The Vitals:
the spot: Marugame Udon locations globally, tested at 2310 Kūhiō ave Honolulu HI
the eats: Tonkotsu , Nikutama and Chilled Udon
the bucks: $
the full nelson: global Udon phenomenon worthy of a visit when in Honolulu
Straight out of Japan and with a thousand locations that literally span the globe, Marugame Udon’s Sanuki style Udon speaks volumes to the success that can happen when a restaurant concept hits a nerve. I know I’m hooked and I’m not even the world’s greatest noodle lover.
Marugame Udon is known for long lines but they move fast. Despite the noodles being made to order, the place moves like a well oiled machine. The only guaranteed pause is when you have to decide what to order when it is your first visit.
Billed as “most loved” on the menu, my son chose the Marugame Udon Tonkotsu. He is the official noodle head of the family and the one who pulled the trigger on trying Marugame Udon for our first meal in Honolulu.
And that was after only going a day since our last Asian noodle soup meal, in Kauai. Turns out we were well rewarded for his noodle obsession.
I’m an Udon noob so I opted for the Nikutama because like the Tonkotsu, this noodle soup carries the menu description of “most loved”. Loaded with shaved sweet beef and a soft boiled egg, it was a hearty choice.
The Sweet beef, the rich egg yolk and the chewy thick noodles would make anyone an Udon fan. Pro Tip – grab the chili powder and give it a healthy shake. The heat balances the sweet beef well.
Remember how I said we just had our last Asian noodle soup fix like 24 hours ago? That’s what prompted the Mrs. to try a chilled Udon. Going with a soft boiled egg and the “BK sauce”(same at the Nikutama) the dish can be served cold and it totally works. A great change of pace and worth trying when it’s hot out or when you are eating Asian noodle soups daily.
I’m hooked on this brand. There is one in Dallas so my guess is I’ll be back at Marugame Udon before I’m back in Hawaii. But I would absolutely return to Marugame Udon in Honolulu too. In the words of my tween: “this Udon is fire”.
Leave a Reply