• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Tara's Multicultural Table

  • Index
  • International Recipes
  • Travel
  • About Me
  • Contact
  • Policies

Miso Carbonara Udon and Los Angeles: Little Tokyo

3 February, 2019 by Tara 17 Comments

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email
Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

A recipe for Miso Carbonara Udon inspired by our visit to Little Tokyo in Los Angeles, California! Thick udon noodles are coated in a creamy miso sauce with cheese and bacon.

Miso Carbonara Udon on a black plate with a brown stripe next to brown chopsticks.

Little Tokyo

Mural in Little Tokyo- Home is Little Tokyo.

Little Tokyo (小東京) in downtown Los Angeles is one of only three historically Japanese districts in the United States (the other two are also in California- one in San Francisco and the other in San Jose). Roughly the size of 5 city blocks, it is bordered by 1st Street to the north, 3rd Street to the south, Los Angeles Street to the west, and Alameda Street to the east.

The population in Little Tokyo grew from 3,500 in 1905 to around 30,000 by its peak in 1941. With the forced incarceration of immigrants and American citizens with Japanese ancestry following the signing of Executive Order 9066, the area emptied and briefly transformed into Bronzeville.

After their release at the end of the war, many of the previous residents moved to nearby neighborhoods due to lack of housing and space. The district has continued to rebuild amid threats of development and was declared a National Historic Landmark District in 1995.

The Home is Little Tokyo mural in the photo above is located across the street from the Japanese American National Museum on the southwest corner of E 1st Street and S Central Avenue. It was created by Tony Osumi, Sergio Diaz, and Jorge Diaz with help from hundreds of community members. The 16-by-40-foot mural was completed in 2005 and is filled with images from Little Tokyo’s history.

Japanese American National Museum

Entrance to Japanese American National Museum. Sign for Kaiju vs. Heroes.

Founded in 1992 and moved to its current building in January 1999, the Japanese American National Museum is located at 100 North Central Avenue in Little Tokyo.

This museum focuses on the 130 years of Japanese-American history in the United States from the first waves of immigration to the internment camps and aftermath following the end of World War II. 

Current exhibits include Kaiju vs Heroes: Mark Nagata’s Journey through the World of Japanese Toys, Gambatte! Legacy of an Enduring Spirit, Sadako’s Crane, and Common Ground: The Heart of Community. 

Admission at the time of this post (2021) is $16 for adults, $7 for seniors and youth, and free for children 5 and under. Allow 90 minutes to 2 hours to see the exhibits. Special events are held throughout the year.

Kaiju vs Heroes: Mark Nagata’s Journey through the World of Japanese Toys

Action figures on display for Kaiju vs Heroes: Mark Nagata's Journey through the World of Japanese Toys.

Kaiju vs Heroes: Mark Nagata’s Journey through the World of Japanese Toys is a temporary exhibition running from September 15th, 2018 to March 24, 2019.

The toy industry in Japan was one of the first to reinvent itself and helped boost the economy during the early postwar reconstruction period. At the age of 9 in 1973, Mark Nagata was sent a box of kaiju (strange creature or monster) and hero Japanese toys with art-laden packaging from his aunt and uncle stationed on a US military base in Japan.

This began his path to becoming a toy designer, toy collector, and illustrator (particularly known for his work with Goosebumps). The exhibit features hundreds of vintage and contemporary Japanese vinyl toys on display along with his creations such as Drazoran and Captain Maxx, artwork, and history. 

Common Ground: The Heart of Community 

Common Ground: The Heart of Community exhibit. Baseball, stacked suitcases, and replica of a classroom.

Common Ground: The Heart of Community highlights Japanese-American history beginning with the original Issei (first generation immigrants), their new lives in America, and how they were treated.

The exhibit continues to explain the events leading up to the signing of Executive Order 9066 by Franklin D. Roosevelt and the incarceration of 120,000 Japanese-Americans along with the aftermath of rebuilding their lives following their release.

