Thai food is a complete staple when it comes to Chicago takeout. As a foodie, I’m always searching for the next best Thai restaurant for those afternoon cravings. In search of the next best place, I was recommended Three Wheels Noodle in Palmer Square by a close friend. 

Full order

• Chive dumplings 
• Vegetable spring rolls
• Golden curry noodles with tofu 
• Thai iced coffee

Review

The food arrived hot which is a complete must when it comes to takeout. I ordered two appetizers, an entree and a drink. To start, I tried the Vegetable Spring Rolls and Chive Dumplings. The spring rolls were my favorite part of the meal; they were crunchy, savory, filled with veggies and paired perfectly with the sweet, fruity dipping sauce that it came with. 

The dumplings were good, but they weren’t my favorite. If you aren’t a fan of strong onion flavor these will not be your cup of tea. The dumplings themselves were pillowy and resembled mashed potatoes but were a bit oily for my taste. The filling was just chives, but the flavor was an extremely aromatic onion flavor that was slightly overpowering. 

The dipping sauce it came with was sweet. When eaten with the dumpling, I wasn’t too fond of the sweetness with the aromatic onion flavor — better without the sauce. 

Now, the entree — the golden Curry noodle bowl with tofu. The broth was a little spicy from the curry,  creamy and sweet from the coconut milk but sadly lacked flavor. When I eat Thai curry-based broth, I’m expecting a mouthful of developed flavor; however, that wasn’t my experience. 

It was tasty, don’t get me wrong, it just didn’t stand out amongst the many other curry dishes I’ve had in the city. The fried dumpling skins were a nice addition to the mix of veggies and tofu. A lot of food, not too filling. Delightfully light.

Final thoughts

I would rate this place 3.5 stars out of 5. I thought it was an enjoyable meal and I was satisfied by the end of it. I was happy it arrived hot and in less than an hour. The vegetable spring rolls were DELICIOUS. Were they good enough to go back just for that? Maybe not. I thought the chive dumplings were a bit too strong in flavor and didn’t pair too well with the sauce it came with. The curry noodles lacked flavor but were delightfully light and filling for a full‐sized Thai entree. Texturally, I thought the fried dumpling skins on top were a really nice addition. The iced coffee was good but definitely called for less milk and more coffee. 

Overall, I enjoyed my takeout from Three Wheels Noodle but I won’t be rushing to order it again in the near future. My hunt for top-tier takeout continues…