This is a soba restaurant located along the Shibamata Street! When I saw the storefront, I was intrigued, so I decided to check it out. Inside, the first thing that caught my attention was the hall staff, a woman who seemed like she could be called the iconic landlady. She had quite an impact. As the sign outside mentioned "antique," the interior was indeed retro and full of character. The restaurant was bustling and full, with a waitlist. After a short wait, we were seated. The menu was limited but reasonably priced, offering dishes like duck soba with tempura platter, tempura soba with grilled duck, and miso stewed udon with side dishes. Ultimately, I chose the tempura soba. Despite the crowd, the food arrived promptly. The appetizer was delicious, and I regret not asking what it was. It seemed to be a seaweed stem with a crunchy texture and a sweet-sour taste. The soba was rustic, black, slightly thick, and chewy. The portion size was generous, even for a regular serving. The broth was mild and gentle on the palate, and the landlady recommended adding shichimi spice for an extra kick. The tempura consisted of two prawns, pumpkin, and bell pepper, with crispy batter and large prawns. The meal ended with drinking the remaining broth with soba water, served in an elegant container. The soba water had a rich flavor, possibly from continuous boiling. The restaurant operates only on weekends, but there is another branch near the Tenso Shrine where you can enjoy the same experience. The landlady's strong personality made the visit memorable, and I look forward to returning to this charming restaurant!

There are many food shops along the street of Shibamata Taishakuten-dori, making it very tempting! Although the shops mainly sell soba noodles, I tried some bean snacks being sold outside one of the shops. With plenty of beans and a long shelf life, I thought about buying some. After visiting Shibamata Taishakuten Temple and taking a look around, I passed by the shop again. The packaging with a Shibamata theme caught my eye, so I decided to purchase a pack of 5 for 250 yen, which was budget-friendly. They also offer sets with different quantities. The snacks are convenient as they don't make your hands dirty, and they go well with tea or coffee.

Unique interior with hina dolls displayed. Soba noodles have a satisfyingly large portion.

Category: Favorite Izakaya (Tokyo) Today, I took a walk in the Shibamata area. It was drizzling, but I enjoyed the cherry blossoms along the way. The background music was "Sakura Mankai." I remembered the days of my travels and now I travel for business. Let's take a break at "Yabu Chuu" in Shibamata. It's a soba restaurant on the approach, but this one is an udon shop called "Yabu Chuu." I started with a bottle of Ebisu beer at a table. The appetizer was pickled radish, simple but delicious. There were no other customers. It's a leisurely time. About 10 minutes after the beer, the miso-nikomi udon arrived. The menu only has miso-nikomi udon, duck seiro, and tempura seiro, a confident specialty shop. Compared to the famous shop in Nagoya, it has a milder taste. Nagoya's miso dishes are hard, rich, and make you crave rice. The OK Bokujo with plenty of vegetables is healthy. The pickled radish and kelp tsukudani that came again are delicious. They are made with care. I had an iced coffee after the meal. I want to consider another Nagoya expedition soon. Oh, Daiken, Barnes, and... Thank you for the meal! "Uguisu-an Yabu Chuu" 6-1-5 Shibamata, Katsushika-ku, Tokyo 11:00-15:00

At the entrance to the Taishakuten approach, Yabu Tadashi's main store was a popular local spot known for its ten-don and duck nanban. However, I heard rumors that they had transitioned into a udon specialty shop, so I was curious to check it out. Finally, I had the chance to visit the area again and decided to stop by. The store's appearance remained the same as it did during its soba noodle days, with sunken kotatsu tables and a calm Japanese atmosphere. The menu now only offers three items, with the recommended dish being miso-nikomi udon. Despite visiting on a hot summer day, I opted for the cold duck seiro. The portion of udon served in a zaru was decent, but not as generous as it used to be during their soba days. The staff advised me to taste the udon without dipping it in the broth first, so I followed their suggestion. The udon was quite average, lacking the firm texture one would expect from a udon specialty shop. The broth was just salty without any standout flavors, and the duck meat included was tough. The side dishes of bitter melon salad and pickled vegetables did not suit my taste either. Overall, my impression was that the soba noodles served in the past were much more delicious. Despite it being lunchtime, there were only two other customers in the shop. It seems that customers are honest in their opinions.

A few years ago, it seems that the restaurant became "udon specialty". The menu has only 3 types. On this day, I was strongly recommended by the landlady to have the "miso stewed udon", so I had that. The udon was elegant and smooth like "Inaniwa" style, with a good chewiness, and the miso stew soup was also delicious. Well, it's not bad, but I can't help comparing it to the image of the large serving soba in the Yabu Tadashi era...