Kapow! Noodle Bar has a location in West Palm Beach and in Boca Raton, and is owned by SubCulture Group, which also owns Subculture Coffee and Sassafras (see previous post). I came here on a Saturday night without a reservation, so my friends and I had to wait 30-45 minutes for a table. To everyone reading this: Make reservations for Friday or Saturday night dinner. The restaurant focuses on different types of Asian cuisine, serving things such as excellent bao buns and noodles. They also have the best cauliflower.
Mushroom and Brisket Bao Buns
I ordered mushroom and Mongolian brisket bao buns to start, which were both excellent choices. The mushroom bao had tempura enoki, truffle, kewpie and pickled cucumber in it and was crunchy. I usually don’t order vegetables, unless as a side dish, but I went on the waiter’s recommendation, and I was glad I listened to him. Kewpie is a smoother, creamier mayonnaise made with rice vinegar instead of distilled vinegar. Mayonnaise usually pairs well with fried foods, and this was no exception.
The brisket bao had apple slices, greens and pickled fresno peppers in it. It was delicious, and unlike most brisket, this one wasn’t hard to chew.
Fried Calamari
My friends and I shared fried calamari, which was made with peanuts and chili sauce. The scallions were an okay touch and the Korean chili thread looked kind of cool on top, but unfortunately, it fell on the bland side. I usually eat everything around me when I’m so hungry, and even after building up an even bigger appetite due to the long wait (Yes, I admit, I should’ve made a reservation), I left about half of it on the plate.
Damn Good Cauliflower
Next up was my favorite dish of the evening—General Tso’s cauliflower, made with shallots, black vinegar and Korean gochujang sauce. Due to how piled up it was, it may as well have been called “Mount Cauliflower”. The spiciness of this fried, wok-tossed mini mountain packed quite a punch and had quite a kick to it, but I was able to handle it. Mark my words—this cauliflower was DAMN good, and wasn’t hard to bite into. If you are a fan of General Tso’s chicken and spicy food, you’ll definitely like this. I usually think of cauliflower as bland, but this was anything but.
Edamame
Being a foodie includes trying things you usually don’t, which in my case included edamame. I did enjoy the smokiness and texture. My friends and I had a good laugh, after telling me that all I had to do was pop out the peas. “Wait…You’re not supposed to chew the entire pod??” Haha
Colorful Drinks
Though I’m not one for alcoholic drinks, I do enjoy non-alcoholic concoctions every once in a while. We ordered a Throat (lemongrass, mint, lime, sea salt, seltzer), Solar Plexus (rosemary, ginger, mint, pineapple, seltzer), and Root (beet, ginger, lime, honey). The drinks were colorful and aesthetically pleasing, but not so much tastewise, which was a letdown after getting excited over their descriptions.
Noodles and Skirt Steak
My friend told me that their skirt steak was excellent. One of my friends wanted a different kind of noodles (the same ones served with her husband’s skirt steak lo mein. Hats off to our waiter for not charging extra for not only different noodles, but for substituting skirt steak for brisket in her Pad See Ew. Great customer service is always appreciated.
My shrimp Pad Thai was a good, simple and safe bet. I enjoyed it. Does anyone know if that flower is a lotus, which is famous in Thailand? Please let me know.
Comic-Like Interior
Inside, there were wooden chairs, and leather booths. Both the walls and tables featured comic themes. The suspended scratched crimson spheres looked really cool and futuristic. The semicircle booth is great for groups, but the stagecoach with rainbow lights just looked tacky.
Overall, though I did like most of what I ordered (especially General Tso’s cauliflower!), I feel like the calamari and drinks could use some improvement. Lastly, I do admire the management’s honesty, in that the suggested tips are based on percentages before tax, unlike most restaurants which base them on totals including tax.
Where to find Kapow! Noodle Bar
Kapow! Noodle Bar
519 Clematis Street
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
(561) 246-3827
kapownoodlebar.com