Well yelp nation I am back after a long hiatus. I guess my pontificating kinda wore thin even on me so I too a little break for about two years. I mark my return with a trip and review to Noodle Head in Shadyside. I've been to NH a number of times and I feel it is about time I pile in the praise they deserve.
To start, as I usually do, let's discuss the decor. The interior can only be described as cool. Not pretentious cool but a pleasant mix of plastic seating, to reflect their roots in Thai street food, and dark wood. I felt very comfortable, as did the hipsters sitting next to me, and the businessmen next to them.
I also live NHs bar options. It's BYO so if the wine sucks, it'd your fault. To go with the BYO liquor license they do have a corkage fee, but it's only fifty cents a person which I think is very reasonable.
The food at NH is amazing. I am a fan if the sliced beef appetizer as well as the steamed pork belly buns. For an entree my standby us the Ching Mai curry. The flavor of the curry is out if this world. Pickled veg with coconut milk and a crazy amount of spice. Fantastic. Don't fear spice here. They utilize a 1-5 heat scale (I'm a 4) but even in the hottest dishes the spice doesn't overwhelm the flavor of the rest of the food.
The only thing they lose a star for is service. The staff always seems to be inconvenienced by the guests. They aren't mean or rude but they give off the impression that they would rather be doing something else.
All in all I love NH. So many times Thai food just gets caught in an inferno if chili heat that the food loses all it's flavor and you pay out the rectum (literally) the next day. Not so here and despite being cash only I plan in going back. Often.