Everyday Noodles - Squirrel Hill Neighborhood
Just about once a month I have to travel northeast from my workplace in Washington, PA to a forensic laboratory in Monroeville for some super-exciting scanning electron microscopy. This voyage involves passage through two of Pittsburgh’s terrible tunnels and regrettably guarantees that I’ll get home much later than normal. To help brighten these days, I always swing by Uncle Sam’s in Squirrel Hill for a belly-busting lunch.
This plan didn’t seem as palatable on my most recent trip because my pants were already feeling quite tight from a weekend of over-eating and I figured that there was a good chance they would split in two after a turkey breast sub and a pound of French fries. I had just read a review earlier that morning from a fellow food blogger about Everyday Noodles and my interest was piqued enough to try it out. It was extremely hard walking past Uncle Sam’s, but somehow I dug deep and was able to do it…
I arrived at Everyday Noodles a little bit before noon and was promptly seated since the lunch rush hadn’t yet started. The dining space was rather compact, with a row of small table seating opposite the open noodle-doodlin’ kitchen. Interior décor was quite appealing, with warm yellow paint, azure mosaic glass tile and a shimmering silk* panorama serving as the long wall’s focal point.
I was dining solo, so I eased onto a bench seat against the wall and perused the one-page menu. Though Everyday Noodles is most closely associated with Xiaolongbao (XLB or soup dumplings), I decided to eschew this part of the menu. I knew I couldn’t finish off a basket all by myself (at least not without taking off my pants), and I didn’t think that the leftover soup dumplings would survive an afternoon lying on the floor of my passenger seat without getting indelibly soggy.
I still knew that I had to take something home for my wife to nosh on later that evening so I picked out sustainable-sounding selections from both the dim sum (Pork and Vegetable Potstickers) and dry noodle (thin Dan Dan) categories. Wanting to add some adventure to these somewhat-straightforward choices, I also ordered a bubble tea. I went with the waitress’s suggestion of the milk black tea flavor with red and green jellybeans and it arrived quickly to quench my traffic-induced thirst.
I’ve had bubble tea a couple times over the past few months and found the chewy tapioca balls to be a wonderfully refreshing delight. Alas, I hated this particular concoction. It was just way too sweet and way too milky. It reminded me of the mornings when I’m extremely tired and end up pouring a pint of creamer into my coffee. The jellybeans just added to the drinks super-saccharinity aftertaste and I found it nearly impossible to choke down. The only reason I finished it is ‘cause it cost me nearly five bucks and I just couldn’t throw away that much money…
The cheery waitress soon delivered my steaming food and I pounced on the potstickers first. They were given a quick pan fry on one side that added a delectable, crispy element to the otherwise doughy dumpling. Unfortunately, this frying preparation also caused them to be quite greasy. Un-unfortunately, I love greasy food so I gobbled them up post-haste. The filling was tender, sweet and porky with just a little hint of vegetable. Believe me when I tell you, saving my wife half of that helping of huge dumplings was even harder than walking past Uncle Sam’s…
Dan Dan Noodles** are my go-to at PF Chang’s so I held great hope that Everyday Noodles’ version would be even better due to their authentic esthetic. Though tasty, the sauce was really peanutty and seemed to lack much nuance beyond that. Adding some of the sidecar red chili-oil sauce helped, but never achieved a well-balanced flavor profile. The freshly pulled noodles were also incredibly long, which made eating them with chopsticks a laborious and nearly embarrassing chore since I had to bite off a tangle serving at a time. Other than that slight annoyance, their chewy texture was perfect and I don’t think I’ve ever had a tastier noodle.
Final Call: This bright, friendly establishment combines attentive service and an open showpiece kitchen that allows patrons to watch erudite noodle-pullers do the damn thang. The food was good but seemed a bit staid when compared to the compelling and original atmosphere. My experience was far from disappointing, but it wasn’t mind-blowing either. Regardless, Everyday Noodles is perfect for lunch when you’ve reached your limit on hoagies.
* I have no idea if it was silk or not, but when it really comes down to it…who gives a sh*t?
** I thought that “Dan Dan Noodles” was a clever name that PF Chang’s came up with…sorta like Outback’s Bloomin’ Onion. Turns out it’s actually a regular Szechuan dish that translates into “Hobo Noodles”. The more you know…











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