The owner of Musashiya Udon Noodle wanted to open his first U.S. location in Westwood Village because his father grew up in an era when the Village was considered the center of all L.A. activity.
“Although the Village has changed, his dad always remembered Westwood’s reputation and wanted it to be the first place he opened in the U.S.,” said General Manager Shugo Hayakawa.
The Japanese restaurant Musashiya Udon Noodle, which serves authentic udon dip-style noodles, opened on Gayley Avenue across the street from Whole Foods Market on Oct. 28.
Musashiya, an udon noodle restaurant chain that originated in Japan, opened its first two locations in the United States last week in Westwood Village and San Diego.
Hayakawa said the restaurant’s speciality dish is udon noodles, which have a thick and chewy consistency, served with a bowl of soup. Customers dip the noodles into the broth to add flavor.
He added he thinks it is rare to find quality Japanese food outside of Little Tokyo and Sawtelle Boulevard, so he wanted to offer the local community authentic udon noodles closer to home.
Although there are four other noodle restaurants in Westwood Village, Musashiya Udon Noodle is different because most noodle restaurants pre-boil their noodles and reheat them for a couple minutes, while Musashiya chefs boil freshly strung noodles for 10 to 15 minutes as soon as customers order.
“Some customers are upset because they have to wait longer than they expected for their food,” Hayakawa said. “But that’s how you know it’s authentic.”
The restaurant’s design includes pale wood, barstools and communal seating. The kitchen area is surrounded by glass windows, and customers can watch their noodles prepared in front of them.
“Most Japanese restaurants here have an old, samurai feel to them,” Hayakawa said. “But all the new restaurants in Japan have a modern style, so we wanted to duplicate that here.”
Canna Takise, a waitress at the restaurant and fourth-year biology student from Japan, said she thinks the restaurant will succeed because of the dedicated people who work there.
“I love the people I work with,” she said. “We all get along, and I think that warmth brings positive vibes to the customers’ experience.”
She added she has struggled to find good, authentic Japanese food in the area.
“Musashiya does a great job of bringing authenticity with a Western twist,” Takise said. “It reminds me of the comfort food my mom makes at home on a cold night.”
Julius Weng, a graduate student at the David Geffen School of Medicine, said he doesn’t expect the slightly steep prices to deter students.
“You can automatically tell the difference in quality compared to other noodle places in Westwood,” he said.
Victor Chang, a first-year biology student, said the restaurant’s pricey menu has kept him from eating there. He added he prefers to eat at Noodle World because they have fast service and large portions.
Jane Chow, a fourth-year biology student, said she is glad Musashiya opened because she does not have a car to drive to Sawtelle Boulevard for quality Japanese food.
“Targeting one type of noodle allows them to perfect the one dish,” she said. “The portions are great and the taste is authentic.”
Contributing reports by Janae Yip, Bruin contributor.