This spot is super legit. Haven't had a chance to try more but would love to…read more I had: Apps Fried mantou (good) Beef pancake (great) Meal Popcorn chicken rice medium (very good!)

I had no idea that grandma's kitchen was Taiwanese. The last time I had, Taiwanese was a bad…read moreexperience so bad, I wiped my tongue off with a napkin however, today I got the beef broth soup with noodles. It was delicious and I ate every single bit. I didn't try anything else because my tummy a little under the weather today. But what I did try was delicious! I wish they had more dishes that didn't have so much pork in it. The soup was of flavor. The price was $14. I think it's a little overpriced . I think the appropriate price should be $10 maybe $11.

Everything was delicious in this Thai restaurant. It was really genuine Thai cooking. The service…read morewas welcoming, and the ambience was cozy and yet it was high ceiling modern. I ordered the Papaya salad, Chicken satay. Curry Shortribs and Phad See Yue with beef and the mango sticky rice with coconut ice cream. All I can say was everything was exceptionally tasty and I would definitely come back here again. This place is reasonable and not overpriced. Definitely make a reservation.

Maybe my tastes are shifting, but I found the most recent visit ok, but with some significant…read moreissues. The Pla Pad Kun Chai which is a fried cod fillet, with a mix of root spices and Chinese celery, had some complex flavors that didn't pan out - the fish itself was breaded in a batter that was perhaps a bit too MSG-laden, and not enough distinctive a flavor to justify its saltiness; and the Chinese celery was really tough, which didn't make for a good bite of texture. The green onions were too crispy relative to the other alliums. The Kao Soi Brisket had some decent beef pieces, but then some of the other pieces were way tough. The soup (or is it a sauce?) was way thick, and overall the dish was overly salted. There also needs to be more noodle, and more mustard green overall. The curry puff was a good idea, but the puff itself was rather dry, and not particularly well integrated with the chicken, potatoes, and alliums. The stuffing might also have been underseasoned. In general the dishes demonstrate expert preparation, but the concepts need reworking. The new environment (across the street from the former location) is a tad loud when populated with many diners, though visually it's a pleasant place to dine. The servers were attentive and respectful.

House of Noodles has become one of my favorite comfort food spots, especially in the winter. There…read moreis something magical about being handed a steaming hot clay pot instead of a plastic takeout container (microplastics, no thanks). It reminds me a little of the old Shine's Fresh Asian in Belmont, except somehow cozier and a little more elevated. If you're looking for a place for a big group, this probably won't work. Most of the seating is bar-style facing a beautiful Chinese-inspired wallpaper. However, if you're eating solo, or with one other person, I think it's one of the best places around. There's something incredibly peaceful about settling in with a hot bowl of noodle soup while the clay pot keeps everything piping hot on a cold, snowy winter's day. The menu has so many different soups and hand-pulled noodles that I keep telling myself I'm going to branch out. In fact, I *thought* I had branched out...until my food arrived and I realized I had accidentally ordered the exact same dish I'd gotten the last time. Apparently my subconscious knows what it's likes. The culprit? The clay pot rice noodle soup with pork, Spam, chives, carrots, napa cabbage, baby bok choy, wood ear mushrooms, quail egg, tomato, green onions, and soy sauce. That is an absurd amount of yummy goodness packed into one bowl, and honestly, I can't even be mad at myself for ordering it twice. Could you get it to go? Sure. I've certainly done it before, but I think this is one of those meals that's meant to be eaten there. The clay pot keeps everything hot, the noodles stay just right, and the whole experience feels comforting in a way that doesn't quite survive a car ride home. I sincerely hope House of Noodles stays in Newton for a very long time. It's the kind of neighborhood restaurant that quietly becomes part of your routine, and I'm really glad it's here.

Authentic and delicious northern style chinese food spot in Newton that is worth visiting if you're…read morein the area. Fast casual style where you order on a tablet and the food it brought to your spot on the counter if you're dining in. Seems to be a popular spot for take out even during weekend lunch. Food was prepared fresh and served rather quickly. The pork gyoza was crispy and the wrapper was light, good snack or appetizer option. The hot and sour noodles were decent but not as sour as i expected. Still comforting and filling and I'd order it again as the price is quite fair. They have an extensive menu and I'm curious to try more of their food.

