Zaby
On September 8, 2022, Open...Located a 5-minute walk from JR Kuwon Station, "Sobadokoro Kan" is situated on the first floor of an apartment building with around 10 parking spaces in front of the store. Arriving around 2 pm, there were no other customers at that time. After disinfecting with alcohol, a female staff member guided me to a 4-seater table. The restaurant also has a counter with 4 seats and 6 tables for 4 people each, as well as a counter near the entrance facing the wall, which was adorned with celebratory flowers.
The owner, or someone who seemed like the owner, greeted me enthusiastically with "Welcome!" and brought a glass of water. I had initially thought of ordering the "mori" (soba only), but upon entering the restaurant, I caught a faint scent of warm dipping sauce, so I decided to order the "tsuke soba with kashiwa (chicken) for 950 yen". They offer a choice of soba types such as "Sara" with options like "Inaka (+200)" and "Daisan Ishiusu (+200)".
Since the restaurant is conveniently located near where I often visit, I thought I would have the opportunity to come back again. For now, I chose the "Sara" soba. The tray arrived in about 5 minutes, containing soba, dipping sauce, garnishes like green onions and wasabi, and wooden chopsticks. Shortly after, a red hot water pot with soba water was also brought to the table, along with the bill placed on the side of the table.
I started eating and found the pure white, thin Sara soba to be slightly weak in texture and lacking in fragrance, with a slightly rough surface. The soba was longer than usual, and the portion was just right for my appetite. The saltiness of the dipping sauce matched the Sara soba perfectly, but if they were using the same sauce for the Inaka soba, it might be a bit too weak. I could sense a light acidity in the broth, which complemented the Sara soba well, but it seemed to fall just short of breaking through to a more refined taste, leaving a slightly unsatisfying feeling given the price of 800 yen for the "mori" soba.
Lastly, I was served soba tea, and I felt that the service was quite polite. I couldn't help but wonder about the type of soba and the rice they used. It was a bit disappointing that they didn't offer dishes like "Tendon" or "Oyakodon", focusing solely on soba. For those who enjoy carb-heavy dishes, this might be a letdown.
Overall, the restaurant seemed to be in a somewhat halfway position, and I personally would appreciate it if they could lean a bit more towards the traditional town-style soba. I look forward to trying something different on my next visit. Thank you for the meal.