Sticky. Hot. Steamy. Downtown South Norwalk’s dining scene adds a welcomed dimension with the opening of Mecha Noodle Bar. Housed in the former Pasta Nostra space on Washington Street, the restaurant is the second location for the popular noodle house that originated in Fairfield. The restaurant is a joint venture between longtime friends, Tony Pham and Richard Reyes, who have set out to create a unique way of enjoying the fresh and nourishing flavors of Southeast Asia. Grounded in the satisfying familiarity of comfort food, Mecha embodies a sense of innovation, family, and community, a reflection of how Pham and Reyes view their roles as restauranteurs. Their philosophy sits right at the heart of every dish they create and pushes them to find better ways in all that they do.
“When it comes to the dishes of your childhood, the standards are high. Every color, flavor, and aroma inspires us to connect diverse communities of people via Aisan comfort food” says co-founder and and Culinary Director Tony Pham.
It’s authentic ramen! Chef-driven ramen! Stick to your ribs ramen! Definitely not the stuff you see in plastic wrap at the grocery store. And it’s more than just ramen. From pho and bao to other comfort food that isn’t broth, the resulting dishes are a marriage of cultures borrowing from Vietnamese, Korean and Chinese traditions. The menu has been created to soothe, nourish, sustain and inspire – and with a modest price. Eighty percent of the core menu in South Norwalk will be similar to the Fairfield location, with the remainder of the menu debuting new dishes with a Mecha twist.
“Downtown South Norwalk has already been supporting us in a big way so it only seemed natural to bring guests in this area a wholly new and refreshing concept”, says co-founder and CEO Richard Reyes.
Once you make your way inside, a feng shui alarm bell starts to ring. Bar to the left and dining to the right, with a large kitchen that oversees the restaurant. The dining area will be an open space with communal space accommodating (60) people and also boasts a larger bar creating (15) more seats for dining and imbibing. The bar was built as a place of gathering to quell an impatient army of empty bellies with expertly crafted draft beers, spiked bubble teas, and Asian spirts like schochu and sake.
Click here to view the whole Mecha Noodle Bar menu
As the hour gets late a dim, a relaxed atmosphere will replace the hustle and bustle of the busy noodle bar experience during the day. Building upon the great cocktails, beer, wine and sake of daytime, the late night bar program will showcase a menu of classic cocktails meant to not only satisfy the aficionado, but also to allow guests who are unfamiliar with the classics to experience them in a fun and fuss-free way. Passionate and talented bartenders will shake, stir and pour these tasty libations and also offer a schochu cocktail of their own creation so that guests can experience the world’s most popular spirit.
Mecha Noodle Bar currently serves dinner seven nights a week from 5:00 to 10:00 pm Monday through Saturday and 4:30 to 9:00 pm on Sunday. Lunch will be served in January 2016. For more information visit mechanoodlebar.com.