Dotonbori Imai Honten ★ 4.0
One of Dotonbori's oldest udon restaurants; the kitsune udon recipe has been unchanged since the 1940s; dashi is simmered in a 70-year-old clay pot.
Order: ['Kitsune udon', 'Kakiage tempura udon', 'Ankake udon (winter)']
Make it at home
Ingredients
- 2 portions fresh or frozen udon noodles
- 1.2L ichiban dashi (kombu and katsuobushi)
- 2 tbsp light soy sauce (usukuchi)
- 1 tbsp mirin
- 2 sheets aburaage (fried tofu skin)
- 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp mirin, 1 tbsp sugar (for simmering aburaage)
- Spring onion to garnish
Method
- Make ichiban dashi: steep kombu in cold water 30 min, heat to 60C, remove kombu, bring to 80C, add katsuobushi, steep 3 min, strain.
- Simmer aburaage in soy, mirin, and sugar for 5 minutes until sweet and glossy; set aside.
- Season dashi with usukuchi soy and mirin; taste for a clean, pale, and lightly salted broth.
- Cook udon noodles per packet; drain and divide between two bowls.
- Pour hot dashi over noodles, place one aburaage sheet on top, and garnish with spring onion.
Tip from the editors. The Osaka dashi ratio is 1:8 kombu to water for the first steep; the kombu must be removed before boiling or the broth becomes bitter.
Where to eat kitsune udon
More cities are in research. Want kitsune udon covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.