NOODLE STORIES
They have value-for-money all day set meals going at only $12.80++, consisting of a main dish which is usually a noodle, a small side dish, a drink and a dessert. The only downside to their sets was a lack of choice because we didn't really get to mix and match, what was there was part of the package whether you liked it or not. With our eyes bigger than our stomachs, we ordered an array of things, most of which were their signature dishes, and some of which we may have regretted.
Signature "Zhajiang" Noodles
First to arrive was their Signature "Zhajiang" Noodles ($8.00), which was basically wheat noodles served with a ground pork fried in Zha Jiang (fermented bean taste). Noodle Stories' take on this came with a generous portion of fresh edamame and bean sprouts, with the Zha Jiang sauce served separately from the noodles. It was a first for us to see the sauce being served separately but we tucked in eagerly anyway.
We enjoyed the umami taste and the the crunchy bean sprouts that (thank god) did not have that pungent aroma others normally do. The edamame beans were not mushy while the noodles still retained some of its bouncy texture. The whole dish came really well together with every mouthful being flavorful and enjoyable.
We enjoyed the umami taste and the the crunchy bean sprouts that (thank god) did not have that pungent aroma others normally do. The edamame beans were not mushy while the noodles still retained some of its bouncy texture. The whole dish came really well together with every mouthful being flavorful and enjoyable.
C: A little too much meat and too little sauce? This gets dry after a while.
S: If only this was a little more spicy.
We were happy for a good start! So next came the 'Biang Biang' Noodles Set ($12.80), which included the Biang Biang Noodles, two Dumplings with Chilli oil, Lemongrass Jelly for dessert and Soya Milk. All at one shot. Including the dessert. We found it really odd that they would serve the dessert together with the main course. We were at a loss of which to eat first.
C: We should eat the noodles first, if they get cold it won't be nice
S: But if the dessert gets warm it'll be even worse
Lemongrass Jelly with Fruits
In the end we went with the dessert first. The Lemongrass Jelly with Fruits (a la carte: $4.50) was served with some huge blueberries and fresh slices of strawberries and a few canned mandarin oranges. The first bite had us overwhelmed by the strong lemongrass taste. It was way too overpowering and not in a good way. Honestly, the portion was not worth $4.50 but it came with the meal so we guess we didn't have a choice.
Dumplings with Chilli Oil & 'Biang Biang' Noodles
The Dumplings with Chilli Oil is also sold on their a la carte menu as 'Wanton' with Black Vinegar and Chilli Oil (a la carte: $6.00) for 6 pieces.
S: Chilli? Oh god somebody prepare the waterThe chilli oil was slightly sour with hints of some fermented elements and the dumplings filled with fresh prawns and black fungus. The dumpling skin was not too thick either and held everything well. This would have been perfect if the black fungus had a nicer crunchier texture to it. Oh and it wasn't that spicy, making it totally worth a try.
We're not experts on Chinese foods but Wikipedia has taught us that Biang Biang Noodles is this dish known as one of the '10 strange wonders of Shaanxi' because of its thick and wide shape, similar to a belt! Noodle stories definitely was on point with its size, and they served it with a similar fermented bean meat sauce, just like that of the Zha Jiang Noodles, but spicier.
The 'Biang Biang' Noodles (a la carte: $10.80) was also served with a soft and creamy hanjuku egg and blanched vegetables. Being so thick in width, length and thickness, it was really filling and hard for one person to finish alone. Maybe it was because it was so chewy but it got really difficult after a while. We discovered the trick to finishing this is to eat fast without pausing for too long, but overall it was a good dish but still strongly depends on personal preference. If you don't like thick noodles, please don't get this.
C: Wow I think you can slap someone with these noodles.
