I am on a quest to find the best udon in Boston, and this is a top contender!
Food I've tried: (* = my favorite)
- SUKIYAKI UDON* ($21): It's like a hug in a bowl. I love the broth, it is not overly salty or fatty. It is a nice hearty bowl of umami. The noodles are nice and chewy, the meat is perfectly tender and well marinated.
- COLD NIKU UDON* ($18): this is a beautiful bowl, with all the elements working so well with one another. The noodle is nice and chewy, the broth is not overly salty. Again, there was a generous portion of meat on top.
- In comparing this place to my favorite udon restaurant, Yume Ga Arukara in Cambridge, it really is a close competition. The price at Yume is ~$16 for a bowl, but the hearty portion of Futago more than makes up for the price difference. Yume comes with crunchy tempura flakes on top which Futago does not have, but Futago also comes with a GENEROUS portion of meat more so than Yume. If I had to split hairs, I would say Yume's noodles are slightly thinner and chewier, and thus I enjoy it a smidge better. Also, I do like the smaller portion but cheaper price business model better. But really, Futago is truly excellent as well.
- We ordered take out and our order came with two guava candy which was a nice touch.
- MILLE CREPE VANILLA ($7): this would be the one thing that I don't really recommend getting. It is basically prepackaged crepe cake, on the sweeter side. It is pretty pricey for a very small slice of cake, and I found the exact same product for $3 at a grocery store. Now, I don't expect restaurants to sell things for face value, but doubling (perhaps even tripling) the wholesale price for prepackaged cake is eh.
Atmosphere:
- I can't comment on this as I had takeout
Service:
- I can't comment on this as I had takeout
Overall:
- PRO: fantastic udon, hearty servings.
- CON: objectively on the pricey side for udon.
