Walking home from solidcore one evening, I stumbled upon this gorgeous, cozy looking restaurant that was absolutely packed. There was no signage around and I was pretty cold, so I made a mental note to figure out what the place was called the next day. To my surprise, it was an old-school, classic red-sauce joint that is cash-only and has been serving the neighborhood for the past 25 years. I don't think it's much of a secret spot at this point but I love that there is no signage or website and the restaurant is actually quite intimate and welcoming despite the mystery. I came in for a late dinner service around 9pm on a Saturday evening, and even then the crowds and vibes at Noodle Pudding were still going strong. The string lights and fake cobwebs were a cute touch to the space which very much feels quaint and homey, with the classic red and white checkered tablecloths and dark wood paneling. The windows were opened so that everyone could enjoy the balmy and unseasonably warm October evening breeze. We ordered the fritto misto ($24) and the Caesar salad ($18) to start with, which were both excellent and had us excited for the rest of our meal. The calamari was lightly breaded so each bite was crispy, but more importantly, actually full of squid. The fried shishito peppers were also a nice touch-- we got a couple of hot ones too. The Caesar dressing was rich and creamy, and not too briny and I loved the homemade croutons too as they were super crispy and had a lovely olive oil flavor. Unfortunately the two mains that I wanted to try, the osso buco and the braised beef cheeks, were both sold out, so we settled for the mushroom risotto ($30), linguine with clams ($29), grilled lamb sausage ($28), and an off the menu gnocchi with a sage butter sauce ($24). My favorite of the evening was the risotto which was mushroom heavy and finished off with umami-rich porcini butter. The hand-cut linguine had a beautiful toothsome texture that only fresh pasta can have, but I did think it was a little dry and needed some more sauce. The cherry tomatoes were soft and offered a nice acidity to every bite, but I didn't get that sweet seafood taste I was hoping for. The gnocchi were so soft and pillowy-- possibly the best iteration I've ever had. I am really glad we decided to inquire about this because it wasn't on the menu. The sage butter sauce was the perfect complement to the gnocchi though I am curious about the pomodoro sauce too. The lamb sausage was really the outlier of our meal, though it looked magnificent all coiled with grill marks, resting atop a bed of mashed fava beans and dandelion greens. To be fair, the fava bean purée was thick and hearty and the greens were surprisingly sweet and tender. However, the lamb sausage had a strangely bitter aftertaste that no one at our table could identify. It was a little dry, but not gamey and had all the seasonings and spices that make it distinctly Italian including fennel seed and oregano. The bitter aftertaste was quite jarring so we ended up sending it back. Our server, Amy, and the owner/manager, Anthony, were very accommodating and understanding and even brought us a skate wing, which was such a thoughtful gesture. I love a good mild flat fish, and the skate was flaky and delicate. The accompanying broccoli rabe was an appropriate amount of bitter this time around, and we were all pleasantly surprised by how delicious and simple the fish was. When we got the bill, I was surprised to find out that not only was the sausage taken off, but also that we were not charged the skate either. This was so generous of Noodle Pudding and the fact that they went to lengths to provide the best experience and food for us made us feel so appreciated and cared for. Five stars for the service and management-- I will absolutely be back very soon for my braised beef cheeks and osso buco!
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