Introducing: Bushi Udon Kappo, a new Japanese noodle house in midtown

The udon—thick, chewy wheat noodles—can be ordered plain ($6.50) or with vegetable or meat toppings ($8.50–$10.50), and is served either in a hot soy-bonito soup, or cold, for dipping. Other items include chawanmushi (Japanese egg custard, $7), unconventional tempura ($1.50–$2 each), grilled dishes ($9–20), shabu shabu ($31.50) and original creations like a tuna salmon spring roll ($10).

The place: Along the north wall of the spare, 34-seat dining room are bundles of Japanese charcoal, which is prized for its detoxifying properties (Suzuki also owns an alternative medicine business). Bushi Udon’s hot kitchen is tucked behind a large traditional red doorway curtain, in front of which is the sushi counter where Oguchi works.

By the numbers: • 30 seats in the dining room (plus four at the sushi bar) • 3 types of green tea: genmaicha, premium sencha and hojicha • 2 months, the time it took for Oguchi to develop the flour blend he uses to make his udon (he had to compensate for the high gluten content of Canadian flour) • 1 udon noodle machine, hidden in the basement (there are only three in all of Canada)