Hama Momiji Yokohama

If you hate soggy noodles, this recipe is for you.

The best thing about a saucy, crunchy, cold noodle bowl is that it travels really well and makes meal prep a cinch.

It’s called mazesoba which literally means to mix up the noodles in Japanese. One of the perks of the style is that you get to really taste the texture of the noodles, which remains consistent throughout eating and doesn’t get soggy in a hot soup like standard ramen.

This particular bowl of mazesoba is from Hama Momiji in Yokohama. At Hama Momiji, they make all their noodles in house and you can choose between five different thicknesses, and whether you want them massaged and wavy or straight. And the star of this particular order is the creamy tofu almost like a cream cheese. It blends in super excellently with the soy sauce, space and the wedge of lemon. I could eat this every day for lunch! Less

Back like a bad habit. One of my favorite ones. People use the words “hidden gem” too loosely, but I would get this spot’s GPS coordinates tattooed on my arm if it meant I could eat here the rest of my life.

It’s called Hama Momiji in Yokohama and is genuinely one of the best tsukemen around. And the crazy thing is, there’s never a line. They make their noodles by hand, in-house, with bags of flour stacked up at the entrance when you walk in next to the noodle machine.

They have five different types of noodles, ranging in thickness, texture, and waviness. I always go for the extra-thick, hand-massaged ones. I love the bite and the way that getting the extra-thick style lets you appreciate their flour blend.

It’s a husband-and-wife duo, and they’re always super friendly. It seems like one generally manages the noodles and the other preps the plates.

The soup is a pork-and-fish blend. A little bit sweet. Not too fishy. All-around pleaser for anybody. And arguably the most addictive thing is their special plate, which comes with succulent flame-grilled pork belly to order, a marinated egg, tangy bamboo shoots, and the softest gyoza added to your soup.

If you’ve been following me for a while, I post about this place often. But that’s because I keep going back—and I just can’t keep a secret. Less