Quest for Athens’ best: Noodle soup showdown

Bowls of noodle soup from JINYA Ramen Bar (top left), D92 Korean BBQ (top right), Thai Spoon (bottom left) and Just Pho… and more (bottom right) are pictured in a collage. The Variety staff sampled dishes from each of these local restaurants and ranked them to see which one has the best noodle soup in Athens. Photos by Lucas Donnelly

After sampling from different local restaurants, members of the Variety Staff conclude that Thai Spoon and D92 Korean BBQ provide the best noodle soup dishes in Athens.

Local restaurant Thai Spoon, located in downtown Athens, is pictured. Although the restaurant’s focus is on Thai cuisine as a whole, the limited noodle soup options are delicious. Photo by Lucas Donnelly

Thai Spoon

Thai Spoon, located on N. Lumpkin St. in Downtown Athens, has a cozy and small-town feel that makes for a pleasant atmosphere and a dining experience that complements their delicious curry noodle soup.

Thai Spoon’s curry noodle soup features a creamy, sweet and spicy broth with plenty of rice noodles, perfectly cooked chicken slices, tomatoes, onions and cilantro. The dish has undertones of coconut and curry peppers, while the toppings add accents of fresh flavor.

Although the noodle soup is delicious, customers should keep in mind that as the restaurant focuses on Thai cuisine as a whole, there are only a few noodle soup options. Because of this, those solely seeking noodle soup may prefer other places with greater variety. However, those looking for a tasty and flavorful meal will find it in Thai Spoon’s noodle soups and their many other dishes.

Priced at $14, the curry noodle soup may not be as affordable as in other locations, but the serving size is relatively large and the dish features ingredients of high quality.

Overall, Thai Spoon provides a delicious and flavorful meal that will be enjoyed by all customers, but offers more for those looking for a classy dining experience than for those simply seeking noodle soup.
Story by Isabella Westrich

D92 Korean BBQ is located on Baxter Street. With spicy and flavorful broth, this restaurant has excellent noodle soup.

D92 Korean BBQ

With an intriguing aroma of seasoned meat and mild spice, D92 Korean BBQ on Baxter Street offers a flavorful and filling ramen meal that will leave customers satisfied.

Despite being the only ramen option served at the restaurant, the soup is outstanding. The ramen is made up of flour noodles, a mildly spicy broth and cooked vegetables. It has a pleasant kick, and the spice adds hints of flavor to complement the rest of the meal.

Served in a large bowl and metal chopsticks, the presentation of the noodles will leave customers excited to dig in. The ramen itself is packed with flavor and a spice that is not too upfront and supports the primary ingredients of the dish.

With a large portion and pleasant taste, the dish is reasonably priced at $10, however, a 20% tip is added automatically for an end total of around $12.06. Overall, the meal provides a good portion size with a pleasant spice and an acceptable price.

A high-tech look that enhances the dining experience and the futuristic style of the restaurant with pleasant background noise adds to the dining experience. Overall, the wonderfully spicy noodles make the dining experience a great one.
Story by Audrey St.Onge

The front of Just Pho… and more is shown. Located on Baxter St., the restaurant offers flavorful soup with rich rice noodles. Photo by Lucas Donnelly

Just Pho… and more

With a wide assortment of pho dishes, Just Pho… and more on Baxter Street provides patrons with a multitude of different noodles and a classy, comfortable atmosphere that adds to its dining experience.

With noodle soup-based menu items ranging from pho noodles with Vietnamese meatballs to pho with shrimp in a chicken-based broth and even a vegetarian option, the restaurant’s selection of pho dishes is sure to appeal to most patrons who attend.

Although the noodles themselves don’t contain as much flavor as in other restaurants, all noodle soup dishes offered at Just Pho feature rich rice noodles that serve as a versatile base for all other ingredients. This quality stands out, especially in the pho nam gau with flank steak and brisket, whose broth combines savory meat with refreshing greens such as cilantro and onions.

Even with this quality of flavor in some menu items, some dishes contain flaky chicken lacking the complementary quality of other meat-based noodle soup dishes. Despite this, the variety of soup dishes that pair consistent noodles with a flavorful broth at Just Pho… and more is sure to cater to patrons.

Story by Isaac Ramirez

The facade of JINYA Ramen Bar in Downtown Athens is pictured. JINYA Ramen Bar is a decent choice for ramen, but better food is available for cheaper. Photo by Lucas Donnelly

JINYA Ramen Bar

JINYA Ramen Bar on East Broad St. attracts customers with its uniquely futuristic dining experience and reasonable prices. The varieties of ramen dishes are diverse, offering many options for different palates. With a clean and modern atmosphere, the restaurant is a decent choice for the noodle seeker in Downtown Athens.

The Jinya Chicken Ramen features flavorful and well-cooked chicken, but is cut in such large pieces that it becomes awkward and difficult to pick up with the provided chopsticks. It also contains tasteless noodles that are thin and doughy, paired with a bland broth. The presentation is fine, but not worth the high price of $12.50.

Another frustration is digital menus, requiring the patron to scan a QR code in order to access them. While this is an interesting new experience, the multi-step process is a hassle compared to paper menus.

JINYA has many options for dining, but with quality valued over quantity, better food can be found for cheaper prices.

Story by Anna Tenner
Packaged by Maya Shrivastav