L.A.’s Marugame Monzo Expands to Chinatown

"The udon noodle elevated to cult status," was the verdict of Los Angeles Times food critic Jonathan Gold when Marugame Monzo debuted in Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo in 2013. Developed by Takashi Segawa, president of the Mon Restaurant Group’s empire of Sushi Mon, Monta, Goyemon, Monta Chaya and Kabuto, Marugame Monzo specializes in thick, rectangular, Sanuki-style udon noodles, inspired by the city of Marugame, Japan, where the kitchen staff trained.

Currently referred to by the shortened name of Monzo, a Las Vegas expansion is headed to The Center at Spring Mountain retail center, already home to Chada Street, Doh Sushi & Tapas and Hot N Juicy Crawfish.

Preliminary renderings point to Monzo replicating the original’s dark wood design, distinctive lighting and a glass-walled kitchen to let customers watch the hand-pulled noodles be carefully chopped with a machine resembling a paper cutter.

Hoping to debut by late December, other Monzo dishes recommended by the Los Angeles Times include "fried chicken skin, grilled chicken with ginger sauce, scallop carpaccio, kake udon, zaru udon, plum shiso bukkake udon and cod roe butter squid udon."