Somewhere in America’s all-out ramen frenzy, udon was seemingly left for dead. But if you ever see the line wrapped outside Marugame on any given day, you'll understand it's resurgence is upon us. Yes, the wait can certainly seem daunting, but it’s worth it. Come sit at the bar, order that outrageously delicious Sea Urchin Creamy udon, and watch in awe as they cut and roll every massive noodle by hand behind the glass. Ramen who?

Uni Sea Urchin Cream Udon

Before the pandemic, Marugame Monzo in Little Tokyo had a perpetual line, both for the menu and the performance - you’d watch noodle makers inside a glass-walled room throwing and cutting udon like they were on stage. But Marugame is just as great for takeout, even without the show. The fat, dense, noodles are excellent in many forms, but for something a bit different, go for the udon in uni cream sauce, which is flecked with incredible bits of Santa Barbara urchin tongue. For a more standard noodle soup, the Hot Dragon Udon, with a light, spicy tonkotsu broth, and excellent spiced ground pork.