This is my usual lunch spot, located just a short 10-minute bike ride from my office in the nostalgic shopping street of Imazato Shindo-Suji. "Soba Udon Toichi" is a noodle restaurant that sells noodles and side dishes at the storefront, and also has a dining area behind the curtain. Menu: Soba, Udon options include steamed and fresh noodles. The popular "Toichi Teishoku" changes daily and is displayed on the blackboard at the back. Noodles: - Cold Soba/Udon: starting from 350 yen - Hot Soba/Udon: starting from 400 yen Ramen: - Regular Ramen: 580 yen - Miso Ramen: 580 yen The "Toichi Teishoku" is the most popular set meal, featuring a main dish, rice, pickles, and noodles. The day I visited, the options were fried white fish and braised pork belly with daikon. Overall, the food is simple and tasty, with no standout features but satisfying nonetheless. The ramen, priced at just over half of what high-end ramen would cost, is visually appealing and includes quality ingredients like fresh bean sprouts, chashu, half a boiled egg, fish cake, and chopped green onions. The broth is a simple soy sauce base, and the noodles are thin and straight.

This is my usual lunch spot, a noodle shop called "Soba Udon To Ichi" that sells noodles at the storefront and operates a noodle restaurant behind the curtain. The shop is located in an old arcade shopping street near my company, just a few minutes' walk from Osaka Metro Imazato Station. The shop is known for its triangular tent awning with the sign "To Ichi Udon Soba" hanging. They offer a variety of soba and udon dishes, both steamed and fresh noodles. The shop has a cozy atmosphere with a counter seating facing the kitchen and a few tables for four. The menu includes a wide range of noodle dishes, rice bowls, set meals, and side dishes like pickles. On my first visit, I tried their refreshing Hiyashi Chuka, and on my second visit, I enjoyed the affordable Mini Donburi Set with a small egg rice bowl and soba noodles. The pickles are also served in small dishes and are refillable. The Hiyashi Chuka was served in a glass bowl with cucumber, ham, shredded egg, tomato, and lettuce. The noodles were cold and mixed well with the tangy and sweet sauce. It's a nostalgic flavor that pairs well with the spicy mustard. Overall, it's a charming spot with delicious noodles and friendly service.

An old man had soba noodles at a restaurant in Imazato shopping street. Despite not being a large shopping street, there are surprisingly many udon restaurants here. Among them, he visited a place called "Toichi" this time. The restaurant seemed to be mainly for takeout, but it had seating for dining in as well. He tried the soba set meal with side dishes like cold tofu, priced at 680 yen. The soba had a rich broth, which suited his taste. The side dish of mixed rice had a mild flavor, which he personally enjoyed. Overall, he had a satisfying meal and recommends others to try it when they have the chance.

I took a stroll in the Shinmichi Shopping Street (to drop off my mother) and found it to be a lively and nice shopping street. Among the bustling shops, I came across a shop selling New Year's Eve soba noodles. The shop was called "Toichi" (not "To"). Even though I had just eaten soba noodles, I decided to order some more. I ordered the raw soba noodles set meal, which came with the option of raw or boiled noodles for a price difference of 50 yen. I took a sip of the tea they served, and it had a strange taste of dashi (soup stock). I noticed an elderly lady sitting behind me exclaiming that the tea tasted like dashi. The staff denied it, but the lady was not wrong. It turned out they had made the tea with bonito dashi. They collected all the tea pots from the tables. It was my first time experiencing bonito dashi tea on the last day of the year. They also served a mysterious pickled dish as a service, saying "please have as much as you like." The soba noodles were quite filling, with a good amount of noodles and flavorful broth. The set meal included thin fried tofu and shredded kelp on the soba noodles. The side dish of seasoned rice was also delicious, topped with tofu, ginger, and green onions. It was a satisfying meal. Thank you for the hospitality this year. Thank you all. Happy New Year!

