Mister Lee's Noodles

“Mister Lee’s is an amazingly creative noodle shop. Each visit has been fun and delightful. I’m not afraid of ordering the stranger-sounding items on the rotating menu, as the kitchen has always managed to make the flavors work with the noodles. In the most recent visit, the squash dumplings were phenomenal. The garnishes (squash puree, granola, pickled squash) were really fun and thoughtful, providing some crunch, acidity, and warm spice. The pastrami mazemen was a great concept but needed a little tweak in flavors. It was too acidic and needed a fragrant oil (traditionally scallion). If ramen’s core is noodle and broth, mazemen’s core is noodle and aromatic oil. Maybe an oil made using pastrami rub and some dill? In a previous visit, the cold beet noodles felt light and refreshing, perfect for the hotter months. The pork belly came with a sauce that’s oddly reminiscent of Bali. It’s a fun juxtaposition. Don’t walk in here expecting great traditional ramen, though. These ramen are interpreted through the Western lens and would feel off by Japanese standards: the noodle to broth ratio is strange. The potstickers likewise felt very Western, especially with its texture (the filling often not emulsified, the skin not as smooth and stretchy). That’s not a dig. I’m emphasizing how everything here feels fusion in a good way. The Purple Panda Bear cocktail is a home run. I typically don’t like tiki-style cocktails, but the novel pairing of ube and rambutan creates a creamy, almost-vanillic, lychee-floral accord that feels like Southeast Asia.”

“Mister Lee's is my favorite brunch and dinner restaurant. Every visit is a delicious, detail-oriented experience with amazing food no matter what meal I choose. The servers are friendly, always willing to help modify a menu item or give suggestions or let you try a beer sample before purchase. Maya was particularly awesome and made my date experience even more special with a complimentary savory mochi ball, which was SO good. I have been here at least 7 times now and every time I am extremely pleased with my food, presentation, cleanliness, and service. I love that they support local farms as much as they can and the 9pen concept kitchen. Friday and Saturdays have live music, usually a single person playing guitar or soft singing covers. It's a beautiful date spot and my favorite vegan savory food in the Valley. 100% recommend!”

“We recommend the duck dumplings and the fried calamari. Mister Lee’s noodle is good. Hot & Spicy Ramen does not meet my expectation, but their ramen is pretty good and definitely does not taste like the instant noodles in some other ramen restaurants.”

“We ate here a bit late, but the staff were all very welcoming and friendly. We started off with a glass of draft beer, and the staff informed us we got the last glass of the one we picked, and it was slightly underfilled. They responded by giving us a tasting of some of their other beers! We then ordered a couple dishes including wings, Mr Lee's ramen, and croquettes. Every single one was delicious. Our waitress even gave us our ramen in two separate bowls since we split it between two people. We also ordered their holiday rice pudding, which we typically don't order, but it was pleasantly a dessert I would now order again! Tldr: friendly staff, food is perfect, would highly recommend.”

“There’s plenty to like about Mr. Lee’s. It starts right at the front door and on the phone. Although, the restaurant is located on the bottom floor of an apartment building down the street from a taco place and Starbucks, the service is on the level of fine dining. From the reservations to the greeting at the door. The other obvious thing was the level of teamwork among all the staff. They ALL worked to make our dinner not only delicious but comfortable. The bowls were fresh and there was plenty. Consider splitting a bowl if you’re getting an appetizer. We had the Organic Fried Chicken and Seafood Ramen. The noodles were cooked just right. The chicken had just the right amount of broth. The Seafood could have used a little more broth. It was served with a spoon but I finished the bowl with a folk, really didn’t see a need for the spoon. The bowl was still 4.95 stars, regardless. We’ll be back, sorry I wasn’t here sooner.”