It's the latest obsession on Capitol Hill: Boom Noodle.

"In Japan today, there is a phrase for whatever you are currently fascinated with. They say, 'It's my boom,'" says executive chef Jonathan Hunt.

The same group who brought us Blue-C Sushi is hoping Boom Noodle will be Seattle's next big thing.

"I think it's very rare and most times presumptuous that you can make a stamp on a big city food scene. I felt like with this concept, we had that opportunity," says Jonathan.

Before getting his Boom on in the Pike-Pine corridor, Jonathan was half of Seattle's premier caterering team, Lowell-Hunt.

"I did it for 12 years. It was certainly the most significant, you know, best experience to this date for me. It was a big deal."

It was after the duo disbanded in 2006 that Jonathan got a call from the Boom Noodle guys.

"So, I set out to learn absolutely as much as I could about Japanese noodles and cuisine."

He did it with the help of head chef Satoru Sugitani.

"I invite people to come into Boom Noodle and sit down with Satoru and ask him about Tokyo and the ramen shops that he worked in. It's quite amazing."

As the name suggests, the menu's focus is on noodles.

"Whether it be ramen or udon noodle or soba noodle, we wanted that to kind of be the highlight of the restaurant."

...which is mirrored after the noodle shops in Japan.

"The idea that you go in and you get this great fresh bowl of noodles and soup and you slurp it down and then you're on your way back to work or wherever you may be going."

And if you're not in a rush, there's a long list of small plates which are a nice mix of the traditional and familiar.

"A perfect example is the curry potato korokke. Fried potato I think is friendly for anybody, but in Japan it wouldn't necessarily come with ginger creme fraiche."

The energy of a packed Boom Noodle, with its communal tables and industrial-chic design, is palpable. Noodles, apparently, are a good time.

"Noodles are fun. I've talked to many Japanese people that say ramen and noodles makes us happy. That's why they're so serious about it; that's why they're so fanatical about it."

Jonathan predicts Seattleites will eventually feel the same way.

"I think people in the next 10 years are going to very much be exposed to the greatness of Japanese noodles."

Places Jonathan likes to Go Eat!: Lark, Cafe Presse, Le Pichet, Rover's, Campagne, Cafe Juanita, Harvest Vine

For more information:

http://boomnoodle.com/