Mentoan
A Nara specialty udon restaurant, about 4 minutes walk from Kintetsu Nara Station. The owner's invention, kinchaku kitsune udon, features udon noodles stuffed inside a large piece of fried tofu pouch, which has become a Nara local icon. The owner trained in Japan's three major udon regions. 420 Tabelog reviews and TripAdvisor 4.3.
Praised as a must-visit when in Nara, with authentic taste beyond just visual novelty. Sells out quickly, so arriving early is essential. Listed as an official spot by the Nara City Tourism Association. Popular with tourists but also has local repeat customers.