Soba restaurant located near exit 1 of Karasuma Oike subway station in the center of Osaka. Arrived around noon on Saturday and there were 5-6 people waiting in line. Luckily got in after about 15-20 minutes. The restaurant has an L-shaped counter with seating for 8 people. Ordered the Nishin Eggplant Oroshi Soba (1,200 yen) and the Inaka Jyuuwari Mori (900 yen) in a large portion (+400 yen). Also tried to add a 4-item set for an additional 300 yen, but it was already sold out. The owner is very passionate about his craft, using the highest quality buckwheat from Hokkaido and grinding it daily with a stone mill to make the soba. Started with the Nishin Eggplant Oroshi Soba, which was a cold soba with pickled herring, a unique combination that I enjoyed. The soba noodles were thin with a good texture, and the flavor of the soba was strong. Next was the Inaka Jyuuwari Mori in a large portion. It was delicious, with a rich flavor and a good texture. Definitely recommend upgrading to the 10-grain soba. By the time I left, the 10-grain soba was sold out. It's recommended to go early, especially on holidays, to try the lunch set and the 10-grain soba before they sell out. Thank you for the meal!

I visited the restaurant for lunch on Monday, September 4, 2023. They reopened on August 22, 2023. The restaurant seemed popular with a few people waiting. I sat at the available counter seat and ordered the Tenzaru Soba. It arrived quickly, and the portion was generous. While I may not be a soba connoisseur, I enjoy all types of noodles. The texture and flavor of the soba were good, but I felt it lacked a bit in aroma. Despite that, I was fully satisfied, especially with the flavor of the soba broth.

I visited "Mouyan" for the first time in a while with the intention of trying their Juwari soba, but to my surprise, it was sold out. I considered getting the Nihachi Mori Ka Karame Mori soba, but decided to try something I probably wouldn't order otherwise - the Kakiage Ten soba. The crispy kakiage ten was delicious, especially when dipped in rock salt. The soba was unexpectedly served in a clay pot, and the gentle taste of the broth was soothing. I tried eating the kakiage ten with the soba, and it was a delightful combination. The portion of kakiage ten was just right, and I enjoyed the soba and kakiage combination until the end. Next time, I'll try the Jyuwari soba for sure.

Located just 2.3 minutes north of Karasuma Oike Station, this soba restaurant exudes a modest modern Japanese atmosphere that is very Kyoto-like. The interior is also elegantly decorated in traditional Japanese style with dim, chic lighting, creating a sophisticated ambiance. The seating consists of a wooden L-shaped counter on the first floor, with a second floor available as well. The owner, who runs the restaurant alone, offers a lunch menu featuring cold soba options such as countryside soba, mixed soba, plum soba, spicy soba, tempura soba, shrimp and duck meatball soba, salad soba, and herring and vegetable soba. Warm soba options include kake, sweet fox, plum and seaweed, ankake, herring and vegetable, tempura, shrimp and duck meatball, with the option to add a set for an additional 300 yen. I ordered the countryside soba set, which arrived after about 7 minutes of the energetic owner's bustling work. The soba, served in a stylish wooden vessel lined with bamboo, had a dark color typical of countryside soba, with a slightly thin and irregular cut that enhanced its hand-cut quality and strong flavor. The soba had a good texture as well. The broth was on the sweeter side but paired well with the flavorful soba. Though condiments were provided, I felt they were unnecessary with the quality of the soba and broth. The regular portion left me wanting more, and I quickly finished it. Finally, I enjoyed the thick soba broth. Despite the evident challenges of running the restaurant solo during lunchtime, the soba was quite delicious. Thank you for the meal.

