Noodle Lounge Restaurant

The Scene
A stylish, minimalist interior is perfectly suited to the sleek, sophisticated lunch crowd. Blond-wood furniture and soothing pale-yellow walls make patrons forget the unlovely strip mall outside. A wall of black-and-white photos shows beautiful people of all ages slurping up noodles, and you can see the same thing in full color by glancing around the small dining room.

The Food
Efficient servers buzz around delivering steaming bowls of pho kicked into high gear with fresh basil and a squirt of hot sauce. Even more addictive are the wide Vietnamese vermicelli bowls cradling lemongrass-scented beef tenderloin, crisp lettuce and bean sprouts, curls of cilantro and mint, topped with chopped peanut. Another favorite is the fat rice noodles nestled in a mild coconut curry dotted with fresh peas. Though the dishes are filling and amply portioned, try to save room for the velvety house-made ginger ice cream or the justifiably famous dark-chocolate mousse.