Over 2,260 Japanese-Latin Americans were also sent to the internment camps from 13 countries (80% from Peru). Most weren’t allowed to return back to Latin America and were deported to Japan at the end the war (and often had never been to Japan and had no ties to the country).

Hundreds of objects, documents, photographs, and notable artifacts (including a Heart Mountain barracks and pages of the original Civil Liberties Act document with Reagan’s signature- on loan from the National Archives) are on display. 

Photographs, documents, and artifacts from Japanese internment camps.

Audio guides in English, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, and Spanish are available for this exhibit at the front desk of the museum.

Gambatte! Legacy of an Enduring Spirit

Gambatte! Legacy of an Enduring Spirit: Photographs by Paul Kitagaki Jr. November 17, 2018-April 28, 2019.

Gambatte! Legacy of an Enduring Spirit is a temporary exhibit on display from November 17th, 2018 to April 28th, 2019.

Translating to triumph over adversity, Gambatte highlights the stories of Japanese-Americans forcibly incarcerated during World War II with pairings of modern photographs by Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Paul Kitagaki Jr. next to 75 yr old historical photographs of the same individuals or family members by Dorothea Lange, Ansel Adams, and others.

Sadako’s Crane

Sadako's crane on display- a small red origami crane.

Sadako’s Crane is an ongoing special display at the Japanese American National Museum. 

Sadako Sasaki was two years old when the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. She was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 12. A fellow patient told her of the Japanese belief that anyone who folds one thousand cranes would be granted a wish. She folded 1,300 cranes in hopes of recovering, but unfortunately died on October 25, 1955.

The crane in the photo above was donated to the JANM on May 29, 2016 by members of her family. Other organizations with her original cranes include the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, 9/11 Tribute Center, USS Arizona Memorial, Harry S. Truman Library and Museum, and Austrian Study Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution.

The Children’s Peace Monument was built in Sadako’s honor at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in 1958 and is always surrounded by origami cranes sent in from around the world.

Upcoming exhibits for the JANM include At First Light: The Dawning of Asian Pacific America from May 25- October 20, 2019.

Go for Broke Monument

Go for Broke Monument- Large black monument covered in names and an American flag.

By the parking lot just behind the Japanese American National Museum is the Go for Broke Monument.

Dedicated on June 5, 1999, this monument honors the Japanese-Americans who served in the United States Army during World War II and remained unrecognized by the government.

The side of the black granite monument holds the names of 16,131 Japanese-American men and women who served in the 100th Infantry Battalion (Separate), 442nd Regimental Combat Team, Military Intelligence Service, 522nd Field Artillery Battalion, 232nd Combat Engineer Company, and 1399 Engineer Construction Battalion. Learn more about the monument’s design at the Go for Broke website.

Want to find a specific name? The Go for Broke National Education Center has a database available for locating the name of a veteran who may be listed.

Moon Beholders

Moon beholders mural in Little Tokyo- "From time to time, the clouds give rest to the moon beholders."

Katie Yamasaki’s Moon Beholders mural was unveiled to the public on November 19th, 2014 following the end of an 11 year ban of murals in Los Angeles in August 2013.

It is located on the north wall of the museum’s National Center for the Preservation of Democracy near the Go for Broke Monument. Yamasaki has painted over 60 murals around the world, but this was her first in Los Angeles.

From the JANM blog: “Against a bright gold background, a smiling young girl lies clothed in a variety of furoshiki—traditional cloths long used to preserve, protect, and transport items. The pattern and color on each furoshiki represents a unique moment in Japanese American history, such as a pale blue sky covered in yellow barbed wire symbolizing the WWII incarceration camps.” 

Daikokuya Ramen

Tsukemen and Ramen at Daikokuya Ramen.

Located at 327 E 1st Street, Daikokuya Ramen is one of the most popular restaurants in Little Tokyo.