Just before noon on a Saturday, I decided to go to this soba restaurant because Owariya Honten had a long line and Toriyasu was closed. I was the only customer at the time. I could feel the sense of urgency from the staff, so I quickly ordered the regular soba with tempura set for 1,000 yen. The service was fast and efficient, making me feel like I was in the hands of a professional. The soba noodles were easy to eat, and I started by dipping them lightly in the sauce. The scent of the soba wasn't very strong (maybe my sense of smell was off). The sauce was slightly sweet but rich in flavor. The wasabi didn't seem to go well with the sauce (maybe my sense of smell was off). Towards the end of the meal, they brought me soba water to pour into the sauce cup, and it was as thick as the dipping sauce at Tenkaippin. It was delicious. I leisurely enjoyed two cups of it. Thank you for the meal.

This is a small restaurant with only an L-shaped counter and one owner running the place. When you enter, there are only 2 seats available. You are told to sit at the available seat. The seat has chopsticks and a chopstick rest on a tray. There is no place to put your bag, but there is a hanger on the wall to hang your jacket. When you sit down, warm tea and a hot towel are placed on the counter. All customers are eating 100% buckwheat soba. Most of the reviews on Tabelog are about the 100% buckwheat soba. However, on this day, I really wanted to eat warm soba, so I chose the "nishin-nasu soba" from the warm soba menu. After a while, I was asked, "Can you take the donabe?" I reached out my hand, the lid was opened, and I received it. Then, a plate of condiments, herring, and eggplant were placed on the counter. The clear broth. I took a picture and immediately drank the soup. ... It's delicious!! I had a few more refills in a row. Next, I ate the soba. It has a mild taste and texture that harmonizes with the gentle broth. After eating for a while, I added all the condiments. By adding green onions and ginger, the aroma increased and my body became even warmer. I then added a piece of herring and mixed it a little. The broth became slightly sweet. Both the herring and eggplant were very delicious. Since it's not cold, you can eat it as it is or put it in the soba, both are fine. Towards the end, I sprinkled plenty of shichimi on top and drank quite a bit of broth. There was also salt on the table, which is for the tempura. Next time, I would like to try the 100% buckwheat soba (looking forward to the soba-yu!) as well as the tempura and lunch set. ===========

It's the end of the year, and I wonder how many more times I can eat soba noodles No.58. I went to buy a birthday present at Sherry's in the morning, but it was already past noon. I decided to check Eat Log for a nearby place to eat soba noodles. This place seems familiar, like there was a different soba noodle shop here before. It's a small shop with only a counter, and since it was close to closing time, the lunch I wanted was sold out. I regret not being able to eat anything else besides soba noodles, rice bowls, or tempura lately, so today I decided to just have soba noodles. I had the 100% buckwheat country-style soba noodles for 900 yen, and they were delicious and refreshing. I found a great restaurant. The soba broth was thick with soft chunks of soba noodles, which felt like a dish on its own. I usually prefer a lighter soba broth, but this one felt like a dish itself, so I might like it. I feel like I got a good deal. I'm glad I only had the soba noodles, as now I can have some dessert too.

For lunch today, I went to Mouyan at Karasuma Oike. I had a set meal of eggplant with grated radish soba noodles in a large portion, and I also added inari sushi soba noodles. The herring was amazingly tender and moist, with just the right amount of seasoning, cooked to perfection. It paired perfectly with the eggplant soba noodles and was incredibly delicious. The set also came with u-no-hana, yuba tofu, and upside-down fried inari sushi, all perfectly seasoned and delicious. To top it off, I added inari sushi soba noodles. The dashi flavor was outstanding, complementing the aroma of the hand-made soba noodles, and the sweetness of the inari added richness to the dish. It was the best soba noodles I've ever had. Thank you for the meal.

Lunch in Kyoto sightseeing is here. I had high expectations for the 100% buckwheat soba, so I visited the restaurant. There was a wait for one group, about 10 minutes after opening, and then we were seated. I ordered the 100% buckwheat soba. It's quite challenging to make 100% buckwheat soba. Many of the soba noodles were a bit ragged and the texture was not great, but the soba broth was very thick and the dipping sauce was delicious. Thank you for the meal!

