Noodles never get old, but the selection continually expands. Whether you want spicy Szechuan, angel hair pasta or soba, the eateries below offer a unique take on their noods.
Beefin’ it up
Mian (808 Sheridan St.) has a slew of noodle dishes on the menu, but its signature house beef noodle ($12.99) always comes highly recommended.
“The soup base is the soul of the dish,” says restaurant manager Pony Xu. “It’s made with beef bone, beef stew flank, fermented bean paste, chili, Chinese day spices and other traditional seasonings to have an authentic Szechuan-style flavor. We use fresh alkaline noodles to make sure the texture is al dente.”
To learn more, call 808-589-1118 or follow Mian on Instagram (@miantastehi).
Soba and superfoods
Shingen Hawaii (2334 S. King St.) is known for its fresh soba noodles that feature buckwheat flour imported directly from Shintoku in Hokkaido, Japan. The restaurant recently launched new flavors — moringa soba and ube udon noodles made from ube potatoes.
Shingen’s special combo ($15.80 lunch, $17.80 dinner) is popular, since it features soba or udon and mini donburi. Choose from four types of noodles, including the moringa soba and ube udon ($1 more). Call 808-926-0255 or follow the biz on Instagram (@shingen.heartmoon).
Country livin’
Kaneohe-based Adela’s Country Eatery (45-1151 Kamehameha Hwy.) is known for its popular noodles that are made from a variety of tropical plants, including taro and ulu. With a mission to promote sustainable, local eating, the establishment’s most popular noodles are breadfruit and moringa.
“We’re not reinventing noodles; we’re trying to use Hawaiian items and local flavors,” says Richard Chan, one of the owners. “When we make the noodles, we mix in about 35% of the ingredients, such as ulu.”
Popular dishes include ulu with portobello mushrooms ($17.49) and ube with shrimp scampi ($19.99). Don’t forget to snag one of the restaurant’s housemade desserts during your visit. Call 808-236-2366 to order or follow @adelascountryeatery on Instagram.
Kelli Shiroma Braiotta’s column features a variety of tips and insider knowledge about Oahu’s dining scene. Follow Kelli on Instagram (@kellishiromabraiotta).