I had a late lunch at Soba Ryogoku Branch for the first time in a while during my work in Otaru. I chose this soba restaurant because it was close to Otaru Station and I didn't have much time before heading back to Sapporo. I ordered the Kashiwa Soba, which was originally priced at ¥900 but was recommended at ¥800 that day. It was easy to eat and delicious, with tender meat. It was just right for a quick meal. Thank you for the meal!

I slipped through the noren and took a seat. It was around 3 pm on a holiday and the place was quite empty. I ordered the mori soba and was served water. The waitress was quiet at first, but as more customers arrived, she became more lively and her voice changed. The mori soba comes with vegetable tempura as a service for 600 yen. If you want tempura with the zaru soba, it will cost 700 yen. The next customer ordered zaru soba, and then another customer ordered the large mori soba. The waitress asked both customers if they wanted tempura with their order. The white thin soba noodles were served in a rectangular steamer, and they were long and cold, with a strong fish-flavored broth. It was a delightful experience to dip the noodles in the broth and slurp them up. It was a refreshing oasis. Thank you for the meal.

After finishing work in Otaru around 2 o'clock, I searched for a soba restaurant near the station to have a meal. Within a 300m radius, there were 3 unvisited shops, and I decided to visit "Soraku Ryogokubu" in the basement of Nagasaki-ya. Despite passing by the shop several times, the strong aroma of the restaurant seemed to efficiently attract customers around the area. Due to this strong impression, I had already decided that if I were to eat there, I would definitely have warm soba. There were 4 sunken tables, 6 regular tables, and 3 groups of 5 customers already inside. I sat at a table near the entrance and ordered "kakesoba for 600 yen" as I was there during an off-peak time. A small dish of chopped green onions and cold water were placed in front of me. The soba was served in just 6 minutes in a small bowl with a deep diameter, carried by hand. The soba was clean and simple, without any toppings. I tried it first without any condiments, expecting a strong umami flavor from the broth that would cling to my body, but it was different than I imagined. The soba had a slightly weak texture, good broth flavor, and paired well with the dipping sauce. It seemed like cold soba would be better than warm soba. I added the green onions and sprinkled some shichimi pepper halfway through, and although nothing stood out, the overall harmony was good and easy to accept, feeling like a soba dish that would fit into daily life. Maybe due to the consumption tax, it might be difficult, but I also thought it would be nice if it were 50 yen cheaper. Next time, I will try the tempura and cold soba. Thank you for the meal.

Taste ☆3.4 Price ☆3.0 Customer service ☆3.5 Cleanliness ☆3.0 Personally, the taste of soba noodles is nostalgic! The only choice is the ōzaru soba. I received tempura as a service. I used to go there when I was a student. The customers are regulars from Otaru, making it a cozy soba restaurant.

Visited for the first time in June 2020 and arrived in a rush at 1 pm. Didn't have time to choose a restaurant, so ended up here at the Nagasakiya underground near the station. Quickly ordered the "morisoba". They offered tempura as a service, which I gladly accepted. Saw a man in a white coat in the kitchen, hoping for authentic "champon" soba. The "morisoba" took longer than expected, probably due to the tempura. Priced like traditional champon soba. The noodles seemed machine-made, similar to "sara udon". The broth was mildly sweet, similar to Hokkaido-style. Not bad as a broth for sara udon. The tempura service included crispy tempura of spring onion, fish cake, and shiitake mushroom, which was decent. However, the soba noodles were quite soft, which was disappointing. It seemed like the noodles were overcooked. The tea was served too quickly, considering there were only two customers. It seems they stopped serving rice dishes. Although it's a branch of a long-established restaurant, I wish they would uphold the pride of a champon soba shop more.

I had dinner. It was a cold day and I didn't have much of an appetite, so I had kakesoba. The broth was just right, not too sweet or too salty. The soba noodles were a bit soft, but that was fine with me. It warmed me up, so now I'll go back to work for the night shift. "Thank you for the meal."

