Jason F.
Yelp
The Udon Mugizo empire just keeps growing and growing thanks to this second of three locations. From their original location in the iconic Japan Center Mall in San Francisco's Japantown neighborhood, to their third location in the heart of San Jose. Udon Mugizo is having a moment, and why not as Japanese noodle restaurants are all the rage from ramen to soba, but it is udon that strikes to the heart of what is quintessential Japanese cuisine. The variety of dishes that the team at Udon Mugizo crafts here belies their creativity as I have never enjoyed such heartier dishes before as the fusion between cultures is what really makes them stand out. Where else can you get Udon noodles topped with cream sauce or curry? I have been to their original location many times in the past and always remember having both a delicious and good time. Thankfully with this second location, things have remained the same as fresh, handmade udon noodles are the still name of the game, with their udon noodle making facility prominently at the front of their storefront on Castro Street, which was the former home of hot pot restaurant Shabuway, and like their original home in San Francisco, never seems to be making an noodles whenever one walks by.
Nevertheless, when I walked by they were busy to be sure, as it was a warm weeknight afternoon, with Castro Street still blocked off to car traffic, this location of Udon Mugizo has a temporary which certainly look permanent outdoor dining area on the street area in front of the restaurant, which is where I chose to dine this evening. The food menu at Udon Mugizo is separated into categories including their traditional Tonkotsu Udon, Signature Udon, Warm Udon, Cold Udon, Nabeyaki Udon, Curry Udon, Extra Toppings, Rice Bowl Combo with Mini Udon, Kids Meal, Desserts, Appetizers, and Tempera a la Carte. Since I wasn't super hungry and it was still quite warm outside when I arrived at Udon Mugizo, I ordered their Tempura Zaru Udon, which was Zaru Udon served with a three pieces of shrimp tempura and three pieces of vegetable tempura, sides of sesame seeds, ginger, green onions, tempura bits and sliced nori seaweed. For a majority of their entrées at Udon Mugizo they have both regular and large sizes and that's a really nice touch that I admire because sometimes you can't eat that much food upon every visit, and taking this type of food home isn't the most conducive to an enjoyable meal.
Upon receiving my entrée, out came a tray filled with the aforementioned ingredients, placed as if they were pieces of unique artwork. Of course with so many individual compartments and tools I had no idea what I was supposed to do with any of them, as a guide would have been handy, but since I saw a mortar and pestle, I ground the sesame seeds, added in the sweet sauce, green onions and ginger that was provided and then took a few udon noodles with my chopsticks and dipped them in the bowl that provided. It was the perfect combination of flavors that were both sweet and savory served lukewarm. Mixing in the crunchiness of the freshly fried tempura, it was a feast for many of the senses. Obviously people come for their two signature udons, but enjoying this new dish to me was refreshing and the perfect compliment to the experience. My total bill was $22.10 before gratuity was added in, which in this day and age was very reasonable. Udon Mugizo is run by the same owner of Marufuku Ramen, which itself has become its own mini-empire in the region, but with a dedicated udon restaurant in the heart of Silicon Valley, the possibilities are endless of where all of this can head to next. And that may be the most exciting aspect of all, as when dining at Udon Mugizo, visitors are taking in something truly special, and with the knowledge that it all began in Japantown, it is something truly exciting.