I visited a soba restaurant called "Mouyan" that I had been interested in for a while. It is located near Higashi-Toin Oike and is a popular soba restaurant in the Goshominami area where there are many popular soba restaurants. When I entered the restaurant and looked at the menu, I found that there were more menu options than I had expected. I ordered the "Inaka Jyuuwari Mori" in a large size. The soba that came out was served in a bamboo container, divided into two portions. The large size was more generous than at other soba restaurants, which made me happy. The soba is a black soba typical of inaka soba. It is cut slightly thinner than usual inaka soba. First, I tried it as it is, and it had a good texture and was satisfying even with the thin cut. Then, I added rock salt. The sweetness of the soba was noticeable even with the salt. Next, I tried it with soba dipping sauce. The sauce had a strong flavor of bonito flakes, which I like. It reminded me of the soba dipping sauce from Jiro. My favorite way to eat soba is with wasabi. The spiciness adds a nice touch. The last dipping sauce had a thick consistency, and when I added it to the soba with some green onions, it was really delicious. I am happy to have discovered another delicious soba restaurant.

I added a lunch set to my meal at Inaka Jyuuwari. It wasn't peak hours, but tourists kept coming one after another. Maybe this place is famous as a soba restaurant in Kyoto? I was in the mood for curry, so I wasn't able to enjoy it much. There weren't any standout points, and I wasn't particularly drawn in.

Located near Karasuma Oike Station in Kyoto, the popular soba restaurant "Soba Mouyan" originally opened in Kitayama in 1998 as a soba izakaya serving creative soba dishes and sake. In 2004, it expanded and renovated into a modern and cozy space called "SOBA Dining Mouyan". The restaurant relocated to its current location in June 2016, creating a small space with only 8 counter seats for a more intimate dining experience. It is a 2-minute walk from exit 1 of Karasuma Oike Station, with nearby coin parking available. I visited the restaurant on a Thursday afternoon around 12:40 PM. There were 4 customers already inside. The menu offers both traditional and creative dishes, with the "Countryside 100% Buckwheat Soba" catching my eye, although it was unfortunately sold out. I ended up ordering the "Nishin Nasu Oroshi Soba", a cold noodle dish with grated daikon, sweet pickled herring, and eggplant. The soba noodles were medium-thin with a good chewy texture, and the broth had a rich flavor with a mix of sweetness from the pickled herring and umami from the dashi. The pickled herring and eggplant were delicious, with the eggplant soaking up the flavors and adding a juicy richness to the dish. The combination of flavors with the refreshing grated daikon was surprisingly delicious. Despite ordering a regular portion, the large pickled herring made the dish quite filling and satisfying. Thank you for the meal!

After visiting the manga museum, we stopped by this restaurant. It was quite popular, with about 4 groups waiting ahead of us. The interior was small, only fitting around 10 people. I ordered the herring soba, which was just average. My wife ordered the regular soba and got a soba broth that was very rich and thick, almost like a potage soup. Maybe it would have been better to order the regular soba for that broth.

A stylish restaurant where you can enjoy hand-made soba in a calm atmosphere with jazz music playing. This place is a renovated version of the popular soba restaurant "Soba Dining Mōyan," which had been operating in Kyoto's Kitayama area for about 18 years. They use domestically grown buckwheat, which is finely ground every morning with a stone mill to ensure a smooth texture. You can enjoy freshly ground, freshly made, and freshly cooked soba here. In the evening, they offer a variety of dishes such as soba tofu and duck breast that pair well with alcohol. The photo shows the "Nishin Nasu Oroshi Soba," which is cooked in a rich sweet and spicy sauce and topped with herring and eggplant to add depth to the soba noodles. The restaurant has only 8 counter seats.

