Yagi Noodles
Y agi comes at comfort in a whole different way . Half Japanese noodle bar , half surf shop , this Zen eatery believes nirvana is a nightly endeavor attained through dinner . Outfitted in planks of wood , the space is punctuated with lush green plants and an AstroTurf wall that reminds you in neon lights to “ get your nood on .” Servers in Hawaiian shirts speak as passionately about broth as they do about booze , persuading diners into ordering the dish they overlooked .
It ’ s an “ all are welcome ” vibe that is as evident in the aesthetics — Pride flags overhead and plush pillows lining the banquette — as it is in the menu . Most cocktails are sake-based and all are a fine-tuned balance between vibrant fruit juices and dry rice wine . Likewise , the menu is seasonally dependent and hits the slim sweet spot between Japanese delicacy and American audacity . Piles of french fries are served with gochujang ketchup , kewpie mayo and shredded char siu pork ($ 8 ); baby back ribs are slowroasted with lemongrass ($ 12 ); tomatoes are tossed with nori and shiso ($ 12 ). Squash blossoms stuffed with Rangoon filling ($ 4 each ) are the sleeper dish , though : Fried in glassine tempura batter and served with chili sauce , they ’ re an artful update that only gains in translation .
There are also plenty of riffs when it comes to ramen ($ 16 –$ 18 ). Broths are classic — spicy miso , rich pork , mushroom dashi — but the bowls are accentuated with seasonal corn , sugar pie pumpkins and local lobster . If the taste is traditional , the texture is just innovative enough to appeal to a crowd that ranges from college students to parents toting toddlers . And
though a steaming bowl of simmered stock filled with fried onions and kimchee may prove challenging to those just learning to use chopsticks , Yagi ’ s array of steamed buns easily speaks to the primary school crowd . They ’ re also the most alluring bar food in Newport . There are old school versions — tempura cauliflower and spice fried chicken — but sake is the perfect partner for the cold lobster roll ($ 8 ) or a one-time special like the fried halibut with guacamole , mango and jalapeño . They may be four bites big , but they redefine the New England fish sandwich , euphorically .
Bar dwellers will leave it at that ; maybe they ’ ll work their way through a compelling bottles list that includes rice lagers , cranberry ciders and some downright gnarly sours . But desserts are unexpectedly artistic at Yagi . Blackout cake with Vietnamese coffee cream is a Hostess lover ’ s dream ($ 13 ) but the yuzu semifreddo ($ 12 ), served on a disc of shortbread with candied ginger , caramelized nuts and a pool of lime caramel , is a superb international ice cream sandwich . It may be a bit of a surprise to find such a pacifying hearth — in a Japanese restaurant down in Newport — but it has all the markers of home-cooking , as well as all the rewards of travel . �
YAGI NOODLES
580 Thames St ., Newport , 324-5669 , yaginoodles . com .
Open Tues .– Sat . for dinner . Limited lot parking .
MUST GET Squash blossom rangoons , steamed buns , ramen .
94 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l DECEMBER 2021