Tanuki Udon (たぬきうどん)

Tempura crumbs look like a garnish until they meet hot dashi. Then they become the point. Tanuki udon is a quick bowl, but it isn't careless: clear broth, thick noodles, scallion, and tenkasu, the little golden bits of tempura batter that soften at the edges while the top stays crisp for a few bites.

The one detail that decides it is timing. Keep the tenkasu dry and add it at the last moment, because it should drink the broth in front of you, not die in the pot while you answer the telephone. The dashi does the quiet work underneath, konbu for depth and katsuobushi for lift, seasoned with soy and mirin so the soup is strong enough to meet the noodles without turning heavy.

In Tokyo, this is the tanuki most people expect. In Osaka, the same word may point to aburaage, sweet fried tofu, while the tempura-crumb bowl can be called haikara. Same name, different counter. Read the room you are in, and when cooking at home, name the topping plainly. That's how honmono stays friendly rather than precious.