Two Great Reasons to Eat Noodles Now

One is a street festival, the other welcomes a ramen-master's New York dishes, but both Sun Noodle-sponsored events offer oodles of comforting goodness.

By Christi Young

The Pig & The LAdy's pho french dip banh mi will be one of the items on the menu at Noodle Fest Hawai‘i.

Photo: Steve Czerniak

Put the rice away, at least for a few days. The nation’s biggest ramen maker, Kalihi-born Sun Noodle, is sponsoring two events celebrating one of our favorite foods. The first, Noodle Fest, is a free-admission street festival of everything from pancit to spaghetti and, of course, various versions of ramen at Ward Village’s new Victoria Ward Park. The other is a reservations-required weekend at the Kāhala Hotel & Resort where a ramen master will serve one of his brothless specialties that are the buzz of New York City.

Here are the details.

SEE ALSO: How a Noodle Factory in Kalihi Fueled America’s Ramen Boom

Noodle Fest Hawai‘i

Saturday, March 30

Nori's Saimin & Snacks from Hilo is bringing seven items to Noodle Fest Hawai‘i, including this foie gras saimin and noodle-crunch cookies.

photo: Courtesy of Noodle fest Hawai‘i

The second Noodle Fest is a booth-filled street fair of restaurants, eateries and pop-up food vendors all featuring, well, you know. The lineup includes everything from spaghetti from Big City Diner and Allegrini Mozzarella to Goma Tei Ramen's truffle ramen, pho and various karaage from The Pig & the Lady, ramen burgers from Mega-Load Burgers and Laverne's mini Hawaiian plate with chicken long rice. Old-school saimin shops Shige’s Saimin Stand from Wahiawā and Dillingham Saimin will have your basic bowls as well. We’re especially intrigued by sponsor Sun Noodle’s event-exclusive garlic-butter shrimp saimin in a dashi created by (but not sold in) Santouka ramen shops, Hilo’s Nori’s Saimin & Snacks Foie Gras Saimin with roast pork and Pho Noodle Pot Pie by Pho 3.14.

Sweet Creams Ramen Roll Bowl comes with either cold brew coffee or barley tea as a "broth."

Photo: Courtesy of Noodle Fest Hawai‘i

Sweet Creams imposter dessert, the Ramen Roll Bowl with rolled ice cream, mochi “kamaboko,” a chocolate candy egg and Pocky chopsticks is immediately Instagrammable while Lucy’s Lab Creamery’s chicken-flavored ice cream topped with crunchy Top Ramen bits offers a savory-sweet finish.

Saturday, March 30, 3 to 9 p.m. at Victoria Ward Park. Free admission. noodlefesthawaii.com.

Ramen at the Beach

Friday, April 5 through Sunday, April 7

In 2013, Sun Noodle partnered with well-known ramen chef Shigetoshi Nakamura to launch Ramen Lab, a cozy pop-up in New York that invites chefs from around the world to serve their own spin on ramen for a month. Next weekend, Nakamura will be serving dishes from his NYC restaurants, Nakamura NYC and Niche, at the Kāhala.

At the Seafood Buffet Friday and Saturday nights, you can try Torigara Shoyu Ramen, Nakamura’s signature soy-based broth. But we’re making plans to taste the Steak Mazemen, a relatively new style that focuses on ramen noodles with toppings and a sauce instead of a broth, served by the chef himself. The special selections will also be available as part of á la carte lunch and dinner sets at Plumeria Beach House starting on Sunday. Nakamura will also appear at a pop-up dinner service Sunday evening.

You can get the Plumeria Beach House sets through Friday, April 12. However, the Kāhala notes that quantities of both the ramen and mazemen are limited, so don't wait.

Seafood Buffet: $68 for adults, $34 for kids 6-12 years, Friday, April 5 and Saturday, April 6, 5:30 to 10 p.m. Plumeria Beach House: Lunch Set is $27 for ramen and $31 for mazémen. Dinner sets are $37 and $42 and includes a drink or dessert. The Kāhala Hotel & Resort, 5000 Kāhala Ave. (808) 739-8760, kahalaresort.com.