It’s a tiny noodle bar. Chinese lampshades suspended and inverted clay pots painted with Oriental motifs hanging from the ceiling, and a wall full of clocks that represents every country in South East Asia make up the Asian-themed decor at Noodle Panda.
The newest pan-Asian eatery opened its doors just a few days ago in Koramangala. Conceptualised by two friends, former civil engineers-turned-food entrepreneurs, Ashwini Krishna and Ankitha Pratap (who is also a baker), Noodle Panda tries to replicate a typical noodle bar format. On the menu are options like baos, bao burgers, bubble teas, set noodle boxes and ‘make your own’ noodle boxes. All their premium noodles such as udon, soba, egg and glass noodles are made in-house.
Spicy ‘n’ sour
We began our meal with their signature starters — Wasabi Stuffed Chicken Wings in Spicy Teriyaki Sauce, Chicken in Spicy Orange Sauce and Katsu Onion Rings. The wasabi flavour in the chicken wings was balanced out by the teriyaki sauce. The Chicken in Spicy Orange Sauce was tangy and citrusy thanks to the addition of orange. Crunchy and light, the onion rings too were on point.
While we enjoyed the starters, we were keen to try the bubble teas. So we opted for the Thai Milk Tea (served with chewy tapioca pearls) and Cranberry Blast-Popping Boba (a cold cranberry smoothie). The tea was perfectly blended and wasn’t too sweet for the palate, the chewy tapioca added a fun element to the drink. But it was the smoothie that impressed us. The flavour of cranberry was enhanced with the mini melts of fruit-popping Bobas that burst in your mouth, leaving a sweet after-taste.
Take your pick
For main course, we tried the Black Bean Udon Noodles from the Noodles Set Box section and we made our own Noodle Box with egg noodles, sambal, button mushrooms, pok choy, mixed bell peppers, baby corn, bean sprouts, black fungus and topped with roasted garlic. The udon noodles were sharp, spicy and pungent and is not recommended for those who like subtle flavours. The noodle box we put together turned out to be interesting. The fiery flavour of sambal went very well with all the other additions, particularly the black fungus that has a slimy yet crunchy texture.
For desserts, we tried the Fudge Cookie Dough Ice Cream with Oreo. The cookie dough is hidden inside the scoop of vanilla ice cream . The salty cookie dough and the sweetness of Oreo dust on vanilla ice cream make for an interesting play of flavours. The chocolate sauce and peanuts add another dimension.
Noodle Panda tries to offer a selection of authentic pan-Asian dishes. Though a limited menu, the ‘make your own noodle box’ and bubble teas warrant a second visit.
Rs 800++ for two. At 5th Block Koramangala
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