My mom lives in West LA, and I periodically drop by with Japanese food from her area. We both enjoy Japanese curry, and throughout the years, we have enjoyed curry dishes from restaurants in West LA that no longer exist. I was happy to learn about Menya Tigre, a restaurant serving curry ramen.
Menya Tigre took over the space where Menya Musashi resided on Sawtelle Ave. As I remembered it, the interior was set up much like a sushi bar with a chef’s station surrounded by bar seating. They built out a covered patio in front to accommodate outdoor dining.
The owner wasn’t present that day, but they are optimistic and forward-leaning. In Japanese, menya means “noodle shop,” and in Spanish, tigre means tiger. According to my server, he named it that way because 2022 is the Year of the Tiger. They expect to weather the pandemic and be open in 2022.
Curry udon is available at many Japanese restaurants in LA, but Menya Tigre appears to be the only restaurant that serves curry ramen. They also feature tsukemen, where the ramen broth is served on the side as a dipping sauce, or keema, an Indian-style dry noodle dish with ground beef. Interestingly, the addition of pico de gallo makes this a fusion offering.
The curry broth is thick and full of flavor. Upon seeing their noodles, I initially thought they were udon noodles due to their thickness. They are chewy in texture, and the curry sauce naturally adheres to the wide surface. Toppings such as a soft boiled egg, chashu, bamboo shoots, and wild ear mushrooms are available at an additional cost.
Sawtelle Ave has metered parking, but it is often difficult to find a space. What makes it more difficult is the fact that adjacent residential streets are designated as permit parking only. You can park in the underground lot located on La Grange just east of Sawtelle if you are desperate. The weekend price is currently $5.
Menya Tigre, 2012 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025; 310.231.9290; tigre-la.com