We visited on a very hot August day, so I opted for the Tsukemen- chilled noodles with seared chashu, egg, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, green onions, and a pork broth dipping sauce on the side. It was such a refreshing meal to help beat the heat.

The restaurant is small and during peak hours the wait can be up to an hour (outside). It is cash only and does not take to-go orders. There are also currently locations in El Monte, West Hollywood, Sawtelle, and Monterey Park.

Marugame Monzo

Miso Carbonara Udon in a large black bowl with a wooden spoon and man rolling out udon at Marugame Udon.

Next door to Daikokuya is Marugame Monzo. Like Daikokuya, this space is also small and intimate with often long waits.

I arrived around 10 minutes before opening on a Sunday and joined the already forming line. I got the second to last table with a perfect view of the udon station in the glass-walled kitchen. The handmade traditional sanuki udon is a noodle lover’s dream.

I tried the Miso Carbonara Udon (味噌カルボナーラうどん) and it is definitely in the top 10 noodle dishes I have ever tried, so much so that I immediately wanted to remake it at home (recipe at the end of the post). Other signature dishes include the Mentai Squid Butter Udon, Udon Gratin (also on my list), Mushroom Cream Udon, and Seafood Tomato Cream Udon along with plenty of traditional options.

Fugetsu-Do

Cherry Blossom Mochi and green wrapped mochi at Fugetsu-do.

Born in Gifu, Japan, Seiichi Kito opened Fugetsu-Do in 1903, making it one of the oldest still-running food establishments in Los Angeles.

The Kito family was forced to liquidate their inventory during WWII before being sent to an internment camp in Heart Mountain, Wyoming. After their release, the War Relocation Authority tried to encourage the family to move to another location, but Seiichi and son Roy were set on returning to Little Tokyo and struggled to rebuild their business. They were finally about to reopen Fugetsu-Do on May 5, 1946.

Today, the shop is run by Roy and Kazuko’s youngest child, Brian, and is well-known for their fresh mochi in a variety of traditional and modern flavors along with packaged products perfect for taking home to friends and family.

Donatsu

Doughnuts on display and a pistachio rose doughnut at Donatsu.

Donatsu is a newer and delicious addition to Little Tokyo. Located at 330 E 2nd Street, this little doughnut shop features a variety of colorful doughnuts with a wide range of flavors. They are also all vegan!

Our current favorites include the Pistachio Rose Matcha, and Ube, Royal Dragon. 

Tea Master Matcha Cafe and Green Tea Shop

Brown latte and green soft serve ice cream at Tea Masters and a collection of tea cups.

Hidden in a small shopping center on 450 E 2nd Street, Tea Master Matcha Cafe & Green Tea Shop features green tea drinks and soft-serve ice cream.

They focus on a small menu and everything I have tried has been incredible. They also sell a handful of tea-related household items and snacks.

Poketo

Journals, pens, candles, towels, mugs, and dustpan at Poketo.

Found at the corner of E 2nd St and S Central Avenue, Poketo features stationery, home items, jewelry, kitchenware, and other specialty products in a beautifully decorated space.

Weller Court

Sign for Weller Court next to white knot sculpture.

The Friendship Knot at the entrance to Weller Court was created by Shinkichi Tajiri.

Originally located at his home in the Netherlands and called the Square Knot, the sculpture was shipped to Los Angeles and dedicated on August 5, 1981.

Hanging white, red, and black umbrellas.
Onizuka plaque with Space Shuttle Challenger replica.

The memorial for Ellison Shoji Onizuka stands on Onizuka Street by Midori Matcha.

Born in Kealakekua, Hawaii, Onizuka was the first Asian-American/Japanese-American/Hawaiian astronaut in space with the launch of the space shuttle Discovery on January 24, 1985. He died at the age of 39 on his second space flight during the destruction of the space shuttle Challenger on January 28th, 1986.

Courtyard in a white building with three levels and pink flowers.

Midori Matcha

Green tea and black sesame soft serve in a cone and Midori Matcha green drink.

