Noodlebowl Asian Bistro — Restaurant in Oxford

I went it with a friend and ordered several things. The waitress was great at her job. She was very professional, inviting, and charming. We started off with an order of spring rolls, fried and steamed dumpling appitizers, which were delightful. The fried dumplings were not deepfried. They had that classic browned bottom that contrasted well.

Things started off well until our main orders came out. My teriyaki chicken order was brought to our table. It beautifully sizzling over a bed of vegetables on a cast iron plate and a wooden plank. My friend had the steak and shrimp Hibachi on a plate with fried rice. I finally took a bite of my chicken and I was taken back by how dry and tough it was. I could taste the sauce on it but that was just about it. It was comparable to eating a warm piece of plastic. I thought maybe it was just a particularly overcooked part of the teriyaki chicken, but it was only a taste of what was to come. Almost halfway through, it didn't taste any better, and I was done with it.

The small bowl of fried rice that came with our orders had this weird taste to it. I could only compare it to store bought precooked fried rice but I had better than what was on our table. I could not finish it and I had one more thing coming.

My pork ramen bowl was brought out piping hot by our rockstar waitress. She asked how everything was going, but I couldn't tell her what really went down. She did offer to refill our tea and water, which was nice. Too many times, a waiter would ask how things are and just walk off or not even address us. The ramen looked lovely, a big bowl of murky broth filled with vegetables, noodles, savory pork slices, with a soup egg perched over a nest of noodle. With the Ramen soup spoon, I sampled the broth and it warmed my soul. It brought my taste buds to life after that teriyaki chicken thoroughly killed them. I grabbed a pair of chopsticks and tried some noodles, slurping them with enthusiasm. They had great texture as I picked up what looked like some sprouts and thick tender pork slices. I could have just had this, and it would have made my day. I had plenty of pork ramen broth left in the bowl and a couple of meat pieces but my tummy was just about satisfied. I watched my friend try what was left of my chicken but he only had disappointment and regret waiting to greet him.

My friend wasn't too impressed with the steak on the steak and shrimp hibachi, so he let me try a couple of bites. I had a shrimp that was surprisingly tender. The steak, however, reminded me of my chicken but only slightly better. My second piece of steak was a little better, but I'd hesitate to call it tender. I certainly won't be ordering Hibachi here.

The pork ramen bowl was the saving throw of the evening. After paying our tab and tipping the waitress for her excellent service, we left the Noodlebowl. I couldn't explain it, but that ramen bowl gave me a boost of energy walking out. I was about to completely write off the place, but I'll be willing to try a couple of bowls of ramen before completely writing off this restaurant. I will be trying ramen at the other places in Oxford to compare. I can't recall one dish saving a place despite a...

Went for lunch with my fiance. She ordered the thai basil lunch special with shrimp and I figured that was no way to mess that up so I ordered a beef dish off of their traditional Chinese food section, figuring I could have some of her food if I didn't like mine. Perhaps I jinxed myself, because my dish tasted horrendous despite being full of ingredients that I love. I couldn't even eat the bean sprouts in it because they tasted rancid. My fiance didn't seem to excited about her meal and after trying it I realized why. The shrimp were overcooked rubber, the vegetables in it where primarily white onion and some green bell pepper, both overcooked and soggy and everything was covered in an off-putting paste. It was certainly not the fresh and bright tasting thai basil dish that I am used to. Even the boba tea I ordered was bad. It tasted watered down as soon as I got it and the texture of the tapioca balls had gone to mush. We quickly paid for our meal and left to eat somewhere else, something we have never done before. The customer service overall was fine.

Perhaps the sushi is good at this establishment and that is why it has 4+ stars. Otherwise I can't comprehend why anyone would eat here because the food is...

Not even mediocre "Chinese" food. Ordered two entrées and both lacked flavor. The beef they use couldn't be any cheaper. A weird tasting ginger dressing came with the salad..on the plus side, the mainly iceberg lettuce salad looked fresh. I also believed they gave me some sort of soup that deformed the packaging it was put in for takeout from the heat of the soup. I didn't try it since it seemed very unappealing..(not hard or expensive to throw something green in it like scallions.) I was nice enough to give 2 stars for the sample of noodles they included which I ended up not trying out of disappointment from everything else. The maki rolls were ok but overpriced for the small amount of rice and imitation crab meat they use for them and the soy sauce seemed like it was watered down which wouldn't surprise me if it is.

Overall they could have the potential to be 3-4 stars if the quantity of food increases, sauces used for everything did a 180° turnaround, and they used better takeout packaging.

Upsets me to see yet again another "Japanese" Chinese restaurant using the cheapest things they can find and charging too...