New Coast restaurant has ‘amazing’ fusion menu from pho and fried rice to turkey necks

If ever there was a restaurant on the Gulf Coast that personified the meaning of fusion, it’s got to be Noah’s.

The cultural diversity on the menu is amazing! You will find turkey necks, onion rings, gator bites, fried rice, hot sausage and cheese po-boy, fried and boiled seafood and Vietnamese pho. That is a bunch of diverse foodways all mixed up together, but somehow it works, makes sense and the relationship of all popular Coastal foods feels right.

When you walk in, take a moment to check out the ingenuity of the design. I love the wooden pallets incorporated into the light fixtures on the ceiling. The bare wood contrasts with the black tables and chairs, and the clean white butcher paper used as tablecloths.

There is also a huge chalk board on the wall that lists the daily specials, and the fresh seafood menu, which changes with availability, of course.

Everything about Noah’s is snappy and bright, and that includes the service. Our server was attentive, but not intrusive. She kept an eye on our table and tried to anticipate our needs. Perfect.

I asked what were the most popular items and was not surprised to learn that the pho was number one. I cannot order this dish, which I did, without thinking of Chef Anthony Bourdain’s description of it as “a steaming bowl of goodness.”

I just do not know of a better comfort food. Hot, filling, nutritious and absolutely delicious.

My lunch partner, Mark LaSalle, had the pork chop and rice, served in the Vietnamese style with that amazing vinegary sauce that just pulls the whole dish together. It is one of the best Asian dipping sauces and is so good I could drink it.

As is often the case these days, I could easily make a meal out of the appetizer selection. The boudin egg rolls are a bestseller, and another example of the cultural blending that Noah’s does such a good job with.

I would also suggest the pork and shrimp rolls, Buffalo shrimp basket, and boom boom shrimp, another bestseller.

The next section on the menu lists eight varieties of fried rice. This Asian American dish has become popular all over the world and when done right it really is good. I would go for the combination of beef, shrimp and veggies, but would leave the crawfish out.

There are also eight kinds of pho to choose from, and brisket is almost always my favorite. It wasn’t until fairly recently that I tried the chicken pho, and if you are ever feeling poorly and need a boost, chicken pho will do wonders.

The po-boy selection is good, and seafood comes fried, boiled or blackened.

Noah’s hasn’t been around very long, and is another example of the entrepreneurial spirit so many people have found during difficult times. Check this place out!

Noah’s Seafood and Noodles

Location: 6615 Washington Avenue, Ocean Springs

Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Sunday

Phone: 228-334-5157 or https://www.facebook.com/Noahs-Seafood-Noodles-105518241311392/