Thai classics come fresh at Noodle Bar

Why: The Noodle Bar opened in March in the strip mall between Wells Fargo and Chase banks near the mall in Vancouver. The restaurant features freshly made Thai dishes for dining in or takeout six days a week.

Atmosphere: The space is small and cozy with a light-colored laminate floor and several seating options that include a window-side bar, tables and chairs, and a large, picnic-style table for larger groups. Black-and-white city prints decorate the walls and workshop-type drop lights illuminate the counter area with large, glass globe pendants above the dining space. Condiments and chopsticks are located on each table. Menu chalkboards are posted, and there are laminated menus available for closer review.

What I tried: My dining companion and I tried the pot stickers to start and I settled on the Kuay Teaw Kua Kai, which consists of wide rice noodles stir fried with egg, garlic, black pepper, onions and lettuce. I opted to add beef as a protein. My dining companion had the Pad Thai with chicken.

The pot stickers are made with chicken. Eight light, crispy, deep fried pockets hold a tasty chicken mixture. The pot stickers are served with a rich homemade soy sauce for dipping. We found these delicious little pockets an appetizing way to start our meal and liked how light and crispy the dough was after being deep fried.

Both entrees contained generous portions of noodles. The Pad Thai at The Noodle Bar has green onion and egg mixed in with the noodles, and fresh bean sprouts are alongside. A wedge of lime, crispy fried wonton strips and a spoonful of ground peanuts garnish the dish. The chicken seemed sparsely included, but my dining companion found the Pad Thai delicious. My entr?e was an appetizing combination — though, similar to the chicken in the Pad Thai, the inclusion of beef was slightly wanting as compared with the amount of noodles. My dish was garnished with fresh bean sprouts and a sprinkling of crumbled wonton strips. Both the chicken and the beef were very tender.

Menu highlights beyond what I tried: The spicy Pad Kee Mao sounded good. This dish is made with wide rice noodles, egg, basil, cabbage, onion, bell peppers and a protein. Sides include steamed rice, chicken, beef, tofu, pork, shrimp, vegetables and noodles, as well as fried wontons. Other dishes include Spicy Pork, Thai Fried Rice, and Pad Green Bean. The Pad Kaprao made with ground meat, hot basil, green bean, Thai chili, garlic, mushroom and onion sounded intriguing. Protein options include chicken, beef, shrimp, pork and tofu.

Other observations: The restaurant is comfortable and quaint and the food is served piping hot and made to order. Service was friendly.

Cost: Appetizers cost $6 to $8 and sides are $1 to $4. Noodle soup is $7.95 to $10.25. Noodle dishes cost $8.50 to $10.25 and rice dishes cost $10.95. Hot drinks are $2.50 to $6. Other beverages are $3.50 and boba may be added for 50 cents. Some bottled beverages are available, as well.