When we used to go to the Columbia Gyn in Clarksville, we’d end up having lunch at Clarksville Commons across the street. We’re a big fan of a few of the spots inside, such as Anh-mazing Banh Mi and Momo Hub.
The one place we never went to was one of the restaurants in the same shopping center but outside of the commons facility. For years, it was You Pizza and then it became an upscale Italian-Spanish spot called Genova il Sapore d’Italia.
Recently, it was replaced by a place that specializes in ramen (and sushi and Korean fare) – Namu Ramen & Rolls. They call it a Japanese ramen and rolls restaurant and there’s certainly both ramen and sushi, but there are also quite a few Korean dishes on the menu like bulgogi rice bowls.
We went for lunch yesterday and really enjoyed it. Based on photos of Genova il Sapore d’Italia, they kept most of the same decor, but we didn’t come for the ambiance. 😁
First, the portions are enormous. My wife ordered the Dolsot BiBimBap with Bulgogi and I got the Spicy Pork Ramen. We were hungry so we also ordered Dukbokki and some edamame.
The Dukbokki was hot and spicy, deliciously chewy, and the thin fish cakes were perfectly cooked. I don’t know if you can adjust the spiciness but it was on the spicier side if you don’t prefer that.
The portion of edamame was pretty big, I should’ve kept something there for context, and it was cooked well.
The dish to the left are the sides that come with the bibimbap bowl. It’s pickled cucumbers, kimchee, and chopped bok choy.
Here’s the Bulgogi Dolsot BiBimBap:
This bowl was packed with stuff and sizzling like crazy. It’s incredibly hot but that meant the rice was nice and crispy on the bottom. Everything was cooked well and my wife was a huge fan of the fried egg. The only spicy part of this was the kimchee julienned daikon radish at the top of the photo near the spoon.
Here’s my Spicy Pork Ramen:
I love my ramen really hot (temperature) and this was certainly very hot. The broth was well balanced and flavorful, the noodles were chewy but a little on the thinner side, but most everything else in the bowl was great.
The only complaint, and this is minor, is that the egg was fully cooked. I prefer my ramen eggs to be soft(ish)-boiled, about 3-4 minutes, so it has a little gummi-ness to the yolk.
Akira Ramen near the mall does a great job at this and my typical go-to ramen spot, but Namu is slightly closer to where we live plus we like trying out new places.
Overall, big fan of Namu especially given their portions and variety of menu options and we’ll be back to try a few other items. Hope they stick around!