Sesame Somen Noodles with Shiitake Mushrooms from Brewery Gulch Inn
The Brewery Gulch Inn has consistently ranked among the top resort hotels in the world. From its perch atop a windswept bluff overlooking the rugged Mendocino coast, the inn has developed a reputation for its attention to detail, locally sourced cuisine, and contemporary Craftsman style.
The heart and soul of the inn is an enormous great room that opens out to peaceful Smuggler’s Cove. Decorated with overstuffed Stickley-style furniture and anchored by an iconic, four-sided glass and steel fireplace, the stunning great room is often guests’ first introduction to the inn’s coastal Zen vibe.
Focused on natural and organic ingredients, the inn’s culinary offerings are drawn primarily from local farmers and purveyors. That includes free-range poultry, pasture-raised livestock, and wild-caught fish. During mushroom season, local foragers even stop by the inn’s kitchen door with the freshest bounty from nearby forests. A seasonal, cooked-to-order breakfast—enjoyed en suite or in the light-filled great room—begins the day at the inn. Then, each evening the inn delivers a selection of appetizers to each room, tailored by the chef to each guest’s dietary restrictions. The appetizers are presented in room-specific “Mendo boxes” (a local take on the traditional Japanese bento box), hand-crafted from the eco-salvaged redwood used to build the inn. Inside are generous helpings of finely tuned dishes that wouldn’t look out of place on the menu of a Michelin-starred restaurant. In fact, the Mendo box appetizers are so ample and elevated that many guests end up canceling their dinner reservations in town.
The nod to Japanese culture and sensibilities is not by accident. The American Arts and Crafts Movement—from which the inn takes its design inspiration—embraced simplicity and fine craftsmanship, so it’s no surprise that Japanese-inspired design was a common theme. The movement also emphasized raw natural materials and designs inspired by nature; exactly what one expects from an upscale inn overlooking the coast and surrounded by forest.
One of the dishes that the inn has included in its evening selections over the years is a Japanese noodle dish with a mild yet tangy sauce. It’s the perfect dish for entertaining, thanks to its intoxicating flavor, simple preparation, and incredible versatility. The recipe features Somen—thin, stretched noodles that originated in China during the Tang Dynasty. Introduced to Japan in the 8th century, the noodles evolved to become high-class Japanese cuisine often served to emperors and nobles. As is the case with this recipe, Somen noodles are often served at room temperature or chilled, making them perfect for summer entertaining.
This recipe was first created many years ago by the Brewery Gulch Inn’s former executive chef Rick Anderson, who was inspired by a spicier version from his days at Louie’s Backyard in Key West. While the Brewery Gulch Inn version still has a hint of heat, its perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and spicy is a bit more subtle and crowd-friendly. The recipe is extremely plant-forward, but to make it unquestionably vegan, the honey can be swapped with another sweetener. It can also be made gluten-free by using rice-based noodles and by substituting tamari for the soy sauce.
Sesame Somen Noodles with Shiitake Mushrooms
Courtesy of Brewery Gulch Inn
Makes 4 to 5 servings
Ingredients
- 6 ounces dried Somen noodles*
- 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (for the dressing)
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (for sauteing the mushrooms)
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons shoyo or soy sauce
- ½ cup chopped scallions
- ¼ cup honey
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1 ½ teaspoons sambal paste or sriracha*
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
Directions
Cook the Somen noodles in salted water according to package directions, then strain them. Remove the stems from the shiitake mushrooms, then cut them into strips. Sauté the mushrooms in two tablespoons of oil for one minute. In a large bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients. Toss the noodles and shiitake mushrooms with the dressing and serve at room temperature.
*Somen noodles can be found in Asian grocery stores or online or can be substituted with a similar noodle (very thin, stretched noodles). Sambal paste and siracha sauce can be found in any major grocery store, on the international or Asian food aisle.