Veranda Thai Empire Extends to Downtown Portland as Noodle House Opens

Veranda Noodle House opened Saturday, November 21 at 245 Commercial Street in Portland — former home of The Salt Exchange, which closed a year ago. This is the first downtown restaurant in a group of off-peninsula establishments including tiny Veranda Thai and Veranda Noodle Bar on Veranda Street and Veranda Asian Market on outer Forest Avenue, which also serves prepared food to go.

According to Portland Food Map, "The Noodle House serves several types of Phô, Tom Yum of Mi soups as well as Thai appetizer, curries and rice/noodle dishes." The new space has a Facebook page with a couple of interior pictures; the listed website isn't yet live and no one could be reached by phone by press time. According to employees of the other eateries, though, expect Veranda Noodle House to be open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. — and rest assured, none of the other locations is closing, despite rumors that the Noodle House might supplant the Noodle Bar (and despite a non-functioning phone number listed on the latter's Facebook page).

245 Commercial Street, Portland, (207) 536-1996, Facebook. Open daily 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.