The scent of fresh ginger and scallions put an instant smile of anticipation on my face.
I watched the egg yolk break apart and coat the thick noodles, making them even more slippery.
The flavors in the bowl didn’t need long to get acquainted. I didn’t have the patience to let them, anyway.
I ungracefully plunged my chopsticks in and shoveled the udon into my mouth before it could slip back into the bowl (I’m very clumsy with chopsticks).
Oh. My. God.
So simple, but I’d never had anything like it.
But also, I have had something like it many times.
I love that about food. A bite is worth a thousand words.
This particular bite inspired a decision to re-create this dish when I returned home to Denver.
I failed miserably.
Bridging the Gap
The dish that inspired this spectacular failure was kama tama udon from Izakaya Rintaro in San Francisco, CA. It’s a play on the Roman classic spaghetti alla carbonara, which I have previously waxed poetic about in Makans of a Chef.
The dish started with luxurious, housemade udon noodles swimming in a pool of melted butter. On top, there was raw egg yolk, freshly grated ginger and garlic, sliced scallions, and katsuobushi shavings.
Also known as bonito flakes, katsuobushi is fermented, smoked, dried skipjack tuna. It’s one of two ingredients that make dashi: a simple, umami-rich broth that is key to many Japanese dishes.
This dish inspired me because it told a story I immediately understood. When I made the reservation at Izakaya Rintaro, I knew the chef, Sylvan Mishima Brackett, was a Chez Panisse alum who had worked under Alice Waters for several years. I wasn’t surprised when I read about his dual upbringing in Japanese and Californian culture and that he’d worked in French and Italian restaurants.
This udon dish helped me better understand something I’m unfamiliar with (Japanese cuisine) by merging it with something I know well (carbonara).
Reasons I Failed
My lack of knowledge and experience with Japanese cuisine is the main reason I failed to recreate this dish. I grew up in the suburban Midwest on Serbian food, casseroles, and other meals that can feed a family of six without breaking the bank. Ingredients like high-quality fresh fish were not plentiful or inexpensive in my hometown, and chain restaurants were usually the name of the game when we ate out as a family.
The other big stumbling block was the katsuobushi. I couldn’t find high-quality bonito flakes. The only ones I could find at my local Asian grocery had lost their freshness and lacked that incredible punch of umami. Fresh-shaved flakes make a huge difference. I looked into what it takes to make katsuobushi: it’s a labor-intensive process that can take months, so that was not an option.
I also don’t know how to make fresh udon noodles, so I bought premade ones. I plan on attempting this recipe from Just One Cookbook soon to step up my game.
So to recap: I have limited knowledge of Japanese cuisine, and I couldn’t source a critical ingredient that also happened to be the protein for the dish.
The experience reminded me that I’m just a baby when it comes to the world of food and wine. Dipping your toes into cuisines that are not your own helps you expand your mind, skills, and palette. I’m excited to keep learning.
I ended up with a quick noodle dish that’s tasty but can’t reasonably be called a recreation of Izakaya Rintaro’s kama tama udon. Makes a great quick lunch or dinner, though.
I’m not going into detail about my experience at Izakaya Rintaro in this post, but it was possibly the best meal of my life. I have video of everything I ate in my San Francisco story highlights on Instagram.
How to Make Carbonara-ish Udon
No measurements are needed; just prep as much of each ingredient as your intuition tells you. Bacon and soy sauce replace bonito flakes, much like bacon replaces guanciale in my other carbonara recipe. To bring this dish to the next level, go for the freshest eggs and highest quality butter and soy sauce you can find.
Ingredients:
Dried udon noodles
Bacon
Egg yolk (one for each serving, keep it intact)
Butter
Soy sauce
Scallions
Fresh garlic cloves, peeled
Fresh ginger, peeled
Cook the udon according to package directions. The directions will likely ask you to rinse the cooked noodles in cold water, then reheat. Wait to reheat until all other ingredients are ready to go.
Crisp the bacon in a frying pan. Drain excess fat and let cool just enough that you can crumble the bacon without burning your fingers.
Melt the butter.
Slice the scallions.
Grate the ginger and garlic.
Grab the bowl you want to eat out of. Pour melted butter into the bottom, followed by soy sauce and grated ginger and garlic. Use chopsticks (or a fork) to mix.
Drop in a pile of hot udon. Top with raw egg yolk, bacon, and scallions. Admire for a moment, then use chopsticks to toss everything together and dig in.