Menya Le Nood
For our first Noods in Paradise outing, we chose a location none of us had been to, Menya Le Nood in Kakaako. Parking is extremely limited but we lucked out with a spot right in front of the restaurant. Inside there are enough tables for about 40 guests. They serve lunch from 11am to 2:30pm and dinner from 5pm to 10pm. They also have happy hour from 5pm to 7pm with specials on beer and appetizers.
Menya offers Tsukemen and Ramen. I had to google a few words to understand what ingredients were in the different options on the menu as they use mostly non-English words to describe the ingredients. Only green onions was listed in English. I wonder why just that one?
Kakuni = Pork Belly
Ajitama = Seasoned Ramen Egg
Menma = Bamboo Shoots
Nori = Edible Seaweed
Charsiu = Roasted Pork
After you decide if you want Tsukemen or Ramen and what option of ingredients you would like, you then choose from the following broths:
Shoyu - Traditional Japanese style soy broth
Tonkotsu - Rich and creamy pork broth
Black Tonkotsu - Savory and seasoned roasted garlic pork broth
Goma - Lightly roasted sesame broth (vegan option available upon request)
Lastly you choose the amount of noodles you would like (Regular, Large (+$1), X-Large (+$2) and the spice level (None, Mild, Medium, Hot).
Curtis - $16.75 - Menya Ramen (2 pc. Kakuni, Ajitama, Menma, Green Onion, Nori) with Tonkatsu broth, medium spice, and extra noodles. No options on noodle thickness, but can add more noodles for $1 (large) or $2 (x-large). I didn't add any, but there are options.
Overall it is a 4. I thought the tonkotsu broth was good, not clawing, and the spice didn't overpower the broth flavor. The restaurant overall had more of a Chinese style, from the thin skin gyoza and its filling, to the thicker noodles in the ramen (I'm guessing sun noodle brand). It was good enough to come back. It's friendly, casual.
Shannon - $13.75 - Basic Ramen (1pc Charsiu, Menma, Green Onion) with Black Tonkotsu broth, medium spice, and an ajitama. You can upgrade to more noods for $1 or $2 . The noodles have a nice medium thickness. The perfect chewy consistency. The black tonkatsu sauce has rich flavor, but not too rich. Medium is definitely spicy. I added an egg because the egss are my favorite.
Overall I would rate this a 4. I would definitely come back and try different flavors. The restaurant seats less than 40, the service is quick, and has a swanky atmosphere. The gyoza skin was nicely caramelized with an okay filling. Although I could not find myself to eat the shrimp app because I could see the little eyeballs, the rest of the table said they were crunchy, well seasoned shrimp heads. Ooh they have chu-hi, but for $5 each. You can can get the same ones at the Donkey for $2 per can. Parking is very limited.
Shizue - $13.75 - Basic Ramen (1pc Charsiu, Menma, Green Onion) with Shoyu broth, hot spice, and an ajitama. Okay noodles. Maybe slightly over done. I got the hot (spicy). Hot is spicy but not too bad. Did not go well with the soup. I should have ordered medium to get a better taste of the soup. I added egg.
Overall is a 3.5. I may have ordered wrong. I should have gotten medium spicy so that I could taste the soup and hope the noodles would be cooked a little less. I would give it another chance. Restaurant was small but nice. We had happy hour sides. The chicken karaage (fried chicken) was good but the pieces were too large. Fired garlic shrimp - crispy and yummy - I think I liked this the best. Gyoza was okay.
Yuka - $13.25 - Basic Tsukemen (1pc. Kakuni, Menma, Green Onion) with Black Tonkotsu broth, and mild spice. Large extra noodle is +$0!!! I may order without spicy next time. Pretty spicy even it’s mild. Can’t taste so much of the stock. Not too rich, not too light, not too salty but flavorful. I wish there was more strong fish stock taste and serve soup after eating noodles as supposedly do in japan.
Overall it is a 4, pretty good quality, but not the best. Hip ramen shop with good service and yuzu Kosho sour is good drink!
Happy Hour Gyoza are only $3.50 for a 5 piece order. The skin was nice and crunchy.
Happy Hour Garlic Shrimp are $3.50. These were a huge hit at the table with everyone besides me. I have made great strides in the kind of foods I will eat but I am just not at the eating the head of a shrimp yet. Although the shrimp were very fried, they maintained a surprising amount of juiciness. Maybe next time if I cannot see the eyeballs, or if Curtis doesn't tell me what it is until after I eat it.