Midori Matcha is a fairly new addition to Little Tokyo.

Opened in 2017, there are also locations in Pasadena and Costa Mesa. They serve organic Japanese ceremonial grade matcha tea and desserts. I especially loved the soft serve matcha and black sesame swirl. 

Kinokuniya

Bookshelf with cookbooks and Japanese language books at Kinokuniya.

I first came across Kinokuniya while in New York City and was so excited to find one in Los Angeles.

This location in Little Tokyo has a wonderful collection of Japanese cookbooks along with stationery, children’s books, crafts, gifts, travel, and Japanese language books (plus plenty for Korean, Tagalog, and more). 

Oshogatsu

Oshogatsu celebration at Little Tokyo- looking down on the crowd, sake barrels, taiko drums.

We started 2019 with an Oshogatsu celebration in Little Tokyo. The festival featured booths, street food, and entertainment throughout the day in Weller Court and Japanese Village Plaza.

Highlights included the Taiko Drums, Sake Barrel Breaking, Shishimai (Lion Dance), Japanese folk music, Aikido, dancing, and a Kimono fashion show. 

For more information on events held throughout the year, check out Go Little Tokyo’s calendar. Nisei Week is one of the most popular and occurs in August.

Green lantern in Little Tokyo.

Japanese Village Plaza

Red and white round lanterns on a string in front of trees and a red tower.

Yamazaki Bakery

Display window filled with slices of caramel cheesecake, blueberry cheese cake, strawberry cake.

Yamazaki Bakery features a variety of bread, desserts, drinks, and other bakery treats.

Sanrio 

Sanrio Store in Little Tokyo, photo with Hello Kitty.

The Sanrio Store is filled with all things Hello Kitty and other Sanrio characters. You will find plenty of clothing, bags, toys, jewelry, bento products, accessories, and more. There are also events held throughout the year.  

Mikawaya Mochi

Display filled with a variety of mochi ice cream.

Mikawaya Mochi (now closed) was founded in 1910 by Ryuzaburo Hashimoto as a traditional Japanese wagashi shop (Koroku and Haru Hashimoto were forced to close in 1942 and relocate to an internment camp in Poston, Arizona until the war’s end when they were finally able to reopen in 1945).

Owner Frances Hashimoto was actually the first to create Mochi ice cream (もちアイス, ice cream wrapped in a layer of soft and chewy mochi dough) in 1994 following an idea her husband had during a trip to Japan. Along with fresh mochi ice cream, you can also order ice cream on its own and other treats. 

Mikawaya’s mochi ice cream is now available in the freezer section of stores across the United States. I have also learned how to make my own: Mochi Ice Cream and Mochi Magic.

Cafe Dulce

Pastry and latte with a heart at Cafe Dulce.

We often get to Little Tokyo early on Sunday mornings to avoid traffic and find easy parking.

While most of the shops and restaurants don’t open until closer to noon, Cafe Dulce opens at 8 am and is usually our first stop for coffee and a pastry or two. The kids especially love the doughnuts. They also have a second location at 777 S Alameda Street.

Entertainment Hobby Shop Jungle

Looking at the action figures in the display case.

Under the Japanese Village Plaza parking garage is a collection of shops featuring anime, cards, dvds, cosplay, and other related products.

Chad and Evan always stop by Entertainment Hobby Shop Jungle when in the area. Here you will find anime, toys, games, collectibles, figurines, manga, stationery, J-POP, and more. Evan likes to look at all the “robots” while Claire enjoys the Funko Pop Disney characters. 

A tree with orange leaves behind red and white round lanterns.

There are so many other notable spots in Little Tokyo in addition to what I have featured here including Nijiya Market (I haven’t actually stopped at this one since there is another location by my house in Torrance), Marukai Market (under Kinokuniya- I picked up a beautiful donabe here), James Irvine Japanese Garden (currently under renovation during 2019), Higashi Honganji Buddhist Temple, Jist, Bae, Milk + T, Mitsuru, and more.

