Rice and Noodle

The 2013 edition of The List's Eating & Drinking Guide is out now – only £5.95 (+p&p).

This review is taken from the current (2013) edition.

With its small frontage, minimal seating and proximity to pubs, Rice and Noodle could easily be categorised as your standard, run-of-the-mill takeaway outlet. An extensive menu with few surprises, all at moderate prices, further suggests this eatery is designed for inebriated diners. Yet, the hordes of students and families squeezing into the 12 seats or ordering a carry-out suggest otherwise, and what they come for is the food – unfussy Chinese cuisine that is packed full of flavour. Salt and pepper popcorn chicken is much more than a gimicky name, while chicken satay benefits from a tasty home-made sauce, delivering a double hit of spice and crunch. Mains, particularly the Szechuan dishes, are impressive, and come served on picnicesque, polka-dotted plates for those dining in. In many ways, Rice and Noodle resembles the famed Asia Style during its infancy – reasonably priced food cooked to a high-standard within a basic and understated setting.

• High point: All mains, as the name suggests, are served with rice or noodles
• Low point: Few tables mean more suited to takeaways