Karachi foodies were buzzing about the opening of another franchise — The Noodle House this time — and it clearly behove us to go and try the place. The first branch has started operating, oddly located in a five-star hotel, and another one is soon to follow in the more appropriate setting of a mall.
Its commercial factor does not mar its ambiance, which is simple yet elegant: a wooden ceiling that gives a classy feel; French windows that create a greenhouse effect (which may not be so welcome in summer) and a cleverly revamped floor where the original mosaic is framed in diagonal sections by wooden planks. On the table are strategic tiny grooves for placing the small bowls of the assortment of condiments. But that fake plant near the cash counter must go.
Well-trained, well-informed and courteous waiters keep checking for an ‘all okay’ above the very loud reverberation of the leaping flames (for smoking the food) trapped in an echo field under the hob. The servings are generous. A small size portion is enough for two people with an average appetite.
The order pad where you tick your own selection is like an idiot’s guide to ordering, with the menu divided into sections — appetisers, dim sum, wet noodles and soup, wok fried noodles, the house favourite (Roasted Duck with Hoisin Sauce), specialties, side dishes and desserts — and a key for the spice level, nut content and vegetarian and healthier options.
In appetisers, Sam Leong’s Wasabi Prawns are a sure hit. Six pieces of large-sized prawns, coated in a light batter and deep-fried, and flanked by fresh lettuce, make it more than an appetiser. I have a personal grudge against mayo on two counts of food crime — subduing flavours and being unhealthy — but in this dish I let it go as a minor offence because of the delicious mango salsa of diced mango, chopped mint leaves and Thai chili sauce that provided a bed for the prawns.
In the dim sum section, the Chicken Siew Mai, open-top savoury dumplings with a succulent chicken and mushroom filling, were another hit.
From the Wet Noodles section, we chose the coconut-y comfort food Curry Laksa with prawns with all its accompaniments of chilli flakes, crushed peanuts, fresh and crunchy greens, diced boiled eggs, lemon, fried onions and tofu, etc. This was certainly a good dish, but perhaps not the best of its kind. No matter, it’s still a good option on a brisk winter day.
Unfortunately the main course did not quite live up to the standard set by the appetisers; the Pad Thai chicken from the Wok Fried Noodle section could almost be considered chain-store league as the overall impression was bland and soggy. In the specialties section, the Crispy Chicken with Plum Sauce and the Thai Chicken with Cashew Nuts both face the same problem. The sauce is decent enough but the over-sized chicken chunks are probably browned separately and become tough and chewy and bland. Fresh ingredients like lemon grass and red chilli and the various condiments and smoky aftertaste offset it to an extent.
In the desserts section the green tea ice cream has no green tea flavour and the chocolate buns sound a lot better than they taste. Perhaps some other option may prove to be a better choice.
That said, one must take into account that the restaurant is still finding its feet and it already has some worthy offerings on its menu. The Wasabi Prawns, for one, are enough to merit a visit in themselves.