Zaby
On a holiday morning, I secretly left my house and took the subway to "Nango-dori 7-chome Station". Just a minute's walk towards Route 12, there is a newly opened "Yamauchi Seimenjo" and "Nomidokoro Kobato" from April 26, 2023, operating from 8:00 to 14:00. The store proudly advertises "Hokkaido soba flour 50%" on the menu, which I find refreshing. I believe that the soba flour content in town soba is sufficient. It's a different genre of food from authentic soba, so they shouldn't be compared. However, it's important to note that the rutin content in soba, which helps prevent lifestyle diseases like heart disease, arteriosclerosis, and high blood pressure, is only effective if it is above 80%. Therefore, those who eat soba for health promotion purposes should opt for soba with a flour content of 80% or higher.
I arrived shortly after the opening at around 8:00. The interior of the store had about seven counter seats, and the operation was handled by two men. After being served water, I looked at the menu, which offered five options: "kake, mori, zaru, duck nanban, duck seiro" - another bold move! I wanted to try the "mori soba," but despite the cherry blossoms blooming, the morning temperature was still around 10 degrees. Thus, I ordered the "kake soba @500." The soba was served as raw soba, not boiled, and took about 6 minutes to prepare.
The tray placed in front of me contained "kake soba" and green onions. The soba was thin and reminiscent of morekoshi style, with a mild firmness but uniform thickness and a generous portion of about 250g. The broth was not overpowering, with a subtle dashi flavor that may divide opinions. It had a crisp finish without pandering to sweetness, and I believe it was homemade.
Rather than the taste, I admire their attitude of opening at this early hour and wish them success in expanding to the city center. I look forward to trying their cold soba next time. I'll revisit when it gets a little warmer. The izakaya at night also seems like a good place for a drink. Thank you for the meal.