Why You Might Want To Avoid Ordering Pasta And Noodle Dishes For Delivery

Picture this — it's a cozy, Friday night. You're in your most comfortable clothes, snuggled up on the couch getting ready to watch the new hot show on Netflix. You can hear the gentle patter of rain on your window, and the only thing that can make your night even more perfect is your favorite takeout from your favorite eatery! But here's the deal, not all takeout is created equally — some dishes hold up well during the transportation process, while there are others that you should definitely avoid ordering for delivery. If you're craving your favorite Italian pasta or Asian noodle dish from the comfort of your couch, hold that thought, because ordering these dishes for delivery can come with a side order of disappointment.

Hot pasta undergoes what chefs call "carry-over cooking" during transit. So, as your perfectly al dente pasta is making its journey to your home, the noodles continuously cook in the residual steam and absorb the sauce they've been cooked in, resulting in a mushy mess. This is opposed to the elegantly coated pasta that you'd fork into if served fresh at a restaurant. On the contrary, rice noodles like those common in classic favorites like Pad Thai, can become brittle and break apart as they cool during the delivery process. This compromises the signature, satisfying chew of rice noodles. For noodle soups like ramen, which need to be served and eaten at an optimum temperature for maximum enjoyment, the changes in temperature through the course of preparation, packaging, and delivery can compromise that bouncy texture and complex flavors you crave in a bowl of ramen.

Sometimes, restaurants will take proactive measures to avoid takeout catastrophes, like using appropriate packaging to retain temperature, packaging the components separately, slightly undercooking the pasta noodles to prevent the effects of carry-over cooking, and even including specific reheating instructions. But if your delivery is not up to your expectations, there are ways to revive your comforting plate of noodles. If you end up with overly mushy pasta, you can briefly heat it over medium heat, which can help evaporate some of the excess moisture which could improve the texture of the noodles. Consider adding more seasonings to amp up the flavor if desired. For dry or clumpy noodles, reheating them with a splash of water can help separate noodles that are stuck together. A drizzle of toasted sesame oil and olive oil can also add additional flavor and help breathe life into your dry Asian noodles and Italian pastas respectively. If takeout ramen is your go-to, reheat the broth until just before it starts boiling before serving over the noodles.

All in all, for the best pasta experience at home, making these dishes in your kitchen is ideal as you hold the control for a perfectly prepared pasta that satisfies your palate. And if you have a stash of instant ramen in your pantry, there are creative ways to upgrade your ramen, including ingredient swaps that will transform a humble packet of instant ramen to a restaurant-quality, slurp-worthy bowl of flavor.