By: Theo Miller

News Editor

It is easy to be skeptical. A noodle restaurant that people have driven by for years and never noticed? But it is true friends. Blessing the streets of Coral Gables with noodles and a hipster atmosphere is Ohho Noodle Market, across the street from Ponce de Leon middle school and the University of Miami. Started by Jack Punma, who founded the Moon Thai and Japanese restaurant chain next door, and Yodpao “Teddy” Rerkmuang as something meant to be more reminiscent of an Asian noodle cart in the 1930s than a fine dining establishment. Walk in and be greeted with incredible smells from a front-of-house kitchen, a lively atmosphere, and incredible ambiance, from the edgy urban art and the moody colored lighting. 

Full disclosure, the food featured here was a takeaway order because of COVID concerns, but there was hardly anyone dining in and it would have been fine. Take that into account when it comes to thoughts on the food. Thus, we also cannot speak to the service because of that, but my food was waiting upon arrival, and it remained hot even until dinner time. Pickup was painless and the staff seemed well trained.

But you are here for noodles. So let’s talk about noodles. 

We had a chance to try three dishes: a miso ramen, a classic beef Pad Thai, and some special Hong Kong crispy noodles.

The ramen was a surprise. While it is not on the same level as a 1-800-LUCKY or similar establishment, it was extremely good, and a ramen served with miso broth was something that seemed exciting to try. The suspicions were correct. The broth was surprisingly spicy for a ramen, but never overwhelmingly so, and extremely hearty. Served with chashu pork, nori, bamboo, and a soft-boiled egg. Altogether an extremely pleasant bowl of ramen, plus it constituted something new and different. This type of place is in a different category than an upscale Momi or Wynwood establishment, so it would be an unfair comparison. Yet, Ohho holds its own. If you are in the neighborhood with a hankering, Ohho’s ramen seems to be a beyond solid choice.

^{_{Ohho’s Hong Kong style crispy noodles offer one of the most satisfying eating experiences on the menu. (Photo by Theo Miller)}}

Let’s talk about those crispy noodles for a second. The dish consists of a nest of fried noodles and a separate sauce with vegetables and beef that is poured over the top, which softens the noodles without losing their crispy bite. The end result is a rich, eggy flavor from the noodles and that signature stir-fry taste in sauce form, coming together to form something quite unexpected. Do not let appearances fool you. These are good. We highly recommend them to anyone looking for a hearty meal and are not feeling a stir fry or soup vibe.

Lastly, the Pad Thai. This one falls squarely in the box of Asian-American fusion. The sauce was too sweet for a Pad Thai, yet not as sweet as something like an orange chicken. If traditional Pad Thai is what your after, order something else. That being said, the Pad Thai was still really good. The beef was on the drier side, although that may be from the commute that comes by the nature of takeaway. The noodles were perfectly done, and overall it was the most satisfying experience of the three sampled meals.

All in all, we highly recommend Ohho. If you chose to dine in, the atmosphere is unmatched short of something like a Wynwood bar, the food is incredible, and at a lower price tier than many others included in this list. The word ‘ohho’ comes from a south Asian expression meaning ‘wow’. In this spirit, Ohho’s name seems beyond apt.