Happy Hour Chicken Karaage for $3.50. Although tasty, no one thought these were spectacular and I doubt any of us would order them again.
Menya offers Tsukemen and Ramen. I had to google a few words to understand what ingredients were in the different options on the menu as they use mostly non-English words to describe the ingredients. Only green onions was listed in English. I wonder why just that one?
Kakuni = Pork Belly
Ajitama = Seasoned Ramen Egg
Menma = Bamboo Shoots
Nori = Edible Seaweed
Charsiu = Roasted Pork
After you decide if you want Tsukemen or Ramen and what option of ingredients you would like, you then choose from the following broths:
Shoyu - Traditional Japanese style soy broth
Tonkotsu - Rich and creamy pork broth
Black Tonkotsu - Savory and seasoned roasted garlic pork broth
Goma - Lightly roasted sesame broth (vegan option available upon request)
Lastly you choose the amount of noodles you would like (Regular, Large (+$1), X-Large (+$2) and the spice level (None, Mild, Medium, Hot).
Curtis - $16.75 - Menya Ramen (2 pc. Kakuni, Ajitama, Menma, Green Onion, Nori) with Tonkatsu broth, medium spice, and extra noodles. No options on noodle thickness, but can add more noodles for $1 (large) or $2 (x-large). I didn't add any, but there are options.
Overall it is a 4. I thought the tonkotsu broth was good, not clawing, and the spice didn't overpower the broth flavor. The restaurant overall had more of a Chinese style, from the thin skin gyoza and its filling, to the thicker noodles in the ramen (I'm guessing sun noodle brand). It was good enough to come back. It's friendly, casual.
Shannon - $13.75 - Basic Ramen (1pc Charsiu, Menma, Green Onion) with Black Tonkotsu broth, medium spice, and an ajitama. You can upgrade to more noods for $1 or $2 . The noodles have a nice medium thickness. The perfect chewy consistency. The black tonkatsu sauce has rich flavor, but not too rich. Medium is definitely spicy. I added an egg because the egss are my favorite.
Overall I would rate this a 4. I would definitely come back and try different flavors. The restaurant seats less than 40, the service is quick, and has a swanky atmosphere. The gyoza skin was nicely caramelized with an okay filling. Although I could not find myself to eat the shrimp app because I could see the little eyeballs, the rest of the table said they were crunchy, well seasoned shrimp heads. Ooh they have chu-hi, but for $5 each. You can can get the same ones at the Donkey for $2 per can. Parking is very limited.
Shizue - $13.75 - Basic Ramen (1pc Charsiu, Menma, Green Onion) with Shoyu broth, hot spice, and an ajitama. Okay noodles. Maybe slightly over done. I got the hot (spicy). Hot is spicy but not too bad. Did not go well with the soup. I should have ordered medium to get a better taste of the soup. I added egg.
Overall is a 3.5. I may have ordered wrong. I should have gotten medium spicy so that I could taste the soup and hope the noodles would be cooked a little less. I would give it another chance. Restaurant was small but nice. We had happy hour sides. The chicken karaage (fried chicken) was good but the pieces were too large. Fired garlic shrimp - crispy and yummy - I think I liked this the best. Gyoza was okay.
Yuka - $13.25 - Basic Tsukemen (1pc. Kakuni, Menma, Green Onion) with Black Tonkotsu broth, and mild spice. Large extra noodle is +$0!!! I may order without spicy next time. Pretty spicy even it’s mild. Can’t taste so much of the stock. Not too rich, not too light, not too salty but flavorful. I wish there was more strong fish stock taste and serve soup after eating noodles as supposedly do in japan.
Overall it is a 4, pretty good quality, but not the best. Hip ramen shop with good service and yuzu Kosho sour is good drink!
Happy Hour Gyoza are only $3.50 for a 5 piece order. The skin was nice and crunchy.
Happy Hour Garlic Shrimp are $3.50. These were a huge hit at the table with everyone besides me. I have made great strides in the kind of foods I will eat but I am just not at the eating the head of a shrimp yet. Although the shrimp were very fried, they maintained a surprising amount of juiciness. Maybe next time if I cannot see the eyeballs, or if Curtis doesn't tell me what it is until after I eat it.
Happy Hour Chicken Karaage for $3.50. Although tasty, no one thought these were spectacular and I doubt any of us would order them again.
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