Capital Noodle Bar

The Irvine Asian food scene continues to grow with each passing year.  New eateries are popping up here and there.  A notable addition to the Chinese offerings here is Capital Noodle Bar, which is related to Capital Seafood.  The latter is Irvine's mediocre attempt at dim sum.  Sadly, I've been here many times because, frankly there ain't much else as far as dim sum is concerned.  I've never eaten the dinner food here, but I've not heard great things.  So my expectations for the noodle bar weren't that high.  However, after a couple visits, I think it's a good little addition to Irvine if you ignore the price tag.

Fried Fish Cake

Your standard fried fish cake.  Nicely served with pickled cabbage and carrots

Juicy Pork Dumplings

Not sure why Big Head Talks-A-Lot would order this here, of all places.  Not the best, but decent.

Spicy Pickled Cucumbers

I love me some Chinese pickled cucumbers.  I try to order them wherever I go.  I'm pretty sure I ate the majority of this out of our party of 5.

Garlic Vegetables chinese broccoli 

Whoo, they LOVE their garlic at Capital Noodle Bar.  Generous amounts were used to stir fry these guys.  Tasty, well cooked, but a tad too much garlic.

Beef Chow Fun green onions, bean sprouts, large rice noodles 

My dad ordered it all the time when I was a kid, so I think that's where my love for it started.  Onion haters beware.  They use a generous amount of white onions here.  No kissy kissy after this one guys.

Wonton Egg Noodles pork and shrimp wonton, small egg noodle

On to the soup noodles!  I actually did not try most of these.  I did try the wontons which were pretty good.  Portions are pretty generous.  The soup wasn't overpowered by MSG, but I only sampled a little bit.  LoMa Linda seemed pleased with her selection.

Capital Bowl sliced pork, shrimp, assorted fish cake, minced pork, small rice noodle

Big Head Talks-A-Lot wasn't complaining.

Cantonese Style Roast Duck roasted duck, lettuce, small egg noodle

LoMa Linda's mom ordered this.

Hong Kong Style Chow Fun chinese broccoli, carrots, gravy sauce, large rice noodle

I tried this on a previous visit.  It's tasty, but too much damn garlic.  I might ask them to make it with half as much garlic if possible.  It's weird I am dinging this place for the garlic because I normally love and welcome lotsa and lotsa garlic.  I think I'm used to eating these dishes a certain way and anyway which strays beyond that is weird to me.

Overall, Capital Noodle Bar does a better job peddling noodles than the sister seafood restaurant does at churning out dim sum.  I think most people are in agreement, since the place can get pretty darn busy at lunchtime.  There is often a wait if you try coming at noon.  The noodle bar also offers a variety of rice dishes.  Their most popular is the Hainan chicken, which unfortunately is only skinless white meat chicken.  Running Man exclaimed "WTF?!" when he was told this.  His displeasure tried to hide his disgust, but the rest of us were thinking the same thing.  He couldn't bear to eat something potentially dry and tasteless.  So I have yet to try one of their signature dishes.  In any case, I am sure to be back.  This is one of those "regular Wednesday night" dinner joints if ya know what I mean.

10 - You NEED to eat here 

9 - Awesome! 

8 - Very good
7 - Good 

6 - OK

5 - Average
4 - Not bad

3 - Not good

2 - Terrible

1 - Do NOT go here