Social Media Promotion:
Slurping Encouraged at Mecha Noodle Bar!
You have to love a restaurant whose tag line is "Slurping Encouraged", right??? So, when Wendy and Greg from Connecticut Lifestyles contacted me about attending a foodie meetup at New Haven's newest restaurant, Mecha Noodle Bar on Crown Street I said, YES, count me in!
Rounding out our food squad were Natasha from Natasha Explores World and Ron from Ron's Food Trips. But I have to be honest and admit that this was my very first time visiting a "noodle" bar so it was a doubly fun experience for me! I loved the interior decor - with some neat ceiling sculptures created by varying lengths of wood planks that cast a beautiful ambient shadow around the room.
We arrived at around 6:00 p.m. on a rainy Tuesday night, and already there was a line to be seated! Seating is on a 'first come-first served' basis and no reservations are accepted so be sure you plan accordingly when you visit. Luckily, a large table opened up within a few minutes and we were seated very quickly. In addition to a large bar area there's also a community table to sit at which looked really fun and seating appeared to turn over quickly. Overall, this is really THE place to meet up with friends or family or a group from work. The best part of meeting with a group? You can share and sample a bunch of items from their menu.
That's my favorite way to visit a restaurant, especially one with a cuisine that I'm not familiar with - because the shared plate ordering gives me the opportunity to try a lot of different things and find out what I like! Lucky for me - I loved just about everything we tried - so it was a win win!
Cocktails were fun at Mecha Noodle Bar with names like Yuzu 2.0, Love Potion No. 9 and Stevie's Wonder! Of course, being a total 60's child I had to go with the Love Potion, and yep! Loved it!
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| Love Potion No. 9. Madame Ruth made this batch with mizu shochu, aperol, lychee, lemongrass, and garnished with a lime |
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| Left: Stevie's Wonder Right: Love Potion No. 9 |
And here's something out of the box - or should I say in the box...called Way of the Warrior!
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| Way of The Warrior mizu shochu, bushido sake, st. germain, velvet falernum |
Next we moved on to some appetizers and small bites from their "Snacks" menu, trying the Kale Salad, KFC (Korean Fried Chicken), Saigon Egg Rolls, Red Oil Dumplings, Mushroom Dumplings, and Firecracker Wings.
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| Red Oil Dumplings pork, shrimp, sichuan vinegar, cilantro |
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| Kale Salad fresh and crispy kale, miso vinaigrette, avocado |
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| Roasted Mushroom Dumplings brown butter miso, arugula |
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| Saigon Egg Rolls ground pork, lettuce wrap, nuoc mam, mint |
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| Firecracker Wings togarashi, tomarind, sichuan peppercorn |
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| Korean Fried Chicken - KFC gochujang, pickled daikon-carrots, kewpie |
Favorites? OMG - The dumplings! Both the Red Oil and Mushroom were absolutely delicious. Another favorite believe it or not was the Kale Salad. I usually tire quickly with Kale finding it a bit fibrous...but these were tender and oh soooo good - I would definitely order this salad again!
Next we moved on to the Ramen each ordering a different kind, from the Paitan Chicken, to the Spicy Miso, and the Vegetarian selection. Greg even ordered a "Chef's Choice" - filled with a bit of everything!
Here's a look at my Spicy Misu. It definitely packed a little heat on the palate - but not so hot that it couldn't be enjoyed.
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| Spicy Misu Ramen red miso, chashu, mushrooms, chili oil |
We ended the night with bubble teas and hot sake - and packed up some leftovers.
Mecha Noodle Bar is a great addition to New Haven dining. It's a fun and casual spot to gather with friends and enjoy some great food and drink and good company. A parking garage is right next door, and you may even be able to find some on street parking!
Mecha Noodle Bar is close to much of Yale and a few blocks from the 9th Square.
Best of all - it's easy on the wallet with items ranging from $6.00 to $14.00. Service was fast paced, knowledgeable and friendly and offered up some great recommendations on items to try.
Be sure you visit them soon! And, remember - slurping is encouraged!
Mecha Noodle Bar
201 Crown StreetNew Haven, CT 06511
203.691.9671
Web: https://mechanoodlebar.com/
New Haven Menu: https://mechanoodlebar.com/menus/new-haven-ct
Disclaimer: I was invited to visit Mecha Noodle Bar by members of their marketing and management team, however, all views and opinions are my own.
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