Published July 31, 2023, in my Medium column:
When international fellow dining judge friends are asking me about tiny Noodle In A Haystack in my city of San Francisco, I pay attention. I was already curious but skeptical about the pricey ($185 extended menu, $130 weeknight menu) cult ramen pop-up, opened by husband-wife duo Yoko and Clint Tan in spring 2022 as their first brick-and-mortar. It’s looks abandoned: an unmarked corner space with covered-up windows and a 10-seat counter in the Inner Richmond…
![](https://theperfectspotsf.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Yoko-Tan-straining-noodles-at-Noodle-in-a-Haystack-Copyright-Virginia-Miller.jpg)
![](https://theperfectspotsf.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Noodle-in-a-Haystack-ramen-Copyright-Virginia-Miller.jpg)
![](https://theperfectspotsf.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Noodle-in-a-Haystack-A5-and-milk-bread-doughnut-Copyright-Virginia-Miller.jpg)
![](https://theperfectspotsf.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Noodle-in-a-Haystack-caviar-financier-Copyright-Virginia-Miller.jpg)