Marugame Udon opened its new location on University Avenue in downtown Palo Alto on April 14, introducing traditional Japanese udon with a blend of automation and rapid service.
According to store manager Audrey Dawson, Marugame Udon values selfless service and delicious food.
“Our main goal is selfless customer service,” Dawson said. “We want to treat them like they are in our house, so hospitality is very important, as well as yummy quality food.”
The restaurant resembles that of an alley market with sleek black chairs and wooden tables on the left, and a food counter displaying an assortment of tempura, udon noodles and toppings. The signs hanging from the ceiling, “Bowl Pick Up” and “Fresh Tempura,” add to the market-alley vibe. Additionally, modern elements such as the overhead monitors and wood-framed posters give the restaurant a more contemporary flair.
According to Dawson, this location is part of Marugame Udon’s expansion into Northern California.
“We moved in on April 14, so it’s been open for about a month,” Dawson said. “We are expanding into Northern California, and Palo Alto seemed like a good location for foot traffic. Our main audience is a lot of college students and a lot of weekday shoppers that don’t have a job.”
The service was excellent, with the counter server providing suggestions of their most popular dishes, as well as their personal favorites. The udon was freshly prepared right in front of us and the server kindly asked for our preferred toppings to customize our bowl. The entire service process — two udons, two tempuras and a beverage — was efficient, taking only two minutes.
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Tonkotsu Udon $13.29 This dish features a pork-based broth that pairs very well with the light and sweet tempura sauce. It is simple and slightly salty, with subtle hints of oil. The port belly was a lot leaner than it looks, almost too lean, lacking flavor and depth. The egg was overcooked, resembling a hard boiled egg and didn’t add much to the dish. The soft noodles were cooked to perfection, absorbing the flavor of the broth. |
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Nikutama Udon $13.29 The Nikutama Udon combines traditional udon noodles with beef, creating a very sweet and savory dish. The white onions mixed in with the beef added a nice change in texture to the soft noodles with a bit of crunchiness, while the green onions added a milder flavor to the broth and beef. The beef is tender and easily melts in my mouth. Iced Matcha + Calamansi $3.50 The Iced Matcha + Calamansi drink first hits with a sharp sour taste, similar to lemonade, that almost immediately dissipates into a refreshing sweetness before becoming too overpowering. We would recommend this refreshing drink on any hot day. |
 Iced Matcha + Calamansi ($3.50) (Andrew Zhao) |
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Gyoza (5) $4.50 The fried gyoza was at a good price for the quantity and they were very crunchy on the outside then but soft with the tender beef and onions on the inside. Each bite of the Gyoza left a strong beefy umami flavor in my mouth. Additionally, the small bits of cellophane noodles add a chewy almost springy texture to the filling. |
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Big Chicken Katsu $4.99 The tempura features a hefty portion of deep fried chicken, with a crisp golden outer shell and a tender juicy inside. Unfortunately, the chicken was cooked well and was still tender, but there was a lack of flavor, and the breading lacked any seasoning. When dipping the Chicken Katsu in the Udon broth, the chicken easily worked well with the sweet and salty flavor, elevating the dish. Overall, the dish is better when paired with some sort of sauce. |
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Ultimately, the fast-paced service, reasonable prices, and mix of savory and sweet flavors make it a great dining option for Palo Alto High School students.
