Noodlebox

This was a cool place to go for lunch, and I imagine that during term-​time it’s frequented often by students. The atmosphere was very laid back and casual, with picnic-​bench type seating. There was plenty of variety in what you could choose, especially for vegetarians, and they have different deals on everyday, so it’s reasonably priced too (the portions being generous). Would love to go again, it was perfect for a quick lunch.

Decent prices for decent food. The gyoza are great! Each day of the week has a special deal, some being better than others. Heavy student population in the area, though, so can get a little raucous for older demographic. Also fantastic lunch wraps, especially the Chicken Katsu

Love the food here. Almost too much so, for someone who always try’s something different. I’m never trying anything different with these guys, same thing every time. That being said I did branch out once and loved their boxes, suppose that only speaks wonders for them on how amazing their boxes are. Well worth the going large and doubling of meat though!

This place was well reviewed on Unilocal so when passing through town we tried it.
I ordered the «Lucksa» which I assumed was «Laksa» but it was a dark broth with cheap yellow egg noodles.
Very disappointing.

Quick and easy food in a box, great for those on the go and relatively healthy (–minus the curry sauce smothering ;))
Located in the heart of the student area, it can often be difficult to get served quickly during lunch times as it tends to get mobbed by students. If you can get in there while it’s quiet, you’ll discover a wide range of options catering to both meat eaters and vegetarians.
Cheap and a good portion size bargain lunch

I have to say we have just come back from another quick visit to Noodle-​box in Cathays. The food is great, quick and well priced. I had the Chicken Gyoza dumplings and the Chicken Katsu rice box. I always have this and I cant help asking for extra curry sauce which they never charge for. Ill defo be back next Sunday.

Went to Noodlebox tonight (21^st August 2011) and although service was quick, the food itself has changed dramatically to when it was first opened. My order was the katsu box. The rice was clearly a different brand and not as nice, the chicken was clumpy and awkward and not as refined as when the establishment first opened, the sauce was very runny and greasy and I also found 2 hairs in my food which definitely did not belong to me.
I will not be recommending you or buying from you again unless your impeccable standards are restored from when you first opened.
Very disappointed
Cathays

Could a restaurant/​takeaway be any more suitable for students?
I’m a fan of Noodlebox, don’t get me wrong. It’s cheap, has a great menu and offers something just a little bit different. The thing is, I can’t help but thinking it’s the poor man’s Wagamama’s. The food’s pretty similar but just doesn’t have the flavours to match Wagamama’s best.
The pricing is nice and simple; £5 for a box, and one is quite enough for a dinner. Sides are also kept nice and cheap at £2.50 and surprisingly, so are the drinks. A loyalty card offers a tenth box completely free, just make sure it’s your card that gets stamped if you’re ordering for a group!
It’s more of a take-​away than a restaurant but there is an eating area if you’re that way inclined. The seating is benches (another Wagamama lift) and it’s all rather unimpressive, still a good place to catch up with friends.
Definitely stop by Noodlebox, or get one of their super little delivery bikes to buzz by your house.

Excuse me folks. I’m just going to have a little bit of an orgasmic reaction to this place right now. You may want to shield the kid’s eyes…
YES! YES! OH GOD YES! A THOUSAND TIMES YES! OH NOODLEBOX! NOODLEBOX! NOOOOOOOOOOODLEBOX! YESSSS!
Ok. Finished.
In a review I wrote maybe two or three weeks ago, I lamented the fact that we don’t get Chinese or Thai food in cool little boxes like the American swines do across the pond. Instead, we have to suffer our little tinfoil trays like the proles we are, never reaching the heights of culinary tupperware that our Yank compatriots get to scale.
Well no longer! Noodlebox has arrived, and with them they bring noodle-​boxy salvation!
The menu is actually fantastically laid out, in that crisp, eminently fashionable way that only Chinese and Japanese restaurants seem capable of pulling off. You choose your noodles. You choose your meat. You choose your extras. They cram it in a box and laugh as you nip at it ineffectually with chopsticks. The food is delicious, and the aforementioned deals they do mean it doesn’t have to be too expensive.

Woah. Who ever thought noodles in a box would be quite so good?
The food here is absolutely to die for. You choose the type of noodles as well as the vegetables/​meat/​extras to fill up your box. There isn’t much option for vegetarians unfortunately (only 4 boxes I think, to the meat-​eaters dozens) but those options are all so good that there isn’t much need for more! I always now have the veggie-​soba box, knowing that it’s my favourite out of all of them.
At £5 per box it sometimes feels a little pricey but if you go on different days you will get different deals. On Tuesdays there is free home delivery, on Wednesdays it’s two for one… Pick your favourite offer and make that noodlebox day!
The extras are quite cheap really but you get a lot of them — there is a good salad in the bottom half of the box and then the top half is filled with whatever you’ve chosen.
You can eat it, takeaway or they can deliver (though remember it’s not always free delivery!).
I might have to go and get one now actually…

Takeaway noodles in a box for £5 a go. What more could you ask for? Placed an order over the phone one Friday night and 30 minutes later it was at the door, delivered with a smile. I ordered the quack box (chunks of duck breast complete with crispy fat on top!) with the thick udon noodles and it was bloomin delicious. I would go for udon over rice noodles any day of the week, but that’s just me. The extras are really tasty as well, but you don’t get many so you need to order lots. The only quibble I have is that the chopsticks I asked for didn’t turn up. Luckily I had some spare in a kitchen drawer. Next time, I’ll emphasise the chopsticks request (because there will definitely be a next time). They deliver all over Cardiff by the way. I think that they are based in Roath near Salisbury Rd.

