Restaurant review: UDON Alisios (Gran Canaria)
Love tucking into restaurant reviews? Foodie Matthew Hirtes has lunched and dined at many of Spain’s leading restaurants. In the latest of an ongoing series, he provides a guide to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria’s UDON Alisios.
Restaurant review: UDON Alisios (Gran Canaria)
UDON Alisios….in five tasty morsels
Ambience at UDON Alisios
By virtue of being Gran Canaria’s most recently-opened shopping centre, the cool, open-air CC Alisios still feels positively new and shiny. But this ain’t no shopper writing, rather someone who never fails to take a book when he accompanies his wife on one of her purchasing expeditions; he knows it’s more of a long- rather than short-haul experience. So it’s a joy to escape to Asia through the doors of UDON where a dwarf cherry tree, oriental-style lighting, and beautiful landscape print table mats transport you to the Land of the Rising Sun.
Drink
Estrella Damm cans are available, as are bottles of Ferran Adría’s Inedit Damm. We opted for a more easterly brew in bottled Sapporo (an old favourite of mine as I’ve been eating in Japanese restaurants since my teenage wildlife years), although UDON stock Kirin too. In the absence of a vegan-dessert option other than a fruit salad, I ordered some Sake Kuramoto to round off my meal but you can choose from a wide-ranging selection of beverages both alcoholic and non- including detox juices, ice teas, and wine.
Food
There are three markings for the dishes at UDON: vegetariano, vegano, and picante. As a vegan, I was heartened to see the plant-based options; as a spice lover, I took the third label as an invitation rather than a warning. I started with Gyozas de Verduras, those glorious steamed dumplings-meet-pastries, and followed those pockets of goodness by slurping up my Vegan Ramen with a comfortingly rich vegetable and miso stock in what felt like record time. Whilst my omnivore offspring first feasted on the immaculately-plated Tataki de Salmón and then the Beef Pad Thai which he found satisfyingly crunchy. Dani finished with a Chocolate Cup which resembles a monster munch for chocoholics.
Locale
UDON’s a franchise. But the fact there are only two in the Canary Islands (the other one located in Santa Cruz de Tenerife) makes it feel more like an individual eatery than a chain. It’s great to see CC Alisios offer more on the restaurant front than the usual fast-food suspects.
Price
Cheapskate daters, UDON’s not for you. The various Gyozas which include chicken, pork, and shrimp, along with the aforementioned vegetable ones retail for €5.75 and the Tataki de Salmón €8.45. Whilst the Vegan Ramen will set you back €10.95 and the Beef Pad Thai €11.25. Desserts wise, Dani’s Chocolate Cup sells for €4.75. On the drinks front, a bottle of Sapporo costs €3.90 and jug of Sake Kuramoto, €10.85. UDON can justify these slightly-higher-than-average prices because of their unstinting commitment to sourcing their ingredients locally, as in KM0, and using ecological products in their delicious/nutritious recipes.
Contact UDON Alisios
Main website: http://www.udon.es/
CC Alisios
- Address: GC-308, 15, 35018, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
- Tlf: 928 39 53 89
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Disclaimer: My eldest son and I were invited for a free lunch at UDON Alisios in exchange for a review. However, my wife and I have paid to eat there before. And I’ve returned as a paying customer with my youngest son in tow.
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Matthew Hirtes, our resident broadsheet journalist, moved to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria back in 2004. He’s travelled extensively through Spain, covering it for such publications as Telegraph Travel, Metro, and The Independent. The author of Going Local in Gran Canaria: How To Turn a Holiday Destination into a Home, Matthew truly is a resident expert.
Matthew writes for two sections of Spain Buddy: Moving to Spain and Spanish Football as well as providing Reviews