The chicken lomein was very good. Fresh noodles with shredded chicken…read more Service was quick. Was served my meal with a smile snd the restaurant is very clean and updated

One of my favorite little lunch spots in the area. Simple, straightforward, no BS kinda casual spot…read morewith decently priced lunch specials and an acceptable culinary repertoire to back it all up. In fact, ever since the other Chinese spot changed ownership, I entirely switched to eating here whenever I want a quick sit down Chinese meal. The food is good. It comes out pretty fast. It's done pretty well. And the best part, it just doesn't remotely hurt the wallet. Even being a regular, I'm still amused at how the service is so stereotypical Chinese in the way that I'm just another soul coming in to be fed and not remembered or acknowledged. Mind you, I'm here a LOT and am usually the only one sitting there eating while delivery people repeatedly come and go. Anyways, two reasons why I'm unable to give them 5 stars. First, the tap water they serve...tastes like @#$%. I don't know what it is but I've actually started bringing my own water bottle (or just ordered a soda). Two, the steamed rice is inconsistent. Half the time, it's perfect. The other half...is wet and mushy (I want to say a reheat but isn't that just such a faux pax in Chinese cuisine?). Nonetheless, this is one of the few four and less starred places on my list that I will still continue to frequent and recommend to anyone in the area wanting a quick and decent meal for cheap!

Whenever we crave Chinese food this is the place we run too!…read more The restaurant is located at the Arlington heights plaza area and they have plenty of seating for big and small parties. Everytime we show up for dinner there is always alot of take out orders which is a good sign. There is one very nice waitress which runs around alot when the place is packed but she does a very good job of providing timely service to everyone. We really enjoy the hand pulled noodles which is a must every time we done in. They are cooked perfectly and are packed with flavor of whichever dish you choose them with. We also really enjoy their dry hot pot, especially the shrimp dry pot. It's a stir fry kind of dish packed with several veggies like red peppers, broccoli and much more! The soups are also very good and rich in flavor and are perfect for a chilly day. Some of them are served in a large portion so they are perfect for sharing. You really can't go wrong with any dish! The menu is insanely long and they have a code system for each item tagged with a letter and number which makes it easier to order. We really enjoy dining here and it's always fun to try a new dish from their large menu!

The feeling that filled my heart in this moment was one finding a long lost love. One that you had…read moreonce, one that eventually drifted apart due to whatever circumstances, and then finding each other again in the most unexpected moment and regaining that wonderful traction of a friendship all over again. Yes, I'm talking about food. It was once a tale of two spots. One in Watertown and one right here. As I resided in closer to the Watertown location since the move here, I frequented it and found solace in their dishes - absolute comfort food that was done very well. However, like all businesses, things change and eventually the business was sold. I knew there was a transition period and the owner and chefs stuck around to "train" the new owners. I hoped that the "good" would remain and that the new owners would continue the tradition of wonderfully curated dishes and keep the regulars coming back. Did it happen? No. I gave them about a month of repeated visits to gauge their level of culinary competence but it never came through. Long story short. I stopped going and that feeling of lost love began to fester. I didn't think much of it. I thought he had sold this place too since I've often overheard him saying how hard it was to run this business to his associates as he tried to satisfy every customer walking in the door or ringing the phone off the hook. So when I finally found a chance to be on this side of town, I decided to stop by and give it a shot. Maybe, maybe I thought, the new owners here would do a much better take on what they had taken over. What I didn't expect after placing an order was to see the owner walking out from the kitchen with dishes in hand to serve another table. Eyes wide open, I couldn't help but say, "HEY! Good to see you again." He in return showed the same look and smiled greeting me back with fondness and delight. That's when I spoke to the lady and asked more about the whole situation, wherein she explained how they sold the other place but kept this one. Regulars of the other spot now take the 15-20 minute drive just to come up here instead for a meal. I smiled. It made sense. They must have felt robbed when they went back after the place was sold. Food wasn't even remotely the same. Don't even talk about service either. Anyways, long story short, when the food came out. I felt this completeness return back to my soul. Here, once again, I felt home away from home. The food did me justice. The flavors impeccable. The culinary finesse was displayed thoroughly with each bite. So it is, once again, I found my long lost love again in Boston and can't wait to be here every single Sunday for a wonderful special meal that teleports me back to what "Home Tastes" like.

Huge Thai guy and can tell the good from the bad and good from great. This place is legit...I knew…read morewhen I saw curry puff on menu. Will have to go in person asap. Delivery had: Curry puff (great!) Pad Thai spicy (I tried to only get like 2-3 out of 5 spice but this thing packed heat regardless. Loved it and big portion. Chicken satay (great)

Not sure what all the hype is about for this place! We ordered Thai fried rice, green curry and…read morefish cakes. Fish cakes were small and perfectly uniform - almost like they were frozen rather than prepared on site. Green curry had some spice but was mostly one note, there just wasn't much depth of flavor. Vegetables were all cut in huge hunks - both dishes had giant pieces of red bell peppers and onions. Fried rice was pretty bland and barely had any Chinese broccoli in it. Ambiance was bare bones - you order at the counter and they bring you your food and plastic side plates. Half the tables were stacked with boxes and bags of takeout orders. To top it off there's no bathroom, we were told to use the bathroom at another local business. If I'm gonna spend $60 somewhere, I expect to be able to wash my hands before eating and use the restroom. Perhaps there are some specialty dishes that we didn't try but this was my 2nd time ordering from here (I got take out once before) and both times the food was pretty bland. A truly underwhelming experience - especially when there are so many better restaurants in the area.

