Noodle Theory

Looking for a quick bite for dinner in Rockridge, CA on Sunday night (February 26, 2012), a group of us decided to go to Noodle Theory.  Everybody in the group had been there before so we knew we would be having some yummy noodles on a brisk night.  Much like many other restaurants in the area, seating is limited due to the small size of the restaurant.  Thus, rather than wait for a large enough table spot to open up, the five of us opted to take the bar/ledge spots.

While we considered the menu options, we got to munch on edamame topped with sesame seeds and sauce.  After some discussion, my wife (Connie) and I selected the Grilled Niman Ranch Spicy Loin of Pork Ramen and the Grilled Niman Ranch Beef Udon respectively.  Connie had recently undergone a tonsillectomy so her diet was still very limited to softer foods that were not very spicy.  Connie’s spicy pork loin selection, served in a peanut lime cilantro broth, wasn’t exactly aligned with her prescribed diet but she was attempting to diversify her diet from the apple sauce, juice boxes, and bland soft foods that I had made over the last few days.  In case her dish was too spicy, I chose the beef udon dish as a backup although I had a feeling that it may also be a little too spicy too since the beef udon was served in a coconut lime curry broth.  There were other choices on the menu that probably would have been better aligned for Connie’s diet as a backup for her but the coconut curry was calling out to me.

Noodle Theory's edamame appetizer

Our dishes came out after a short wait and were as delicious as we expected.  The broths all packed a lot of flavor.  The meats were tender and the noodles in both dishes were nicely made and soft enough so Connie could eat them.  However, our suspicions on the spiciness were confirmed as both dishes were just a touch too spicy for Connie’s recovering palate.  On any other day, Connie would not have had any issues with the spices in the dishes and would have easily polished off her portion but instead I got to be the lucky recipient of the spicy pork, peanuts, and eventually her leftovers :).

Noodle Theory's grilled Niman Ranch beef udon in coconut lime curry broth (with some additional pieces of grilled Niman Ranch spicy pork loin and peanuts)

On a previous trip to Noodle Theory, I had tried the Slow Roasted Niman Ranch Pork Belly Ramen served in a savory pork miso broth.  Comparisons between dishes are always a little like comparing apples and oranges since the ingredients are different.  Hence rather than compare, I’ll provide my preference list for the 3 dishes that I’ve tried at Noodle Theory, which would be:

1. Slow Roasted Niman Ranch Pork Belly Ramen
2. Grilled Niman Ranch Spicy Loin of Pork Ramen
3. Grilled Niman Ranch Beef Udon

Looking at my list and attempting to rationalize my choices, I think the reasons for my ranking preference are due to the meats and noodles in the dishes.  The pork belly is just so soft and melts in your mouth, whereas the loin and beef require more chewing effort.  Similarly, ramen is softer and easier to work with than the larger udon noodles.  For me, I guess I would typically consider the protein the more differentiating factor so formulaically, protein > noodles.  I don’t necessarily have a preference for the actual meat type (pork vs beef) but I think the cut can make quite a difference (eg belly vs loin).  Also, the weighting gets fuzzy if I’m not feeling a big preference for one type of meat vs one type of noodles vs one type of broth.

Next time you’re in Rockridge and feeling like some noodles, check out Noodle Theory.  All of the dishes pack a lot of flavor so you really cannot go wrong – it just really depends on what you’re feeling!

Noodle Theory
6099 Claremont Ave
Oakland, CA 94620
(510) 595-6988