I went to Otaru for a live performance. My usual pre-performance meal is always okonomiyaki at Nagasakiya underground in front of the station, but for some reason it's crowded today. It's a little past 11:30, but it's super busy. So, I decided to meet up with the band members and let them roam around. Now, where should I eat and what should I eat? I have time, but I don't. Something quick and easy to eat would be nice. Suddenly, I turn around and see a soba shop's curtain. After a little thought, I decided to have some simple soba. It's close to the meeting spot too. So I walk through the curtain of the soba shop. It's nice to "walk through the curtain", isn't it? You can't see what's on the other side, and there's a sense of anticipation as if something is about to begin. The curtain says "Ryogoku". Hmmm...is this the same shop as the one in Zenihama? For a department store basement (or is it a mall basement?), this shop is quite spacious beyond the curtain. There are many raised tatami mat seats in the back. But today, I didn't want to untie my shoelaces, so I sat at a table seat at the far left of the back. The chairs seem small. The table is small too. But the old-fashioned and homely atmosphere is nice. It feels like a typical corner soba shop. I stare at the menu for a while, feeling indecisive. What kind of soba is good at times like this...I usually order "mori" to face the soba head-on, but I don't have that kind of mental space, and I want a little more side dish-like topping. There's the option of "nabe-yaki udon", but I don't want to sweat and affect my performance. So, I decided to try "hiyashi nuki soba". This is my first time having "tanuki". The soba that came out seemed rustic and simple. I thought "tanuki" would have fried tempura bits, but it had tamagoyaki, kaiware, simmered shiitake, naruto, and nori. It has a healthy side dish feel, which is nice. The soba is sarashina, and the dipping sauce is sweet when mixed. The separate serving of green onions is a nice touch. I mix the sauce in the bowl and try it. Hmm, delicious. I feel like I can perform well without exerting too much effort. Let's do our best at the live performance~

In March 2017, I visited a soba restaurant located in the basement of Nagasaki-ya in front of JR Otaru Station. This is a branch of the Ryogoku main store in Shiotani, Otaru City, as the name suggests. The original store actually opened before the Shioya store, in 1948, and initially specialized in meat udon. In 1955, the store moved from the Myokengawa River to in front of Otaru Station, but due to the redevelopment of the area, it relocated to the basement of Nagasaki-ya in 1975, becoming the predecessor of the current Ryogoku branch. In 1983, a new main store was established in Shiotani, and the store in Nagasaki-ya was handed over to the son-in-law, becoming the "Ryogoku Ekimae Store." However, in 2003, it officially split from the main store and became the "Ryogoku Branch." The soba itself, as well as the menu, are similar to those of the main store, but the branch may have a slightly larger variety of dishes. This could be due to the need to cater to diverse demands in a bustling area like in front of the station. I had the "cold zaru" this time, which was very similar to the one I had at the main store before. The bowl is wide-mouthed like a Chinese donburi, and toppings like triangular-cut tamagoyaki and simmered shiitake mushrooms are the same, except for the substitution of spinach and daikon radish for the green vegetables. The price is the same at both the main store and the branch, but the branch may offer slightly larger portions, perhaps as an effort to survive in the bustling area. However, this may also contribute to the cramped feeling inside the restaurant. The narrow seating and the difficulty of movement when the restaurant is full can be challenging. There are many delicious soba restaurants in Otaru, so I don't often visit casual eateries, but with the closure of Ishikawa-ya on Tonden Street, the presence of casual dining options seems to have increased.

Today's review is of a long-established soba restaurant located in the basement of Nagasakiya, a place I don't usually visit. Although there is also a branch in Shioya, this one is considered the main shop. I visited during lunchtime and found that the entire restaurant was filled with veteran regular customers. Since there were no set meals that seemed particularly cost-effective on the menu, I decided to go with the "Tempura and Egg on Rice" dish that my father used to enjoy when he visited soba restaurants. The "Tempura and Egg on Rice" dish costs 1,100 yen and includes two shrimp that protrude from the bowl, giving them a noticeable presence. However, they are not fully soaked in the dipping sauce, so they are not actually as large as they appear. The shrimp doesn't have a freshly fried taste but also doesn't taste like they have been sitting out for a while. The flavor of the shrimp itself is not bad. The noodles are thin and piping hot, giving them a soft texture from the first bite. This might be more suited for the veteran customers (laughs). The dipping sauce is the typical type found in casual dining establishments. The portion size is average, so I found the price of 1,100 yen to be a bit questionable. After finishing the dish and still feeling a bit hungry, I looked at the menu and noticed they had a small bowl of curry rice, so I decided to add that as well. The "Curry Rice" dish costs 500 yen and took a surprisingly long time to arrive. The appearance of the curry was a bit dark and it had a salty flavor that seemed to be simmered down. The curry was very thick, so it seemed like they used quite a bit of starch to thicken it. The dish included onions and pork belly, which was nice, but the portion size was only enough for about 4-5 bites. Honestly, for 500 yen, the value for money was really poor! While eating the curry rice, I started sweating profusely, but unfortunately, I didn't have a handkerchief with me, and there were no tissues available in the restaurant. Overall, this place was quite disappointing in terms of value for money and amenities.

