Hu's Noodle Nook — Restaurant in Edmonton

This restaurant is truly a hidden gem. Despite being positioned as a noodle shop, this restaurant can also be considered an Izakaya thanks to its wide array of appetizers that pair perfectly with beer.

In general, I personally prefer Hu's Noodle over Tokiwa Ramen, another ramen shop located nearby. Tokiwa Ramen seems to emphasize quick dining, whereas Hu's Noodle not only allows for a fast meal but also provides a calm and inviting environment to truly enjoy quality time with family and friends. The attention to detail is evident in the delightful ambiance, especially with the large blackboard displaying the daily specials, which adds a playful touch. Additionally, the servers at Hu's Noodle consistently deliver exceptional service.

Initially, I was under the impression that Hu's Noodle offers a blend of Japanese and Chinese noodles, but to my pleasant surprise, they serve each type separately and with utmost authenticity. The Japanese noodles, categorized as "Ramen" and presented in sleek black bowls, maintain their unique essence. On the other hand, the Chinese noodles, available under the label of Hu's Noodle and thoughtfully served in vibrant red bowls, hold their distinct taste. As someone who has lived in both cultures, I can confidently confirm that their mastery in crafting exceptional noodles from both traditions is truly remarkable.

Here are my personal top choices:

[Tan Tan Ramen] The brown ground pork is simply delicious. It is seasoned and cooked to perfection, and the hint of peanut aroma adds a delightful twist to the dish. One can also get a free egg topping on Wednesdays, but I highly recommend adding it on any other day too. The half-cooked yolk blends seamlessly with the broth, enhancing its flavor even more.

[Black Garlic Ramen] The chashu pork is incredibly tender, almost melting in my mouth, while the broth is creamy and rich in pork collagen. The taste of garlic cut through the creaminess of the broth, creating a layered flavor profile. The addition of corn provides a delightful contrast of sweetness and crunchiness that I thoroughly enjoy.

[Hu's Noodle] Despite its seemingly generic name, this noodle dish is far from ordinary. It actually stands out as one of the most distinctive and unique dishes I have ever tried here. The flavor of this dish resembles Taiwanese Danzai noodles. Although the owner may not have set out to recreate Danzai noodles intentionally, Taiwanese food enthusiasts would surely be thrilled by the pleasantly familiar taste.

[Hu's 2P Noodle] This dish infuses the flavours of ground pork and hot peppers (thus "2P"). Each bite was a moment of bliss, and I relished every mouthful until the very last drop of broth, leaving the bowl perfectly empty 😋

[Chicken Karaage] The outside of the chicken is perfectly crispy, offering a nice crunch with every bite. The inside is tender and juicy, bursting with flavor. A fellow customer sitting next to me ordered multiple plates of this to accompany his beer, and I totally understand why.

[Purple Yam Korokke] This new dish is elegantly presented, with a vibrant purple hue that immediately catches the eye. The crispy outer layer gracefully complements the fluffy and subtly sweet interior, creating a delightful contrast. The Tonkatsu sauce enhances the overall experience, providing an additional layer...

The place is located in the heart of oliver square, next to dream tea house.

Spring Rolls (free since they had a promo of guessing which hand had the marble, pretty easy to win as you get many chances): It was crunchy, hot and tasty with their plum sauce.

Potato croquettes: Hot, crunchy, with a strong potato flavor. It comes with a savory sweet salty sauce.

Age dashi tofu: Soft inside with a crunchy outside texture. The light soy sauce was a little bland for the tofu.

Tonkatsu Nabe: Vermicelli with tofu, zucchini, carrots, cabbage, enoki mushroom. The broth was nice and hot with a slight sweet tofu taste.

Black Garlic ( No egg included): salty and savory broth. The garlic is very fragrant. The pickled ginger is a nice addition and the sauna egg ( extra cost) is good as it's creamy and very tasty. The soup could've been hotter though.

Hu's noodle beef udon: Just okay. The beef was kind of raw and the whole beef udon was just average.

Shio Ramen: The noodles were just okay, the flavor was subpar and it was just a typical ramen, nothing special.

Chicken Kaarage:: The chicken was light and a little too soft for my taste. The chicken had a little frozen after taste.

Teriyaki Chicken Donburi: Sweet and savory chicken with a mushy rice texture. The broccoli, eggplant, zucchini, and carrot made the bowl...

Y'all, hands down their black garlic tonkotsu is some of the richest, most flavourful tonkotsu I've ever had. This place definitely moved up as my #1 spot to get some hearty, filling ramen. I also liked that the soup wasn't scalding hot coming out and was hot enough to enjoy and slurp away at without burning your tongue. (Helped a lot cause I just could not stop eating my ramen once it came out).

My bf got the curry ramen, and that ramen definitely has the spice and punch that hits you in the back of the throat. I would say it's good, but not as creamy and hearty as the black garlic tonkotsu. But he finished the whole bowl nonetheless.

We also ordered the mini donburi, which were the perfect size if you wanted to have some rice with your noodles to satiate all your Asian necessities. The Buta Meshi was nice and meaty. Has a good braised beef flavour and the Kanilkura is good if your craving some of that california roll goodness.

And we ate all the appetizers before I took a photo but the agedashi tofu was perfect and chicken kaarage was crunchy. 10/10 will come back, and definitely recommend everyone else...