I visited a restaurant for lunch on Wednesday that I had bookmarked before but had not yet visited. It is located about a 5-minute walk from my workplace, and I arrived around 11:50. The restaurant was empty with only 2 groups inside. I was seated at a table near the entrance. Looking at the menu, they offered soba dishes, kamameshi, donburi, as well as small-sized donburi and soba sets, which were quite extensive. I ordered the small oyakodon and soba set for 1050 yen. It was served in about 8 minutes. The oyakodon, despite being small, was quite generous with chicken and tasted delicious. The soba, made with 100% buckwheat flour, was also very tasty. Considering it cost 1050 yen, it was excellent value for money. This restaurant is fantastic! I am interested in trying their other set menus and kamameshi, so I will definitely visit again!

In addition, despite the scorching heat day after day, I stayed true to my initial intention and ordered the kettle rice. It took about 20 minutes, but I received confirmation of my order, so I thought I would pass the time by playing Tsum Tsum while waiting, but the signal was bad. As I was meditating, the kettle rice arrived. The mixed kettle rice was full of ingredients. They asked me to leave a bite at the end, as they would make ochazuke (rice with tea poured over it). After enjoying the kettle rice, the kettle was lifted and a tea-soaked ochazuke with plenty of broth appeared in the bowl. It seems they put too much broth, but it was delicious with the light and flavorful taste. Everyone seemed to be ordering soba, probably due to time constraints. I would like to try the soba next time, but I also want to eat this kettle rice again.

The restaurant had names of "Kamameshi" and "100% buckwheat soba", and the interior was more spacious than I had expected. I ordered the set of "zaru soba and grilled chicken rice bowl", and first the "zaru soba" was served in about 10 minutes. Once I finished that, the "grilled chicken rice bowl and miso soup" arrived. I was able to enjoy my meal slowly. Thank you for the delicious meal and great service.

I had always been curious about the restaurant with a "soba" flag standing on the sidewalk of Yasukuni Street. When I entered the narrow and dark alley indicated by the flag, I found the shop. A sign on the glass read "Newly started making fresh soba." This shop offers hand-made 100% soba noodles. The noren curtain displayed the word "kamameshi." I had trouble reading the shop's name, which seemed to be "Manryuga." It was difficult to confirm which of the several "Manryuga" shops it was. I ordered the "Yakitori Don Set" for 1,050 yen. I was curious about the yakitori don. First, hand-made soba was served. The scent of the 100% soba was faint, and the noodles were slightly thick with a firm texture. The soba broth was a bit light. It wasn't exceptional, but it was simply delicious hand-made soba. I apologize for using "slightly" repeatedly. An elderly woman in the back was cooking. A woman was managing the front alone. The woman in the back must have been making the hand-made soba. The yakitori don arrived a little later. It looked appetizing. It was the perfect size for a small bowl, not too much. The yakitori was grilled carefully, which may have caused the delay. It had a nice smoky flavor and the sauce was good. The rice coated in the sauce was also tasty. The variety of small bowl options was nice. It seemed like a good place for a casual lunch.

Today, I visited this restaurant for lunch in search of delicious soba and katsudon in Jinbocho and Ogawamachi. I ordered the katsudon set for 1,050 yen. The soba had a slightly thick texture, and the flavor wasn't very strong. The sauce was simple, like a basic tsuyu. The katsudon was also quite simple. It's recommended for those who enjoy simple soba and katsudon. Thank you for the meal.

When it comes to Manryuga, it is one of the commonly seen soba restaurant names alongside Yabusoba, Sarashiba, Choshuan, and Masudaya. Manryuga is known for its casual dining style and has become deeply ingrained in our daily lives. The origin of Manryuga is said to be the Sanpoya, opened by Toyozou Katou from Higashi Mikawa (Mito Village, Takahama District, Aichi Prefecture) in Shiba Udagawa Town in the late Meiji period. In general, restaurants with the same name are not part of a chain, but rather independent establishments. The name is usually passed down from the restaurant where the owner trained, creating a complex network of relationships. My personal connection to Manryuga includes a restaurant near my former residence in Totsuka (such as the one near the Yasaki Shrine intersection and Manryuga Soba in Hodogaya). However, the most memorable experience was ordering delivery from a restaurant that catered to a mahjong parlor I frequented during my student days. On hot days like the first day after the end of the rainy season, I often lose my appetite, making soba a perfect choice for lunch. Soba has a light and refreshing taste that goes down smoothly, making it ideal for summer. Therefore, on this particular day, I decided to have soba for lunch and chose Manryuga from several soba restaurants near my new workplace. Accessing Manryuga from my office in Kanda Nishikicho requires crossing Yasukuni Street. The restaurant is located along Yasukuni Street, in a narrow alley between the sports equipment store "Victoria Main Store" and the "Chugai Emblem" store, just off to the right. The inconspicuous location is marked by a banner that reads "soba." Despite my initial expectation that it was a soba specialty shop, the sign at the entrance prominently displays "kamameshi" (kettle rice). The restaurant's appearance is surprisingly clean, likely due to renovations over its 40-year history. Inside, there are two 6-person tables in the center and three tables for 2-3 people along the left wall, totaling about 23 seats. The seating arrangement seemed slightly spaced out, possibly due to COVID-19 precautions. The menu is posted on the front wall, featuring soba (100% buckwheat) and rice bowl set menus, as well as soba set meals. There is no specific lunch menu, but the variety of options caters to lunchtime diners without any issues.

