This new noodle bar on the MS Coast serves hot ramen with a fun vibe. Here’s my review
Long Beach now has noods.
William Rester noted the lack of a noodle scene on the west side of the Mississippi Coast and has since brought Kaiteki Noodle Bar to downtown Long Beach.
The restaurant, opened by Rester in late spring, features a menu packed with ramen bowls, cocktails and more.
The building itself sets a scene that blends the traditional with the modern along its place on Jeff Davis Avenue across the street from City Hall.
Thin strips of wood paneling backdrop a striking neon sign brandishing the restaurant’s name at the back of the dining room.
Pop art featuring colorful mushrooms dress the sky-blue walls. Red chairs surround the wooden tables. The lights give off a soft yellow glow, with fixtures alternating along the ceiling between simple bulbs and star-bursting lamps.
An arcade machine sits in the corner. It’s a relaxing setting that still promotes and welcomes a fun atmosphere.
There’s even a cozy outdoor patio lined with garden boxes. But on this chilly Halloween evening, I was taking my spooky noods to-go.
It was imperative I get these to my wife. As still-recent college grads, we consider ourselves experts in the field of ramen. We often threw together our own concoctions from what we had in our kitchen.
But this was a step up from Cajun seasoning and eggs off the stove. We clinked our broth bowls together as a toast and soaked our noodles.
I had the shoyu and the wife had the shio. Her bowl was empty in moments. The shio bowl was stuffed with braised beef and house kimchi. She downed the shio broth in a flash.
The shoyu was pork-based. Two spiced chashu pork slices were topped with nori (seaweed). The noodles in both bowls were flavorful, with notes of garlic and onion.
For an appetizer, we had chicken wings. The well-prepared chicken was a welcome vessel for the smooth sauce, which provided a welcome kick.
Also on the menu were bento boxes for the kids and a create-your-own-bowl option.
If you’re up for something sweet, the mochi is worth a try. It’s a sweet, low-fat rice cake that is a perfect way to end a meal.
There’s something for everyone here at one of the Coast’s newest noodle joints.
This story was originally published November 1, 2023 at 1:02 PM.
