3 stars

If your chopstick muscles, the ones from ring finger to wrist, are as flaccid as noodles through underuse, then the recent opening of Nu Noodle could give them the workout they’re missing. This is the first non-Turkish/Mediterranean eaterie in Cihangir, barring the excellent Miss Pizza, and its approach is to make the ethnic experience as unthreatening as possible to the sometimes timid Turkish customer. In a 3 step process, choose your noodles, then the ingredients and finish off with the sauce, leaving the combinations as well as the final price up to the individual.  The cheapest noodles are egg or rice (6.90ytl), the price doubles for imported soba, udon or ramen.  Add simple ingredients like mushroom (1 ytl), broccoli (1.50ytl) or chicken (2.50ytl) or stretch the budget with Shitake mushrooms (3 ytl) or shrimps (6.90ytl).  Standard for every meal is carrot, cabbage, soya beans and spring onion but, unfortunately, no egg - too scary.

While Nu Noodle makes an effort with ingredients and sauces that many a Chinese restaurant in Istanbul would do well to emulate, the sauces are a bit tame.  The Satay was undetectable at first, although asking for extra was no problem and the Thai Sweet and Hot only really qualified as the former.  I could neither see nor taste the ginger I had ordered but the Teriyaki sauce was fine.

In the time it takes to send an SMS and visit the restroom, food is ready and packed up in microwaveable American style cartons to eat in or go.   Actually taking it away results in an enormously wasteful shopping bag to carry your tiny box home and the lack of seats suggests most business is done this way.  50% of the seating choice means shoveling noodles into your face at the window, slurping up whatever doesn’t quite make it, under the gaze of every passerby.  I recommend a walk past if you are ever thinking of going on a romantic date where noodles or spaghetti are involved to remind you why that really isn’t a good idea until after marriage.  

Nu Noodle
Sıraselviler Cad. No: 60, Beyoğlu

0212 244 8899/9988

Open daily 10.45- 9.45pm
No alcohol