When I was a child, the area around Otaru Station was a relaxed place with mostly low-rise buildings and common shops, eateries, and game facilities. As I entered the lower grades of elementary school, the area around the station quickly changed its appearance, with the low-rise shops being demolished one after another and replaced by tall geometric buildings. The first building, called the First Building, was built along Route 5 from Sapporo, followed by the Second Building, which housed Nagasaki-ya, and finally the Third Building, a hotel with a pool. The construction period was a great playground for children! It was just a wide open space until the construction machines arrived! We climbed ropes tied to the piles in the foundation, played baseball... "Oh, it was so much fun!" That area used to have a soba restaurant that was eventually demolished, and now the "Soraku Ryogoku Bunten" is located in the basement of the Nagasaki-ya building. The history of this restaurant is long, starting in 1927 in Karafuto as "Ryogoku" and relocating to Otaru in 1948. They used to specialize in udon noodles, but later started making hand-cut soba noodles (morekoshi soba) as recommended by acquaintances from Oosaki Seifunjo. In 1982, they opened the "Ryogoku Shioya branch," which is now their main store. This soba restaurant has been a familiar place since my childhood! Now, I really love the "Tempura and Egg Soba." After turning 40, I hardly eat cold soba anymore! The best thing about "Tempura and Egg" is the way the egg coats the tempura, absorbing the dashi broth. The tempura batter, soaked in the egg coating, is delicious! When you put your chopsticks into the egg, the oil oozes out! It's irresistible (laughs)! The degree of doneness of the egg is crucial, as it significantly affects the overall flavor of this delicate dish! So, let's go straight to the point! "Tempura and Egg Soba"!! Let's go!!! - Tempura and Egg... 950 yen The bowl is small and deep, with two large prawn tempura pieces protruding out. On top, there is a thin, silky beaten egg covering the tempura. The appearance is very appealing and whets the appetite! First, take a sip of the nostalgic soba broth! "Mmm! Rich!" The familiar rich bonito broth brings a smile! It might seem a bit tough and blunt in taste, but that's the "Ryogoku" broth! It's a love-it-or-hate-it kind of thing, but it's a matter of personal preference! Next, let's bite into the prawn tempura! The batter is crispy, but with a slightly chewy texture in some places, so whether it's due to temperature control or skill, if it's freshly fried, the tempura is delicious! The prawns themselves are firm and tasty! The noodles are morekoshi soba! It lacks the pure white translucency, but it's tasty and has a decent texture! Maybe a 2.8? In conclusion, the nostalgic "Tempura and Egg" from Ryogoku! Just for that, I'm biased! If you like this rich broth, beaten egg, and tempura, you won't rate it below 3.5! However, what bothered me a bit was the cost performance! For 950 yen, I was expecting a bit more impact! It's been decades since I last had it, and I'm flooded with memories, but thinking rationally, it feels a bit pricey! Also, after this, I went back to have the Tempura and Egg again, and the tempura that time seemed a bit pre-made! The texture was slightly different, which was disappointing! The beaten egg was good though! If you want to try a traditional soba restaurant in Otaru, why not visit "Ryogoku"? It's a popular place for both hot and cold soba dishes, especially during this hot season!

I had a late lunch after work here. Despite living in Otaru for almost 30 years and using Nagasakiya frequently, this soba restaurant was my first visit. The atmosphere of the soba restaurant on the aged floor of Nagasakiya underground is even more seasoned. I ordered the "Oomori Soba (650 yen)", which is a sarashina soba. It's not a clean white soba, but it has a good texture and goes down smoothly. It's a "normal" soba. It's reasonably priced and you can eat it easily. The "Oomori" portion is a generous large serving size that will fill you up. What caught my attention was that the menu says "Add 150 yen for large serving". I wanted to ask the female staff about it, but I was too embarrassed to do so... If you can order it, I wonder if it's as big as the volume of Sapporo's "Ooban"? Thank you for the meal.