Ramen Brahmins

Tsurumaru Exploring Udon in Little Tokyo

Tsurumaru Udon
Tsurumaru Udon

Little Tokyo is anticipating the arrival of a new udon specialist named Tsurumaru, taking over space next to Shojin on Alameda Street. There are many broth, topping, and temperature variations in which this thick wheat-based noodle can be slurped, from the basic brown kake udon with a mirin, soy, and dashi-based broth to chilly, summer-suited bowls, and more cheeky variations like the meat-obscuring ninja udon with shuriken-shaped nori, and every perv’s favorite old reliable, bukakke udon.

Signage hints that Tsurumaru also specializes in tempura, raising the odds that the twain shall meet in a decent tempura udon or tenkasu udon, a texturally enticing experience that comes packed with squiggly tempura shavings. Since noodles further exploded across the city this past summer, Tsurumaru is already notable for its good timing, bringing a new hot bowl of comfort to town just when we’re getting into the season.

Tsurumaru Exploring Udon in Little Tokyo