Popular Tokyo Noodle Restaurant Makes Its Texas Debut in Carrollton

More Japanese sandos in DFW? Yes, please. Although this restaurant may not technically be in Dallas-Fort Worth, Tokyo-based Marugame Udon will be a reason to make the short trip up north to Carrollton.

The guys responsible for bringing the Sanuki-style udon noodle concept to the Dallas-Fort Worth area are restaurant investors Mark Brezinksi and Pete Botonis. A Dallas resident for almost 30 years, Brezinksi has worked with Pei Wei, Velvet Taco, and Bahn Shop. He and Botonis grew Pei Wei into more than 200 restaurants around the country.

And now, the two are reuniting to create and expand the Texas presence of Marugame Udon.

“Pete and I have a great history together and we couldn’t be more excited to be bringing our version of this wildly successful concept to the DFW area,” says Brezinski in a statement. “Japanese foods are, in my opinion, the most versatile of all Asian foods and we promise to make it a tough decision for Marugame guests to choose between the great bowls, sandos, skewers and freshly made tempura. In fact, we think guests will find many new favorites to enjoy on multiple visits at lunch and dinner.”

Since its founding in Kakogawa City, Japan in 2000, Marugame has expanded to more than 1,000 locations in 13 countries. The first U.S. location opened in Hawaii a decade ago and has made its way to several outposts in California. The very first Texas location will debut on August 31 in Carrollton with four new katsu sandos on the menu.

Kobe beef cheeseburger, Spam and cheese, chicken katsu, and an egg salad sando will be on the new restaurant’s menu, along with char-grilled robata dishes like chicken meatballs, grilled steak, Japanese BBQ pork belly, and a veggie skewer. A new U.S.-made Momo Kawa organic Junmai Gino sake and Japanese beer will also be available on draft.

But what Marugame is best known for are its Sanuki-style udon noodles. They’re a thicker, bouncier style of noodle and can be paired with several kinds of broths and sauces. Guests will be able to see noodle masters at work behind the glass in the order line. Delivery through Uber Eats, Door Dash, and more will also be available.

Plans are already in the works for more locations in the Dallas and Houston area — a Greenville Avenue location set to open in the fall.