I haven’t been to eat at the restaurant yet, but my girlfriend and I ordered a takeaway from there last week and enjoyed it a lot! The website is easy to get around. The food is well priced and really well presented. It urned up withing 30 mins and was still piping hot. Very tasty :)
If you need a comparison, It’s very similar to Wok to Walk, which is on St Mary St in Cardiff
I’ll add to the review once I’ve been there for a taster too!

It would be difficult to not notice noodlebox that has recently opened on Salisbury Rd in Cathays. The striking green & black shop front looks very fresh when compared to the neighbouring kebab & chip shops that cathays has to offer.
The interior is also well thought out, simple clean lines with a completely exposed & very clean looking kitchen. There is something about being able to watch your food being cooked right in front of you!
The menu seems to cater for all tastes with choices of seafood, chicken, beef & vegetarian and also offers rice boxes although currently there are only 2 options of rice box.
I found the staff friendly and helpful & it seemed there was a good working atmosphere which always reflects well to the customer.
As for the food. My order arrived within about 3 to 4 minutes and I have to say I totaly enjoyed it! It did indeed taste fresh & bursting with flavour — I don’t think I could cook noodles at home that would compare & to this end I think @ £5 per noodlebox its a good deal.
I didn’t order a side dish but for only £2 extra you can shoose any side & even better for £9 you can have any box any side & a beer or soft drink!
I would definately recommend Noodlebox, its simple fast & alot healthier than any other fast food in Cathays!

I have noticed the distinct flash of lime green shop front of Noodlebox for a good few weeks now. It is more noticable when I am on my way to Café 37 further on down the road for a not-​so-​healthy serving of burger and chips swimming in catering sauce, rather than choosing the healthier stirfry option that Noodlebox advertises. I have also noticed that Noodlebox deliver, so I thought that I might try them out when working one of my evening shifts. I googled and downloaded the Noodlebox .pdf menu which like the website sports a clean, simple design and is easy to navigate. As the ordering process goes, it sits in the same camp as Nando’s or Wok to Walk where you are instructed in ‘3 easy steps’ on how to order.
Starting with the type of of noodle you would like, you then choose what type of box you would like for your main course. Options range from a noodle box to a veggie box, or you may instead prefer the salad box or the sushi box. Other boxes include the rice box, the soup box and lastly the ninja box, the box for the kids. Finally choose your side order and drink. Side orders are basically dips and drinks range from soft drinks to squeezed juices and beer.
My review is based on the takewaway and delivery service so I can’t comment on the accommodation or service within the restaurant itself. However upon phoning for my order I was greeted by a polite and friendly young voice and was told that the minimum order for a delivery was £10, however they had a meal deal for £9 which included a main, a side and a drink with a delivery charge on top for something like £1.50. I opted for that and ordered Ramen Noodles with a Teriyaki Box, Chicken Katsu Skewers and a Passion Fruit, Orange & Apple juice. It arrived within 30mins as I am based just around the corner, delivered on the back of a lime green Noodlebox logo’d scooter.
As the name Noodlebox implies, the food [even the drink] all arrived in boxes with a dipping sauce and loyalty card on which you get a stamp for each order you place. 9 stamps gets you 1 free order, so in my case, spend £90+ and get a freebie. Not really a massive incentive but better than nothing. After opening the boxes and trying the rather nice refreshing juice drink, I realised that they had not supplied me with any chopsticks to eat the noodles with. This was my one slight niggle as I was eating at my desk in work and a pair of chopsticks would have proved very handy. I found a fork in my stationery pen pot so it was no big deal in the end.
The food itself was nice. I had to remind myself that this was a takeway so the veggies would have softened in transit within a steamy cardboard box. I imagine the food would be much fresher when dining in. I do like to my vegetables to be crunchy in a stir fry, maybe more than an average pallette so I guess I am being slightly petty in this respect. The flavours of the ingredients were distinct, although the teriyaki flavour did not shine through and perhaps overall the box could have been slightly spicier from what I was expecting from the chilli symbol on the menu. However, there were generous amounts veggies, especially ginger which gave the food that distinct and tasty stirfry tang and bite.
As for value, I am not sure how I ultimately felt about paying £10.50 for a stirfry, 2 peices of chicken in breadcrumbs and a fruit juice. Of course I could have made the same dish cheaper at home and in some respects just as nice. However, the point I have to remember is that I was not at home, I was at work without food, and Noodlebox could provide me with food, so at the end of the day I was a slave to the classic law of supply and demand. I also have to remember that the quality of the ingredients were very good, especially the squeezed fruit juice. Noodlebox advertise that they source all their ingredients locally, that their health conscious menu includes 97% fat free boxes with gluten free and tofu options and they never use MSG.
If I never have the luxury of ordering a takeout from Noodlebox again, I will definitely visit there and eat in.