mickandcindy
On the second day of my business trip in Osaka, after finishing the morning meeting, it was time for lunch. I visited the "Shuhari Tanimachi 4-chome" restaurant. The location was just a short walk from Tanimachi 4-chome Station on the Osaka Metro, heading west on Chuo-dori, turning right onto Ankoku Nara Kaido, and it was on the right at the first corner. I had originally planned to eat pasta at a certain restaurant, but when I saw a line of over 20 people before the opening on a weekday, I decided to change plans and went to this restaurant instead. Luckily, the restaurant was spacious and I was able to secure a seat quickly. Now, onto the order. Normally, I would have the "Duck Broth Soba" at a new soba restaurant, but looking at the lunch menu, there was a wide variety of tempura dishes, and many people around me were ordering them as well. So, I changed my plan again and ordered the "Tempura Soba Set" with "Juwari" (100% buckwheat) noodles and in a large portion. First, the soba dipping sauce and condiments were served. The condiments included grated daikon radish, shredded green onions, and grated wasabi root and stem. I prepared the wasabi while waiting for the food to arrive. First, the "Zaru Soba" set was served, followed by the "Assorted Tempura". The set included simmered eggplant and "jako rice", and the tempura had a generous portion. Let's dig in. Starting with the "Assorted Tempura", it had two large prawns and a variety of vegetables like broccoli, asparagus, myoga ginger, lotus root, onion, sweet potato, and shiso leaf. All freshly fried and crispy, with a light and crunchy batter. Fried in rapeseed oil, they were delicious. Being from Osaka, I prefer this oil over sesame oil. With so many vegetables, I already felt satisfied. The "Zaru Soba" was made from Soba noodles of the Sarashina type, and the aroma was delightful! The dipping sauce had a strong bonito and kelp flavor, and was slightly spicy for Osaka standards. I tried it with the freshly grated wasabi, and it was amazing! The thin and chewy soba noodles paired with the sharp wasabi flavor was a delight. The satisfaction of grating the wasabi myself added to the experience, and I enjoyed the smooth texture as I slurped the noodles. With so much tempura, the soba alone wouldn't be enough. Just then, the "jako rice" was served, and it was a delicious way to finish the meal. It was a satisfying lunch. Lastly, soba broth was served. It was a milky white type with a thick consistency. I never saw soba broth like this when I was a child, but it seems to be the style in Osaka now. The bill came out to be 2,490 yen, which was unexpected as I had calculated it to be 2,540 yen for the "Tempura Soba Set" at 2,100 yen plus a large portion of 100% buckwheat noodles at 440 yen. After paying the bill and stepping outside, the line was still there. I realized it was a very popular restaurant, and I left with that thought. Thank you for the meal!