“Let the noodle set you free,” says Jeffrey Yarbrough, owner of Liberty Noodles, 5631 Alta Ave. The restaurant is so-named for the changing political climate in Asia, but also for the changes it’s bringing to the Texas food world.
Freedom and noodles aren’t the only things that have people talking about this hot spot on Lowest Greenville (214-887-8792 for reservations). “This is ‘fun-fine dining’ with a whimsically chic interior,” says Yarbrough, who lives in the Lakewood area. The eclectic approach has produced a diner base of people from the 20-somethings to the mom-and-pop crowd.
Liberty’s chef is none other than Annie Wong, Dallas’ premier proponent of Thai cuisine. Her menu features entrees as “The Red Sea,” a conglomerate of noodles and five seafood delicacies, and “The Royal Typhoon,” another seafood item with uniquely rolled typhoon noodles. And then there’s Wong’s “Khao Soi,” a spicy coconut soup that is one of the restaurant’s most popular items.
Although the menu selections are a combination of ideas, “the recipes come straight from Annie,” says Yarbrough, who points to the chef’s unique ability to break down flavor profiles in food. While some might associate Liberty with trendy Asian fusion dishes, the restaurateurs considers Liberty “Pan-Asian” because the dishes represent the entire Asian continent.
What if you’re not a noodle fan? There are a number of rice dishes to satisfy the less adventurous, as well as a mixed grill of chicken, beef and pork.
Hmmm, but that “Red Sea”… .
SPICY BEEF SALAD
½ lb. beef flank
2 Tbs. fish sauce or ¼ tsp. salt
2 Tbs. lime juice (bottled or freshly squeezed)
¼ tsp. sugar
¼ cup diced fresh jalapenos or ground chilies
¼ cup sliced red onion
1 medium roma tomato in wedges
¼ cup cucumber sliced
1/8 cup green onion diced
1 tsp. cilantro
2 sprigs Asian basil
2 large pieces of green leaf lettuce
Place the leaf lettuce on a medium plate, and set aside. In a medium bowl, add grilled beef, lime juice, fish sauce or salt. Mix together. Add sugar, red onion, green onion, chili, tomato, cucumber. Mix well. Place mixture on bed of lettuce, and garnish with cilantro and basil. (One large serving or two small servings.)
