Delicious meat soba! My favorite restaurant #5. My top favorite food is Japanese soba! I make sure to eat it once a week, but since the spread of the coronavirus, I have been cooking at home and refraining from eating out. So, this Golden Week, I decided to visit a restaurant that I used to love but haven't been to in a while, focusing on my long-time favorite, "meat soba"! This restaurant is the main store of a super famous chain in Tokyo that is known for adding chili oil to soba noodles, with a unique name of Ikebukuro Minami. They offer a variety of meat soba dishes at around 1000 yen, targeting salarymen and students. I used to frequent the store near my old company in Shinbashi, but before the pandemic, they were rapidly expanding to areas where office workers and students gather. Similar to Ginza Five's OD, they are expanding their menu, with a focus on different meat variations and adding vegetables to create a G-ramen-inspired soba dish. Each store also introduces original seasonal menus. Despite having multiple locations, they seem to use the slight variation in taste to their advantage, making each store unique. The meat soba here costs 990 yen as of May 2023, and you can choose from small, medium, or large portions for the same price. The large portion is about 350g, which is more than double the amount of regular soba. The most significant difference from the original M is the noodles. They are thicker than M's noodles and have a gray color reminiscent of Korean cold noodles, with a strong chewy texture. The toppings include chopped seaweed, white onions, white sesame seeds, and sweet-savory simmered beef, with a good balance of ingredients. The beef is not as sweet as M's, making it more refreshing to eat. The noodles are served cold, and the strong texture adds to the satisfaction of the dish. The highlight of this meat soba is definitely the robust texture of the noodles. It's a unique experience that sets it apart from M's. The restaurant has made "chili oil soba" popular among businessmen and students, turning it into a standard dish. As a G-ramen in the soba world, I hope they continue to satisfy hardworking individuals with a hearty meal. This restaurant might be the one to turn meat soba into a fast food staple in Japan. In my opinion, it's one of the original places for meat soba. It's "My meat soba, with hearty noodles, the most satisfying restaurant"!

I had a medium-sized portion of cold meat soba. Even though it's a medium portion, it's satisfying for both men and women. The soba noodles are medium thickness and smooth, but they have a good chewy texture and are delicious. They go well with the slightly sweet broth. There is chili oil and tempura crumbs on the table, so I think adding them will enhance the flavor. It's a unique type of dish that I don't often see, and I was satisfied. It's cold and refreshing, but also satisfying, and it suited my mood!

I visited a restaurant near Ikebukuro Station because I felt like eating ramen with chili oil. I bought a medium-sized meat soba from the vending machine for 1,050 yen, handed the ticket to the staff, and waited for about 5 minutes. The soup was clear and had a spicy soy sauce flavor. The noodles were topped with a generous amount of pork, green onions, and shredded seaweed, but the dish was messy with seaweed scattered all over. There were tempura crumbs on the table that you could freely add to your dish. They also offered a raw egg as a service, which some customers mixed into the spicy soup (I personally don't like raw eggs so I declined). If you're looking for something spicy, you might find it lacking, but if you're a soba lover looking for a different experience, you might enjoy this dish. Craving ramen with chili oil hits me occasionally.

Nowadays, there are various places where you can find chili oil soba, and it has become a well-established genre. The originator of chili oil soba seems to be this shop. I ordered a simple meat soba. It's a medium serving, but there's quite a lot. This is also a feature of chili oil soba. It's been a while since I last had it, but it's still delicious. It's much thicker and firmer than regular soba, but it goes well with the dipping sauce. It's the kind of food you want to eat regularly. The only issue is that the interior of the shop is a bit dirty. It seems there are only two staff members running the place, so they probably don't have time to clean.

Thursday around 11:30 am, the size of the noodles in the meat soba is the same price no matter which one you choose. The main store has the name "Minami" only here. The tororo meat soba with extra seaweed and extra noodles. After purchasing a meal ticket, place it on the counter and wait. When called, go pick it up. There is water and tea next to the counter, so help yourself. Eggs are placed next to the entrance. One per person is free. There is eating chili oil and fried tempura on the table. The noodles are delicious and plentiful without adding extra meat. There is a lot of seaweed. Personally, I prefer this place over Minamiya in terms of cost performance and menu variety. The return window is at the back of the store, so you have to bring it back yourself. It's hot because the air conditioning is not working. It would be nice if the air conditioning was working. Next time, I want to try the curry soba.

