Muteki Udon & Ramen

Muteki Udon - Review - Park Slope - New York - The Infatuation

"A little diorama of udon noodles welcomes you into Muteki Udon in Park Slope. Two tiny piles of floured, raw noodles—one standard, one green with matcha powder—sit at the front of the restaurant. Next to them are some beautiful pieces of earthenware pottery, and a wooden sign that says “homemade” in both English and Japanese. It’s like a scene from the Museum of Natural History. Give in to the pull of the diorama: Muteki Udon is a great place for a bowl of noodles that are as chewy as the vibe is casual. It’s especially great to know about before going to the Barclays Center. The restaurant comes from the same chef behind Greenpoint’s Uzuki, known for its masterful soba noodles. Muteki loses the gluten-free benefit of Uzuki, but makes up for it with chewy, slippery, slurpable udon. There are some other small plates and izakaya-adjacent appetizers here, but you should stick to the noodles. Toppings range from simple dashi broth with tempura, to more complex things, like the mentaiko cream udon, which is savory from the mentaiko, bright with yuzu and topped with tender beef sukiyaki that we’d happily eat five days a week. Add the gorgeous, hand-thrown earthenware bowl, and we’re sold. Food Rundown Mentaiko Cream Udon This is our favorite udon on the menu. Savory, creamy, yet lightened with yuzu, the broth is sippable by itself. Add in an interesting difference in texture between the silky beef sukiyaki and chewy udon, and this becomes a bowl that’s worth going back for. photo credit: Will Hartman Tuna Yukke Udon Served cold with slices of tuna sashimi and matcha-infused chewy noodles, this is an excellent dinner on a hot day. photo credit: Will Hartman Yakuzen Curry Don Full of the warm spices characteristic of a Japanese curry, this bowl leans sweet over spicy. Grab it to put something warm in your belly." - Will Hartman