Noodle in a Haystack

What a cool experience! Got a reservation here thanks to a friend and we went on a Tuesday night! Good:- The place was so cute! I liked that it was a hole in the wall place- Super nice staff, definitely a labor of love- Liked the mini wine pairing, wasn't too much and it did complement each dish well - Each course was so pretty and made in front of us - my favorites were the Amish chicken and the desert pancake was very tasty. The noodles had good texture! Everything was worth eating, no dish wasn't great. Bad:- Expensive! Overall enjoyed this 3 hour experience and it was worth every moment

Tl:Dr - Inspired high-end Japanese cooking in an intimate and friendly setting. While this humble duo has the gift, there are still some rough edges brought by their limited space. Ultimately though if you see this for what it is, you'll overlook much of it for the sheer love in what they cook. If you can get in without too much trouble, go do it. Ah yes, the infamous Noodle in a Haystack. Truth be told I have no clue what the craziness is all about with the reservations, it took me 2 weeks to find one. I'm usually not the lucky one, but maybe this time?I had heard murmers about Clint and Yoko Tan most of the year from some fellow foodies describing a Holy Grail of ramen in an infinitely intimate space that nobody could get into, so if you are like me, don't get all caught up in the hype or else I feel like you are setting too much expectation for this place. The space itself occupies an unassuming corner on Geary, very nondescript. Once you enter it's contemporary, simple, and clean, nothing fancy. There was 9 of us in the space for my dinner which was a sake + menu pairing, so noise can be an issue at times but Clint, who does most of the talking, does his best to present the courses and explain their process. He gets a little drowned out though at times.He may disagree, but I think he has most of the fun behind the counter watching us eat rather than talking, you can tell he loves what he does. Yoko, with her warm smiles, is more quiet, but you can tell by her exacting hands she has an indelible presence throughout the courses. The first course, which I'd say was one of my favorites, was a perfect bite of what I believe was a financier with smoked soy and caviar. It's one of their signatures, and was one of the few courses that paired perfectly with the beverage they offered. The main appetizers were all very good, with some standouts to me being the play on chawanmushi with some absolutely rocking prawns. I'm not usually a fan of these dishes but the subtle heat really brought out some great flavors. Additionally the pickle course was quite delicious and unique in texture. The ramen main course, a Chintan specialty with Amish chicken they flew out to use, while sounding kind of cheesy, they should fly the Amish out instead because that chasu was unlike anything I'd ever had here or abroad. Tender, plump, bursting with flavor. The broth did well with the spicy kicker they included but I feel they could have packed more flavor into it. They held back on that, probably to not overshadow the delicate flavors of the broth. The first course of the desert menu was a palate cleanser, nothing major. It lured you into lowering the bar so they could smash it with an absolutely mind blowing coffee-infused basque cheesecake that I would eat a metric ton of. Rich, creamy, incredibly balanced and with the paired sake, a masterpiece. This was the second dish perfectly paired with the beverage offering and in my opinion my favorite of the night.Now in the spirit of improvement, I would say I did not feel they had been doing beverage pairings often, because a lot of it, in particular the grenache, did not quite go well with some of these dishes. Furthermore the best parings were sake, which unfortunately were 2 of the 5 or so pairings I had. I can't say I wasn't a little bummed as there was no mention of wine being paired, so if you are coming expecting all sake, prepare to be let down there. Additionally, a lot of the service is quite informal, which is to be expected in a small space. They are doing their best but the second course actually completely tipped over when presented to my wife, giving them both a small heart attack. Luckily it all stayed in there, nothing was spilt, but it underscores their need for a little more organization. This is like dining at a friend's house more than any fine dining though, so you have to go in understanding that. I had to give it some thought because while I first came into this with a 4/5 feeling, a lot of their overall menu I think was executed well and given the space, who they are, their obvious love of cooking, and the nourishment I truly felt after that meal, I can't bring myself not to give them 5 stars. The last time I felt truly nourished like that was at Atelier Crenn, which honestly shared a lot of flavors with them across the clever uses of roe, caviar, and fish-based umami. Given this is less than half that price, there's value here to be found. All-in-all they are a wonderful couple, creating truly unique and memorable food and they are doing something out of pure love of that food, which is more than I can say for many of the Michelin starred restaurants I hold them next to. They can definitely refine this concept they are building, and should perhaps work with a formal Kikisake-Shi to get the pairings improved. Beyond that, my wife and I would happily return before they raise the prices (and you should!).Many thanks to the Tan family.

