Dishes involving noodles rank right up there with rice cravings. Pancit, spaghetti, pho– we don't discriminate against tasty strands. So when AnQi's kitchen wanted to remind us of their noodle bar, we were all in. The following food porn can also be ordered from the dining room or to-go. Take your pick from these twirlable, slurp-worthy options, but only through Monday during lunch service.
Butternut squash in kale soba noodle salad (pictured above)
While most of us envision steaming plates, this entree keeps it cool with a coconut and peanut vinaigrette. If the description wasn't healthy sounding enough, they added blueberries for good measure. The sweeter elements made it unique, but we were ready for warmer options.
]
Hanoi ramen
Instead of asking “Chicken or egg?”, the kitchen tossed in both! Anchored by skinny egg noodles, both ground chicken and sliced omelet add to the texture of this bowl. You'll also find pork sausage (because why not?), carrot and Vietnamese coriander, for the win.
Zucchini tagliatelle
Your Paleo option, this deceiving meal is assembled with everything but traditional noodles. Instead, ribbons of zucchini substitute for the familiar food. Cooked in a white wine sauce, hearty mushrooms and a finish of olive oil made us do a double-take.
Steak chow fun
Prepared by the noodle bar's very own Mr. Johnson (It's actually his first name), your beef flank is fired up in his wok with a garlic soy sauce. Easy on the sprouts, they focus more on their Cantonese rice noodles. Probably the closest equivalent to 'meat and potatoes', it'll fill your belly up.
Roasted duck ramen
The only noodle repeated, their choice of duck is what made this dish. Whole heirloom carrots bathe in a miso broth, alongside a 63-degree egg. And yes, we got some yolk action afterwards.
Follow Stick a Fork In It on Twitter @ocweeklyfood or on Facebook! And don't forget to download our free Best Of App here!
A contributing writer for OC Weekly, Anne Marie freelances for multiple online and print publications, and guest judges for culinary competitions. A Bay Area transplant, she graduated with a degree in Hospitality Management from Cal Poly Pomona. Find her on Instagram as brekkiefan.