I went out to Higashi Osaka but only ate takosen at Takosen Bikudon was too crowded so I passed and just went back home. But I couldn't just survive on takosen alone, it was already 3 o'clock. I thought about going to "Sumiyoshi" or somewhere else that might be open. I found a menu for Hisakataburi in Imazatoshindo Shopping Street, which looks like this...= Udon & Soba =: Kake Udon 350 yen: Haikara Udon / Minced Udon / Ankake Udon 400 yen: Oboro Udon / Ankake Udon 420 yen: Kitsune Udon / Tori Udon / Zaru Soba / Hiyashi Somen / Kamaage Udon 450 yen: Kamonamba 500 yen: Niku Udon / Chikara Udon 520 yen: Tempura Udon / Curry Udon / Tempura Udon / Miso Udon 550 yen: Tanin Udon / Nishin Soba 580 yen: Bukkake Soba 560 yen: Oomori Zaru / Aimori Zaru 600 yen: Gyukasu Udon / Nabe Yaki Udon 650 yen: Tempura Zaru 850 yen: Aimori Tempura Zaru / Oomori Tempura Zaru 950 yen= Udon & Soba =Each Udon & Soba is 50 yen cheaper than the above prices= Donburi =: Tamadon 440 yen: Kitsune Don / Haikara Don 480 yen: Nikudon 500 yen: Oyakodon 540 yen: Tanindon / Tendon 550 yen: Tentoji Don 600 yen: Katsudon / Tori Zosui 650 yen= Teishoku =: To Ichijou Teishoku (Weekdays only) / Kayaku Teishoku 650 yen: Sukiyaki Teishoku 700 yen: Tonkatsu Teishoku 780 yen: Tempura Teishoku 850 yen Assorted 600 yen= Rice Dishes & Others =: Rice 180 yen: Kayaku Gohan 280 yen: Curry Rice 500 yen: Katsu Curry 750 yen: Ramen / Miso Ramen 530 yen: Hiyashi Chuka 580 yen (Summer): Osumashi / Miso Soup 150 yenUdon & Soba takeaway sets, etc.I've always wanted to try this place, "Toichi", which has about 10 counter seats and 4 tables for 4 people each. The atmosphere inside the restaurant was lively with everyone getting excited watching the G1 Satsuki Sho on TV. The owner, who had correctly predicted a trifecta, seemed to have everything in place. The sign said "Handmade Soba" but I wondered if the soba was also handmade. The soba had a firm texture and although it didn't have much fragrance, it was quite refreshing. The soba broth had a slight spiciness, which was more like the Kanto style. When I ordered, they asked me if I wanted to add a quail egg, and it turned out to be the right choice. The udon, although not technically soba broth, was self-proclaimed as a smooth soba broth. I drank it to finish. Even though it was already 3:30, the owner and the lady were smiling and serving the familiar customers who came late. It left me with the impression of an old-fashioned udon and soba shop in the town. It was delicious. Thank you for the meal.

I have been going to this restaurant since I was young and I am familiar with the taste. It might be ordinary, but because I am used to it, eating there feels comforting like my mother's cooking. The husband, who looks stubborn but is actually very kind, and the mother who will definitely remember your face after just one visit, run the place. I usually only order zaru soba or yakigohan, so that's all I can comment on, but the yakigohan is made without meat and has a gentle taste. The broth is rich and adds a sweet flavor to the yakigohan. Personally, I recommend eating it with pickled vegetables and green tea. It's a gentle restaurant where you can feel safe bringing children.

I successfully composed a Shishi-odoshi poem! In the busy year-end season, I went shopping in Imazato Shindo Shotengai. At the udon and soba shop, there was delicious mixed rice displayed. I bought the larger portion for lunch. The mixed rice was a bit too much to eat in one go, with a light seasoning and a flavorful broth. The carrots, konjac, dried shiitake mushrooms, and diced fried tofu did a great job. I'd like to try the warm soba for dine-in. Thank you for the meal.