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Pizza Hut releases a special udon pizza…but only in one part of Japan

Oona McGee Aug 8, 2024
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Noodles are just one of several unusual ingredients in this very Japanese topping.

As two of the top pizza chains in Japan, Domino’s and Pizza Hut are constantly working hard to outdo each other with weird and wonderful creations, which is great news for pizza lovers. Now, noodle lovers get to benefit too, because the latest offering from Pizza Hut has udon noodles in the topping.

Called the “Aromatic Dashi Meat Tempura Gobo Udon Pizza“, noodles aren’t the only weird component here, as it contains several other very Japanese ingredients, with the first being beef, marinated and slowly stewed in a sweet and spicy sauce to give it a strong, rich flavour. The taste of the beef is further enhanced by the addition of wakame seaweed and cheese for an extra level of umami flavour.

Then we have the udon noodles, made with 100-percent domestic wheat, which have a smooth and chewy texture. Noodles are usually accompanied by a sauce or broth, and Pizza Hut maintains that tradition by adding a special soy sauce broth made with bonito flakes, dried sardines, kelp, and shiitake mushrooms. This flavourful mixture has a sweetness that’s commonly found in soy sauce-based noodle broths on the island of Kyushu, successfully recreating the flavour of “Fukuoka udon“, a specialty of Fukuoka Prefecture.

The final component — tempura gobo, or deep-fried burdock root — completes the distinct flavour profile of Fukuoka udon, because tempura burdock is commonly added to udon meals in the region and is said to be “a dish loved by everyone in Fukuoka Prefecture”.

▼ To keep things fresh and crispy, the gobo is included in a separate pack, with shichimi chilli seasoning on the side for serving.

As indicated by the ingredients, this pizza’s focus is firmly fixed on Fukuoka udon, and it’s all because this is a special tie-up product with Udon Map, a television programme on TNC TV West Japan featuring Akira Okazawa, who goes by the nickname “The Udon Guy“. Okazawa has introduced viewers to over 800 bowls of udon in his role as roving reporter, and even performs “udon exercises” and dance videos that are so popular they’re often mimicked by local children.

With Fukuoka being the birthplace of tonkotsu (pork bone broth) ramen, the area is considered a “noodle mecca” for foodies, and this pizza aims to highlight the local udon culture in a fun and memorable way.

▼ Customers who order the new pizza will receive an original “I♡UDON&PIZZA” sticker while stocks last.

With this being an homage to Fukuoka udon, the pizza will only be limited for sale in Fukuoka and Saga prefectures, so noodle lovers in other parts of the country will either have to make the journey there or get creative in making their own noodle pizzas at home.

The pizza is priced at 1,980 yen (US$13.51) for a medium size, and will be available from 10 August to 15 September.

Source, images: PR Times
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