Marugame Monzo

" There's usually a line outside Little Tokyo udon specialist Marugame Monzo during the lunch rush, but once you try their thick, bouncy housemade noodles, you'll understand why. The famous dish here is the uni cream udon, made with just enough sea urchin to give it an ocean-y punch. The truth is you can't go wrong with any of the cream-based udon (the miso carbonara version tastes like a warm hug) or the cold udon with shiso and ume. Fill out your lunch with a side of tempura as you watch the kitchen cut and roll every massive noodle by hand behind the counter. " - nikko duren, brant cox, sylvio martins