Nudo House Takeaway. Ramen when you want it. 8.1 / 10 ramen that totally hits the spot. The egg melts in your mouth as the spicy saltiness of the broth coats your lips. The pork adds a deeper, meaty flavor as you take in the relish and sprouts. Just a rocking good ramen.
But, it's more expensive than making it at home, at $17 all-in for lunch. I have higher standards for ramen because you can make particularly good ramen at home for $3, assuming you've collected the necessary ingredients. Nudo is better than my homemade concoction.
Service isn't speedy. I was the first one in the restaurant on a Tuesday at 11 am, but it took them 15 minutes to bring me the steaming hot bowl of ramen. The restaurant has trendy vibes without being hip. You order at the front, and they bring you your food. Parking is ample at this location and the one on Delmar in the Loop.
Nudo House Experience Summary
As is my standard operating procedure for the past nine years after having children, I was awake at 1 am.
But tonight (today?) was different.
Instead of putting on a podcast in an attempt to go to sleep quicker, I ventured to YouTube shorts land. It was there that the ramen gods visited me. Instant ramen hack after delicious instant ramen hack landed in my feed.
So then and there, at approximately 1:30 am, I decided today would be a ramen day.
Nudo opened the earliest at 11 am, so I was there when the doors opened.
I have been to Nudo twice before during my time in St. Louis, but not since I started the blog. The space on Olive is very similar to their space on Delmar - neon red accents modern black, wood, and white trims.
Most importantly, it's quality ramen I knew I could count on to meet my early morning fever dream.
After ordering and waiting about 15 minutes, they brought forth my steaming hot bowl of dreams. Rich yellow noodles, an over-medium egg, three pieces of pork, and a gorgeous miso, spicy cream broth stood before me.
After one bite, everything in the world felt as it should.
Now, does Nudo have some drawbacks? Sure. Most notably, its $17 price tag is about 4-5x more than making my own at home, but I was happy to pay the taste tax today for the real deal.
The Food At Nudo
I go to Nudo for ramen.
You could go to Nudo for Banh Mi, pho, or not ramen.
But you should go for ramen.
I've had Classic, O'Miso Spicy, and Tantanmen. Much like Goldilocks, my taste buds favorite the middle ground here with the O'Miso Spicy. It has the right blend of spice to numb your tongue without the unpleasantness of higher spice levels.
Overall, I give the ramen an 8.1 / 10 on my Asian food scale. Compare that to Menya Rui, which comes in closer to 8.9 / 10.
I've had ramen all over the West Coast, from LA to SF, and East Coast, from DC to Boston. Nudo stands toe-to-toe with any hole in the wall you'd find in a major city but doesn't quite stand with the big, big boys.
That's not a knock. The ramen is great. It's just not the best.
You can tell it's not quite the best because the egg was my favorite part of the experience. Creamy and flavorful, with a delightful marinade, it melts in your mouth. The egg's fatiness pairs well with the spice and keeps everything in your mouth calm.
However, the best part of ramen should be the broth, and Nudo falls a bit short on that front. Again, you'll enjoy the ramen, but Menya Rui offers a more hearty, full-mouth experience than Nudo on the broth front.
Will I come back to Nudo? Absolutely. Will I bring my in-laws here from town? Probably not.
It's degrees of deliciousness.
Nudo Atmosphere And Miscellaneous
Nudo has a clean, modern aesthetic. A black ceiling combined with a concrete floor lined with red and white accented chairs gives the feeling of being in a futuristic setting.
With delicious noodles, of course.
You place your order at the front in a single register. It can get a bit backed up when a rush comes in, so it's best to order ahead online if you can.
After you order, you take a seat and wait for your food. I didn't get a number. They just called out my name when the food was ready. It took a good fifteen minutes plus from the time I ordered until the time I got my food. For being the first one in the restaurant, your time will probably only be longer.
The setting in the Loop has a similar feel.
Parking At Nudo
Parking at the Olive location I visited in Creve Coeur is easy. They're part of Dierberg's parking lot, so there are spaces for days.
If you visit the location on Delmar, you might need to park in one of the Northern parking lots if you can't find street parking.
Nudo House Receipt
