Noodle/Bar — Restaurant in Seattle

Summary: This noodle bar in Seattle offers an incredibly authentic Szechuan dining experience, with bold flavors and even real peppercorns in the dishes. The fact that an American chef could execute such an authentic Szechuan dish was a pleasant surprise. Although they close early at 2 PM, which cut my work time short, the food and overall experience were so good that it still deserves 5 stars.

Ambience (4.5/5): The atmosphere was casual and welcoming, perfect for a quick lunch. It’s a cozy spot that has an authentic feel, and though it’s small, it offers a comfortable setting for enjoying a meal.

Authenticity (5/5): The flavors were spot on! I was impressed with how the chef, despite being American, created such an authentic Szechuan dish. The use of real peppercorns gave the dish that unique, numbing spice that you’d expect from a true Szechuan meal.

Flavor (5/5): The flavors were bold, spicy, and perfectly balanced. The peppercorns added just the right amount of heat and tingling sensation, making the noodles incredibly flavorful. The authenticity of the flavors definitely stood out.

Cost (4.5/5): For the quality and authenticity of the food, the prices were very reasonable. It’s a great spot to grab a quick, delicious, and affordable meal without breaking the bank.

Service (4.5/5): The service was good overall, though the only downside was being asked to leave right after lunch when they closed at 2 PM. While understandable, as they were closing, it would have been nice to be able to linger a bit longer, especially since it’s a great spot to sit and work. That said, the staff was polite about it, and I have no complaints.

Tips for Visiting:

Arrive before 2 PM: They close early, so plan your visit accordingly, especially if you want to sit and enjoy your meal without feeling rushed. Try the Szechuan noodles: If you love bold, authentic flavors with real peppercorns, this is a must-try dish! Great for lunch, but don’t plan to stick around for long as it’s a quick-service spot that closes in the...

The Food Was More 🌶️picy Than Tasty:

Restaurant: was clean, well lit, on the amass size, and geographically embedded in the residential/off the beaten path of Seattle’s South Lake neighborhood…

Service was very slow, 1 guy, and he focused on the table that already had food and drinks instead of the one that almost walked out. The singular waiter took 17 mins before he came to our table.

It is a small eatery; there were 2 other couples and 1 other table with 3 guess

The food: we both had the dumpling & noodle combo bowl/entree. It was spicy, but not really tasty, the noodles were a bit over cooked & the dumplings were a bit bland. The chef was a lot bit stingy with the broth, as it was the highlight of the dish, but it did not cover the and/or flow over the dumplings & noodles.

Personally, we had a bad experience with the service, so this is why we wouldn’t return. The food was, overall, was a 6/10.

Note: We believe the food was all made & prepared locally, but do not quote us on this; the menu did not state that fact.

In full disclosure & fairness, we are from out of town, but wanted to venture in a Seattle neighborhood and eat at a none chain & local restaurant, but this was not it. But we have 2 more nights...

Food: 1/10 I ordered the Combo, and I could not have been more disappointed in my life, given the number of good reviews I had seen for this place. The wontons in the noodle soup were pretty standard, as were the noodles, which tasted like commercial-grade lo mein. The broth was the main issue. It was completely bland yet very salty and slightly spicy. Unfortunately, it made everything taste pretty bad. I wouldn't come back to try the noodles or broth, but I am open to trying their other offerings that are not those.

Service: 5/10 The server was nowhere to be found when I arrived, and I had to go and find someone myself (probably kitchen staff) in the open kitchen area to place the order. If the waiter is going to go on break or something, I think it's important to have other staff aware and ready to fulfill any necessary roles, especially front-of-house. After the waiter returned, they were very helpful and even offered to switch my noodles for something else since I didn't like them. There have been very few occasions where I absolutely did not like the food, but the server was extremely nice despite the lack of service in...