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Tempura udon
By Ann | January 24, 2012
Because I work alone, at home, lunch is often crackers and peanut butter eaten at my desk. But sometimes I just need to Get. Out. Of. The. House. That’s where tempura udon comes in handy.
Kunitoraya is situated on a block of rue Sainte-Anne that hosts all the other Japanese noodle joints that have mushroomed in Paris. I tend to avoid these places because I can’t distinguish the good from the bad, but a friend brought me here and I’ve since claimed it as my own lunch spot, the place I come to eat alone. Here, I can slip into an anonymous stretch of counter and not feel punished by a table set for two.
There are many options on the menu, but I also seem to order the same thing: fat udon noodles paired with shrimp and vegetable tempura. It sounds simple, but the way you eat it is very particular; I had to ask for directions the first time I tried it.
First, you prepare your dipping sauce, adding sesame seeds, grated daikon, ginger, scallions, and a quail egg to a broth made of dashi, mirin and soy sauce.
Then, you remove an udon noodle from its bath of hot water and dip it into your special sauce, before slurping it up. The tempura also gets dipped in the same sauce. The noodles are fat and squidgy, the tempura hot and crunchy, and both are brightened by the smoky, gingery tang of dashi/soy sauce.
Perhaps it takes a bit longer, and requires a bit more skill, than your average meal, but all the dipping and noodle maneuvering is part of the fun. Plus — since you’re eating alone, there’s no one to notice if you accidentally spatter yourself.
Kunitoraya
39 rue Sainte-Anne
75001 Paris
tel: 01 47 03 33 65
Topics: Dining Out and About, Paris | 10 Comments »
10 Responses to “Tempura udon”
Comments
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January 24th, 2012 at 2:19 pm
I’m fascinated by the quail egg! Does it float atop the dipping sauce? Do you stir it into the mix? Is it raw? Par-cooked? Enjoy your noodle shop around the corner
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January 24th, 2012 at 6:30 pm
Snap. I was just tucking into a plate of fresh bread and peanut butter when I logged on to your site. I wish I were eating your noodles instead.
January 24th, 2012 at 8:47 pm
J’en ai l’eau à la bouche! Mmmmmmmm That qualifies as comfort food to me. The other night, my husband, Mark made a stir fry with everything in our kitchen…..left over noodles w/beef, pork, any number of veggies (Asian or not) plus a little hoisan sauce, a splash of red wine….sounded a little weird but tasted pretty good. I called it “Kitchen Sink Chinese”
January 25th, 2012 at 8:21 am
Abby — The egg is raw and it kind of just bobs in the sauce until the yolk breaks over a few noodles. Maybe I’m not using it correctly, though…
Lindy — Ha ha — I’m so glad I’m not the only one addicted to peanut butter.
Sandy — Your stir fry sounds delicious and I LOVE the name!
January 25th, 2012 at 9:46 am
Oooh, it’s a bit tricky to know which places are worthwhile on the rue Saint-Anne so it’s good to know that this place is worth trying! I’ll definitely be going!
Hokkaido is our go-to for excellent gyoza and heaped plates of noodles http://parisbymouth.com/hokkaido/
January 26th, 2012 at 7:25 am
My one recommendation for gents who go to Kunitoraya: don’t wear your favorite tie. Splattering occurs.
January 26th, 2012 at 1:01 pm
i love their udons and have been going back time and time to try different things on the menu.
must also remember that this place doesn’t take carte bleue so bring cash or cheque book.
January 28th, 2012 at 4:12 pm
Bookmarked! Been dying to get my hands on some of those fat noodles
January 29th, 2012 at 12:39 am
We walked down Ste. Anne area the other night, trying to get from the Opera to the Louvre. We were tempted to drop in on one of the noodle places, but like you said, we didn’t know good from bad. We ended walking back up to Pl. Victoires and grabbing dinner at Chez Georges. We need to go back someday for noodles in Paris.
February 1st, 2012 at 1:02 pm
They also have a “proper” restaurant just round the corner which is WONDERFUL (5, rue Villedo 75001 Paris). I was taken there by some friends from Tokyo who go every time they’re over.