Even the most stalwart Italian foods admirer from time to time demands a split from pizza, pasta and mozzarella.
Staj Noodle Bar fills that area of interest with a shocking assortment of Asian-encouraged dishes from stir-fried noodles to ramen and even bao.
The well-liked restaurant in Naple’s Vomero community, just a couple of blocks from the Chiaia funicular Cimarosa halt at By way of Gian Lorenzo Bernini, capabilities a modern, minimalist decor as the backdrop for indoor and outside seating regions with attentive, friendly servers.
1 spotlight of the menu: the range of vegan and vegetarian dishes, which are difficult to uncover in quite a few Naples restaurants. Beer, wine and craft cocktails also are out there.
Staj is not the simplest eatery on the wallet, however. For case in point, ramen bowls are priced at 15 euros.
We tried the steamed vegetable dumplings, which provided two variations: three in a green wrapper with daikon, carrots, edamame and other veggies and three in a white wrapper with cabbage, carrots and chives.
Just about every showcased crisp veggies and fantastic taste, but all round, they had been only a bit improved than what could be found in a grocery retail outlet freezer aisle. Following time, I’ll check out them pan- or deep-fried.
A much better choice could have been the sweet potato fries with sweet chili sauce or, for seafood eaters, the takoyaki octopus fritters with wasabi mayo.
The mushroom bao ended up a standout. They consisted of two puffy bao “tacos” filled with properly sauteed shitake mushrooms and fried onion flavored with a soy glaze and sriracha.
Two of these together with a glass of Fiano di Avellino, a regional white wine, would make a gratifying appetizer or light meal.
They even had been a hit with my meat-eating companions, who favored them about the fried chicken bao with tartar sauce, pickles and sesame seeds. That dish attained a easy “good.”
A supply of delight for Staj is its noodles, which are produced new day by day. And it was in this article that the restaurant came by way of properly.
Ramen bowls showcased perfectly-produced, slender noodles that didn’t eliminate their firmness as we ate.
The vegetable ramen provided two smaller squares of delicious fried tofu — I observed myself seeking extra — pickled veggies and greens. But the mushroom-and-kombu broth did not stay up to anticipations. It experienced a salty and unappealing flavor.
The shoyu ramen, consisting of rooster and dashi broth with braised pork shoulder and the conventional egg and fish cake, was likewise underwhelming.
1 of my eating companions, who lived for several years in Japan, said it was Alright but a prolonged way from genuine.
The pad thai, however, was mouth watering. The rice noodles were being served with nicely cooked prawns and squid and accented with peanuts, lime and coriander. I considered it could have incorporated a lot more seafood, while.
In general, Staj hits the large notes, with tasty noodles, an qualified get on Asian street meals and some of the finest services in Naples.
But ramen is finest manufactured and eaten in Japan.
Staj Noodle Bar, Vomero
Address: Via Gian Lorenzo Bernini 87A, Naples, Italy 80129 (Take note: yet another restaurant in Chiaia is shut for renovations)
Telephone: +39 081-379-9194 (reservations strongly suggested, https://www.quandoo.it/en/location/staj-noodle-bar-vomero-90303?support=63)
Hours: 7-11 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday shut Mondays
Menu: Available in Italian and English, https://staj.it/vomero/inglese/damangiare-inglese.pdf
Costs: Appetizers, 5-10 euros bao, 8-10 euros stir-fried noodles and ramen, 10-15 euros moreover insert-ons specialty dishes, 10-15 euros desserts, 5-8 euros.