Local artists open Express Yo Noodle ramen spot in downtown Montgomery

Let me check something real quick. Yep, I'm still huge. Still trip over my own feet. I’m definitely not an anime ninja, but at least I’ve finally learned to chow down like one.

Move over Naruto — there’s a new ramen eater in town.

It’s all thanks to a gracious, artistic couple who are bringing people like me into the fold, one bowl at a time — Skye Re Vera and her husband Jeremiah Isaiah, co-owners of Express Yo Noodle in downtown Montgomery. (To me, they’ve become our version of Teuchi Ichiraku, Naruto’s longtime ramen guy.) He's former military and has had to overcome trauma from his past. Cooking is part of how he's learned to cope. She's a muralist, and is giving him wings as they soar together into the world of ramen.

Skye and Jeremiah are running Express Yo Noodle out of 31 S. Court St. If the address is familiar, that’s because by day the location is Cahawba House, downtown’s source for genuine Southern cuisine.

Express Yo Noodle’s normal hours are Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays from 7-10 p.m. Along with eating in, you can order ahead through their QR code, which you’ll find on their social media @expressyonoodle. You can also call them for to go orders at 334-561-3464.

When they’re not serving bowls, you might find them painting. They’ve created wing murals in various places downtown, including the new art space at Valiant Cross, and they have a big art show planned for October. “It was a dream of mine to put wings up in Montgomery,” Skye said.

Want to step up your ramen know-how? Here’s seven things you need to know about Express Yo Noodle:

1. What are the basics of ramen?

Along with noodles, their bowls often have veggies, marinated soft boiled soy eggs, and there can (and should, in my opinion) be meat like chicken or pork. But what ties the whole package together is the rich broth that soaks into everything. Jeremiah said it gives the whole bowl a burst of flavor.

“The broth is always going to be very decadent,” Skye said.

Jeremiah said they use traditional Japanese udon noodles. “It’s thicker. It draws in more of the broth,” he said.

Something you often see on anime ramen is a swirly fish cake called Narutomaki.

“That’s a real thing,” Skye said. “We have that in our bowls.”

2. What kinds of ramen do they serve?

Their menu lists several styles of ramen: Chicken Dot Bomb, Hot Chick Mama Rama, Dorky Oinky Porky, Veggie Dot Ram, Flaming Veggie Dot Ram, Lean Mean Vegan, and Lean Mean Hot Vegan. Bowl prices range from $11 to $16. For a little more, you can get extra egg, meats, veggies, jalapenos, scallions and bean sprouts.

I was able to sample their new pork one, which I highly recommend.

3. How’d they get into Cahawba House?

They have a longtime relationship with Cahawba’s owners, siblings Tim Essary and Tara Essary-Studdard, who offered the building’s use during their off hours. That began in April.

Prior to Cahawba, they offered pop-up service at places like The King’s Canvas, and also worked out of Goat Haus Biergarten for several months.

4. Can you get ramen delivered while getting a drink nearby?

Yes! Along with welcoming guests at the restaurant, they deliver to nearby bars 23 Court and Statesman, both of which have Express Yo Noodle menus.

“We know where you are. We bring your bowl right to you,” Jeremiah said of the bar orders.

Their hours can go later than 10 p.m., depending on demand.

5. What’s the etiquette for eating ramen?

Chopsticks are considered proper eating utensils for ramen. Just pinch the tips together to grab noodles and other solid goodies. You can also swirl noodles around them, or even just skewer your food like a kabob. I tried all those methods. If I can use chopsticks, odds are you can too. However, forks are available.

Fortunately, bowls are also served with large, deep soup spoons. Gotta have that to get the broth, unless you just drink from the bowl. I did pick the bowl up to do that, and Skye said people all over do too — no need to be shy about it.

Jeremiah said people have even asked him to serve up cups of their rich broth. “I gave someone a cup and saw them drinking it like it was coffee,” he said.

Pretty much no matter how you eat your food, it’s fine with Skye and Jeremiah. They just want guests to enjoy it.

“If you pick the noodles up out of the bowl with your fingers, I don’t care,” Jeremiah said. “It’s good. You should just eat it how you want to eat it.”

6. How’d they get into the ramen game?

Years ago while in Tokyo, Jeremiah was treated to ramen at a local shop. Back then he was like me — didn’t know the difference between real ramen and those little instant noodle packets.

“I tried it for the first time,” he said. “It was absolutely amazing. From there, it started my journey of trying ramen at different places.”

Fast forward to Montgomery. Here, he’s been working with Goat Haus Biergarten’s James Weddle on a new beer brewing company. New businesses need funds, and Jeremiah saw the path to making it happen lined with noodles.

“My wife and I have been working on these ramen recipes for quite some time,” he said. “Instead of going out and asking people for money to start this brewery, why don’t we give them something we already have.”

It’s not just about raking in the cash. Skye and Jeremiah give back to organizations like west Montgomery’s art space The King’s Canvas.

“This is kind of our ‘Go Fund Me,’ but in the form of ramen and service,” Jeremiah said.

7. So why’s the place called Express Yo Noodle?

Their business name stems from Jeremiah’s 13-year therapy journey through depression, anxiety and PTSD after serving in the military. “I lost my way a little bit,” he said.

With the help of some generous benefactors, he was able to make a trip to the beach to relax and, of course, check out local ramen and beer spots. Afterwards, Jeremiah’s therapist asked if he’d expressed anything.

“I said I felt like something lit back up. Something came alive in me,” Jeremiah said.

That same feeling goes into every ramen bowl he helps prepare.

“We’re expressing ourselves,” he said. “We’re expressing our noodles.”

Montgomery Advertiser reporter Shannon Heupel covers things to do in the River Region. Contact him at sheupel@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Montgomery's Express Yo Noodle: 7 points from a first-time ramen eater