Food & Drink

Is Merced really getting a new Japanese noodle spot? It was just a hoax

The noodle shop Instagram page was just part of a “small business project.”
The noodle shop Instagram page was just part of a “small business project.” Screenshot

Merced residents, especially students, might have been excited that a new Japanese noodle spot was going to open at Yosemite Avenue and G Street.

An announcement on Instagram said the restaurant would serve classic Japanese noodle dishes, be open until 2 a.m. and feature quiet spaces for students.

It turns out it was too good to be true. It was just a hoax.

Despite an Instagram page that featured an announcement of its planned opening, a menu with prices, and photos of dishes, the Dusk to Don noodle shop was never real.

According to a post on Instagram, the “restaurant” was just part of a “small business project.”

The fake restaurant was publicized in several media outlets, including the Sun-Star back in March.

The post announcing that the restaurant wasn’t real did not reveal who was behind the hoax.

Jim Silva
The Modesto Bee
Jim Silva has been involved in covering local sports and news for The Modesto Bee since 1996. He graduated with a degree in journalism from San Jose State.
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