Go Big With Creamy Udon at Nikugen Steak and Ramen in Frisco

It is a good time to be alive in DFW as this land once barren of Japanese noodles is now fertile, spoiling us with choice.

Popular tonkotsu ramen, noodles in rich pork broth, is now seen on every menu of ramen houses along with the classics — shōyu, broth darkened with soy sauce, and shio, clear broth flavored with salt. We also have udon houses exclusively serving bowls of udon, the thick, plump wheat noodles that swim in clear broth or curry sauce, topped with an egg, sukiyaki beef, tempura or fish cakes to name a few.

But have you ever seen udon in a cream-based sauce? Perhaps not yet. But, as soon as you head to Nikugen Steak and Ramen House on Preston Road in Frisco, you will.

Not authentic you’d cry! But, it is.

Yōshoku, or Western inspired Japanese dishes, where the East and West meet on a plate, is part of the cuisine. Said to have begun with the trade between the Portugal, Spain and Japan in the 16th century, it further expanded as the once isolated island nation opened itself up with even more foreigners from Great Britain, France and the U.S. trickling in. Culinary techniques such as frying and ingredients including beef, pork, dairy and sauces such as the French demi-glace and bechamel are now pillars of this sub-cuisine. As modern day Japan is very much open for business coupled with the spread of the population across the world, this cultural exchange is still alive, thriving, adapting to newer landscapes including Texas.
Nikugen’s take on the udon bowl is uniquely theirs. While internet versions of the creamy udon is a take on carbonara with the substitution of spaghetti noodles with udon, Nikugen’s is not. It is more Alfredo style with the use of cream with grated, melted mozzarella, green onion, bacon parsley and mushrooms. The udon noodles are simply not coated with the sauce, but swim in it as in a soup.

On the menu are two kinds of this take on udon. The shiro udon, or “white udon,” is the regular cream sauce, while akai udon translates as “red udon” because of the red hue from the chilis added to the cream base. The akai udon is the spicier, but the heat is milder than the color suggests. Spice levels are lower in Japanese cuisine as compared with its East Asian neighbors.

For the shiro udon, diners are offered the choice to top off the bowl with grilled chicken or crispy chicken karaage (fried). Shrimp is included in the akai udon, but you can still add any of the chicken toppings.

A stark contrast to the Japanese food you know, Nikugen’s udon bowls are perfect noodle bowls to devour on the remaining cold days of winter and the seesaw of temperatures in the spring.

Nikugen Steak and Ramen, 4710 Preston Road, No. 300, Frisco. Open 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and 5-8 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and 5-9 p.m. Friday-Saturday, closed Tuesday and Sunday.