I visited this restaurant after a while as it seemed to be closed every time I came in the past few months. The traditional atmosphere and the scent of good quality ingredients around the shop made me excited to try their warm soba noodles. The menu had a variety of options, and I decided to order the tempura soba. The soba noodles were thin and long, with a decent texture, and the tempura was crispy and delicious. The broth was not too strong in bonito flavor, which I liked. Overall, it was a satisfying meal and I would love to visit again in the future.

This is a shop that I've been curious about since a long time ago. I entered around lunchtime and there were a few customers waiting, so I decided to start with some alcohol. They also served a pack of Japanese sake as a service, with homemade-like menma that was delicious. Lunch sets start from ¥800, with choices like kake soba or mini tendon. The soba broth was a bit salty, so I asked for a raw egg to add. It's a normal soba shop that has been around in Otaru for a long time. I was able to use the Otaru Premium Coupon here.

During my first visit to Otaru in September 2020, I stopped by a restaurant that had been previously judged as "not worth revisiting" by a senior member of our group after trying their "Tendon and Ramen" set. With the number of places offering "Hanazono" lunch declining, I hesitantly decided to visit to see how their "Machisoba" was. The restaurant seemed to be run by an elderly couple, with the woman handling the fried dishes and the man in charge of the soba. The soba was cooked in a similar style to the one I had experienced when working at a soba restaurant, with a proper rinsing and finishing sink. The soba was cooked, rinsed thoroughly in the sink, and lifted with a large strainer. It reminded me of the process I had learned at the soba restaurant I used to work at. I ordered the "Mori" set for 550 yen, which was made with machine-cut Soba noodles. Unfortunately, the soba was a bit too soft, possibly due to overcooking. The dipping sauce was average and on the sweeter side, as were the condiments. Overall, it was a decent soba for the price. When I asked about their days off, I was told they have irregular closing days, which adds to the laid-back atmosphere typical of a "Machisoba" restaurant in Otaru.

This is a branch of a long-established soba restaurant located in the Hanazono area in September 2016. I did not review when I had the regular ramen here before. This time, I ordered a lunch set for 750 yen (available from 11:00 to 14:30), which included a mini-sized tempura bowl and regular ramen. There were no other customers before or after me. After placing my order, I saw the lady frying tempura. The rice for the tempura bowl was wrapped in plastic wrap and heated up. The sauce was poured over the rice, and then the fried tempura was placed on top to complete the dish. Meanwhile, the owner was preparing the ramen, and it was brought out at the same time as the tempura bowl. First, let's talk about the ramen. I had tried it once before, but it didn't leave a lasting impression, so I tried it again this time. The soup had a slight hint of pepper flavor. In Otaru, it seems common for soba restaurants to serve ramen that is neither soy sauce-based nor salt-based, and this place is advertised as serving regular ramen, but honestly, the taste of the soup was a bit off and not like homemade. The noodles were also overcooked. Considering the images of the ramen I had before, a mini-sized portion is more than enough. The tempura bowl consisted of shrimp, green pepper, and seaweed tempura. Um, the balance between the rice and tempura was a bit off. It's inevitable that you'll have leftover rice in the end, so I took a bite of tempura and mixed it with rice a few times, but I still had rice left over (laughs). Luckily, there was pickled radish, so I finished the meal with that. Overall, for 750 yen, it didn't feel like a good deal at all... So, it seems unlikely that I will revisit this place anytime soon.

Welcome! This is a legitimate shop located in the Hanazono district of Otaru City. Surrounded by drinking establishments, I was drawn to this place in the midst of temptation. I apologize for surprising the couple on break as I entered. The space has a traditional feel with a counter and tables, so let's sit at the counter. The ramen is being enjoyed by Macpon, so let's order the same. The cooking team of Tosan and Kasan work together harmoniously, creating a cozy atmosphere with the sound of cooking and news on the TV. The aroma of the soba broth is delightful. Kasan seems to be adding too many ingredients to the pot, but the result is a delicious hot pot of soba. The toppings include shrimp tempura, shiitake mushrooms, fried tofu, fish cake, rice cakes, bamboo shoots, wheat gluten, seaweed, and chicken hidden beneath the soba. The broth is light and gentle, while the soba noodles have a chewy texture. The mochi is stretchy and cute, the chicken is tender, and the wheat gluten adds a nice texture. The meal was satisfying, and I couldn't resist lingering in such a cozy space. Thank you for the delicious meal. They close at 8 pm, so I wish they opened for dinner as well.

Last year I went to Sankou, so this year I was thinking of trying somewhere different. As I passed by here, I saw a sign for New Year's soba. Let's try this place. It's 420 yen for a serving with green onions and wasabi included. It's a cozy soba shop, although it's smaller than the main store. It has a homely feel. I had cold soba, but the cooking broth was a bit thick and the soba was slightly overcooked. Maybe they didn't do it right, as there were no instructions on boiling time. I boiled it for about 3 minutes.

It's a place in Otaru city, specifically in Hanazono, a drinking district. The entrance to the maze of Hanazono is where this soba shop is located. The shop is labeled as a branch, so the main shop must be in Otaru. There are two entrances, but it's best to enter from the wider road side. The interior has a Showa-era dining hall vibe with the scent of tempura oil. I ordered the Shoyu Ramen as there was no Salt Ramen available. The ramen arrived in 5-6 minutes, with thin curly noodles and a light shoyu broth. The toppings included chashu, menma, naruto, fu, wakame, and green onions. Overall, it felt more like a regular diner's ramen than a soba shop's ramen. I might visit the main shop soon to compare.