Noodles of
Every Persuasion
Oodles of Noodles is almost too good to be true. It's a
noodle shop with great food, good service, lots of free
parking and only minutes away from the heart of
Kailua-Kona.
The menu is an incredible offering of noodles. My husband
and I found the dishes creative, brimming with local
ingredients and wonderfully prepared. Most have a Pacific
Rim flair, but if you're interested in Mediterranean food,
you won't be disappointed.
Chef Amy Ferguson-Ota is just this side of being a culinary
legend. She was the first woman to be named Executive Chef
at any major luxury resort in the U.S., and also at the
Ritz-Carlton group, when she took over the reins at the
Ritz Mauna Lani. Cookbook afficionados will remember her as
a featured chef in Julia Child's Cooking with Master Chefs.
Ferguson-Ota has also been a James Beard award nominee.
The
Menu
The appetizers include Summer Rolls, Ravioli and Peking
Duck Nachos. Prices average $7.95. We split an order of
Summer Rolls ($5.95) with a tasty spicy sauce made of
chilis, peanuts, soy sauce and green onions. They were
nicely prepared and the portion was generous enough for
two.
Diners interested in eating soup have several Asian ones
from which to choose. The portions are large enough to be a
meal. The Pho Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup ($8.95) served at
the next table looked and smelled great. The entire table
raved about it. If you're more of a fish lover, try the
Spicy Tamarind Saifun Noodle Fish Soup. You can order it
with just the broth and local fish for $12.95, or get the
"kicked up" version with fish, clams, shrimp and scallops
for $18.95.
All of the salads have noodles too. They range from the
Crisp Thai Chicken Rice Vermicelli Salad with a sweet-sour
fish sauce ($9.95) to the Spicy Pacific Caesar served with
crunchy noodle croutons ($9.95). There was also a pasta
with pesto, roasted tomatoes and feta that looked yummy.
By now you've guessed that there are noodles on the
entrée list too. But they aren't as
front and center as they are elsewhere on the menu. You can
feast on Spicy Pacific Lamb Chops and Crisp Noodle Hash
Brown ($21.95), Seared Island Fish, Black Bean Butter,
Julienne Vegetables and Crisp Noodle Cake ($18.95). If
you're a noodle lover, don't worry -- there's plenty for
you to come. I want to make sure that everyone understands
there are traditional dishes with just a little noodle
flash for people interested in a more conventional menu.
We ordered the Thai Green Curry Crisp Cake Noodle with
Chicken and Eggplant ($13.95) and the Mongolian Chow Mein
(your choice of mild, medium or spicy) with Chicken, Pork,
Vegetables and Hoisin-Chili Sauce ($13.95). Both were
outstanding, delicious and attractively presented on an
intriguing variety of plates and bowls in various shapes,
sizes and colors.
The spice and the heat were just what we asked for;
however, the portions were too large to finish. For those
who prefer something from the Mediterranean, there's a
Lasagna dish that changes daily, Grilled Vegetable Pasta
Primavera ($11.95), and Fettuccine with Grilled Chicken
Ancho Cream, Sweet Peppers, Roasted Corn and Cilantro
($14.95), and the list goes on. There are two nightly
specials: one Asian and one Mediterranean.
Many of the dishes are vegetarian, but for a modest price
you can add grilled chicken, pork, fish, beef, shellfish,
duck, tofu or tempeh. There's a kid-friendly menu ($2.50)
so a night out won't be a drain on the budget.
Little things
count
The bar menu had all of the tropical concoctions that
people drink when they're in Hawaii for $6. The wine and
beer list offers a nice variety that's appropriate for the
menu. We each enjoyed a bottle of Orion beer from Okinawa
($6.50/21 ounces), but thought the wine was a bit on
expensive side. (The Bonnie Doon Vin Gris was $28/bottle,
$7/glass.)
Our server, Nikki, was excellent. The bus girl was a little
trigger happy, but Nikki was always right behind her,
keeping things in order. The atmosphere is casual Hawaiian,
with outdoor seating available. Reservations didn't appear
to be necessary even though it was high season, but they
did do a brisk business. There's a carry-out and a catering
business - Paradise Spice Co. & Catering in back - that
also seems to have a loyal following.
Finally
If great food at attractive prices and excellent service
aren't enough for you (although I can't imagine why you're
not calling for reservations right now), the location is
easy to find and has lots of free parking. Oodles of
Noodles is located in the Crossroads Shopping Center (on
Henry Street), just a few doors down from the Safeway and
just a few blocks from the heart of Kailua-Kona's downtown
waterfront.
You can reach Oodles of Noodles at 808-329-9222. They open
at 10:30am Mon.-Sat.; 12 noon Sun.
Bon Appétit et Bon Voyage!