Hagakure Udon

Hagakure Udon…the name of this udon shop sounds like it could be in Saga Prefecture, but this noodle shop is located south of Hakata Station in Fukuoka and was established in 1986 as an udon specialty store. It is known as a representative restaurant that serves fluffy noodles without firmness, a characteristic of Hakata udon. During my summer stay in Hakata, I decided to go to this restaurant near my hotel because I felt that it was time for me to try typical Hakata udon without firmness. Now…

Recognized as a Bib Gourmand in the 2014 Michelin Guide Fukuoka…Hagakure Udon is such a restaurant!

I arrived at Hagakure Udon around 2:30 p.m. in the afternoon, just as the restaurant was about to close for the day. Even though it was halfway through the day, there were many customers. As expected, there was no line outside the restaurant, but the 21 seats inside the restaurant were full, and there were several people waiting to be shown to their seats inside the restaurant. I was worried about whether the restaurant would really be open by 3:00 pm.

It is no wonder that Hagakure Udon has won the Bib Gourmand award in the Michelin Guide Fukuoka issued in 2014. It is a restaurant with a brilliant track record in Japan as well, having been awarded the “WEST 100 Best Udon Restaurants” in the “Tabelog” many times. I am sure that there must have been a huge line if I had come here during peak lunch time. Well, udon restaurants have a fast customer turnover, so maybe the wait is not as long as it looks…

I ordered the classic udon with meat and burdock root at Hagakure Udon, one of the most famous udon restaurants in Hakata… how was the taste?

Well, what I ordered at Hagakure Udon this time was the classic Hakata udon menu item, the “Meat and Burdock root Udon” (price: 730 yen including tax). It took only a minute or two after ordering, and in no time at all, the udon I ordered was brought to me at the level of a standing udon restaurant in a station…

The udon with burdock root tempura, beef, and chopped green onion is so filling that the inside of the bowl is almost invisible. This bowl of udon has enough volume to fill me up.

Let’s start with the broth… It is as clear and thin as it looks, with a hint of sweetness and dried bonito flakes in the broth. However, the beef flavor is blended into it, so the broth becomes richer and richer, especially in the latter half of the meal. This natural change in the flavor of the broth may be said to be one of the best parts of eating the Meat and Burdock root Udon.

The noodles for this, on the other hand, are flat, unlike the thick noodles of Maki no Udon. When putting them in the mouth, they are in a squishy state without any firmness as expected. I have the feeling that today’s udon is expected to be firm due to the influence of Sanuki Udon, but this udon, which is the opposite of Sanuki Udon, has a great impact. But what surprised me was that this udon was so good at slipping down my throat. There is no sensation of being stuck in the throat at all, but rather, it just slides right down into the stomach. I can hardly remember the last time I had udon noodles that slid so smoothly down my throat.

Now, let’s move on to the burdock root tempura topping. This burdock root tempura has a lot of batter and is fried to a crisp. On the other hand, the burdock root inside is as flimsy as paper, and to be honest, the flavor of the burdock root cannot be felt very much. However, the crispiness of the batter was interesting because it felt like eating a snack. Well, I don’t feel that it would be fine without the burdock root…

I ate up all of Hagakure Udon‘s standard menu, the Meat and Burdock root Udon, and left the restaurant. I was satisfied with the Hakata udon as I had imagined. It is my own image, but I have the impression that udon without firm texture is somewhat homey, so I will remember and want to eat it regularly from now on. Especially nowadays, udon noodles are always firm and firm, so it is rare to find a restaurant where squishy udon noodles can be eaten. If you like udon, you should try it at least once if you have a chance to visit Hakata.

Other examples of Hagakure Udon menu (prices include tax)

• Kake 380 yen
• Tanuki 450 yen
• Tsukimi 480 yen
• Marutenten 480 yen
• Kama-age 530 yen
• Shrimp kakiage 550 yen
• Nabayaki: 800 yen

There is also information that take-out is available… Access to Hagakure Udon is a 12-minute walk from the nearest station, JR Hakata Station.

There is information in a local Internet article that Hagakure Udon accepts take-out by phone. If take-out is indeed available, it would be nice to be able to adjust the time by phone so as to shorten the waiting time. I think it would be convenient to take out for lunch or dinner, especially when staying south of Hakata Station. If you get a chance, why not give it a try and call the number below?

Now, here are the details of the restaurant…