Otani Noodle Has Us Slurping Until The Last Drop

It takes some guts to open a restaurant in a spot formerly occupied by one of Cleveland’s most famous chefs. But when Jonathon Sawyer closed Noodlecat on Euclid Avenue last year, it didn’t take long for Otani Noodle, which has a similar spot in Uptown, to fill the noodle shop void. For those comparing the two, you’ll find one glaring difference: the noodles. While Noodlecat’s were thick, straight and a bit soggy, Otani’s are thinner, wavy and firm. You’ll find meat-heavy options such as the pork belly tonkotsu soup ($10.95) served with large chunks of tender fatty meat. The Jigoku ($12.50), a spicy ramen, comes with thinly sliced roasted pork and a boiled egg. If you’re a fan of heat, you can sub the spicy broth into any dish such as the chicken-based torikatsu ($9.95), which has a slightly Eastern European schnitzel feel. Be sure to supplement your soup with teriyaki wings ($5) and curry fish balls ($2.50) from the affordable, shareable appetizer menu (sadly, the pork belly steam buns ($5) are hardly the jam-packed ones you’d find at Noodlecat). A cooler of imported sodas and a numbered menu add to Otani’s dine-in experience. It might not have the luster of a James Beard award-winning chef, but Otani’s bowl is full of tasty options for downtown noodle lovers. 234 Euclid Ave. Cleveland, 216-762-1815, otaninoodle.com