Sure, Noodle Bar has its forerunners. There's Republic, a consistently good Union Square establishment that slings Chinese, Thai, and Vietnamese rice and noodles; and Soho stalwart Kelley & Ping, where the fare runs from pad thai to Korean bi bim bop to curried Singaporean lo mein. Noodle Bar covers similar inexpensive starchy territory, but with a difference. Not content to merely re-create Pacific Rim standards, it tweaks them with unexpected and discordant ingredients. Occasionally, it succeeds brilliantly in its budget... More >>>