WHEN YOU GO
504 Bellevue Square, Bellevue
425.453.6094
boomnoodle.com
Monday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to midnight
Sunday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Happy Hour: everyday, 3 to 6 p.m.; Thursday 3 to close; Friday and Saturday, 10 p.m. to midnight
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Winter in the Northwest brings bone-chilling wind and rain and the occasional snowstorm where the entire region’s productivity screeches to a halt. On these cold and dreary days, nothing warms a person up quite like a hot bowl of pho or ramen. Any kind of noodles will do the trick actually — their flavors accented with delicious spices and sauces, tantalizing meats and fresh vegetables. It’s the perfect meal to chase away those winter shivers. A good noodle dish will leave you feeling satisfied, head to toe to taste buds.
Now, thanks to Boom Noodle at Bellevue Square, you can get your complete noodle fix. The restaurant serves a variety of noodle dishes from Asia, including ramen, yakisoba, pho, somen, udon and even a Vietnamese noodle salad dish. Steve Rosen, one of the owners of Boom Noodle and Blue C Sushi (its sister restaurant next door), says they chose Bellevue for Boom Noodle’s second location (the first is on Capitol Hill in Seattle) because of Bellevue’s great potential for growth.
“Even though the retail has maybe outpaced the residential density (in Bellevue), Bellevue Square is still very much the epicenter of activity for the Eastside. For us, ensuring that this area has local restaurants is important. When people step into Boom we want them to know that they are stepping into a place that is really homegrown,” says Rosen.
The idea for Boom Noodle came out of Rosen and business partners James Allard and George Christothoulou’s love for visiting noodle shops on trips to Japan. “We loved going into the little noodle shops, and trying different styles of broths and noodles. But those shops are really about grabbing a bowl of noodles, eating them as fast as possible and leaving,” says Rosen.
The group wanted to take an element of this experience and turn it into something different. “When we started to think about Boom Noodle, we wanted to make a place where you could get that kind of Japanese cuisine, but in a really comfortable environment. We also wanted to offer many more items than you can get in the little street shops so, in a way, the restaurant evolved into something that is very original even by Japanese standards,” says Rosen.
And at Boom Noodle, they manage to do exactly that. There seems to be a flavor for everyone. The ramen is very popular. Of the ramen choices, some prefer the spicy kim chi ramen, but you can opt for the not-as-hot but equally flavorful shio ramen (choice of chicken or pork, naruto, bamboo shoots, corn, shiitake mushrooms, green onion, chicken-pork broth); miso ramen (choice of soy braised pork or chicken breast, sweet corn, bean sprouts, miso sesame broth); or Tokyo ramen (braised pork, tamago, bamboo shoots, green onion, soy seasoned chicken-pork broth).
The other noodle choices are great (Boom Noodle also offers many of its menu items as vegetarian options), but something unexpected stands out on the menu. Boom Noodle’s menu has an izakaya flair to it. A good way to describe izakaya is like it’s a Japanese pub or bar that has an emphasis on food, specifically small-plate items like edamame (soy beans) and yakitori (chicken skewers).
Boom’s small plates incorporate much more fusion, and they are surprisingly good at it. Try the edamame puree served with deep-fried Okinawan purple sweet potato chips. The puree looks like green hummus and the sight is a bit off-putting at first, but the flavor goes great with the sweet potato chips. Another tasty dish to share is the ahi tacos, a satisfying mixture of sashimi-grade ahi poke served with shiso, shoestring vegetables, edamame puree, crispy wonton shells and creamy chili tofu sauce. The salt and pepper tofu, a dish of crispy fried organic tofu, wok-toasted spice and green onions is also a winner.
Rosen explains that part of Boom Noodle’s misson is to introduce people to new ideas in Asian cuisine. “Chef Jonathan Hunt and his staff do a great job of offering super traditional dishes or getting playful and creating something totally original,” says Rosen. The entire Boom Noodle team is dedicated to the quality of food. “These days, it’s easy to build a nice-looking restaurant. It’s much tough to deliver on the food side of the equation. Chef Hunt and his team are never fully satisfied. They are always looking for small ways to improve a dish or offer a compelling special,” says Rosen.
In these tough economic times, diners are also looking for good value, and are really investing their time and dollars in local restaurants. “Diners are very sophisticated these days and they have an acute sense for something over-priced or if the quality of ingredients doesn’t match the price they are paying. People are learning that Boom is designed to be a place where they can eat multiple times a week, but not sacrifice on environment and food quality,” says Rosen.
Can’t decide what to order? Take a bunch of friends with you and share a few bites so you can get a taste of all the unique flavors that Boom Noodle offers. Order something different every time you go. You’ll surely be satisfied, but in the end, by being adventurous with your food, you will learn something new about yourself.
more local favorites
Looking for a spot that fits your Asian noodle needs? These restaurants also serve up some tasty noodle dishes, and are among some of the local favorites.
Chantanee Thai Restaurant and Bar
Thai restaurant staples like pad Thai and pad see iew shine here, but don’t miss out on Naga, Chantanee’s bar. Sip the perfect cocktail concoction with your noodle goodness. Details: 601 108th Ave. N.E., Bellevue.
Ka Won Korean Restaurant
Try the jap chae (pronounced “chop-chay”), a traditional Korean cellophane noodle dish that’s stir-fried with sesame oil, thinly sliced vegetables (usually onion, spinach, carrots and mushrooms) and thinly sliced beef marinated in a sweet soy sauce. The restaurant also provides several grilling stations at different tables, perfect for Korean BBQ. Try the sahm gyup sal, or uncured bacon (need I say more?). You wrap it in lettuce and eat it with rice or hot sauce. This is probably one of my favorite meals ever. It’s worth the drive up north. A few caveats: don’t count on amazing service, and it’s a good idea to know how to order Korean food unless you’re feeling adventurous. Details: 15004 Highway 99, Suite A, Lynnwood.
Shanghai Café
Check out this small family-owned restaurant for some delicious hand-shaven noodles. It’s exactly what it sounds like: cooks shave a large ball of noodle dough with a knife right into the wok, mixing them with fresh vegetables and proteins like chicken, beef or shrimp. Details: 12708 S.E. 38th St., Bellevue.
What the Pho
More than just a catchy name, What the Pho (pronounced “fuh,” not “foe”) serves up this comforting bowl of noodle soup with various cuts of beef or chicken, shrimp, seafood or vegetable versions. Many believe pho is the perfect comfort to help kick a cold, much like chicken noodle soup. I think it’s tasty any time. Details: 1317 228th St. S.E. Unit A, Bothell or 10680 N.E. 8th St., Bellevue.
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