Futago Udon — Restaurant in Boston

Solid udon spot near BU.

During the pandemic, I used to alternate between Futago, Tsurutontan, and Yume Ga Arukara for my udon cravings. Even with a bunch of new Japanese restaurants popping up nearby, Futago is still super popular among students. I recently went there for dinner, and even though we got there after 7 PM on a weekday, we still had to wait about 30 minutes.

From the appetizers, most of their fried dishes are good, but my favorites are the fried squid legs and baby octopus. The fried chicken can be hit or miss, as I've had some dry pieces in the past.

For takeouts, I usually go for their curry udon, but on my recent visit, I decided to try the Uni Cream Udon and the Cold Mentaiko Udon. The udon noodles at Futago are a bit thicker than I usually prefer, but the chilled Mentaiko sauce on the Cold Mentaiko Udon gave them a nice, chewy texture. Topped with snow crab, bonito flakes, and shiso leaf, it was spot-on in both flavor and texture. The Uni Cream Udon was similar, but the warm sauce made the texture a bit less exciting.

On the side, we also had the Spicy Miso Pork Don. The spicy sauce, rich with chili and sesame oil, made the ground pork taste more like a Chinese rice bowl. Still, the combination of pork, mushrooms, and creamy yolk was satisfying.

While Futago Udon may not have the best udon in the city, it is still a great option if you're in the area and craving some comforting Japanese food. Plus, the lively atmosphere make it a fun place to dine...

I came here with a friend on a weekday night, and it was great! The place was quite full when we arrived, but we were promptly seated at the counter and given menus. I really like curry sauce but I don't like eating fried meat, so I asked the waitress if I could have the meat grilled instead. She gave me a funny look and said no, and then said I could have it without the meat (for $10) and get some appetizers. I decided to do that, and I got the aged tofu. She told me it was fried and I said that's fine, and she gave me another funny look. I docked the star for this; I'm there to eat, and I should be able to eat what I want without being judged, especially when I'm paying for my food in a restaurant. Other than the judgmental service, my food was great. The curry udon was a bit boring because it was just sauce and noodles, but the sauce was very flavorful and the udon was perfectly chewy. I really enjoyed the meal. The aged tofu was lightly fried and served in a savory sauce, which I also enjoyed. Despite not having any meat, my meal came out to be around $20 post-tax, which is still quite high for noodles, sauce, and tofu. I really didn't like the service, but food was good. Food deserves at least 4-5 stars (uncertain about whether to dock stars for boring-ness of the curry udon without meat) because it was good quality and portions, but the service...

I am usually not a fan of udon (particularly the soup-y kind), but this place has won me over with their huge variety of different types of udon that they offer. We had a party of 9, which we called ahead to reserve. Thank goodness we did that because the place got packed really quickly!

My friends and I ordered the purple sweet potato tempura, takoyaki, and chicken tatsuta-age for appetizers. The sweet potato tempura was SO delicious. The flavors are subtle and the dish did not feel too heavy. Great way to start off the meal. The takoyaki was nice and full - crunchy and soft just the way I like it. The chicken was very juicy as well. Overall I enjoyed the appetizers that they offered as they all stood out!

For my entree, I ordered the miso carbonara. This dish is pretty heavy and the portion is huge! I barely made a dent in it, but I took it home as leftovers and tasted AMAZING the following day as well (huge plus). The flavors were amazing and balanced with huge chunks of bacon (yes!). I enjoyed this very much and I am excited to try the other dishes that they offer.

I heard from my friends that their bowls of soupy udon were somewhat bland, so I will probably stray away from that. I love dishes that are exciting and unique, which they offer here.

Parking was extremely easy to find. Service was amazing and did a great job handling our...