House of Noodle - Albany, OR (Review)

If you've never been to Oregon, Albany is about 1/2 way between Eugene and Portland right off Interstate 5. This is your standard blue collar town but lately, the food scene here has been expanding. Thai food in this town was unheard of 10 years ago, so when House of Noodle appeared, I was pretty excited.

This restaurant opened its doors in 2010 in the location of an old Pizza Hut and I dare say not the most convenient location to get in and out of, so many people speculated whether or not this little Thai joint would last. But last it has!

The restaurant is clean and simple with a TV and wi-fi, relaxed atmosphere and perfect for families. The staff has always been friendly and attentive with the occasional hiccup when it's busy.

The food is probably a bit Americanized to be considered 'traditional' but I think that's part of its success in this town.

The appetizers are what you would expect; spring rolls, won-tons, salads. As you can see in the pictures, impeccable plating isn't a strong point but I have yet to try an appetizer here that wasn't good! Their sauces are very tasty and are well paired with the food.

Spicy Chicken Salad (Larb), Siam Spring Rolls, and Westside Wonton

My favorite is their Drunken Noodles, so I had to include them in this review! Yes, these noodles do have a tendency to clump a bit, especially if you order take-out or delivery, but their flavor is delicious and you can choose your own spicy level.

Drunken Noodles with Beef

Ryan tried the Pad Thai this time around and ... the noodles were very good.  The shrimp was very bland, though; like it hadn't been seasoned at all.  May have been an oversight, bland is not usually a word I use when we visit this restaurant.

Pad Thai with Shrimp

If you're looking for a truly authentic, upscale restaurant to transport you to Thailand - this probably isn't the place you're looking for, but we really don't believe that's what this noodle joint is trying to be.  Take it as it is, but if you're in the mood for yummy noodles and a relaxing environment to just visit and eat ... this is perfect for you.  They also deliver - which you just can't beat on those weeknights when you don't want to cook.  They ARE closed on Sundays, which has been an inconvenience to me more than once.  Everyone deserves a day of rest!

We gave House of Noodle 4 out of 5 stars on our Brownifer scale.  It's clean, friendly and the noodles never disappoint.  It's consistently been what it is for 6 years ... we can respect that!