Whether you’ve been to the original hibachi chain or your local variant, nothing is devoured as fast as the steaming noodles piled onto your plate straight from the flat top. And while waiting for this meal makes it feel more special, being able to make them at home doesn’t diminish the noodles in any way. Case and point — these Hibachi Noodles. This stovetop version mimics the seared flavors of the restaurant version with the help of a quick and flavorful sauce!

When it came to eating at a supposed exotic restaurant, people in the 1960s and 1970s wanted to eat in a different atmosphere without actually having to eat unfamiliar foods. The initial menu of the hibachi restaurant Benihana had the feeling of exoticism without being unfamiliar to the American palette. Things like the ever so popular mid-century restaurant favorite onion au gratin a la Japanese (also known as French onion soup) and sirloin steak were examples of how carefully the menu was crafted to appeal to customers. The minimalist natural wood interior and in-front cooking experience were exotic without going overboard. Despite being as neutral to Americans as possible, the business didn’t start out with success. It wasn’t until Clementine Paddleford, a food critic writing for the New York Herald, gave the restaurant a good review that changed the course of the owner Rocky Aoki’s risky venture. The initial six months of struggle disappeared against the wave of reservations that flooded in.

Where hibachi noodles fit into the initial menu of American hibachi is hard to say, as it doesn’t appear in the initial 1960s or 1970s menus, but the noodles seemed to have wiggled into the menus in the 80s and 90s and stayed ever since. These noodles are simple but packed with rich and complex flavors. What gives the noodles their unique taste is the sauce. A mixture of soy sauce, sesame oil, light brown sugar, garlic, and ginger are whisked together.

Once you melt the butter in the pan, toss in the noodles and cook them on a medium-high to high heat. The heat and butter will brown the noodles slightly, giving them that sear that you’d find on a hibachi flat top.

Next, the sauce gets poured in and mixed to combine.

When the sauce and noodles have cooked for a few minutes together, the noodles are ready to eat.

Garnished with sesame seeds, these noodles have an earthy and complex kick of flavor.

There’s a slight sweetness from the light brown sugar, but it’s balanced by the soy sauce, garlic, and ginger.

Served alongside your favorite protein, gives you a restaurant taste any time of the week!