Restaurants serving eclectic or hard to find food

Natto I have never seen in town outside of Asian groceries. But it would be cool. As far as Asian groceries Choi's in Lyndon is really accessible. Staff speaks English for the most part, and are super friendly.

If Barcode has yakitori then I need to go! French Indo Canada food truck used to do a mean okonomiyaki and omuraisu, two of my favorite Japanese stall foods, but no one does ramen. There was that pop-up restaurant in Milkwood once that is a shop out of Tennessee I think, that did some pretty good ramen. Wasn't there a place...Pink Door(?), where Loop 22 is now that was just ramen? t I would also love to see some place do yakisoba that was decent. I have Japanese friends who say menchi katsu, if done right is supposed to be the jam, but I've never seen it anywhere. Wiltshire on Market does really good bulgogi (Korean barbecue) that is phenomenal... O man, now I'm hungry

Itedakimasu!

Shanghai soup dumplings. The only place I've seen them in town is Peking Bistro on Shelbyville road ( very good) but I'm not a big fan of their Chinese/American menu. Any other options?

I'm with Adriel- I really want a good ramen/noodle place in town.

Deb, they have "Shang Hai WonTon Soup" at Jasmine. Might that be the same?

[Robin Garr]

Peking Bistro on Shelbyville road ( very good) but I'm not a big fan of their Chinese/American menu.

Have you asked for their authentic menu? They have (or used to have) one, and their chef was supposedly a big name over in the old country.

Peking Bistro on Shelbyville road ( very good) but I'm not a big fan of their Chinese/American menu.

Have you asked for their authentic menu? They have (or used to have) one, and their chef was supposedly a big name over in the old country.

Last time we were there, they had combined the menus; the last 3-4 pages of the menu were "traditional" (or similar verbiage) foods, and this was their authentic menu, while the first 4-5 pages were standard Chinese-American. Also, their specials (pictured on door when you walk in) were primarily authentic utilizing fresh ingredients.

I've got to go with the Mayan Cafe and that 'corn smut' stuff. I have not seen it anywhere else. Good good stuff.

Cuitlacoche! Yum, smut.

Thanks, guys.

Gayle- I've tried it at Jasmine ( which I like very much). Theirs is a soup , with dumplings in it. Shanghai Soup Dumplings are small steamed dumplings that actually have soup and meat or veggies in them. They make them by inserting the soup as a cold gelatin when wrapping the dumplings- steaming them renders the soup into a liquid again. The best have very thin wrappers , and you have to carefully pick them up with your chopsticks ( to avoid puncturing the wrappers) and slurp the broth out as you eat them. I love them- they are the first thing I go for in China.

I've done the authentic menu at Peking before and it's very good- but looking for additional options.

[Robin Garr]

Cuitlacoche! Yum, smut.

Takes me right back to my 2007 LEO review, it does!

We like smut. It's good.

Good one, Paul! I don't think I've seen natto at any Japanese restaurants around town, but then, to be honest, I haven't been looking.

Taking a stab, I think I might start my quest at Tokyo on Lime Kiln, which is one of the few sushi restaurants around town actually run by a Japanese itamae. It's the only place I've seen ankimo (monkfish liver, a.k.a. "foie gras of the sea"), so I imagine they have the street cred to go for natto or other off-the-wall specialty.

I meant to post this a while back, but I'm pretty sure Tokyo changed hands in June. Out first experience there was hypoimpressive.

[Robin Garr]

hypoimpressive.

Bad news, Jon, but an awesome word.

Joy Luck on Bardstown Road has soup dumplings. They are great and Alvin told us they have to be made by hand and have 21 crimps on each one or they do not cook properly.

hypoimpressive.

Bad news, Jon, but an awesome word.

Can't claim it. My old chairman used to create a neologism a day. That one just stuck. He may have been an English major.

I'm with Adriel- I really want a good ramen/noodle place in town.

See, I'm so shocked there isn't one... It could be so cool, and ramen has so much potential. You and me Deb, we could be millionaires. My thoughts for a name are Golden Gai (very straight forward), or if we want to be funny we go with I'm-a-rock-u Ramen (like Ichiraku, get it?).

Hiko-A-Mon does a solid (IMO) pork ramen.
I saw a variety of ramens on the menu at Barcode(whatever the address is) and I believe Asiatique has it on their new small plates menu. I have never been to Barcode or Asiatique, so I cannot personally attest to the quality.

I'm with Adriel- I really want a good ramen/noodle place in town.

See, I'm so shocked there isn't one... It could be so cool, and ramen has so much potential. You and me Deb, we could be millionaires. My thoughts for a name are Golden Gai (very straight forward), or if we want to be funny we go with I'm-a-rock-u Ramen (like Ichiraku, get it?).

Yes- and we already know where to get the amazing local meat for the noodles.....