Miso Carbonara Udon

Aerial view of Miso Carbonara Udon in a large wok.

Inspired by Marugame Monzo, I was so excited to figure out how easy it is to make Miso Carbonara Udon (味噌カルボナーラうどん) at home. Now it isn’t quite as good as the restaurant’s without going to extra step of making the udon noodles by hand (update: I now know how to make homemade udon noodles!), but this dish is definitely still delicious and comes together quickly in less than 15 minutes.

While a large pot of water comes to a boil, whisk together parmesan, cream, egg yolks, miso, and a little freshly ground black pepper in a medium bowl.

In a wok, pan-fry 1/4 inch slices of bacon until crisp, drain the extra grease, add a little garlic, and deglaze the pan with some sake (this part is optional if you are avoiding alcohol). The udon noodles are boiled until just tender (this doesn’t take long at all, a minute or so), then tossed with the bacon and finally the egg miso mixture until thickened and creamy.

Serve immediately with a sprinkling of green onions, more parmesan, and freshly ground black pepper. I didn’t add any salt since the miso and Parmesan had plenty to season the noodles. Adjust to taste as desired.

Notable ingredients

Udon are long, thick noodles with a smooth and chewy texture. I use the frozen noodles found in the freezer section of markets with Japanese ingredients and some larger supermarkets like Wegmans. The frozen noodles cook quickly in boiling water. You can also use dried Sanuki Udon, but frozen or homemade is best for this dish.

Miso is a Japanese condiment created by fermenting soy with salt. Sometimes rice and barley are also used. There are many types of miso available. Lighter colored misos are usually more sweet and less salty. As the color darkens, the flavor generally becomes stronger and more salty. Once opened, refrigerate and use within a year. I used a white miso (shiro miso) in this Miso Carbonara Udon, but feel free to play around with your favorite or what you have on hand.

Looking for more Udon recipes?

Try my:

  • Chikara Udon (Japanese Power Udon)
  • Niku Udon (Japanese Meat Udon)
  • Cold Udon Noodles with Sesame Miso Sauce
Miso Carbonara Udon on a dark brown plate with more carbonara in a large wok.

Miso Carbonara Udon Recipe

Adapted from Rice with Everything

Miso Carbonara Udon
Print Pin
5 from 5 votes

Miso Carbonara Udon

A recipe for Miso Carbonara Udon inspired by our visit to Little Tokyo in Los Angeles, California! Thick udon noodles are coated in a creamy miso sauce with cheese and bacon.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Japanese
Keyword bacon, carbonara, Japan, Japanese, miso, noodle, pasta, udon
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 2 Servings

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan plus more for topping
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 2 tablespoons white miso
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 bricks (8.8 ounces, 250 g each) frozen udon
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 slices bacon cut crosswise into 1/4 inch strips
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 2 tablespoons sake optional
  • 1 green onion thinly sliced

Instructions

  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the parmesan, cream, egg yolks, miso, and black pepper until smooth.
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the udon bricks and cook until just tender. Drain and set aside.
  • While the water is coming to a boil, drizzle olive oil in a wok or large pan over medium heat. Add the bacon strips and cook, stirring often, until the fat has rendered and the strips are crisp. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of the grease.
  • Add the garlic and cook until just fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. If using, pour in the sake to deglaze the pan and simmer until nearly evaporated. 
  • Toss in the tender udon until completely and remove from heat. Quickly toss in the egg yolk miso mixture until thickened and creamy.
  • Serve immediately topped with thinly sliced green onions and an additional sprinkling of Parmesan and black pepper if desired.
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

Filed Under: Asian, Meat, Pasta and Rice, Pork, Travel

Previous Post: « Burrata Gnocchi and Pasta, Pretty Please Cookbook Review
Next Post: Krumplileves (Hungarian Potato Soup) »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Marc from NoRecipes

    3 February, 2019 at 9:30 pm

    I grew up going to the j-town in SF, and lived in the j-town (more like block) in SJ as an adult. Was really cool reading your tour of the one in LA as I have never been. Love the creative take on carbonara!

