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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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