The first time I saw Chicken Noodle Bowl on the menu, I thought it was Chicken Noodle Soup, and I skipped it. My coworker ordered it, and seeing the plate filled me with envy.
I love Vietnamese Food. Is this Cafe 50’s take on Bun Ga Nuong? I’m not sure. It’s close enough think it’s a take, but the dish is different enough to disappoint if that’s what you want.
The dish consists of:
- Thick Rice Noodles
- Pickled Carrot and Daikon
- Lettuce
- Basil
- Crispy Onions
- Peanuts
- Fish Sauce
- Grilled Chicken
To start, I’d recommend this dish. With a little Sriracha from the condiments area, the dish is tangy, spicy, salty, and tasty.
My biggest disappointment was the thick rice noodles. The noodles don’t pick up the sauce well. They don’t twirl around a fork. The noodles are unruly. If Vermicelli Rice Noodles were used, I’d be pretty happy with the dish overall.
The Fish Sauce blend was pretty good. It wasn’t overly sweet. The sauce felt healthy. Personally, I like a sweeter and tangier blend. Cafe 50’s is approachable. The sauce is safe and not polarizing.
The vegetables are the star. They go well with the sauce. Everything felt crisp and fresh. The vegetables complement the sauce and the chicken well.
If you’re looking for sweet, salty, tangy, and savory in a single plate of food, this could be the plate you’re looking for. If you’re in the area, Monsoon or Pho Ever have more authentic flavor, but also cost more. For the residents near Cafe 50, this plate’s cost, taste, and convenience are worth it. The Chicken Noodle Bowl felt like a steal at $10.
I really need someone to verify with me this meal was a healthy choice. Everything felt satisfying. The amount of food felt like enough. I wasn’t longing for more, and I didn’t feel bloated. My only gripe: trying to eat the unruly noodles around my coworkers without feeling like I was embarrassing myself.
Look, I’m just trying my best to be professional, and letting my coworkers seeing me slap myself with a wet noodle doesn’t feel like the way to go.
But for the taste–and at $10–maybe I’ll let them see me whack myself again…
