I visited the restaurant "Kiraku" in Imazato for lunch. There were counter seats, tables, and a raised tatami area, which could accommodate around 20 people. I sat at the counter and looked at the menu, which offered soba noodles, rice bowls, set meals, and more. I wanted to try both noodles and rice, so I ordered the "zaru soba" and the "Kiraku bowl," both priced at 500 yen each. The zaru soba was hand-made, with noodles that were about 1mm thick and 2mm wide, and some were about 5mm wide. They had a slightly firm texture and were served in a generous portion. The soba dipping sauce was in the same container as the noodles, making it a bit difficult to pour. Next, the Kiraku bowl arrived, which was described as a "tempura and egg rice bowl." The tempura was not very visible, as it was hidden under the egg. The rice was topped with dashi-simmered onions, thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms, and sliced bamboo shoots, with the tempura hidden underneath the egg. The dish had a slightly sweet flavor that seemed like it would be comforting when feeling tired. As I ate, I tried to find the tempura pieces, but I couldn't seem to locate them, even after breaking apart the dish. I wondered if they were simply not included or if I had overlooked them. Overall, it was a satisfying meal.

I found a restaurant called "Kiraku Shokudo" while wandering on a cold night, with the road frozen, about a 20-minute walk from my accommodation. The shop sign said they serve hand-made soba. I wanted something simple for dinner to avoid gaining weight on my business trip, so I decided to go for soba. The menu mainly focuses on soba, with other typical dishes you would find at a soba restaurant. Soba restaurant's ramen always seems to taste delicious for some reason. Soba restaurant's katsu curry is also usually a safe choice. However, as always, I opted for the large serving of mori soba. The aroma of the soba and the flavor of the dipping sauce were light and refreshing. Even though the dipping sauce was generously poured into the small cup, I found that even soaking the soba in it was not quite enough. The large serving of mori soba had a good amount of volume to it. The mori soba costs 400 yen, with an additional 150 yen for the large serving. It was a reasonably priced meal. Maybe next time I'll try the 750 yen katsu curry. Thank you for the meal.

The taste is average. The noodles took a long time to cook, my companion also ordered soba but it only arrived after I finished eating. It was clear that they were cooked separately. I love soba. If they serve tap water instead of bottled water, it's a turn-off for me. It's a standard I use to indirectly judge the owner's taste buds. Also, I avoid smoking allowed establishments. At the very least, it should be smoke-free, because there's no way you can taste the flavor of soba flour in a smoky environment, right? I hope for smoke-free environments.

This is a soba restaurant in Imakancho, Donan. I stopped by because the curtain said "handmade soba". I tried the "mori soba" for 400 yen. The soba noodles were medium-thin, slightly flat, uneven in length, with a flavorful taste. The texture was average, and the draining was not great. It seems to go well with dipping sauce, which was light with a hint of flavor. The condiments included green onions and powdered wasabi, and soba-yu was served in a soba cup. The menu also offers ramen, udon, fried rice, curry, donburi, and yakisoba. The service was adequate. Thank you for the meal. There was also a dish called "Kigakudon" for 450 yen, which is an easy-going egg and tempura bowl. It does feel easy-going indeed! (laughs)