Spider maki ($12); Kitsune udon ($7); Wakame udon ($6)!
Saturday Japanese — spider maki $12 + kitsune udon $7 + wakame udon $6. Japanese restaurant spread.
Japanese lunch with BB: spider maki ($12) + kitsune udon ($7) + wakame udon ($6). 😋
What was on the table ($25):
- A spider maki roll.
- A bowl of kitsune udon.
- A bowl of wakame udon.
The spider maki is the fun, fusion-y one: an inside-out roll built around a whole soft shell crab tempura, usually with avocado and cucumber, the crab’s legs poking out of the roll like a spider’s, hence the name. You get the crunch of the fried crab against the soft rice and a hit of eel-sauce sweetness, a proper crowd-pleasing Western-style roll.
The two udon bowls are the comforting classics, both built on thick, chewy udon in a clear dashi broth. The kitsune udon is named for the fox of Japanese folklore (said to love fried tofu): its topping is abura age, a sweet beancurd pouch simmered in dashi, soy and mirin until it’s juicy and lightly sweet, which soaks up the broth beautifully. The wakame udon goes the lighter, cleaner route, topped with soft wakame seaweed that adds a gentle, briny, mineral note to the soup.
A nicely varied spread for two, one playful sushi roll and two soothing noodle bowls, and at $25 it was easy, satisfying mid-range Japanese.
Overall: 4.7 / 5. 😋👍🏼 A crunchy soft-shell-crab spider maki with comforting kitsune and wakame udon, a well-rounded Japanese spread. Would re-visit.
