Noodles are one of the greatest foods on Earth. You can have them dry or swimming around in a soup, marvel at see-through glass noodles or chow down on thick, chewy udon noodles. Chef Ryan Domingo (Pure South, Ten Minutes by Tractor) is here to showcase their versatility in a venue that's dedicated to noodles.
Noodle Lab is based in Melbourne's CBD and run by restaurant group Dining Concepts, which plans to roll out restaurants throughout Australia over the next few years, including sites in the Star Sydney and the Ritz-Carlton Melbourne.
Inspired by Domingo's Southeast Asian heritage, the pan-Asian fusion diner allows diners to chop and change noodle dishes by pairing each dish with a ‘shot’ of sauce. Each dish comes with a recommendation of the condiment to match, from housemade XO to a sweet citrus shot, and diners can decide how much they want to add. This comes as great news to those who like it extra saucy or want to try wacky flavour combos that angle away from the original dish.
Dishes on the menu will look familiar, but the team has taken inspiration from some of the most popular recipes from Asia and respectfully altered them. Chinese mapo tofu is served here on noodles, rather than rice, and Lab’s Special Duck or Duck Mee features slow-cooked Chinese marinated duck partnered with a spicy red curry sauce and caramelised pineapple and grapes.
All produce is sourced locally where possible, from Warrnambool lamb to free-range chicken from La Ionica in Thomastown to prawns from Port Lincoln. And many of the accompanying sauces are also made from scratch, such as the housemade XO chilli sauce, sambal and Domingo’s Noodle Lab Secret Soy Sauce.