I went for a stroll at lunchtime. It's a nice restaurant with a calm atmosphere and only counter seats. I had the Ume Mori set for 800 yen and the lunch set for 300 yen. The lunch set included inari sushi, yuba and soba tofu, and udo flowers. The large inari sushi has a satisfying taste! The juicy fried tofu has a delicious flavor, and the yuba and soba tofu have a chewy texture that is also tasty. The udo flowers are well-prepared with exquisite seasoning and taste delicious! It's a very good deal for a lunch set. The Ume Mori set is refreshing with concentrated saltiness and umami from the plum and soba. Since the plum flavor is strong, I think a regular Mori set would have been better to fully enjoy the soba. The Mori soba has a good portion size and a gentle flavor that is delicious. The thin soba noodles have a nice chewy texture and are tasty. The thick and rich soba broth served at the end is surprisingly flavorful and delicious! It was a rare and delicious rich soba broth. I would like to go back to enjoy the affordable lunch set again. I'm also interested in trying the various dishes on the evening menu. Thank you for the meal.

Located close to Karasuma Oike Station, this small soba restaurant with only a counter is always bustling with locals. While the nearby famous restaurant Honke Owariya attracts tourists in long lines, Mōyan is a hidden gem for those in the know. Although evening service has been suspended since the pandemic, their delicious 100% soba noodles are still available during lunchtime. In addition to their outstanding soba, their tempura is crispy and their side dishes are tasty. The variety of appetizers pairs well with drinks, making it a great spot for a casual night out. Don't miss out on trying their countryside-style soba, which offers a unique depth of flavor. The rich soba dipping sauce may be a hit or miss for some, but it's undeniably flavorful. I can't wait for the evening service to resume. They also offer affordable set lunches, making it a place worth revisiting.

Located a 2-3 minute walk from Karasuma Oike Station, this soba restaurant on Oshikoji Kurumayacho Street is where I tried their thick and sticky soba broth, which is just to my liking. I visited around 1 PM and found only one group of customers ahead of me. The restaurant has glass windows, making it easy to see the distancing situation outside. However, on this day, the countryside soba and set that I was looking forward to were sold out, so I settled for a plain soba. It arrived in about 10 minutes. The soba noodles had a unique firmness and were thicker and more voluminous compared to other popular soba restaurants in the city. The broth was not as clear as Kanto-style, but it had a subtle bonito flavor. The presentation in a bamboo-splitting container was also lovely. The soba-yu, which I was looking forward to, had the expected thickness but surprisingly refreshing. They also have a wide selection of sake, making it a great place for a drink before enjoying your soba. Although it tends to be crowded whenever I pass by, I hope to try the countryside soba set next time! 😄

The small restaurant has about 8 seats at the counter. The warm menu consists of soba noodles in an individual pot, with condiments served on separate plates. I ordered the "Nasu Nishin," which is eggplant stew with Nishin (herring) on top of the soba noodles. The Nishin was tender and cut into small pieces, making it easy to eat. The eggplant was average, but the addition of bonito flakes showed some attention to detail. The broth was not too sweet and very delicious! While there is a well-known soba restaurant nearby called Owariya, this place can definitely hold its own. The restaurant is run by a man in his 40s, so don't expect too much in terms of service. Also, I recommend not asking too many questions about the menu and just order what you like. At 1,300 yen, it's not cheap, but it's a clean and beautiful restaurant located near Karasuma Oike.

Soba comes with a side dish for an additional 300 yen, but if you're going to eat, I recommend the set with four kinds of side dishes. The lunch set with kakiage and four kinds of side dishes for 1700 yen is a bit pricey for a salaryman like me, but the owner, who seems stubborn, is also friendly and the atmosphere is nice. The kakiage is freshly fried, so be careful not to burn yourself. The price is not something I can afford to go every day, but the soba broth is light and I would like to visit again in the future. ^ ^

Since moving to Karasuma Oike, I occasionally visit this restaurant. I wasn't a big fan of soba noodles before, but after trying this place, I realized how delicious they can be. The lunch sets are a great deal, and the inari-zushi is amazing too. The soba noodles are always delicious whenever I go. There are other famous soba restaurants nearby, but personally, I love this place the most. Writing this review makes me want to go there again soon. Thank you for the delicious meal!