Embrace the “Goop” of Onya’s Bukkake Udon
I’m excited to welcome our newest contributor Profiled Midtown Lunch’er Amy, from the blog AmyBlogsChow (where she posts videos showing you how to make smores in the microwave.) She works in Midtown East, and will be covering that area for us. -Zach
On Zach’s first visit to Onya last fall (on 47th btw. Lex+3rd), he pointed out that the fresh noodles and mix-and-match menu at this udon joint made it a worthy alternative to nearby Udon West (on 46th btw. Lex+3rd). Five months after their opening, Onya is still one of my favorite Midtown East lunch spots, and last month, they added some nine lunch options to the original five! Even though I tend to stick with what I know (the #5 Kamatama) I figured it was time to tear myself away from the same old, same old. With thirteen similar-sounding udon varieties to choose from (there are a few rice combos, but most of the menu consists of udon prepared in different broths served either hot or cold) I basically closed my eyes and pointed at an entrée.
My finger landed on Number 14, the Mentaiko-Tororo Bukkake Udon – cold udon noodles that’s “a little bit sweet” the lady behind the counter said. Whatever, I like sweet- and while cold noodles is not exactly the best choice for a week like this I felt the need to follow the finger.
The bukkake fell on the pricier side, but I was able to stay within price range by ordering the small bowl ($7.95) with two pieces of tempura. When my order was ready, I had to ask about the odd-looking toppings – white foam covered half of the noodles while pink cod roe added needed color. Turns out, the white foam was grated Japanese yam – “Tororo” in Japanese.
Stirring the yam foam into the udon and fish eggs only served to spread the goop. The flavor was mildly fishy, so I added plenty of pepper to give it some kick and to minimize fishiness. The slime-like texture of the grated vegetable confused the hell out of me. I have to admit, I’m gonna avoid foods with the word “tororo” from now on, but I’m glad I tried it. That said, you might think differently. I’ll probably stick to the rice bowls and “classic” noodles like Onya’s Sanuki (Number 1, medium size bowl for $4.95) and Kamatama udon ($5.95 for medium) with tempura for the rest of the winter. And this week is perfect for a warm bowl of noodles… plus they’ve extended their “Special Thanks Week” promo (order beef or chicken udon and get more meat for free), so what are you waiting for?
Related:
My First Taste of Onya Japanese Noodles
Onya Noodles Wants to Thank You With Extra Meat
Posted by Zach Brooks at 11:45 am, February 12th, 2010 under Japanese, Onya.
27 Comments | RSS comments feed for this post
27 Comments
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Haha. Great Friday post on Bukkake.
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Chris, last time I went to Onya, Street Meat Tumor me to get him a Hot Lunch but they were out so he ended up with a Pink Sock instead. He said it was better than the Dirty Sanchez he got last time.
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So, would Amy recommend I give a “number 14” for Valentine’s Day?
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FYI, its from foods like this that the slang use of Bukkake comes from. I don’t think it leaves much to the imagination.
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Ok so I broke the rules of Midtown Lunch and decided to spend more than $10 today… I think the consensus for the best midtown spots for Japanese noodles are Onya, Menchanko and Soba Totto. I’ve been to Onya and Menchanko in the past, both are excellent and under $10. Today it was time for me to splurge and complete the midtown Japanese noodle “hat trick” with Soba Totto. Fancy restaurant, nice ambience remindful of Japan, they even give you a hot cloth when you sit, but be prepared for the sticker shock – once you pick up the menu you’ll notice all lunches start at $12 and up…way up to $22. And $12 would be just be the bowl of soup – let’s say you want a bowl of rice and a side of veggies, tack on another $3. And you want Green tea? Sure, an 8 ounce glass for another $3. Surprised they didn’t charge me $3 for sitting down. Yikes! I ordered the Okame (hot Soba) with fried fishcakes. Everything was flavorful and tasted great, but the portions of food were tiny. Decent amount of noodles, but the fish was no bigger than a bar of soap. So with a bowl of rice, miniscule dishes of veggies, one green tea – I spent $20 for lunch and then ended up going to Vitamin Shop to get a protein bar after to fill up. Domo ari gato Mother F’er! Seriously, it was very good food, but still prefer either Onya or Menchanko where the quality of food is as good and much more generous when it comes to meat and fish. I did find out from one of the cute Japanese hostesses that they offer a Happy Hour from 530 to 7pm for $4 bottles of Sapporo or Kirin, which I might keep in mind…otherwise, my next trip will be to Onya or Menchanko…
Next week, Onya will be featuring the Rusty Trombone and the Cleveland Steamer