A popular Bristol takeaway, food truck and catering service, Mr Noodle began as a lockdown project for a few Michelin-trained chefs “who cook Ramen for fun.” Taking inspiration from Tokyo’s bustling backstreet food alleys where giant pots of steaming ramen broth, lines of hungry customers looking for fulfilment in a bowl all jostle for space, Mr Noodle strives to capture a combination of comforting calm, heady aromas and vivid flavours in its dishes.
However, if you want to experience Mr Noodle in a surrounding that replicates something of the convivial atmosphere of a Ramen bar, then you need to head to The Good Measure pub on Chandos Road, where every Thursday from 6pm, it has a pop-up that has just returned after a winter hiatus. Mr Noodle operates from the kitchen at what was formerly Chandos Social, which is conveniently just down the street from the award-winning Good Chemistry-owned pub.
With an ever-changing, flawlessly curated offering of craft beers as well as excellent ciders and wine, The Good Measure is a neighbourhood gem - cosy in the winter and spilling out onto its street-side terrace in the summer. Small but perfectly formed, there's only seating inside for around 30, almost half of which is high stools at narrow bars along the walls and bay window; it’s a comfortable place to settle in for a few drinks, but how does it fare as a ramen restaurant?
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Arrive early in the evening, the pub is half full, and no one appears to be eating ramen, leading me to wonder if I’ve maybe got my days mixed up. But ordering a drink, the bartender asks if I want food and directs me to a small clipboard on the bar listing Mr Noodle’s menu.
There are five ramen options with teriyaki chicken, Korean fried chicken, Sichuan pulled pork chiasu pork belly and vegan teriyaki tofu ranging from £13.40 to £16.50, while sides include pulled pork loaded or vegan katsu fries and chicken kara-age for between £6.20 and £7.90.
Feeling famished from skipping lunch and cold from the inclement weather, I optimistically order both the Korean fried chicken ramen and the pork-loaded fries before settling in on a stool with a tasty malty third of craft ale. It doesn't take long before someone from Mr Noodle makes their way through the pub’s side door balancing a tray to deliver a piping-hot bowl of ramen and a surprisingly massive portion of fries, which comes in a cardboard container.
Everything fits neatly on the bar, and any concerns I had about the practicality of slurping noodles in a pub quickly dissolved as I began tucking in and savouring each mouth-watering bite.
The portion of chicken in the dish is generous, with three large fried fillets floating atop a shimmering broth. Moist on the inside and crisp on the outside, it falls apart easily, but its outer crumb maintains its texture despite the inherent wetness of the dish. There’s a savoury taste that's almost reminiscent of a bag of ready-salted crisps in the coating, which, with a dollop of Mr Noodle’s Gochujang Ketchup, tingle’s with a sweet spiciness and deep savouriness.
The sapporo wheat noodles, handmade traditional Japanese way, are firm but unctuous, holding their own in their soupy surrounding. and as difficult as it may be to upstage perfectly fried chicken, the silky ramen broth manages to do so. Mr Noodle says it prepares its unique master stocks for 8-14 hours, and it shows. Thick with umami, speckled with chilli and scallion oil and almost gravy-like (in a good way), the range of flavours at play makes this rich ramen a delight, leaving little room left for the soft-boiled shoyu egg.
The fries, heavily topped and requiring chopsticks to avoid sticky fingers, make the perfect sharing snack. The sumptuous pork and Gochujang Ketchup have a spicy edge that immediately makes itself known before being assuaged by lashings of Japanese mayo.
The relaxed, intimate vibe of The Good Measure, where it’s as comfortable to spend a couple of hours with a group as on your own, makes it the ideal environment to pull up a stool and enjoy a soothing soupy dish, Mr Noodle's ramen served in an easy-going style. It may not be traditional pub food, but it’s something much, much better.
Mr Noodle is at The Good Measure on Chandos Road each Thursday from 6.00 pm. You can also find them on Deliveroo and at The Harbourside Market.
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