m+m: underbelly

images megan.christine

the weather was rather nasty yesterday in san diego, and with the rain and strong breeze, the cool temperatures felt even chillier.  i went to meet a friend for lunch and knowing that i wanted something warm, we decided it would be a great time to try underbelly, the japanese ramen bar in little italy.  in a tiny space (~1,000 sq feet), part of an incredible jonathan segal glass building on kettner & fir in the heart of little italy, the minimalist interior (by studio number one, mauricio couturier, and paul basile) is brought to life by a giant succulent wall bearing the image of mao zedong (by black lotus floral).  the space fills up fast, and thankfully the glass walls double as tabletops, as they fold down blending the indoor and outdoor space to expand the establishment.  the flow of fresh air and exposure to the elements would on any other day in san diego be perfect, but with the current weather i had to keep on my jacket and wavered between a craft brew or a hot tea (hopefully they will solve this winter dilemma, perhaps add some ceiling heaters).  rumor has it that they are expanding the space into the upstairs and will also include a patio, to all be completed in the summer of 2012.  underbelly is a creation of arsulan tafazoll and nathan stanton, and the duo already has some incredible downtown restaurants under their belt; neighborhood, craft & commerce, noble experiment, and el dorado.  it lived up to it's expectations, with a large selection of local and international beers (the gold taps are all unmarked) and the small japanese menu is heavy on pork and vegetables.  we opted to start with the shrimp gyoza (shrimp, shitake, asparagus and scallions), and both got the vegetable ramen (truffle oil, shitake, hon shimeji oyster mushroom, enoki, white asparagus, topped with bean sprouts, ginger, scallions, seaweed and sesame seeds).  while the plates were on the smaller side (they simply wet your palette), the house ramen is a healthy portion.  they don't serve the ramen with spoons, and after you've retrieved the "goodies" with your chopsticks, the only option to finish the dish is to pick up the bowl and slurp away (which is encouraged).  just as the space is expanding, so is the menu.  they plan to add oysters and japanese whiskey, proving that these guys know how to capitalize on a niche market.  underbelly has done an incredible job with a difficult space and a unique menu.  i will surely be returning.

although they list most of the ingredients on the menu, i thought i'd look into making some homemade japenese ramen myself and found this recipe.  i have yet to try it, but it looks relatively easy and healthy.