Old Boy Noodles 2120 E Southlake Blvd STE D

This was my fifth visit, and based on my first four experiences, I would have easily rated the food 5/5. Unfortunately, this visit was a major miss across every dish, and I’m not sure what happened in the kitchen this time. The shao mai was noticeably disappointing. The wrapper was much drier than before, almost as if it had been sitting exposed to air for too long, or had been steamed earlier and reheated later. The boat noodles also felt very different from my previous visits. There was far more blood in the broth than before, which gave it a bitter flavor and a muddy, mushy taste. The noodles themselves were overcooked and soggy, which made the whole bowl feel heavy rather than balanced. The pad see ew was also soggy and over-dressed. The seasoning was too aggressive—too salty, too sweet, and too spicy—without the balance I remembered from past visits. I really hope this was just an off day, because this place used to be consistently excellent. I’d love to see it return to the quality that made me come back four times before.