Asian Noodle Bar, 318 Central Ave. S.W., 224-9119.

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With a name as, well, bland as Asian Noodle Bar, we didn't expect to find a menu and ambience so flavorful.

And, with the metro area well saturated by noodle houses, we certainly didn't anticipate finding anything exciting.

We were so very wrong.

As for the name, think of it this way: hip Asian decor, new and traditional noodle dishes, and a bar marked by fine beer and sake.

Our warning: Much of the Downtown restaurant's menu pushes the limits of the Cheap Eater's budgetary restrictions, and most of it will crack them altogether.

But at $7.95, a colossal bowl of savory chicken pho shouldn't be missed. A heaping plate of cilantro, jalapeños and lime allows for a customized heat factor, something the more sensitive tongues among us should appreciate.

Our vote for favorite menu item: chicken fried rice ($7.95). It's a staple at most Asian restaurants, but it's not treated as ordinary fare here.

Matter of fact, few dishes are.

Surprise.

Cheap Eats highlights delicious items around town that cost $8 or less.