元祖博多めんたい重
🍜 You can even drink the dipping sauce! The dipping noodles from the famous Mentaiko bento shop are also super delicious and can be bought to cook at home!
Both times I visited Fukuoka, I came to eat at this original Hakata Mentaiko restaurant. I can't eat too much by myself, so I finally got to try the dipping noodles that I missed last time! Before coming, I saw other comments on Fooday saying that the dipping noodles are better than the rice, which really boosted my confidence 🙌🏻
Other reviews said that the dipping noodles can't be ordered separately, but actually they can! On the "À la carte" page, you can see the prices for separate orders. This time I ordered the noodles and a soft-boiled egg!
You can choose the amount of noodles: 100, 200, or 300 grams, and the price is the same. For an average girl feeling a bit hungry, 200 grams is just perfect to feel full. You select the spiciness of the rice when ordering, but with the dipping noodles, you get the spicy sauce and can adjust it yourself.
The chewy, thick noodles paired with the slightly strong dipping sauce have just the right saltiness! The dipping sauce also has many chunks of meat that melt in your mouth, along with plenty of diced mushrooms and white radish. Amidst the spiciness of the Mentaiko, you can still taste the sweetness of the base broth.
After finishing the noodles, the staff served a pot of hot broth, which you mix with the dipping sauce, and it turns into a bowl of Mentaiko soup that you can drink down! Some dipping noodle shops in Japan offer this service of adding broth to the sauce, so everyone should try it next time!
After having the dipping noodles, I can understand why they also have a set that you can cook at home, and in Tokyo, there’s even a store that specializes in dipping noodles! Anyone who hasn't tried their dipping noodles must plan a return visit!