I don't know how I haven't reviewed Noodle in a Haystack yet !! This is my 4th or 5th time dining here and I haven't had a single dish I haven't like. Yoko and Clint have a beautiful restaurant and deliver amazing food that they have put a ton of thought and effort into. For those of you who haven't been dining here is always a preset menu. Usually 5-10 courses depending on which menu you sign up for (they use to have a nonextended dining menu but I think now it's just extended v sake pairing). Reservations are incredibly hard to get. Try to get onto tock a few minutes before 9pm on the second Sunday and if you don't get a spot then just do waitlist and cross your fingers. The menu changes constantly but usually there is always the starting frangipane by yoko, homemade pickled something (this time was daikon and then a kimchi inspired persimmon pickle), some type of wagyu dish - this time featured a wagyu tartar with the most amazing smoked pickles that tasted like bacon. Also there is usually some variation of 2 ramen- this time we had the egg carbonara but it had a shrimp broth oil that elevated this dish to a higher level than it was in the past- and that was already amazing. The broth ramen this time might actually be my favorite so far - it's a take on hainan chicken with a sambal side sauce. The two different noodle dishes featured different noodles that suited the dish perfectly. This is a very intimate dining experience where you get to chat with the owners/chefs/creators and get to eat incredible, thoughtful, innovative, delicious food. I would recommend everyone dine at least once here.

This omakase was an intimate 10 person experience that was close to 3 hours with the owner explaining each menu item to us before serving it with a wine/sake pairing. Ambiance was cozy and friendly. I really enjoy how small it was and the thought that went into the food. Service was excellent and attentive. Everything was delicious; some standouts for me was the cold ramen with spot prawns and uni sauce; hot hainan chicken ramen noodle soup, and the Crab Chawanmushi. Two of my favorite pairings were the melon sake and world peace sake; both were fragrant and smooth. This exclusive experience is worth the wait, hype and price. Highly recommend trying if you can get a reservation!

The best dining experience in San Francisco right now!Is your internet fast enough to grab a coveted reservation on Tock.com right when it comes out?The food is spectacular, the atmosphere is simple, and the chats with the owners are priceless. Every bite was flavorful. Every sake/wine sip complemented the textures of flavors so well. Clint and Yoko and passionate and good and what they do and it's really the conversations you have with them that make the meal even more special.1000% recommend!

This restaurant is the epitome of the idea that constraint breeds creativity. It's a small Japanese restaurant with no stove and no grill and 12 seats available three nights a week that are nearly impossible to get. But after 4 months of setting a calendar invite and signing onto Tock at the right time, my wife was excited to report that she had scored a reservation for last Tuesday evening.This is a complete dining experience. You get to talk to the chefs (a husband and wife team) and their helpers and watch as they carefully prepare and assemble the food before it is served to you. They are so purposeful and efficient in their actions - whether it's placing a single shred of greenery atop a perfect dollop of caviar, mixing a quick cucumber pickle with a deft stirring motion, or lovingly laying ramen into a bowl of broth.Clint and Yoko put their own spin on things, humbly stating that they are just trying to make things that they themselves would like to eat. The flavors and dishes are familiar but combined in interesting and subtle ways - for example the chawanmushi (egg custard) is combined with the flavors of hot and sour soup with the result being an incredibly warm and comforting dish. The Yakiniku Tartare includes pickled daikon and egg yolk, served on a delicate rice cracker, bringing together lots of exciting textures and flavors. Everything is amazing, and the noodles are the star of the show. The first noodle dish was a creamy, umami-packed take on carbonara, and the ramen of the night was a Shio Butter Clam Ramen, featuring two seafood broths and a clam butter along with sous vide pork and charred corn. Loved the desserts as well - a refreshing shaved ice atop "almond tofu" and a lovely, light dorayaki bursting with flavor and texture.Could not recommend this place more. We were here for nearly three hours and the time flew by! We put our regular date nights on pause a few months ago, so this was a lovely way to get some time together on our own.

