Monday, October 2

JustNoodle

What are such eateries called? Neither cafe nor full-fledged restaurant, they may balk at the idea of being called a "fast food outlet". Sure, the service is quick and food served even quicker but there is more to it than just slapping the patty between the sesame bun slices and sloshing on some barbeque sauce. The menu inclues a potpurri of japanese/ korean inspired dishes and such eateries wear set meals proudly on their sleeves.

Menu, pricing, restaurant layout-wise, JustNoodle (at Suntec) and Bab Noodle bear striking resemblances. Even our experience at JustNoodle felt like a deja vu as Eileen ordered her default Spicy Chicken Set.and I went for the Spinach tofu and seasonal vegetables set. But that's just where the 'tweedledee and tweedledum' story line ends.

When I saw spinach tofu on the menu, I jumped at the chance to order it. Having had fond memories of spinach tofu at Jade Fullerton and Noble House, I was looking forward to meeting their acquaintance again. Cuboids of egg tofu were pan-fried and ungreasy but practically calling out to be bathed in gravy or sauce. I knew I should have ordered the spinach tofu, doused in special minced meat sauce.. The thin cap of spinach, taste-wise, was hardly noticeable. Despite possessing an aching ardor for tofu, I was slightly disappointed by the lack of fireworks. Love isn't taste-blind after all..

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Turning our attention to the seasonal vegetables, one might wonder if the cook thought that shallots overload was en vogue. I mean, can you even see the greens? To make matters worse, the mass of fried shallots had gone limp under the lackluster oyster sauce.

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I didn't try Eileen's spicy chicken but she thought Bab's version was less oily and tastier. Along with the set, there was chicken soup with red dates, which was weak and lukewarm upon arrival; a small cup green jelly that should came with its own warning label on "food colouring"; free flow of peach tea or orange juice.

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Just Noodle is Just Alright. At $6.90 per set, I'm in no position to complain. Then again, with so many eateries around the corner, you could easily give it a miss. I, however, shall visit it again to try their spinach tofu with special minced meat sauce rice bowl to see if there are any redeeming qualities.

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