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| - Last Friday, I attempted my first Critical Mass bike ride. That's where like 400 bikers get together in Public Square and ride around together taking over traffic and being awesome? I've only been biking for a few weeks, and I had severely underestimated how long the ride was going to be. When it was all over and I was with my friends at the Hipp, I was completely covered in sweat and shaking. Like, my friend asked me if I had been rained on, I was so soaked. I was also starving, but the crowd was big at the Hipp, so my friends and I decided to go down to Noodlecat. That meant getting back on my bike and getting from E.55th to E.4th, which I understand is supposed to be nothing but was a MONUMENTAL task to me by then. On top of it, while we were biking down, it started pouring rain.
I tell you all this to illustrate what I felt like and what I must have looked like when I walked into Noodlecat. I was covered in a day's worth of sweat, dressed like a middle aged farm worker, and completely soaked in rain. All I wanted was some carbs and all the ice water in the entire world. I also only had about 20 dollars cash on me.
My friends, who are more experienced bike hipsters, looked wet but pristine. Ugh.
It was a Friday night but we were seated right away, and our server was immediately there with lots of water. She was wonderful the whole time, checked in with us frequently, kept the water filled, ect. I drank all the water, for real. The most reaction we got from our forlorn state were a couple of sympathetic smiles from the people we were seated next to. That's always my favorite part about Noodlecat - the other places around E. 4th feel like they come with certain attire expectations. This place, I can just wander in there after a show or covered in dirty rain, and nobody cares. Someone was playing all these late 90s, early 2000s indie pop songs. It was super chill, and exactly what I needed.
I ordered two steam buns - the Fried Chicken and the Burger one, and a Danko Donut. I was worried, frankly, that if I ordered ramen I would end up with half of it on my shirt. You know, because of the delirious exhaustion.
I've been to Noodlecat before, and I love the Mushroom Udon, but I'm also one of those people who hates mixing their food together, so ramen as a concept is always very hit or miss with me. But that no longer matters because I will for sure be eating these steamed buns every weekend I can. The burger and the chicken were both cooked perfectly, and oozing with flavor. The bun itself was wonderfully white and smushy and soft, and the little cucumber pickles were perfect. Two of them was exactly the right size meal I wanted to eat. I've been craving the fried chicken one ever since.
The donut was fresh and crunchy and hot and sticky with glaze, it was wonderful.
The very best part though was that my entire bill came to 6 and some change. I don't know if it was happy hour, or they applied the mythical bike discount, or what. But that waitress got a hefty tip for sure.
I haven't been to the Noodlecat at WSM yet, but I think I've got proper motivation to start biking down there weekly now, because it turns out there's a reason half the world's population is obsessed with steam buns and now I'm totally one of them.
I know this wasn't as funny as some of my other reviews, but my overwhelming feeling towards this place right now is gratitude, for being one of the few places downtown I feel totally comfortable at.
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