There was so much hype around this place. As soon as it opened, there were posts all over social. I love a good noodle, so it was top of my list to try. Finally planned a meal with some friends to give it a try. We all heard great reviews.
The Parking: I rarely go to the International Drive side of town. Not particularly my favorite town to frequent, but the shopping centers always have plenty of parking.
The Atmosphere: I arrived before they opened. I didn’t see a line, so I stayed in my car. Right on the dot, I got up to go grab a table, and I already saw plenty of people seated. It filled up super quick and was bustling the whole time we were there. Not a big space, but plenty of space to seat quite a few parties.
It is a table service spot, but extremely relaxed. We were seated by the kitchen, which was cool to see the noodles being slapped and stretched in real time. There were high-quality chopsticks and some condiments set at the table, but the hanging pouches with tissues were my favorite decor. I appreciated the overall lax environment.
The Food: The three of us ordered a good spread of items, and all tried our own bowl of Chile SLAP Noodles. Of course, we started with some apps! We started on a high note, because the cucumber garlic salad and shredded potato salad were the highlights for me. The cucumber salad didn’t have chili, which I didn’t miss. It was straightforward, simple, and delicious. The shredded potato salad was a new item for me and super interesting. It’s not a creamy potato salad, which is the only other potato salad I’ve had. This was almost pickled. It had a great vinegary tang and leaned on the sweet side, with a good crunch. Just another indication that potatoes are amazing in every possible form. I would like to learn how to make it someday.
We also went for a plate of dumplings. There is a choice between regular, vinegar soup, or chili oil. And also a choice between pork chive shrimp, pork cabbage, lamb, and beef onion. They didn’t have the pork chive shrimp option, so we settled on the beef onion with chili oil. The dumplings themselves were pretty decent. I believe it was the same dough as the noodles, because it was a thicker wrapping, but I didn’t mind. I enjoyed it. The chili overall, the one on the dumplings, at the table, and what we got on the main dish, was ok.
Let’s get into the main dish. One of my friends ordered the beef short rib, and the other ordered the signature chili slap noods. I opted for the cumin lamb. The lamb itself was good and cooked well. I appreciated the bok choy and bean sprouts. The noodles are fantastic. Thick, long, chewy, and perfectly cooked. Al dente every time, as the menu promotes. The chili oil, though. The menu says ‘All Flavor. No Burn.’ I wish there were more flavor and even some burn. It fell a bit flat. I would have liked more complexity because it’s the sauce coating the whole dish. Please note, these are large portions. I have already prepped two lunches with my leftovers. I feel like the price is justified for the price. But the two main things I would have appreciated are the ability to choose your bowl size and heat level. I would have preferred a smaller portion and more spice.
There are some other items I’m curious about on the menu. As I told my friends, it’s not a place I’ll frequent, but I would definitely go back. For full disclosure: one of my friends ended up sick, but the other two of us were okay. Not sure that it was from this meal, but it happened later the same day.
Rating: 7.7/10
Address: 6532 Carrier Dr Ste B, Orlando, FL 32819
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