MDM Noodles is one of my weaknesses…read more Every time I pass by, I think about going in; then I remind myself that I bought groceries the day before and really ought to cook them, after which I think, "I could make noodle soup at home." And then I think about MDM Noodles again. The hand-pulled noodles are chewy, fresh, and delicious. The soups are full of flavor, deeply savory, and always satisfying. They're certainly delicious, but what I love most is that the bowls actually look beautiful. My dad always said Chinese cooking has to have three things: color, aroma, and taste (色香味), in that order. First, it has to look good. Then it has to smell good. Then, for Pete's sake, it had better taste good too. MDM gets all three right (色香味俱全). The soups are arranged with real care: vegetables layered, colors balanced, everything looking fresh and inviting. I eat a lot of noodle soup around Boston, and I have had some very pale, sad, skin-toned bowls. At that point, I might as well go home, save money, and make my own. MDM is not that. Their soups taste fresh, have tons of umami, and are pure comfort food for me. Noodle soup has always felt like home because my dad used to make it on Saturdays before driving me to music lessons. His noodle soups and MDM's are totally different, but somehow I still get that same feeling when I eat here. You do not come to MDM for ambiance. One time in the summer, I honestly couldn't tell whether they were open because the lights were so low. Were they saving energy? Were they creating mystery? Unclear. The service is good, but very direct. The prices are reasonable. Not cheap, exactly, but for the quality, flavor, and number of ingredients, absolutely worth it. I always leave full, happy, and very glad I ignored the groceries waiting at home.

I'm sure other dishes are good, but I was looking for good soup/noodle dishes. The taste of the…read morebroth was good, as were the green veggies, but for me the meat had a strange taste and texture to it. It was very tender but almost shriveled. I'm not asian but any means so I can't speak to the authenticity of natural quality of the old friend noodles, but it wasn't for me. Perhaps egg drop soup, scallion pancakes, or other items I'd go for. This place has a lot of good ratings so I might give it a second chance. The noodles tasted more like spaghetti was added in. I left so much food behind as a result. I more so would go for korean or japanese noodle spots from now on.

Super happy to have a banh mi spot that isn't so far into Boston!…read more Super yummy flavor in the banh mis, my boyfriend loves the grilled pork and I love the cold cuts. The grilled beef skewers are also super good. I love the thai tea here as well. Would definitely keep coming back!!!

I have friends who tell me, "You could just make those spring rolls yourself, you know..."…read more Lies. (I've tried. They tasted like sadness.) The ones from Banh Mi Cafe are enormous, sooo fresh, and exactly what I wish mine tasted like. Both the fish sauce and the peanut sauce are excellent, and when I need to bring something to a summer potluck but don't have time to cook, I just order six orders of spring rolls and suddenly everyone at the potluck is happy. Their Vietnamese iced coffee is also absolute jet fuel. It's my go-to whenever I need to work a late night. But the reason I'll always be loyal to Banh Mi Café has nothing to do with the food. ::IT'S STORYTIME:: One evening I developed an absolutely irrational craving for their avocado smoothie with boba. I spent the whole day thinking about it, finally placed an online order, and then got a phone call saying they had just run out. They apologized and offered a replacement or a refund. Instead, I asked them a weird question: "I know this is kind of crazy...but if you'll have avocado again on Saturday, could you just make this exact order then instead, and I'll come pick it up?" To my surprise, they said yes. A couple of days later, I picked up my avocado smoothie, my fresh spring rolls, and went home happy. Maybe it was more work than it was worth for the employee, maybe it wasn't; either way, they took an odd request seriously, and that's the kind of customer service that sticks with you. Beyond the spring rolls, I've also really enjoyed the nem chua, the cold cut banh mi (I wish the bread were a little softer, but the condiments and veggies are excellent), and the grilled beef wrapped in betel leaves, which I hadn't tried before and now LOVE. I still have a growing list of desserts to work through, including the flan. One thing to know before you go, regarding ambiance: this is more of a grab-and-go spot, not somewhere to settle in for lunch. There are only a few bar seats, so I almost always take my food with me, sometimes to the nearby park. There are plenty of Vietnamese restaurants around Boston, and while I'll always happily try new ones, Banh Mi Cafe has earned my loyalty, one avocado smoothie at a time.