{"id":422417,"date":"2026-10-08T17:28:10","date_gmt":"2026-10-08T17:28:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/422417\/"},"modified":"2026-10-08T17:28:10","modified_gmt":"2026-10-08T17:28:10","slug":"chef-sonny-nguyen-announces-soft-opening-for-udon-fifty","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/422417\/","title":{"rendered":"Chef Sonny Nguyen announces soft opening for Udon Fifty"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s been six years in the making, says Sean \u201cSonny\u201d Nguyen of Udon Fifty, the intimate newcomer to his Small Food Group Family<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The concept, initially planned as a pop-up inside Tori Tori for March 2020, was thwarted by the pandemic. This week, as Nguyen tore the paper and plastic off the windows at 1222 E. Colonial Drive in Orlando\u2019s Mills 50 district, his long-held secret was finally out.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt feels good!\u201d Nguyen told the Orlando Sentinel.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been working in a dungeon,\u201d he joked. \u201cWe didn\u2019t know when it rained or when the sun was shining,\u201d and after the announcement \u2014 Udon Fifty will begin welcoming customers, first-come, first-served, on Oct. 22 \u2014 seeing natural light in the space felt cleansing, exciting.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s nice.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Compared to Nguyen\u2019s other efforts (including\u00a0Domu<\/a>,\u00a0Tori Tori<\/a>,\u00a0Edoboy<\/a>,\u00a0Gyukatsu Rose,<\/a>\u00a0and Rion\u2019s Ocean Room<\/a>), Udon Fifty will start with just 10 seats. Nguyen projects that it could grow to 18 by the end of soft opening.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen this space, the former Dochi on Colonial and Mills, came up, I jumped on it. Just because I\u2019ve been into smaller spaces as I\u2019ve gotten older, and this was perfect for what I was trying to accomplish.\u201d<\/p>\n

Over the past year, the team has worked to update not only the venue itself, but the recipes, \u201cevolving the flavors through the experience of the past few years to our current palates. We didn\u2019t want to announce it as a \u2018coming soon.\u2019 We wanted people to be able to hear about it and be able to come try it immediately.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"PicturedPictured here at the 2024 Ramen Rumble at Morimoto Asia in Disney Springs, chef Sonny Nguyen’s newest culinary effort, Udon Fifty, will feature housemade udon noodles. (Stephen M. Dowell\/Orlando Sentinel)<\/p>\n

Udon Fifty\u2019s menu, designed so that guests can get in and out quickly, will center on Kanto-style udon, which hails from Eastern Japan.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a soy sauce-based, umami-based udon, versus Kansai from the West, which is lighter and focuses more on the dashi,\u201d Nguyen explains.<\/p>\n

Udon Fifty\u2019s dark broth will be complemented by housemade noodles and tempura that\u2019s lacquered with a proprietary blend.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve balanced three different flours, figuring out a ratio we\u2019re happy with to deliver the texture we wanted, and a blend of oils that will accent the tempura, as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The menu will be split into hot and cold udon varieties with a series of add-ons. Five sides will accent the entrees, and everything will be served together \u2014 no appetizers \u2014 to keep things moving quickly. A selection of beer, wine and sake will also be available, and soon Michelin-awarded bartender Justin Levaughn of Otto\u2019s High Dive will contribute his expertise with two sake cocktails that will rotate seasonally or biannually.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s excited to hop onto the team and keep things interesting for us,\u201d says Nguyen, who\u2019s happy to have him on board.<\/p>\n

Modern twists \u2014 \u201ca carbonara with a bunch of egg yolks and Romano cheese \u2026 a tofu espuma-topped mapo tofu bowl\u201d \u2014 will round out the options.<\/p>\n

To start, Udon Fifty will be open Thursday and Friday (4-9 p.m.) and Saturday and Sunday (12-3 p.m. and 4-9 p.m. with an hour break between). Dishes will range from $12 to $19, not including add-ons.<\/p>\n

For Nguyen, it\u2019s a long time coming and extra meaningful. At just 5 years old, his earliest professional dream was to open \u201cSean\u2019s Famous Noodles\u201d in the state where his parents landed after leaving Vietnam in the 1980s, picking oranges in local groves and working in Winter Haven kitchens before opening three Chinese buffets and an American-style steakhouse.<\/p>\n

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Nguyen is a product of their American dream, which helped inspire his own.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re turning 10 this year,\u201d he said of his still-growing company. \u201cBeing in business that long, representing Orlando and all the support the community has given me means a lot\u2026 I hope that people will accept and like this concept as they have our others. It\u2019s a passion project for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

Find me on Facebook, TikTok, Twitter or Instagram\u00a0@amydroo<\/a>\u00a0or on the OSFoodie Instagram account\u00a0@orlando.foodie<\/a>. Email:\u00a0amthompson@orlandosentinel.com<\/a>, For more foodie fun, join the\u00a0Let\u2019s Eat, Orlando Facebook group<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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