May 27

May 27 Nudi Noodle Place - Portland, OR

One of my favorite places to visit is Portland OR and I am lucky enough to travel there just about once a year. It's truly a foodie's heaven in earth. All you have to do is think about what you're in the mood for and you will find it within a stone's throw from where you stand. After a rather long travel day I didn't quite know what I wanted. I also didn't have a chance to make a bucket list before heading out since this was a short work trip. Randomly I stumbled upon Nudi Noodle Place and I found my total happy place. And with a name like Nudi Noodle how could it not be awesome.

Nudi Noodle Place is located in Woodstock, a neighborhood southeast of Downtown. From my short drive there straight from the airport it looked like a hip and cute area with lots of different places you can try. It was a beautiful sunny day, an anomaly for Portland, and Nudi had the perfect outdoor patio to enjoy both the weather and the small feast I ordered.

One menu item caught my eye almost immediately: the laksa. It's noted in the menu as the #1 favorite dish and all the reviews I read seemed to say the same thing. I took the plunge and ordered it without really knowing what it was.

Laksa is a coconut curry soup made served rice noodled and sliced pork. It was rather delicious! I liked the subtle coconut flavor present throughout the dish. It was brothy soup, but with slightly more bounce and texture. The rice noodles were tender and the cilantro and green onions added a fresh bite to every spoonful.

My favorite topping were the fried shallots. I would add a little bit of fried shallots to every dish if I could. It was crunchy and had a nice earthy, sweet, savory flavor that enhanced the overall umami of the dish. Ok, I admit, I lied right then. The fried shallots were my favorite, but that's only if you don't count the egg, which is a no-brainer favorite. I mean look at it! That egg, along with every other goodness in this bowl, just made the entire dish comforting and tasty.

Although it is known as a rather spicy soup dish, I was able to keep the spice toned down to my liking by removing some of the chili's. For those that like a good kick, you would simply leave it and mix it all up together. I had never ordered anything like this before and I wasn't sure what to expect. I'm glad the menu didn't say it was spicy because I'm not sure I would have ordered it. Just goes to show that you should have an open mind when out for an adventure -- something I have to remind myself from time to time.

Everything on the menu sounds delicious. I was going to try their ramen, of which they have three different kinds. If soups aren't your thing, you can try a "dry" noodle dish or make your own rice bowl with your choice of protein and flavored rice mix. The The service was quick and friendly and made the whole experience that much better. I know you will love Nudi Noodle Place.