Noodles for Dinner

Whereas ramen is the most popular noodle dish in Tokyo, Udon is more closely associated with Kyoto. Udon noodles are thicker than ramen, and the broth tends to be lighter, with more simple flavors. Broth is almost always soy sauce based and is usually very dark.

We ordered two types of udon dishes, one with a simple soy sauce and dashi based broth, with a salad of seasonal vegetables:

and one with duck and vegetables:

You have no doubt noticed that the noodles are served separately from the broth. This is to preserve the noodles’ springy texture. Placing them in the hot soup would cause them to continue to cook. Not all udon is served this way, and often (particularly in summer) udon is served with a cold broth. Simply take some noodles, dip, and eat.