There is no reservation system at Larkspur Noodle Bar, no website to speak of and no sign on the door, just a paper lantern and, most evenings after six, a line of people leaning against the laundromat next door.
Expect to wait twenty to forty minutes on weekend evenings. The queue moves in bursts, because the bar seats people in groups as stools free up, and parties larger than four are politely discouraged.
Do not skip the small plates. It arrives in a cast-iron dish, and it is the best thing on the table, at $5.58.
What it costs
There are four bowls on the menu. The beef shank noodles in a clear, peppery broth, at $16.50, are the one to start with. The cumin lamb, dry-tossed with chilli oil and spring onion, is for the second visit, and the third, and probably most of the visits after that.
The cook works behind a low counter, and watching the cooks plate is half the fun. Plates arrive family-style.
The audience is a cross-section of the valley: families with small children, couples on a first date, everyone elbow to elbow at a room that seats 19.
The menu shifts weekly, but a few things never leave. The best of these is a flatbread blistered at the edges and blanketed in herbs, at $18.18.
- Card only, no cash
- Corkage fee of $19
- Walk-ins welcome; counter seats held every night
- Open Wednesday through Sunday, 5 to 10 p.m.
- Two steps at the entrance; ramp available
Getting there
The front of house is efficient in a way that feels unhurried. On a busy Friday, the bartender remembered a dish we had asked about and was right.
The space itself is part of the appeal. Tall windows facing the river and a counter salvaged from a demolished hotel give it a lived-in feel, though most of the furniture came from estate sales.
The noodles are pulled to order, which means you can watch the cook stretch a lump of dough into a skein of strands in about forty seconds, slapping it against the steel counter with a sound that makes first-timers jump.
There is no alcohol, but there is a very good house-made plum soda, and a pot of jasmine tea that is refilled without asking. Dinner for two, with a salad, two bowls and wontons, comes to about $52 before tip.
| Dish | Price | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Grilled sardines, charred lemon | $33.75 | Excellent |
| Mussels in cider broth | $29.56 | Order it |
| Wood-roasted half chicken | $26.60 | Good, not great |
| Hand-pulled noodles, chilli oil | $32.42 | Excellent |
| Smoked beet salad | $16.11 | Skip |
| Burnt honey custard | $20.15 | Worth the price |
| House bread and cultured butter | $14.97 | Share it |
What to order
If you go: the noodle bar is open Wednesday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. until dusk. Cards are accepted, and the 14 bus stops right outside.
Lucia Brandt-Moreno, who opened the noodle bar in 2019, thinks of the restaurant as “a kitchen that happens to have tables.” The fish comes from within 22 miles.
A cucumber salad smashed with garlic and black vinegar costs $6 and is the right thing to eat while you wait. So is the plate of chilli-oil wontons, which arrive slick and red and disappear in about a minute.
I would be suspicious of anyone who told you this is solved.
Lucia Brandt-Moreno
The verdict
The owner, who cooked in three cities before settling in Larkspur, opened the bar in a former dry cleaner with almost no renovation. The steel counter is new. The pressing machine in the corner is not; it now holds a stack of takeaway containers.
A meal here costs more than it did last year. Three courses will run close to $159 including tax. The weekday set menu is the smart move at $27.25.
One word on accessibility: the stools are backless and close together. For a more relaxed visit, ask for the window table.
There are missteps. A poached pear arrived oddly cold on two visits, and the cocktail menu, at these prices, could use editing.
The room and the service
Vegetarians will do well here: a bowl of mushroom noodles in ginger broth was as good as anything on the menu.
The Dispatch asked Larkspur Noodle Bar for a written response. An official shared a short email noting that more information would be released in the coming weeks.
By the numbers: 10 years of planning, $11.8 million in committed funding, and a final review that may yet slip.
- Arrive early, or after 8:30 p.m.
- Order one more small plate than you think you need
- Ask what came in that morning
- Save room, but choose dessert carefully
- Sit at the counter if you are two
The people behind it
We will keep reporting on the noodle bar as it develops. If you have experience with this can reach the reporter directly at the address below.
This article drew on interviews with more than 27 people, including residents, officials and outside experts.
Step back for a moment, and the picture is clearer: choices being made now could define who can afford to live here.
Reporting for this story drew on interviews with more than 24 people, including residents, officials and outside experts.
