smokin noodle

Sep 10

What do you get when a Ramen enthusiast and a barbeque expert decide to open a restaurant together? Smokin Noodle! Quite literally, one side of the menu is BBQ and the other side is Ramen. Smokin Noodle is conveniently located in downtown Fairfield on the Post Road and offers customers ample parking. A walk into this restaurant with its beautifully decorated modern interior, friendly staff and oversized windows all provide an inviting atmosphere. The bar area has high tables and a full bar with seating for all and serves craft cocktails, beers from local breweries and wine.

Owners Sharath Dara and James Olson opened Smokin Noodle last year. Dara has a culinary background that started in his mom’s kitchen. His mom was an excellent cook. After practicing in his mom’s kitchen for a bit along with his mom’s guidance, he cooked well and enjoyed it. Formally trained, Dara attended culinary school in India and graduated in 2002. His first job was in the hotel industry working as a chef in Dubai and then he worked for a few restaurants in NYC. Twelve years later he opened his first restaurant in downtown Stamford, Chutni Biryani & Noodle Bar.

A top priority for Dara and Smokin Noodle chef Gregory McDowell is the quality of their ingredients. They purchase top-of-the-line fresh meats, organic chicken and pork. The fish is sourced from Fulton Fish Market in NYC. The beef, short ribs and brisket are also locally sourced. The brisket, ribs and short ribs are cooked in an indoor smoker, sometimes overnight. The vegetables are farm-to-table and fresh, a discerning palate will be pleasantly pleased.

Let’s talk apps. The wings are smoked low and slow and are oh-so delicious; with plenty of meat and perfectly seasoned, you won’t even need to accompany them with blue cheese dressing. The BBQ Baked Bean Hummus is truly some of the most amazing hummus we’ve ever had.

The Ramen is a whole process in itself, in addition to all the fresh ingredients, the pork ramen broth is cooked for 24 hours. The beef ramen broth is an 8-hour process, accompanied by fresh scallions and ginger. The chicken ramen is a 7-hour broth. The noodles are made fresh in NY and are boiled to order, so they taste exquisitely fresh when served.

I would be seriously remiss if I didn’t mention Smokin Noodles’ Atlantic Salmon entrée which is cooked to absolute perfection. Very rarely does a restaurant walk the fine line of not overcooking the salmon and undercooking it; Smokin Noodle delivers every time! Also accompanying this dish is charbroiled asparagus and grape tomato for a healthy dinner. My husband considers himself a BBQ connoisseur having sampled the best places in the country for years and Smokin Noodle is now at the top of his list (right in our backyard!) He highly recommends the Jamaican Jerk wings, brisket, and ribs.

Finishing with desserts, there are three must-haves: home-made banana pudding, tres leches cake and Mississippi mud pie. The banana pudding is one of the most decadent desserts we’ve ever tasted! And the tres leches and Mississippi mud pie are definite crowd pleasers!

So if you are in a going out to dinner mood, give Smokin Noodle a try. The menu offers something for everyone!

*Sharath Dara with one of his regulars, Greg Rivera. Photo Cred: Sherry Bartley Rivera*

Sherri Bartley Rivera

Sherri Bartley Rivera and Jean Rossi Wergeles, co-founders of Fairfield County Lifestyle, are honored to be contributing writers to “In a Fairfield Minute.” Jean and Sherri interview inspiring local entrepreneurs, with a focus on female-run businesses, all over Fairfield County and share their stories on Instagram, Facebook and their website. Their objective is to showcase local businesses with a focus on wellness, positivity and community. They also strongly believe in giving back to the community and use their social media platform to donate to local organizations such as nOURish Bridgeport and the Center for Family Justice in Bridgeport.

Sherri is a proud graduate of UConn with a B.A. in Economics and Political Science. She has a passion for business and a keen interest in the people that make businesses succeed. She is V.P. of Sales at Bartley Manufacturing Co, a third-generation family business located in Waterbury, CT. She is an Education Ambassador with Channel News 12 and enjoys reporting weekly on the status of being a mom with kids in school. Also, she has a deep appreciation for the arts, music, good food (she makes a mean chocolate chip cookie her niece will attest to!), fitness and nature.

Sherri has appeared in national and regional commercials on TV, the internet and print. She resides in Fairfield with her husband Greg and three teenagers, JR, Dean and Anastasia.

Jean graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a B.A. in Journalism. After living in Manhattan she and her husband moved back to Fairfield County to raise their kids. She started her career in advertising then moved on to corporate communications for nonprofit organizations. She has written for local publications such as CT Family Today, Fairfield Magazine and Whofish.org. She currently works in cause-related marketing for Jammin’ Hammer Jewelry. Jean volunteers for local philanthropies, is on the board of the Joel Barlow PTSA and is an active member of Easton/Redding National Charity League. Jean has lived in Easton for 19 years with her husband, John, and their three teenagers, Hannah, Luke & Sarah.

If you have any interest in featuring your business with us please contact us at sherri@fairfieldctylifestyle.com. We look forward to sharing inspiring stories about the amazing people in our community with you!

https://www.fairfieldctylifestyle.com/

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