All the flavors, hospitality, and warmth of the south is alive and well at Nanbu Noodle Bar. Although that might seem surprising since they are a Japanese restaurant, your first clue was in their name. Nanbu means southern, after all, pointing to their dedication to blending cultures to create a dining experience to remember.
From the second you walk into their Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, eatery, their quirky décor will sear itself into your mind. The warm glow of the lights, beautiful artwork all around, and homey seat arrangements immediately set the stage for a great meal. Equally inviting is the friendly welcome their staff always sends your way as you waltz through the doors. With that, you’ll just know you will be well taken care of during your visit.
As you slide into your seat and get cozy, your server will come by with menus and icy cold waters. You can browse all their exceptional creations at your leisure, which is sure to take a lot of time with so much to choose from. Once you have your selections pinned down, your server will take them to the kitchen for the chef to pour-over. No matter what you order, you can trust that all their dishes are made with the highest quality ingredients and tender loving care.
Don’t leave without trying their:
Pork Belly Steamed Buns
With their sweet, spicy, and salty flavor profile, it’s no wonder the Pork Belly Steamed Buns bring in people from far and wide. They make their steamed buns using traditional recipes, ingredients, and cooking methods. Then, they fill them up with slices of seared pork belly, radishes, cilantro, and pickled cucumber. A dash of sriracha and hoisin sauce finish it up right.
Assari Veggie Ramen
If you want to skip the meat, there’s no better way to do it than with the Assari Veggie Ramen. This fantastic soup starts with a flavorful broth. To that, they add thinly sliced enoki, bok choy, carrots, bamboo shoots, eggplant, picked beets, cilantro, and scallions. The tofu cubes and nori beautifully complete the dish by bringing all the flavors together.
Nanbu Yaki
When you want Asian fusion delights, set your sights on the Nanbu Yaki, which puts southern flavors front and center. It all begins with Korean BBQ pork shoulder, corn, collard greens, soy egg, and togarashi sautéed in a pan. Then, they add stir-fried noodles, scallions, and cilantro to add even more depth to the dish.
The sips portion of the menu takes up almost as much room as the food. They have Tozai Typhoon hot sake and about a dozen other options if you like it cold. If you prefer something a little different, they also offer draft and bottled beer, white and red wine, and non-alcoholic beverages galore. Their bubble tea is where it’s at, however, as it’s always made to perfection every time you order.
Insider Tips:
– Mondays are a no-go, so get your fill of noodles, pork buns, and their other savory creations before then or plan to wait until Tuesday.
– The indoor dining area can get rather crowded and the music is loud, so opt for a patio seat if you need a quiet place to stretch out.