Sanuki Udon is a famous restaurant where customers say "It's better than the real Sanuki Udon! Try the Sanuki Udon noodles!

Dashi and Noodles, Simple Cuisine That's Why We Care

Fuchai 5th Avenue in Oita City, near the office district. Located in a corner of this area is the popular "Udon Specialty Restaurant Medaka. Open only during lunch hours and closing as soon as the noodles run out, this udon restaurant is constantly visited by customers during lunch time. It is a well-known restaurant in town that has been featured in many media outlets.

Sanuki udon noodles are served at the restaurant. Sanuki udon noodles are made using the same "Sanuki method" as the authentic Sanuki udon, which meets various standards in terms of the ingredients used to make the noodles and the way they are prepared. The noodles are chewy, elastic, and smooth, and the broth made from iriko (dried sardines), kombu (kelp), and other dried bonito flakes (a mixture of various dried bonito flakes) is very popular among the customers.

It is difficult to make the same soup every day. It's not an industrial product, so it can't be exactly the same. The most difficult thing is to make the same noodles day after day. Says Ryuji Higashi, the manager of the restaurant. He makes noodles every day, adjusting the formula according to seasonal conditions such as temperature and humidity. The same is true when making soup stock, he says. Because he uses natural ingredients, he reads the conditions of the day and works accordingly. It is truly craftsmanship.

I visited the restaurant during the cold season. The meat and burdock tempura udon is often served during this season. Negi (leek) meat udon, which is sweetened with deep-fried leeks, is also delicious. Mr. Azuma told us about his recommended menu. He says that while he keeps his regular menu items, he occasionally adds new items to it so that customers don't get tired of them.

From an office worker to a family man, a passion for udon and a love for family.

When we asked Mr. Azuma how he became an udon shop owner, he told us the following episode.

He said, "Originally, I was a salaryman. I moved to Oita to take care of my daughter. I have a daughter, and she was in the third grade of elementary school. Then, when she was in the second or third year of junior high school, the idea of moving again came up. Considering the higher education, I thought it would be better to stay here. So I decided to do something else here."

Mr. Azuma recalls a time when he worked at an udon shop in the Kansai region when he was younger.

I remember how happy I was when customers would say, 'The udon noodles my brother makes are so good! I remember how happy it made me to hear customers say, "My udon is good! That's why I knew I wanted to make udon.

After that, he went to Kagawa for further training, and in 2016, he opened his own restaurant.

The name of the store, "Udon Specialty Shop Medaka," is a testament to its early days.

The first store we opened in Chuo-cho was a tiny place with only three tatami mats. Small, isn't it? Medaka because it was tiny. That's how it was. Higashi-san laughed. His udon became so popular that about three years later, he moved to his current location.

Better than the real thing! Experience the "real udon" for yourself!

Many udon lovers visit the restaurant, and Mr. Azuma is confident in serving a bowl of udon that he puts his heart and soul into. He is often told by customers, "I've been to Kagawa, but Medaka's udon is better.

There are customers who have been coming here since the beginning, so my goal is to keep the store open as long as possible, even for a day. If you want to try real udon, you should definitely try our udon.

Udon specialty restaurant Medaka is popular for its "authentic taste. Why don't you try a bowl of udon noodles made with all of Mr. Azuma's efforts?