Udon in style brought to Waikiki! We were invited to a media preview event to try out a few signature udon dishes at a new restaurant. TsuruTonTan, the newest addition to Royal Hawaiian Center which is known as the premier shopping, dining, entertainment, and cultural destination in Waikiki. TsuruTonTan is located on level 3 of the B building at Royal Hawaiian Center. Parking is very simple as they have a self-parking structure and valet service.

TSURUTONTAN

From the restaurant name to the design, it’s all associated with noodle making. To break it down, “Tsuru” is the sound of slurping noodles, “Ton” is the sound of kneading and shaping udon, “Tan” is the sound of cutting udon. TsuruTonTan is a very popular Japanese chain and the Waikiki restaurant is the 2nd location to be opened in the U.S. Waikiki location can accommodate 170 people and also offers a private room for a party of 12.

THE DESIGN

Once we walked in, we immediately noticed the décor! It was definitely eye-catching and creates a sense of sophistication. Each wall was unique and represented different meanings. As mentioned, it reflects and signifies the various phases of noodle making: Wooden blocks represents the balls of dough before the noodle is rolled out, Vintage Japanese denim which mimics noodle hanging to dry, Ropes which symbolizes boiling of the noodles. The design throughout the restaurant is very well thought-out which makes the dining experience much more incredible!

[easy-image-collage id=9821]

[easy-image-collage id=9823]

THE FOOD

Our visit to Japan definitely helped us understand the Japanese cuisine and how special the food truly is. TsuruTonTan makes its udon fresh in-house daily using a carefully selected blend of flour from Japan. Aside from their udon dishes, the restaurant also served handcrafted cocktails, wine, sake, and shochu. With two chefs from Japan leading the Waikiki kitchen, who worked for TsuruTonTan as well as Michelin-starred restaurants, you can only expect the best!

TsuruTonTan also included dishes and drinks exclusive to Hawaii that can only be found at Royal Hawaiian Center restaurant:

Ume Shiso Shaved Ice Udon – Ume, shiso, grated daikon and ginger, green onions served with dashi shaved ice
Lime Shaved Ice Udon – Cold udon noodles topped with limes and dashi shaved ice
Ahi Poke Udon – Ahi, nori, white and green onions, and an onsen egg in dash soy
Tempura Yamakake Shaved Iced Udon – Tempura, grated yam, and an onsen egg with dashi shaved ice
Wagyu Loco Moco Don – Wagyu beef, onion, onsen egg topped with house made gravy
Garlic Shrimp Appetizer, Shaved Ice Hawaiian Style Dessert, 100% Kona Coffee Tiramisu, and Maui Vanilla Roll Cake

After tasting a few signatures and exclusive dishes, it’s no surprise that we would come back for more! When you visit TsuruTonTan, definitely try their TsuruTai (MaiTai twist), Ahi Poke Udon, Beef Udon, and our favorite – Truffle Crème with Crab and Mushroom.