Like some of its dishes, Orange Street Japanese restaurant Menya-Gumi—“men (noodle) ya (house) gumi (group)”—may appear simple from the outside. But inside, it’s packed with flavor. Under the guidance of Bridgeport native Angel Cheng, a culinary school grad whose knowledge of the cuisine comes from a stint working at Los Angeles’s Killer Noodle as well as time spent in Japan and Hong Kong, the downtown restaurant’s specialty is, wisely, something popular: ramen.
Menya-Gumi’s current ramens offer chicken, seafood and vegetable broths paired with a range of tares (sauces). My choice, Shoyu Chintan ($16), gets its name from the lightness and clarity of its chicken broth (“chintan”) and the use of a soy-based (“shoyu”) tare. Swimming with slender al dente noodles, it was topped with pork chashu (braised pork belly), ajitama (a soy-marinated soft-boiled egg with a custardy yolk and a strong umami flavor), menma (seasoned bamboo shoots), nori (seaweed), shiitake mushrooms and scallions. It was beautiful to look at and to eat, a paradox of potent flavors delicately balanced. I also tried the Karaage appetizer ($10)—Japanese fried chicken that was generous, tender and succulent.
On a return visit, I delved into the Dim Sum menu, offered here in the popular Japanese tradition of chuka ryori—adaptations of Chinese food. I loved my steamer-style bowl of Har Gow ($7.99), its four cute shrimp dumplings in pleated dough wrappers that were translucent yet resilient. I combined these with an order of four Pork & Shrimp Siu Mai ($7.99), savory little purses with a gingery kick. The Crab Meat Pork Soup Dumplings, available in portions of three ($6.99) or six ($10.99) and made with a jellied broth that seasons the meat when cooked, were especially good when dipped in a tangy ginger-soy dressing.
Beverages range from Japanese teas and coffee to imported beers, sakes and whiskeys. With my dim sum, I ordered a single-serving bottle of Snow Angel Nigori sake ($12), a creamy, mildly sweet concoction that was the perfect low-key accompaniment. My next choice, a Toki Whiskey Sour special ($13), was a far headier experience than I expected. The spirit’s effect was almost gin-like, the cocktail offering notes of green apple, grapefruit, ginger and peppermint. Some might find this cocktail too sweet for their taste, but not me.
For the most part, the dessert menu is on the lighter side even while composed of deep-fried treats like Sesame Balls ($8.99), perfect little spheres I ordered with a sweet green tea paste filling (red bean is also available). I particularly enjoyed the Fried Carrot Cake with Egg Custard ($8.99), which looked nothing like a Western carrot cake or a classic Japanese fried cake. Rather, it was a dish of three little orange treats shaped like emoji carrots, almost comically stripped of visual detail, with a not-too-sweet custardy filling inside—another case of Menya-Gumi delivering a refined delight within a simple-looking package.
Menya-Gumi
165 Orange St, New Haven (map)
Tues-Fri 11:30am-3pm & 5-10pm (summer hours), Sat 11:30am-10pm, Sun noon-9pm
(203) 535-0302
www.menya-gumi.com
