Mecha Noodle Bar

Mecca Noodle Bar is Asian comfort food. This is a restaurant that knocks that phrase right out of the park. With everything from Vietnamese pho to Japanese ramen, they’ve got every kind of noodle soup you could hope for. But don’t call them “fusion.” They get a little cranky about that.

I usually get the chicken paitan with wood ear mushroom and chili oil. I get it every time—I just can’t help myself. It’s downright crave-able. A chicken stock base is filled with vermicelli noodles, sliced red onion, and a little cilantro. Nori, three or four slices of breast meat, and half a soft-boiled egg round out the toppings. Add a few bean sprouts and you got yourself a party in a bowl.

The soup is awesome, but that’s not even the best part. It’s all about the apps, baby. With three different locations in Fairfield, South Norwalk, and New Haven, this little shop boasts some of the most flavorful food you could imagine.

Let’s just talk about the roasted mushroom dumplings. Piping hot, they come four to a plate littered with arugula. It’s just the crisp, green foil to the dumpling’s heat. Yet, the flavor profile works. The brown butter miso sauce delicately clings to flash-fried dough. If I could bathe in this sauce, I would. Inside, a wondrous concert of pureed mushroom.

Want to try a few egg rolls? These little pork-stuffed darlings are accompanied by a shredded carrot vinaigrette—or nuoc mam, one of many Vietnamese condiments—green leaf lettuce and mint. Mint is an underappreciated herb, in my opinion. Too often relegated to a drink or jauntily placed atop a tiny dessert, mint packs a power punch that when used properly makes a statement. That is exactly what happens here. The trick is to wrap the egg roll in the lettuce with the mint and dip it in the vinaigrette. So many flavors, so little time.

The baos are utterly delicious. Trite description? Perhaps. But, accurate? You bet. Fluffy pale pillows of steamed bread close around a filling of seared pork belly. Pure yum. If pork is not your thing, they’ve got short ribs and shrimp as alternate options. Typically a Taiwanese street food, these little guys fly off the shelf.

Another little surprise in their app department is the herbed edamame. I love steamed soybeans with flakes of sea salt. Could eat them all day. But this dish is a twist on the classic. With a garlic confit, sea salt, rosemary and sage, it’s a real treat. The herbs are flash fried to add a lovely crispiness. The dish just elevates what has become a ubiquitous hors d’oeuvres in Asian restaurants.

While I typically roll out of there feeling like I’ve just experienced a Thanksgiving dinner, they offer “kae dama.” Should you dare the Japanese tradition, you can ask for a refill of noodles. Some have mastered the kae dama requesting it several times. Sadly, I’m a one-bowl kinda girl. 

The only other thing to add to this lovely Asian experience is their desire for sourcing locally. They get produce whenever possible from nearby farms like Ox Hollow Farm in Roxbury and the beer on tap is often Two Roads Brewing Company in Stratford. They’ve got a fun cocktail called the Moonshine Bomb. With a Two Roads IPA in one hand and a shot of Onyx, Connecticut’s only moonshine, in the other, you drop the shot in the beer and suck it down. Oddly enough, it’s pretty tasty. Plus, it’s super fun while you’re waiting for a table, which is pretty often. It’s usually packed any time of day. That’s what you have to expect when a place serves food that good.