After an eye-opening trip to Japan, chef Kevin Shin realized that fresh udon noodles are the only way to go. At MeNami, a new noodle house in North York, chef Shin and owner Chae Kim (Han Ba Tang) serve up traditional Japanese udon with a hip twist. If there’s any question that Toronto was lusting after more udon, one only need look at the ever-slammed noodle house.
Back to the source
Chef Shin went to Japan to learn about traditional udon noodles in the Kagawa prefecture — the place they originate from. Kagawa sports more udon houses (nearly 800 and counting) than anywhere else in the world, from train station shops to street stalls next to rice paddies. Following Shin’s return to T.O., the duo decided they wanted to put their own modern spin on the traditional style of Japanese udon.
Udon 101
Often referred to as “big fat noodles,” it’s easy to spot the difference between fresh udon noodles and the dried store-bought variety. Fresh udon noodles, although stubby, possess a soft al dente chew, and they capture both broth and flavour in each strand. Dried noodles are denser and have a combative chew, making them sub par when it comes to transporting flavour.
The neutral flavour and full-bodied texture of udon noodles make them the perfect vessel for soups. Like most other noodle types, they can be served in a broth or they can be tossed into a stir-fry and served hot and lightly crispy.
Keep it fresh
To craft the noodles, Shin imports special flour from Japan for the dough, aging it for a few hours after mixing it with salt and water. An imported noodle-cutting machine accurately creates the chunky strands.
Seafood yaki udon
Although MeNami serves over 15 different versions of the iconic noodle, our favourite is the seafood yaki udon ($13). Yaki refers to udon served in a stir-fried manner along with vegetables and seafood. A mound of freshly boiled udon is tossed with thin rings of squid meat and tentacles, steamed mussels and shrimp. The bowl gets a generous slathering of mayo and sweet soy sauce. An essential finisher to any bowl of seafood yaki udon is katsuobushi (bonito). The plate is covered with intensely flavoured flakes of dried fermented tuna that flutter over the plate as it arrives at the table. Sit back, slurp and enjoy.
MeNami Japanese Udon House and Sake Bar, 5469 Yonge St., 416-229-6191