S: How do you even eat this?! It should be called the WAH BIANG noodles
The 'Biang Biang' Noodles (a la carte: $10.80) was also served with a soft and creamy hanjuku egg and blanched vegetables. Being so thick in width, length and thickness, it was really filling and hard for one person to finish alone. Maybe it was because it was so chewy but it got really difficult after a while. We discovered the trick to finishing this is to eat fast without pausing for too long, but overall it was a good dish but still strongly depends on personal preference. If you don't like thick noodles, please don't get this.
This arrived when we were almost done eating. Strange, we didn't remember ordering the leftovers of an egg stuck to a pan?
Pan-fried Meat Buns
Oh haha, silly us it turned out to be the meat buns we ordered like an hour ago? We figured it out after we flipped it around. What a strange presentation style.
These Pan-fried Meat Buns ($6) had a really soft and fluffy texture and the stuffing was fragrant, sweet and delicious! The meat was a little chewy though, maybe it was overcooked just by a little However, that fried base was so, so, so oily! The bottom piece was significantly darker than the rest of the bun and it was soaked with oil, and also practically tasteless. We didn't really understand how this worked, but the buns were attached to the thing, and when we say attached, we mean you can't even pull it off without breaking the beautiful buns. It was possible that the oil they used wasn't hot enough when they fried it, but we hope they touch up on this.
Oh and just a side note but by the time we got through the buns, the parts attached or close to the bottom (near the fried piece) were turning translucent from sucking up all the oil.
These Pan-fried Meat Buns ($6) had a really soft and fluffy texture and the stuffing was fragrant, sweet and delicious! The meat was a little chewy though, maybe it was overcooked just by a little However, that fried base was so, so, so oily! The bottom piece was significantly darker than the rest of the bun and it was soaked with oil, and also practically tasteless. We didn't really understand how this worked, but the buns were attached to the thing, and when we say attached, we mean you can't even pull it off without breaking the beautiful buns. It was possible that the oil they used wasn't hot enough when they fried it, but we hope they touch up on this.
Oh and just a side note but by the time we got through the buns, the parts attached or close to the bottom (near the fried piece) were turning translucent from sucking up all the oil.
Red Bean Pancake
And of course we had at least one other dessert - their famous Red Bean Pancake ($6).
S: Oh dear this is shinier than Edward CullenNot in a good way. Their Red Bean Pancake was made up of thin pastry sheets deep fried with red bean paste in the middle and topped with black and white sesame seeds. Perhaps we had too high hopes, being big fans of red bean, but this dish was a huge disappointment. The outer layers were crispy and extremely oily while the inner layers were uncooked? If you pressed down on it, even only slightly, you could see oil ooze out. Yes, it was that bad. The one thing that saved this dish was its red bean past, which did not disappoint. It was smooth and not too sweet.
This whole experience has been a downward spiral, starting off really well and ending up in the depths. But, we would definitely come back here again because of its friendly prices and mainly for the Zha Jiang Noodles!
Food: 5/10
Despite some hits and misses, Noodle Stories serves decent Chinese cuisine at wallet-friendly prices. The long queue during the peak hours of dinner was completely understandable. We gave them a score of only 5 because they had started out as probably an 8, but dropped drastically as the meal went by.
Ambience: 7/10
A very family-friendly type of place, so it was a pleasant kind of noise. We could still hear each other so it wasn't bad.
Service: 5/10
Service left a lot to be desired. Although we had a few really nice waitresses and waiters, some of them were just terrible! We could understand their concept of refilling our own water but there was no more water in the flask and when we asked the waitress she only snapped at us to wait. And wait we did, for a long long time. Also, instead of helping us clear our tables, there was a waiter who asked us to move all our finished dishes in so he could put new ones on the table! Ridiculous.
Until next time!
C & S.
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Located at:
181 Orchard Road
#07-14/15, Orchard Central
Singapore 238896
How to get there:
Nearest MRT - Somerset
Opening hours:
Monday to Friday - 10.30 a.m. to 3 p.m. ; 6 p.m. to 10.30 p.m.
Saturdays, Sundays & PH - 10.30 a.m. to 10.30 p.m.
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