Our first stop in Oahu is lunch at Marukame Udon in Waikiki. Marukame is a cafeteria style eatery and makes their udon noodles fresh on the spot. The line can be out the door but moves very fast. Once you are inside, you grab a tray and pick the type of udon you like from the pictures on the wall. The chef behind the counter then quickly assembles your order, and please say YES to the toppings- tempura flakes and lots of scallions! After that, slide your tray down the line and choose from a variety of delicious fried and battered tempuras or rice balls. Then you pay, get some sauces for dipping, find a seat, and dig in!

{friendly udon maker posed for a quick picture}

{croquettes, squid, asparagus, fishcakes, mushrooms. On the right – Spam and Portuguese musubi, salmon rice balls and umeboshi riceballs}

{our quick and delicious lunch}

{3 of us got the Ontama Udon, which is udon with sauce, and a soft boiled egg}

Another shot of the Ontama udon. Once I broke the yolk and stirred it into the noodles, oh man, I couldn’t wait to dive in! I ordered the cold udon but tried hot one as well, and they actually tasted very different even in the same sauce. Hot udon had a softer texture, tasted so nice and comforting with the sauce, overall a very satisfying bowl of hot noodles. The Cold udon had a much chewy texture and the sauce stood out more, and the tempura flakes maintained its crunch better with the cold sauce. While both were excellent, I preferred the cold udon. It was the perfect food on a hot day and I could just eat bowls and bowls more.

{Niku Udon. Hot udon with broth and beef }

an array of delicious fried goods and rice treats! We loved the umeboshi rice ball and the tempura sweet potato pieces, they were fried to perfection!

Marukame Udon
2310 Kuhio Avenu
Honolulu, HI 96815
808-931-6000

Mon-Sun 11am-10pm