Photo by JAMIE DIAZ: https://www.pexels.com/photo/clear-glass-bowl-with-soup-2132942/
I’ve always been a Rice girl and that is probably due to my upbringing. Staple meals in my family always included rice with some form of a stew such as Ayamase or Ata DinDin. Or one-pot rice dishes like Jollof rice or Nigerian Fried rice. Even when I started to branch out and try different cultures’ cuisines if they had a rice dish I generally gravitated towards it as it felt the most familiar.
With that being said, as I am now trying to become a foodie I need to step out of my comfort zone. Constantly sticking to what’s familiar can stunt my opportunities to try something new. And I for one don’t want that to happen!
So, in my journey to becoming a foodie the first cuisine I decided to give a try was Udon Noodles. I’ve tried a variety of noodles before such as Egg Noodles, Rice noodles, etc. But Udon noodles are something different they’re a lot thicker in texture and seem to be chewier.
After seeing a review on an affordable Udon Noodle restaurant in London, called Marugame from the one and only @knivestomeetyou. My close friend and I hopped on the train to see if it was worth the hype…
And I’m here to tell you IT WAS!
I ordered a regular size Beef Nikutama Udon which consisted of Beef, a soft poached Onsen Egg, and Caramelised Onions in smoky plus sweet BK Dashi Broth. This dish had an abundance of flavour! Each mouthful was heavenly! The Beef was tender and melted in my mouth and the Caramelised Onions had the right amount of sweetness. Additionally, I adored the balance between the sweet and smoky flavours in the broth. Also, the Onsen Egg wasn’t too runny and was really easy to eat. I had never tried a poached Egg before but overall, it was a nice addition to the Udon.
Apart from Udon noodles Marugame also serves a variety of side dishes including Tempura, Chicken Karaage, Gyoza, and Omusubi. I decided to try the Prawn Tempura and the Chicken Karaage. I really like how crispy the Prawn Tempura was. Plus, I really enjoyed the Chicken Karaage it was also crispy, and the flavour was plenty plus the Chicken was tender. Additionally, both of these side dishes paired really well with the mayo they served. I’m not sure what type of mayo it is but it tasted incredible! It was creamy and didn’t have that horrible vinegar taste other types of mayonnaise have. This has changed my perspective on mayo, for the better.
The last thing I ordered was Ramune Lemonade – which apparently is a popular fizzy drink in Japan. Overall, it was a pleasant bottle of soda. It was refreshing, not overly fizzy, and has a sweet taste. It paired well with my overall meal.
All in all, I’m so glad I got to try Udon Noodles at Marugame. This type of noodle is tasty AF! Plus this restaurant slaps! Not only is the food delicious but It’s affordable. My meal was around £20, which is excellent as I don’t have to break the bank to have good food. Also, there are a variety of dishes that they offer so there are various ways you can enjoy Udon. Lastly, the side dishes are yummy, and the drinks are refreshing.
So, though I am still a lover of rice, I’ve come to realise noodles are equally good 😊.
Chizoba Itabor 