Restaurant Review: Noodlehead is a Love Letter to Ramen Bars 

• Alex Springer

Is it just me, or is Utah's noodle scene really starting to take off? We've built a solid foundation of noodle joints around town—I'm looking at you, Chinatown Supermarket—but I'm feeling a paradigm shift a-comin'. We're starting to see noodle "restaurants" evolve into noodle "bars," which has the potential to change local noodle culture into more of what it was meant to be: social hubs where noods and brews are integrated into local nightlife.

Yes, friends, I think we are on the precipice of a true ramen renaissance. Or maybe the good people at Millcreek's Noodlehead simply spiked my broth with something a little stronger than pork stock.

I kid, of course; the pedigree shared by the operation team behind Noodlehead doesn't need to stoop to such dishonorable methods. Noodlehead was founded by Chef Tyler Stokes of Provisions fame, and its menu is a collaboration between Stokes and Provisions Chef de Cusine Landon Eastabrook. Branching out from the modern American menu they've all but perfected at Provisions, Stokes and Eastabrook have created Noodlehad as a love letter to ramen bars and Asian street food culture.

Noodlehead is tucked away inside Millcreek Common, a rapidly developing recreational area complete with a roller-skating rink and a rock-climbing wall built right into the structure's north side. Its dining space is cozy, and I recommend sitting at the counter where you can see the Noodlehead team fill, fold and pinch their homemade dumplings while you eat.

As the place is called Noodlehead, you're going to want to dive face-first into some ramen or pho during your first visit. I started with the pork ramen ($13), which is a delightfully rich celebration of everything you love about ramen. In addition to some thick slices of luxurious pork belly, you also get some plump pork dumplings, slices of spiral kamaboko fish cake, a smattering of tender shiitake mushrooms and a marinated hard-boiled egg. I'm a fan of places that give my ramen noodles plenty of company, and it's clear that you're in for quite a meal when this steaming bowl of goodness hits your table.

Of course, the foundational noodles and broth are stellar. The latter packs a healthy punch of pork flavor, and the former is perfectly firm—not a soggy noodle to be found in this house, my friends. I'm never going to complain about pork dumplings sharing space with sliced pork belly in my ramen, and both interpretations of the protein were excellent. The dumpling's filling had anise-like notes of flavoring, and the belly was slightly crispy along the edges. If it wasn't obvious at this point, you're going to be very full after you power through this bad boy.

The drunken noodles ($12) on the dinner menu are also worth a spin. Borrowing the colloquial title of Thai cuisine's pad kee mao to imply this dish was either created in a drunken haze of creativity or designed to cure a hangover, this dish is a firecracker. It's full of Thai chili, red onions and peppers, but you've got some pastrami and pickled mustard seed that nudge the dish into delicatessen territory. Based on the ingredient list, I'm leaning toward hangover cure territory with this one; this bold combo of spicy peppers and acidic mustard seed meets the peppery, fatty goodness of smoked pastrami will be on my mind next time I overdo things.

Though the restaurant's noodle dishes deserve your attention, Noodlehead has plenty of non-noodle dishes that maintain the restaurant's Asian-inspired vibes. The steamed pork buns ($11) are gorgeous little bites whose pork belly and hoisin come together with a bit of pickled cucumber to cut through the former's robust flavors. I also think a full plate of marinated cucumbers ($5) is a good addition—especially if you're grabbing one of the rich noodle soups, as they add a pop of brightness and contrast with each bite. These thickly-sliced cukes get a little mint, some crushed almonds and some togarashi chili paste. They're cool and refreshing, but have a slight kick from the chili paste and a lovely crunch from the crushed almonds.

For my money, the best non-noodle dish you can find at Noodlehead is the Pho'rench Dip ($10), which puts a wonderful, deli-style spin on everything you love about pho and banh mi. It starts with a traditional banh mi preparation with roast beef, cilantro, jalapeño and hoisin stuffed into a toasted baguette. It's then served with a cup of Noodlhead's pho broth that becomes the au jus for a traditional French dip sandwich. I like to do this regardless of where I go for Vietnamese food, but the way the roast beef banh mi complements the pho broth is spectacular.

Chefs Stokes and Eastabrook definitely have a signature style, and it's fun to see such talented ramen fanboys put their spin on this internationally renowned bowl of comfort food. As the Millcreek Common area evolves and expands, I'm thinking Noodlehead is poised to become a true ramen ambassador for our local food scene.