I was happy to see Futago restaurant (Japanese for “twins”) still open during a recent lunch time visit. Its owners also run the izakaya and soba house, Sugidama. They have been dishing up solid udon dishes at Futago since opening almost three years ago. The open and minimally decorated dining space has two beautiful paintings featuring steaming udon bowls ready to be enjoyed by a hovering hand with chopsticks. 

I started with a favorite, takoyaki, a dish of grilled octopus balls, to start as our appetizer for $8. Six puffy balls made from a wheat flour batter were cooked to be crispy on the outside, but lush and gooey on the inside, with a small piece of octopus nestled in the middle. A generous amount of bonito shavings, takoyaki sauce and mayonnaise were piled on top to complete this popular street food, which originated in Osaka in 1935.

Spicy dan takoyaki udon, which went for $17, was served as a Japanese version of the classic Sichuan dish dan dan noodles (pole carrying noodles). The sesame flavored broth, paired with the mild chili oil, packs less heat than its Chinese counterpart, but the minced pork was full of flavor regardless.

After curiously ordering their cheese niku (Japanese for “meat”) curry for $18, a big bowl came out with thinly sliced beef, a generous sprinkling of mozzarella cheese, and udon nestled in a delicious curry broth. Who knew mozzarella cheese went well with udon and Japanese curry? The curry broth was delicious. It is true that freshly made udon has a distinctly better taste than store bought varieties, as was proven with our meal. The noodles had just the right amount of bounce and chew in every bite. 

Next time you find yourself craving udon, take a trip to Brookline and check out Futago. It was well worth the trip, and you will leave feeling happily full.

Futago Udon

508-512 Park Drive

Boston, MA 02215 

(617) 505-6157