I’m pretty broke, but when I get the chance to get out and eat lunch in RVA, I try and visit someplace I haven’t been before. And when the weather is cold, nothing warms me up like a hot broth-base with sweet-seasoned noodles. Enter Fan Noodle Bar.
I’m pretty broke, but when I get the chance to get out and eat lunch in RVA, I try and visit someplace I haven’t been before. And when the weather is cold, nothing warms me up like a hot broth-base with sweet-seasoned noodles. Enter Fan Noodle Bar.
Since it opened in June 2014, I’ve heard some buzz and seen some pics via instagram of the cozy corner Thai noodle shop and I’ve been intrigued. I’ve all but cut (at least tried to cut) most carbs out of my diet for a bit now, but yesterday I had a case of the fuck-its and decided it was time to see if the buzz I’d heard about this hip new noodle joint was accurate.
Owned by Songkran “Sonny” Kiatsuranon–son of Sukanya Pala-art, who owns Mom’s Siam–and his wife, Bordeenuch “Vow” Kiatsuranon, Fan Noodle Bar has an interesting legacy to live up to. The once great Mom’s Siam has been off my list since a bad dish I experienced with my folks a while back, but I was still eager to taste the fruits of this new projects labor.
Sure enough, this new spot was perfect.
We started with pork dumplings- slightly crispy outside, sweet and salty inside. These puppies were made with love and you could tell from the first bite. Presentation wasn’t anything too fancy, but they didn’t last long enough for my dinning companions and I to care.
Up next, we got our main dishes – red thai curry and pad thai. Both were fantastic.
The red curry had a sweet tanginess to it, with just the right amount of spice. The mix of eggplant, basil, bell peppers and zucchini danced on my tongue. The creaminess of the coconut milk certainly didn’t hurt either.
I entered Fan Noodle Bar wrapped in layers and chilled to the bone, but this mix of spices and Japanese noodles warmed me to the core.
My friend got the Pad Thai. A sure-fire way to judge the quality of any thai/noodle restaurant is how they handle the basics, and you can’t get much more traditional and basic than Pad Thai.
Sure enough, everything my friend could have asked for was there – the crunchy peanuts, the sprouts and egg, scallions, all over a bed of pillowy rice noodles.
When you’re working with a classic like pad thai, it’s best to follow a formula for success, and Fan Noodle Bar freak’n nailed it.
If you’ve got the winter blues, and you’re feeling a chill roll down your spin, consider Fan Noodle Bar and get pumped for a some classic flavors and good eats.
Fan Noodle Bar
Address: 2301 West Main Street, Richmond, VA 23220
Phone:(804) 358-2514