"Sobadokoro Maruga" in Kanda Ogawamachi, a long-established soba restaurant run by the mother and daughter who have been in business since its founding over 40 years ago. They used to have a shop on the opposite side of Yasukuni Street, so if you include that, it's been over 50 years. The shop was renovated about 3 years ago and now has a bright atmosphere. The mother often walks around the Kanda Ogawamachi area with her dog in the evening. Today, I only planned to eat Tanuki soba, but I couldn't resist adding a small curry bowl. I ate too much, but the curry bowl had a nostalgic taste that reminded me of my grandmother's cooking!"

I tried this restaurant for the first time and ordered a large portion of seiro. I wanted to try the kamameshi, but I didn't have enough time, so I gave up.

170612 Manruka @ Kanda Ogawamachi Tamagodon Set 920 yen

170113 Manrugua @ Kanda Ogawamachi Kakinisoba 1000 yen ===========

161221 Manruka @ Kanda Ogawamachi Katsuju 950 yen ===========

Parent and child bowl set for ¥990.

Located just off Yasukuni Street, this restaurant has 2 tables with 6 seats each and 3 tables with 4 seats each. The kama-meshi (rice cooked in a pot) is priced at 950 yen and has a mild flavor. They provide tea for the tea-dipping at the end, which is nice. The beer is a bit on the pricey side.

Located in a narrow alley near Yasukuni Street, there was a soba restaurant. It was a bit crowded during lunchtime, but I was able to get in easily. Since it was my first time, I ordered the 600 yen seiro. Many people were having the lunch set with a bowl. Maybe I should have gone for that? The seiro arrived, looking quite stylish. The portion was quite small, but it was very delicious. I was a bit surprised. There was even the soba's place of origin written on the menu, so they must be particular about their soba flour. Considering the price, this taste is probably amazing, don't you think?

Today we visited a soba restaurant in the back alleys of Jimbocho, Tokyo. We tried the Vegetable Ankake Soba for 850 yen at "Maruka". The atmosphere of this local soba restaurant is great. The menu has a variety of options, but we chose the Vegetable Ankake Soba. It looked delicious with plenty of vegetables. The dish arrived with a generous amount of vegetables including Chinese cabbage, leeks, carrots, and shiitake mushrooms. There were also thinly sliced pork and narutomaki visible. The vegetables were easy to eat with a soy sauce flavor and the addition of meat made it satisfying. The soba noodles were hidden underneath the vegetables, but they were simple and tasty. The combination of vegetables and noodles made for a filling and delicious meal. The vegetable broth added depth and sweetness to the dish. By the end of the meal, we felt warm and satisfied. The restaurant seemed popular as it quickly filled up with customers at lunchtime. Overall, we enjoyed the delicious Vegetable Ankake Soba and understood why this place is so popular in Jimbocho.

Mitaruga @ Kanda Ogawamachi 3-chome. You can also enjoy kama-meshi. Click here for map and details. I recently visited Yakko Sushi and stumbled upon this soba restaurant in the quiet row. I decided to check it out. It's within walking distance, but I never noticed this alley before. The exterior looks quite impressive. Inside, the seating area is about 15 tatami mats. The clean interior is well-maintained. I ordered the seasonal menu, which included oyster soba and oyster kama-meshi. I love oysters so much! First, I tried the oyster soba. It had a great aroma and the small oysters were full of flavor. It was a cold day, so the hot soba was much appreciated. Then, the kama-meshi arrived. I'm always skeptical when it comes out quickly, but this kama-meshi was served in a splendid pot. When I opened the lid, a wonderful aroma of oysters filled the air. It was so delicious that I couldn't resist, even though I had just finished the soba. I can't believe I didn't notice this great restaurant nearby before. Their irregular opening hours until 5 pm suit my unpredictable schedule. I'm already intrigued by dishes like clam rice bowls and jizaikama. I might become a regular customer here!