Hype only works if you live up to it. I was not impressed in the slightest with Futo Buta.
I went with a group of girlfriends for a weekday lunch. The four of us walked in and stood awkwardly inside the door for several minutes before we were acknowledged. We sat on the patio since the inside didn't have room for our small party.
Our server dropped off the menus in a rush. I was able to snag her to ask a few questions, mainly what she would recommend that's gluten free. She told me that "all of the ramen dishes could be prepared GF, except for these two, and we recommend against ordering this one." That nixes half the ramen options. I asked "do they come with rice noodles instead?" She replied that they did and I settled on the Fire and Ice.
When our meals came out, each of my friends received a beautiful bowl of noodles while I got a bowl of broth and a separate bowl of rice. Just rice. Short grain sushi rice. And it was cold.
I paid $13 for a bowl of broth. Why would I bother to come back when I can get an excellent bowl of pho elsewhere for a fraction of the price? I don't know if it's bad communication with the kitchen, a non-interest in serving patrons with dietary restrictions, or what, but I feel like Futo Buta is another victim of the Charlotte hype machine. It's just not that great.