Popped into Noodle St. in Old Town Pasadena for an early lunch, and was thrilled to discover this…read moresmall chain offering Asian fusion creations. It's a comfortable spot with padded banquettes or chairs at the tables, which feature chrome frames and (very good-looking) faux marble tops; along with white walls and light-colored wood accents, the owners have created a clean, simple, welcoming environment. The mood is jostled even further into a specific vibe of calmness with the carefully curated music being played: bossa nova covers of pop hits from bygone days (The Bee Gees' "More Than A Woman" and the Bee Gees'-written Streisand hit, "A Woman In Love" being examples), but it all works. The menu offers a varied selection of dishes from several Asian cultures, from Chinese Beef Rolls to Japanese noodles and soups to Korean Beef over rice. It's not a huge menu, but there's definitely enough there for everyone to find something interesting to eat. The food is all cooked in view of the customers by a staff of chefs working in a sparkling clean kitchen enclosed by windows, and the staff is uniformly friendly despite juggling a lunchtime crowd at the tables plus quite a lot of to-go orders. I tried 2 really enjoyable and satisfying dishes. Beef Rolls featured thinly sliced brisket rolled inside crispy fried crepes with scallion, cilantro and a touch of Hoisin sauce. The brisket had a mild but distinctive flavor that spoke of careful preparation, while the slightly astringent pop from the onions and herbs was a nice foil for the inherent fattiness of the fried crepes. The Hoisin sauce was very subtly deployed, lending tasty support without overwhelming everything else. I added some of the house chili oil for a little extra spice and peppery depth, but these well-made rolls were terrific all by themselves. It should also be noted that the portion is very generous, especially for the price ($12.80), and more than enough for 2 people (perhaps 4 people, if each has 1/2). My other dish was the Qinghai Clear Cold Noodle, a terrific-looking, and even better-tasting blend of thick, chewy noodles, fresh chopped garlic, veggies, tofu and chili sauce that's got a bit of heat but more so a pleasing depth of Chinese spices. This appetizer is packed with flavor and just happens to be Vegan (as are a number of menu items), so it can be enjoyed by anyone. All in all, this was a fantastic mid-week lunch that pleased the senses without breaking the bank, and I even brought some home for later. Do give this Noodle St. a try -- and if you're not in Pasadena, check their website, because they have 8 locations, with a 9th opening soon in Sherman Oaks.

Had a great experience at Noodle St Pasadena. The food and service were both really good, and I…read moreloved being able to see the cooks making the noodles fresh to order. The quality was solid, and everything came out hot. The chicken wings were great, the garlic green beans and cucumber salad were amazing, and the signature spicy ramen was really good too. It was a bit greasy, almost like birria, but the meat was tender and the broth tasted like it had been cooking for 48 hours deep, rich, and full of flavor. The only thing I wouldn't recommend is the Korean beef. It was way too sweet and didn't really give Korean BBQ flavor. The meat seemed more steamed than grilled, and not even vinegar or chili oil could save it for me. Other than that, everything else was fresh, flavorful, and worth coming back for.

This might be my new favorite restaurant in Pasadena, although for a price tag…read more Came in with a party of 10, so ordered probably 80% of the menu apart from drinks. There were 0 misses. We tried four different paellas: Seafood, Seafood Noodle, Squid Ink, and the daily special (which I've sadly forgotten). I genuinely can't pick a favorite...they were all so incredible. I've had some pretty bad experiences with overly salty paella, even in Spain (!!!), so I was relieved Dos Besos wasn't that. Great selection of tapas as well. We basically ordered everything. The standouts for me were the Galician octopus, mushrooms in truffle cream, and the cured meats. But holy, everything was so good. I am not a huge fan of red wine but the sangria was fruity and went down smoothly. Desserts were also fantastic, I especially loved the torrijas. The chef, who's from Barcelona, was incredibly kind and came out personally to offer complimentary pan con tomate with our endless jamón orders. Incredible experience and I would love to come back every day if I had the financial means to.

Been here many times with my wife and we loved the food. The quality is great and it's a good…read moreenvironment to wind down. I give it a 2 star rating because their service isn't great. We loved it when we had the owners, husband and wife on the floor. In our recent visit, the owners weren't there. No one came to check on us or refilled our water not at least till the very end of our dinner because they wanted to see if we wanted to order dessert. Now, we watched them bus other tables out in the patio with water and frequent visits. There were only a few tables occupied at the time so the restaurant wasn't busy and definitely has the capacity to serve. I will not be coming back again sadly. Customer service is what makes or breaks a restaurant for me.

I absolutely love everything about True Food Kitchen! The restaurant is beautiful, clean, fresh,…read moreand has such a welcoming atmosphere. The food was amazing, and the waiters and employees were incredibly sweet and attentive. What really stood out to me is how child-friendly and pet-friendly they are. We came here for our anniversary dinner, and everyone was so kind and excited about our pet bird -- people were truly in awe! I ordered the protein-style hamburger wrapped in lettuce with the kale salad, and oh my gosh... it was SO good. The portions were generous too. I wasn't left feeling heavy after eating -- I felt happy, light, satisfied, and still had half my food left over. The chef came out to take a picture with our bird. This place deserves five stars all the way. We will definitely be coming back!

