If you’re a noodle lover, chances are you’ve heard of the wildly popular noodle haven that is Mecha Noodle Bar. Whether you’re Team Ramen, Team Pho or play for both sides, one thing is certain: Mecha cooks up some of Asia’s most comforting dishes right here in Connecticut. Admittedly not fans of the term “fusion”, Mecha describes their vibe as American-Vietnamese-Japanese-Thai-Chinese-Korean-New England-Momofuku-Totto-and-Ippudo-inspired. Now that’s a robust mouthful! The menu is jam-packed with culinary wonders and plenty of must-have tasty riffs on Southeast Asian street food.
Nearly a decade ago, Tony Pham—first generation Vietnamese—wanted to bring his love for his culture to Connecticut by way of homestyle Southeast Asian comfort food. Lucky for us, Fairfield became home to the flagship Mecha, which means “Mom and Pop” in Vietnamese. Today, regardless of which location you show up to—Fairfield, Norwalk, New Haven, Stamford, West Hartford or one of the 2 additional restaurants opening in Boston later this year—be sure to come ravenous and be prepared to leave sublimely satiated.
The mouthwatering menu starts off with the “Steamed Baos” section (KFC – Korean Fried Chicken is the most popular), then glides into “Snacks”, perfect for sharing—the Red Oil Dumplings and Kim Chi Fried Rice are the stellar standouts. Then the bowls start flowing with “Seasonal Specials”—this month you’ll find Spicy Chicken Tan Tan-Men which is ground chicken thighs, flat noodles, garlic chili paste, yuzu sprouts and pickled fresno as well as Tofu Jorim, a bowl of silken tofu, Chinese spinach, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic. The proverbial stars of the show are of course, the Vietnamese Pho and the Japanese Ramen. Slurping is encouraged and many items on the menu can be made gluten free.
While each Mecha location has a bit of a different ambiance, Pham considers Fairfield “his baby” and the most family-oriented of his five current restaurants. Supporting the local community is in his DNA which is why he created the Eat Justice Campaign, Mecha’s way of helping those less fortunate. It’s a simple concept: each month the price of one menu item is raised by 50 cents and the sum is donated to a charitable cause of the staff’s choosing. Recent recipients include The Cure Starts Now (pediatric brain cancer), Intempo (tuition of minority music school students) and Norma Pfriem (breast cancer research). This month, Mecha’s Fairfield neighbor, Team Woofgang featured on pg. X, was chosen by James DeLancy, Assistant General Manager as a cause “near and dear to his heart”.
Whether you pop in solo for a warm bowl of noodles or bring the whole family for Sunday night dinner, Mecha Noodle Bar makes everyone happy. As for whether you choose Ramen or Pho? We’ll that decision up to you. The good news is there is no wrong answer. Happy slurping! Visit https://mechanoodlebar.com