Good Asian fast-food UDON, in Aventura Mall

“You eat well. It's fast and it's economical,” said executive chef Alberto Gómez, who oversees the opening of new UDON restaurants.

Gómez prepares the field to facilitate the proper functioning of the kitchen. In addition to training staff, he searches and coordinates the supply of ingredients, from fresh vegetables and quality meats without additives to soy and the necessary sauces of Asian origin.

“The food is high quality, it’s fast. And the customer is satisfied,” he assured.

In fact, the Spanish Hospitality Society awarded UDON the National Hospitality Award in the Innovation category for its Asian cuisine based on health and flavor.

What is udon?

You can call it noodles, vermicelli or tagliatelle, of one thickness or another, but we all agree that it is a type of noodle made of wheat flour, extremely popular in Japanese food, dating back to the 6th century.

Indeed, udon is part of the signature dishes of the new location in Aventura Mall, which opened its first restaurant in Miami two years ago in the trendy Wynwood neighborhood.

Favorite dishes include the Corral Chicken Yakisoba, breaded chicken with corn flakes, shiitake mushrooms, carrots, zucchini, Japanese onions and yakisoba sauce, as well as the Curry Ramen with ramen noodles, marinated pork belly, a mixture of miso and curry, bamboo and shiitake mushrooms, plus a marinated and boiled egg and Japanese onion, which are served in convenient disposable boxes.

There are also Asian-inspired tapas, from the famous pork dumplings with ponzu and soy sauce to prawns tempura, white or fried rice bowls and sushi-like rolls made with noodles instead of rice.

For those who only prefer vegetables, there are also vegan and vegetarian dishes.

Must try

To start, the Tiger Roll ($12). These are sushi-like rolls made with noodles, shrimp, and avocado, wrapped in nori seaweed, with small crispy onion flakes, Nikkei sauce and Japanese mayonnaise.

The star dish Coral Chicken Yakisoba ($18), with the thick udon noodles that give the restaurant its name, are stir-fried with a peculiar sweet and sour combination: Japanese onion, carrot, shiitake mushrooms, zucchini, marinated hard-boiled egg and yakisoba curry sauce, finished with strips of free-range chicken breast coated with crispy roasted corn.

The miso ramen ($16) is another signature dish, made with Japanese noodles and served in a broth made from pork or chicken bone and vegetables with Japanese seasoning made from fermented soybeans, salt and sometimes rice or barley, plus marinated pork belly, dried wakame seaweed, marinated soft-boiled egg and Japanese onions.

Also consider the Nabeyaki-Udon ($16), which is udon with slices of marinated free-range chicken, dashi, shrimp tempura, spinach, boiled egg, shiitake mushrooms, bamboo, chives and nori seaweed.

For dessert lovers, there is chocolate cake, Tokyo-style cheesecake, ice cream with triple chocolate brownies and creamy coconut and yuzu ice cream, which combines the sweet flavor of tropical fruit with a semi-spicy touch.

Udon, the franchise

In Spain, Jordi Vidal and Jordi Pascual opened the first restaurant in Barcelona 20 years ago, after being inspired by their parents and travelling several times to Asia.

And they fell in love with the freshness, aromas and flavors that characterize this exotic cuisine, and they saw the opportunity to take it to Spain.

Today the Barcelona duo, with the inevitable influence of 'trends', has more than 70 locations in Spain and several countries.

Soon, the Dadeland Mall in Miami will have a similar restaurant.

UDON Restaurant Aventura Mall, Treats Hall, 19501 Biscayne Boulevard, Aventura. Open Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Visit udonrestaurants.us online for more information.