This is *the* hardest reservation to score in San Francisco. Located in a nondescript building in the Inner Richmond, Noodle in a Haystack is serving up a $195 ramen tasting menu. Husband and wife duo Clint and Yoko were finalists in the World Ramen Grand Prix in Tokyo, which inspired them to start their business in San Francisco, quickly earning its spot as one of the top new restaurants in the country. They insert ingredients from their ramen to each dish of the 8-course tasting menu. We started with a crispy golden financier topped with caviar and smoked shoyu creme fraiche, followed by a chawanmushi, or savory egg custard, with ingredients like Dungeness crab dashi gravy, Hokkaido Uni & Scallop. The chilled A5 wagyu tan tan men was incredibly refreshing from the cold house-made noodles and dashi, yet rich in flavor from the wagyu butter and mala. Next, a tender black cod and Japanese pickles before the climax of the tasting menu- a piping hot bowl of ramen that they rotate out every couple months. This is a hainanese chicken inspired shio ramen, with perfectly chewy housemade noodles in a translucent salt-seasoned broth. We finished strong with a refreshing Yuzu shaved ice, and Shoyu honey mirin Japanese pancake. You absolutely need to go for a special occasion or a nice night out!

Dinner review. Japanese (non-traditional) tasting menu.Winter / Early Spring Extended Menu(Highlight) FinancierTsar Nicoulai Golden Reserve Caviar, Smoked shoyu crème fraîche(Highlight) ChawanmushiDungeness crab dashi gravy, Hokkaido Uni & Scallop, Garlic Brown butter, Shio tare, Mountain Yam, Mitsuba(Best. Awesome.) Chilled A5 Wagyu Tan Tan MenJapanese sesame tare, A5 Wagyu "butter," Ramp Vinegar, Mala, Dashi, A5 Hokkaido Wagyu StriploinBlack CodSteam roasted Black Cod, Japanese Sea Bream dashi, Blood Orange Olive oil, ChivesTsukemonoPickles of the Day(Highlight) Hainan Chicken Shio8 hr Whole chicken & Pi water broth, 5 fish dashi, Shio Tare, Ginger scallion schmaltz, "Hainan Chicken" Roulade, 3 day cured jidori egg, Tokyo Negi, Aged onion, Micro cilantroAnnin KakigoriYuzu shaved ice, "Almond tofu", Kiwi preserveDorayakiShoyu honey mirin pancake, Burnt caramel, Chantilly, Salted brown butter crumbleOverall, "as good as it gets."

A gem that delivers big on taste and heart. The chefs / couple are clearly talented and very passionate about what they serve. The deviled egg was a great starter. The Chawanmushi steamed egg was one of my personal favorites, topped with their homemade XO sauce. No surprise the ramen stole the show -- balanced and noodles were perfection. It was inspiring hearing their story and I hope to be back soon to taste what's next.

Added this restaurant to my bookmark after seeing such high praise from the infatuation. It's definitely a once in a lifetime experience if you're lucky enough to experience because this is the hardest reservation to get in the city right now - but absolutely worth it. We were able to score a sake pairing reservation after 3 months of setting alarms and attempting to catch a reservation as soon as the opened and were so excited for this omakase style ramen tasting menu. The exterior is a little unsuspecting but just get to the address and you'll see other people waiting around for opening and know you're in the right area. The space is minimal and seats only about 12 which is why it's so hard to catch a reservation. The food and sake absolutely amazing but what I loved more than just what we ate is being able to be in an intimate setting with the chefs to directly talk to them and hear about their thoughts behind their creations, their journey and getting to know them personally. It's hard to pick favorites when everything hits but for me the wagyu sandwich and the dessert coffee infused cheesecake were definitely standouts!