Way out among the freaks and the tweekers SE 82nd Street over the years has become the true epicenter of Asian cuisine in Portland. In the coming months we hope to bring you along on a journey of culinary and cultural discovery. Or at the very least parse out the delicious from the disgusting.
I'm looking for the best noodle experience in town and feel like I'm yet to have it. I recently went to a noodle joint on 82nd called Good Taste Noodle House. It had all the trappings of what I hope for in my cheap American Asian experience. Set in a strip mall court with fluorescent lights inside bright enough to perform a back alley abortion under and the perfectly fucked up missing words from the sign.
It had the ambiance of a Fred Meyer break room or AA meeting spot. Not that that is a bad thing, I actually liked it. No pretension. Walked in set down, the waitress was super nice took our order quickly. Bowl of noodles with pork and dumplings. The cook came out to the dining area and sliced off a hearty chunk of pig that was hanging next to several ducks all doing time under the heat lamp. The food came quick after that. Big heaping bowl of steaming noodles and all sorts of meaty bits. The thing with the heat lamp meat is dryness and that detracted a bit from the overall experience. The dumplings were good, each one was a surprise. Is it going to be the discernible pork or shrimp chunk or is going to be the chewy funky mystery bit. Overall I enjoyed the dish. The noodles had a nice chew and initially the broth had a really pleasant white pepper and spice flavor but that got old as the broth got cold. All in all I'd go back. Seems authenticish.
