I think its both. I had something like that (pinchers sticking out the side of fried ball). Wasn't crispy as it should be. Like it had been fried but then warmed up. Imagine that.

Looking at those pictures again and the noodles in particular I note the chopsticks. They are only about 6 inches long. I remember using them thinking "Here I am sitting in UA First eating a bowel of noodles with toy chopsticks. They must have saved a dime."
And I mean literally a dime.