Jonah Abernathy can be reached at jonah.abernathy@brindlemoor-dispatch.example. Have a tip? Use our secure tip line.
Made the apple cake twice now. Second time I used a mix of tart and sweet apples and it was even better.
The part about the west side is the real story. Nobody on council lives over there and it shows.
Respectfully, the reporter left out that the same vendor ran the last pilot, which went way over budget.
Respectfully, the reporter left out that the same vendor ran the last pilot, which went way over budget.
Good question. The documents we reviewed did not say, and the agency has not responded yet. We will update the story if they do.
Made the apple cake twice now. Second time I used a mix of tart and sweet apples and it was even better.
This is why local journalism matters. Subscribed again after letting it lapse.
Fair point, and thank you. We have added a line clarifying that.
Went last Friday on the strength of this review. The sardines were exactly as described. Dessert was also exactly as described, unfortunately.
The fee change makes sense for big vendors and is terrible for small ones. Simple as that.
Thanks for reading. We are planning a follow-up and would welcome tips at the address above.
The part about the west side is the real story. Nobody on council lives over there and it shows.
Good question. The documents we reviewed did not say, and the agency has not responded yet. We will update the story if they do.
Does anyone know if the public comment period is still open? The city website is no help at all.
Good piece, but I think the headline undersells how bad the seawall situation really is.
My kids went to Larkspur. It breaks my heart to read this but I am not surprised.
Does anyone know if the public comment period is still open? The city website is no help at all.
Fair point, and thank you. We have added a line clarifying that.
As a nurse at St. Aldric I can confirm the override part. The software is a tool, not a replacement for judgment.
The part about the west side is the real story. Nobody on council lives over there and it shows.
Good question. The documents we reviewed did not say, and the agency has not responded yet. We will update the story if they do.
The part about the west side is the real story. Nobody on council lives over there and it shows.
Can we please stop calling everything a "smart" something? It is a streetlight with a sensor.
Made the apple cake twice now. Second time I used a mix of tart and sweet apples and it was even better.
My kids went to Larkspur. It breaks my heart to read this but I am not surprised.
The heat pump rebate website crashed on me three times. Glad to know it was not just me.
Fair point, and thank you. We have added a line clarifying that.
The ferry is great. Took it with my dad on Sunday and he talked about the old boats the whole way across.
Respectfully, the reporter left out that the same vendor ran the last pilot, which went way over budget.
Copper Row Records is a treasure. Theo once spent twenty minutes helping me find a record I could only hum.
I would love a follow-up on what happens to the workers at the old plant.
I would love a follow-up on what happens to the workers at the old plant.
I have lived here for thirty years and I have seen this exact plan announced at least three times. I will believe it when I see the crews.
The heat pump rebate website crashed on me three times. Glad to know it was not just me.
Made the apple cake twice now. Second time I used a mix of tart and sweet apples and it was even better.
Thanks for reading. We are planning a follow-up and would welcome tips at the address above.
Does anyone know if the public comment period is still open? The city website is no help at all.
Fair point, and thank you. We have added a line clarifying that.
My kids went to Larkspur. It breaks my heart to read this but I am not surprised.
This is why local journalism matters. Subscribed again after letting it lapse.
Respectfully, the reporter left out that the same vendor ran the last pilot, which went way over budget.
Made the apple cake twice now. Second time I used a mix of tart and sweet apples and it was even better.
Does anyone know if the public comment period is still open? The city website is no help at all.
Can we please stop calling everything a "smart" something? It is a streetlight with a sensor.
Went last Friday on the strength of this review. The sardines were exactly as described. Dessert was also exactly as described, unfortunately.
Copper Row Records is a treasure. Theo once spent twenty minutes helping me find a record I could only hum.
The part about the west side is the real story. Nobody on council lives over there and it shows.
Good piece, but I think the headline undersells how bad the seawall situation really is.
Thank you for actually putting the numbers in a table. Most coverage just says "millions" and leaves it at that.
The part about the west side is the real story. Nobody on council lives over there and it shows.
Respectfully, the reporter left out that the same vendor ran the last pilot, which went way over budget.
Does anyone know if the public comment period is still open? The city website is no help at all.
As a nurse at St. Aldric I can confirm the override part. The software is a tool, not a replacement for judgment.
Respectfully, the reporter left out that the same vendor ran the last pilot, which went way over budget.