By Jason Kinomoto
Although plates with two scoops rice are far and away the most popular meals in Hawaii, saimin shops still maintain their own niche in the islands. Most restaurants serve decent bowls of prepackaged noodles in shoyu-based broth, but Jimbo Restaurant on South King Street has elevated the simple udon noodle into a memorable, tasty meal.
Jimbo’s quality comes from their fresh, homemade noodles and the extra effort is evident. Whether ordered hot or cold, the noodles have just the right balance of soft and chewy makes them easy to slurp down.
When the udon is ordered hot, another difference is quickly apparent: the broth. Their soup-base has a powerful, smoky, smoky bonito flavor that gives the bowl an extra kick. Udon noodles, after all, are made of flour and water so they have a very mild taste by themselves. Of course, the udon bowls all come with the usual assortment of garnishes including kamaboko and green onions, so there are plenty of ingredients working together in the bowl.
For those who must have rice with every dish, Jimbo also offers donburi and curry plates. Or, for those who want a little of everything, there are combination plates of curry, donburi or tempura that come with udon and pickled vegetables. The kakiage tempura, made from assorted vegetables and shrimp, is especially tasty and arrives as a solid mass of batter-fried indulgence.
Overall, Jimbo Restaurant is a high quality option for anyone craving fresh noodles. Although the prices are just slightly above average, the difference in taste is worth it.