    Reply
    • Tara

      8 February, 2019 at 12:59 pm

      It was so good! San Francisco is definitely on the list while we are here in California.

      Reply
  2. Natalie

    3 February, 2019 at 9:58 pm

    I’ll be travelling to Japan a few month from now, and this post really just made me wanna be there already! Stunning photographs and the soup looks and sounds delicious ♥

    Reply
  3. Jori

    3 February, 2019 at 10:12 pm

    Thank you for the very thorough account of your visit to Little Tokyo! I’ll be visiting LA in a few months and have added Little Tokyo to my list. For the number of times I’ve gone to LA, it makes me sad that I’ve never visited this area nor tried the miso carbonara!

    Reply
    • Tara

      8 February, 2019 at 1:00 pm

      Definitely recommend it!

      Reply
  4. Ginny

    3 February, 2019 at 11:05 pm

    What a great article. I have never been to Little Tokyo and you’ve really made it look and sound great! I only live 2 hours south of there and I want to make the trip. Those restaurants look really good too. My dad was born on 3rd street but a little way up from your area. Thanks for all the great information.

    Reply
    • Tara

      8 February, 2019 at 12:58 pm

      So many great restaurants in the area!

      Reply
  5. Annie @ Annie's Noms

    4 February, 2019 at 1:12 am

    Carbonara with udon noodles?! This is genius, I haven’t ever been to Little Tokyo, but we visit Chinatown in London a lot and we love it (my husband is Chinese) – I just love their cuisine. Little Tokyo looks like so much fun, what a great day out!

    Reply
  6. Patty

    4 February, 2019 at 1:30 am

    Very interesting and well documented item, thanks for the tour, would love to visit these restaurants as I’m very fond of Japanese gastronomy; Love the Japanese twist on carbonara!

    Reply
  7. Karen

    4 February, 2019 at 8:59 pm

    What an amazing post! You are opening my eyes to my own back yard!

    Reply
    • Tara

      8 February, 2019 at 12:57 pm

      We have had such fun exploring!

      Reply
  8. Angela

    16 September, 2021 at 2:23 pm

    What a unique infusion of Italian carbonara with Japanese Udon. My son loves both cuisines and loves this – mochi for dessert too!

    Reply
  9. Heather Johnson

    16 September, 2021 at 2:36 pm

    5 stars
    so amazing – i love carbonara – this really kicked it up and i can’t wait to make all these stops when i visit the area!

    Reply
  10. Andrea

    16 September, 2021 at 2:52 pm

    5 stars
    Wow, what an experience for you and your family. Thank you for sharing it with us. The udon looks and sounds wonderful.

    Reply
  11. estee

    16 September, 2021 at 3:49 pm

    5 stars
    that sounds like a great trip- and such a fun recipe! we are always down for udon!

    Reply
  12. Colleen

    16 September, 2021 at 3:59 pm

    5 stars
    Love this unique and tasty recipe! Thanks for sharing your explorations of little Tokyo!

    Reply
  13. Maria

    16 September, 2021 at 9:03 pm

    5 stars
    This is written well! I love udon ang carbonara. It looks fun and easy to make too!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

About Me

tarasmctable (1 of 1)

Hello and welcome to Tara's Multicultural Table! Check out the index to find recipes from around the world and learn more about me here.

Subscribe to Tara's Multicultural Table via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 1,100 other subscribers

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Categories

Amazon

I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program and earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com

Footer

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Subscribe to Tara's Multicultural Table via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 1,100 other subscribers

Featured Recipes:

Pastel de Queijo (Brazilian Cheese Pastry) pile on a white plate.
A pile of Chocolate Almond Toffee on a marble board.
Date Shake in two milkshake glasses next to dates and walnuts.

Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2022 Tara's Multicultural Table on the Foodie Pro Theme