I tried Mesa's viral udon. This new dish was even better

• It combines hot udon, raw egg and beef. Stir it quickly so the heat from the noodles turns the egg into a silky sauce.
• It's much simpler and more savory than the carbonara and allows the sweet, tender beef to do the talking.

Yes, but: The carbonara udon definitely lives up to the hype. Chewy noodles are coated in egg, Parmesan, butter and pepper, with an enormous piece of bacon tempura on top.

• It's unapologetically rich, so split a bowl or clear the rest of your afternoon.

I also ordered the hamachi crudo and a Coke. The damage was about $70 before tax and tip for two people.

Flashback: The Tokyo-based noodle shop opened its first U.S. location in Mesa's Asian District in May.

The vibe: Shoes come off before diners settle at a horigotatsu, a floor-level Japanese table with recessed legroom, giving the restaurant an intimate feel.

Best bites: I couldn't get enough of the small plate hamachi crudo that came with cool slices of yellowtail sharpened with sanbaizu, lemon zest and sea salt.

• It's bright and briny.

Stop by: Udon Shin is at 138 S. Dobson Road, Suite 108, inside Mekong Plaza. It's closed Mondays.