Great service from Olive. She was very attentive and helpful…read more One star removed as they were "out" of the dragonfruit beverage (we were there at noon) AND "out" of the Chinese Chicken Salad. They seem to need a new manager to properly manage, stock and handle inventory control.

This was my first time dining at this restaurant with my family, and I was pleasantly surprised by…read morehow exquisite and delicious the dishes were--and, most importantly, the prices were quite affordable. I will definitely be coming back here again.

I visited Star Leaf for the first time this Thursday evening before attending the Pasadena…read morePlayhouse. All I can say is WOW! ! The crispy short rib was by far our favorite but everything exceeded our expectations. Our server Athena was very attentive and kind. Will definitely be back when I am in the area.

Great welcoming space. Touch of old school with decor and collection of antique te cups on display…read moreto good selection of vegan or GF yummies. Great staff who were super friendly! Came after attending a conference at Convention center nearby...We had biscuit sandwhich which was yummm.

Love love their "doorbell," à version of à hostess ding dong. It fills my sweet cravings now and…read morethen. And good coffee and matcha, too! I need to try their breakfast biscuit. Friendly staff, drop in when you can. Parking is never a problem.

Absolutely amazing. Stopped by randomly after seeing a show nearby…read more Food, atmosphere, and service (Drew) were all outstanding. Would literally make the trip from San Diego just to come here again. Well done.

Spent 2 years in Fort Worth so I bring a Texas BQ bias to this review…read moreI had lunch Brisket - a little dry 3/5 Texas Toast - 4/5 I added a side - Mashed Potatoes with Brisket bites 4/5 Dinner rolls - 4/5 Service just barely adequate and I was one of three tables in the restaurant Side was over priced for a cup of mashed potatoes-$9 Not bad SoCal BQ experience but I miss Texas hospitality and great brisket

I've heard some good things about this place and from other fellow yelpers friends, it must be…read moreworth it. Had a dinner reservation with some girlfriends celebrating two of their birthdays. The restaurant itself isn't too big but it does a pack a nice punch. Cute patio out front that takes some of the sidewalks and streets. Plenty of heat lamps which helped with the chilly nights. We got seated at one of the tables on the patios which was nice. Didn't really utilize inside area except for the restroom which it's quite cute in there. The rooms were pretty well decorated and executed. Nice bar area too. Like mentioned, we got seated on the patio and the heat lamps were great. Down to the menus, it's quite limited on dishes. Seemed like there were more shared plates versus the entrees. Drinks, it was fairly decent with their cocktails and wine. Service at the beginning was great. The staff were amazing and very friendly. We didn't order right away as we were still waiting for the last one to show. But did start off with some drinks. It didn't take that long for the first round which was nice. Food wise, the shared plate was a mixture of everything. Some of the olives, which is exactly what it is. The Belgian fries, nice thick cut fries with shredded pecorino cheese and a nice aioli sauce. We ended up getting a second order of it. The albacore tuna crudo was a hit which was really tasty. Chili ginger relish, mint and shallot, can't go wrong with that. Lastly the meatballs, tasty and very great for sharing. Entrees, the pan seared sea bass which I loved. Portion is pretty tiny which also seemed like they were a shared plate. Almost tapas styled. Nice chimichurri sauce and a side salad. The chicken Milanese also with a side salad of arugula. Simple dish but quite tasty. One of the salads that was somewhat hyped up by the waitress but it was just a salad. Decent but nothing major to rave about...lol... also the confit oyster mushrooms was major hit. Something that simple but quite tasty. And lastly the pan con tomate, rustic sourdough with tomatoes and burrata. Tasty as well. Overall the meal was good. From there, the second round of drinks did take a long time to arrive and with then plates that we shared, trying to get someone to clear the plates was another thing. Took a long for someone to clear the table before more items came. Even when the entrees came, all the empty starter plates were still there. And if someone did clear the plates, some was still left on the table. Finishing off the night, we did have the dessert which we tried all three. As it was two of our girlfriends birthday, they brought out a little bubbly for us to celebrate with the dessert. That was quite sweet and nice. Honestly opinion with the dessert, they were just ok. Nothing major to rave about. We tried all three on the menu and they were just ok. Overall, the food was great. Service was nice and the staffs were all very friendly. It did take a while for plates to get cleared from the table and second round did take a while, but it was manageable. It was a sweet gesture with the bubbly with the dessert which was greatly appreciated. The place is nice and great for catching up. Menu is limited and portions are quite small. You would have to get a good amount for sharing. Entrees, depending on what you order is small as well. But we enjoyed ourself.

Come here for the drinks, vibes and brunch…read more Their breakfast options are better than their dinner service. I can't eat here for dinner as a vegetarian, they have little to no options. Would it kill them to add a veggie burger? Service is consistently awful. I've been here half a dozen times and I've never had good service. Drinks and water are never refilled unless I ask. It takes forever to get our order and once we do our server disappears. Seriously so bad. But I keep coming back for their good food.

Food and service were phenomenal!! And it wasn't too pricey. Doesn't break the bank to feed a…read morefamily of six!

Dan Modern left a great impression on the table…read more Ordered the following: 1. Baby Bok Choy 2. Chicken Lo Mien 3. Shrimp Fried Rice 4. Pork/Crab XLB Everything tasted amazing and well prepared. The prices are premium, the quality matches! Enjoyed every dish!