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Reporter Magazine

aja noodle co.

by Laura Mandanas
http://www.reportermag.com

With its BJ’s-warehouse-meets funkified-fengshui
decorating scheme to set the tone, this
pan-Asian restaurant is a fashionable feast for
those on a tight budget. It’s East meets West
as traditional Asian dishes are adapted to suit
American palates— and serving sizes adapted
to suit American gluttony.

A word of advice: If at all possible, don’t let your
waiter seat you near the door. You’ll be blasted
with cold Rochester air every time the double
doors swing open, which is quite often, given
the restaurant’s popularity. College students
fill about half of the seats on any given night;
the other half appear to be filled with people
who wish they were still in college. According
to the website (www.ajanoodle.com), there are
always student discounts available, taking $8
dishes down to about $5. Be sure to ask about
it specifically, though; in the half a dozen times
I’ve been, they’ve never even hinted at a discount,
and you’ll be charged full price if you
don’t speak up.

Once you’ve settled into your seats, the menu
takes you halfway around the world with dishes
inspired by Thai, Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese
cuisine. For something spicy, I recommend
the Szechwan stir fry ($9.25 with beef ).
For more timid palates, give the Bangkok ($6.99
with veggies only) a try. Or my personal favorite:
Chicken Pad Thai ($8.25 with chicken), a large
bowl of tangled egg and rice ribbon noodles,
slices of green and white onion, and crunchy
bean sprouts garnished with peanuts, cilantro,
and lime. You’ll get mouthful after mouthful of
delightful, tangy bliss, and still have enough in
your take-home container to make a dinner out
of it the following night.

Vegetarians, fear not! Aside from the half a
dozen excellent salads aja noodles co. offers,
you also have the option to order any main rice
or noodle dish with tofu or veggies rather than
meat. For the carnivores, there is the choice of
chicken, beef, or shrimp.

Traditionalists be warned: The food is not “authentic”
by any stretch of the imagination— then
again, it never claims to be. If you’re going to be
uptight about that sort of thing, this restaurant
will seem very silly to you. Otherwise, you’re in
for a treat. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the delicious
bastardization of Asian cuisine. •

Address: 2602 Elmwood Ave, Brighton
Phone: 585-244-1052
Hours: Monday-Thursday 11-9;
Friday-Saturday: 11-10; Sunday: 12-9

Link:	Report Magazine
Date Posted:	Thursday, September 04, 2008