Thai in Lynnwood, so I was a little skeptical about this place measuring up, but I believe they serve different needs. Noodle Nation is a really good version of traditional thai food (what we're used to), whereas Isarn Thai is an exceptional version of northern Thai dishes that people are probably less familiar with. Noodle Nation does have an extensive menu, so in addition to the traditional stuff there are several house specialties that you might not have seen before.

I ordered the Phad Thai on my first visit, and it was great. Very bright and fresh. It's a big enough portion that if you're conservative it could be two meals (or shared), or you could indulge and eat the whole thing in one sitting. For my second time I ordered the Tom Kha soup, and my wife got the yellow curry. Both dishes were great. I was sick, and the Tom Kha soup hit the spot with my sore throat. The yellow curry had a nice balance of acidity and sweetness. I have a pretty good heat tolerance and I found that 3 Stars (out of 5) gave me enough heat without...

My wife was really excited for us to try this restaurant after a recommendation from a friend if a friend. We tried the Pad Thai, Pad Woon Sen, chicken satay and the spring rolls. The Pad Thai was supposed to be really good, but unfortunately it was overcooked and the noodles were either mushy or burnt, and also broken into really small pieces. It tasted like it had been precooked and then rewarded in the wok. The Pad Woon Sen was pretty good, as were the spring rolls. The chicken satay was the strangest that I’ve ever had. Instead of being smaller pieces of chicken that were skewered, basted and grilled they were huge chunks of chicken (like half chicken breasts) that were skewered and grilled. The portion was huge, but lacked flavor, and peanut dipping sauce had separated into an oily mess that we couldn’t stir back together. The service was quick and friendly, but the food wasn’t the best. The atmosphere was more like a 50’s diner than a Thai restaurant, which was a little...