Marugame Udon to open doors at Village of Donki
Marugame Udon, a successful udon noodle restaurant concept based out of Tokyo, Japan, brings its authentic, handmade Japanese Sanuki udon noodles, rice bowls and fresh tempura to Guam this month with the opening of its Tamuning location at The Village of Donki on Oct. 23, the new local restaurant announced in a press release.
On Wednesday, a private creator mixer was held at the location, where The Guam Daily Post spoke with Jenelyn Baisa, marketing director of Marugame Udon, Guam, who said she has been working closely with the partners of her team to get the location operational.
"We have been trying to make sure that this project got going. It has been in the works and is finally to completion," Baisa said. "We're very excited to open the franchise."
"Marugame originated in Japan in the Sanuki region, and they are known for authentic noodles. The flour is imported, and the noodles are made from scratch here and freshly made to order every day," she said. "We're excited to have people come in and try the food."
"We have our classic udons, our signature udon, we also have rice bowls, a sweet meat rice bowl," Baisa said. "We also have tempura toppings and you could create your own tempura bowl. The menu is pretty simple, but I feel like it's food that anyone and everyone can enjoy, from noodles and rice bowls to fried food," she said.
"We think it's something that people in Guam would like. I's also fast, too, and everything's made fresh," she added.
The udon is the signature dish of the restaurant and Baisa said she did not want to leave out one thing.
"Udon is known as a comfort food. We want people to be reminded of that," she said. "When they come in, have a sense of 'home,' and we just hope that people enjoy the ambiance that the restaurant has to offer."
"The restaurant features a lively, theatrical kitchen that is the centerpiece of Marugame Udon, with all food being prepared and assembled to order in the exhibition kitchen," the restaurant said in the release.
The masterful cooks are in center view as they prepare dishes in the kitchen, according to the release.
"Noodle masters make fresh noodles behind the counter at the start of the order line, as fresh tempura orders are also cooked just feet away from the line and in full view of the guests," the restaurant said in the release.
"We are incredibly excited to bring Marugame Udon to Guam and share this exceptional culinary experience with our community," said J Onedera, one of the managing partners of Marugame Guam. "As seasoned professionals in the noodle scene, we're passionate about serving fresh, handmade udon and authentic Japanese flavors. We look forward to welcoming the people of Guam to enjoy the warmth, quality and tradition that Marugame is known for."
According to the release, "Marugame Udon first came to the U.S. in Hawaii more than 10 years ago with its flagship store in Waikiki, then expanded into California. Its food remains true to the authentic tradition of noodle making, which started in Japan centuries ago, serving up Sanuki-style noodles that are a thicker but 'bouncy' style of noodle that is unique in its chewiness and tenderness, pairing perfectly with broths and sauces alike."