Soba, curry, tonkatsu, hamburger... Why put chili oil in soba? ●● is a drink. These catchy restaurant names are part of the growing series led by Mimonou, operated by Ikebukuro Mibu. The founder, Hirofumi Mibu, opened a soba restaurant named after himself on Geikijo Street in September 2010. The captivating catchphrase "Why put chili oil in soba?" became a hot topic, and subsequent stores adopted this as their name. The names of the curry, tonkatsu, and hamburger restaurants come from a parody segment of the popular variety show "Oretachi Hyokin Zoku" that aired from 1981 to 1989, where Ugandan Tiger famously said "Curry rice is a drink." Currently, they operate around 20 stores mainly in Tokyo. The menu includes items like meat soba, chicken soba, dipping noodles with meat broth, grated yam with meat soba, grated yam with chicken soba, shrimp tempura soba, spicy grated yam soba, and black curry meat soba. I added shrimp tempura to the meat soba [medium size]. The dish consisted of thick, black country-style soba noodles piled high with beef, seaweed, and a chili oil dipping sauce. Perfect for the upcoming season! It was delicious. Thank you for the meal! ｡⁠◕⁠‿⁠◕⁠｡

"Why put chili oil in soba noodles?" This flashy sign belongs to a soba restaurant called "Mibu" in Ikebukuro, inspired by the famous Shinbashi restaurant "Minato-ya." I ordered the classic Pork Soba Large for ¥1,050 from the ticket machine. I was pleased to see that the noodle portion was the same for all sizes. The dish arrived in about 5 minutes, with a generous serving of soba noodles topped with blanched beef, white negi (Japanese leek), nori (seaweed), and sesame seeds. The noodles were thick with a firm texture and a smooth surface. The dipping sauce had a balance of sweetness and saltiness, enhanced by the chili oil. It reminded me of the soba noodles from the now-closed Minato-ya. I couldn't stop eating with my chopsticks. While the scent of soba was faint, the combination with chili oil was incredibly delicious! Adding an egg (complimentary) to the dipping sauce made it even more flavorful and creamy. Additionally, you can customize the taste with table condiments like chili oil, tempura flakes, and shichimi spice. The portion size was satisfying, and I finished the meal by drinking the soba broth. Mibu may not be a fancy soba restaurant, but it offers good value for money, filling portions, and a unique way to enjoy soba similar to tsukemen (dipping noodles). Thank you to the staff for a delicious meal! 🍜

Here is a translated version of the restaurant review: The sign that stands out here asks, "Why put chili oil in soba noodles?" It's been a while since I visited this place. It's part of a group that also offers curry dishes, but it seems like this place came first. It's inspired by the Koyoya in Tokyo, but I feel like the food here is even better. Prices have gone up, and now they only allow one raw egg per person. The portion sizes for small, regular, and large are all the same price, but I opted for the small size. Even though it's labeled as small, the portion of noodles seems to be around 200g. The soba noodles here are thick and have a chewy texture, unlike the thin and delicate noodles I usually prefer. The dish is topped generously with beef, green onions, sesame seeds, and chopped seaweed. The rich and spicy broth with chili oil packs a punch, but it doesn't overpower the flavors of the meat, sesame seeds, green onions, and seaweed. As you chew through the hearty ingredients, the subtle flavor of the soba noodles starts to come through. The balance of flavors is just right. While it may lack the delicate touch of traditional soba noodles, this hearty and flavorful dish is delicious in its own way. It's like a junk food version of soba noodles, and it's really tasty. Thank you for the meal!

There was no line around 2:30 pm on Sunday, but the restaurant was almost full. You buy a meal ticket and hand it to the kitchen staff. Self-service for water, etc., so it's better to prepare in advance. They offer one free egg per person, which was appreciated.

Today, I visited a place called "Ikebukuro Mibu" that I had been curious about for a while. It was quite busy even though it was past lunchtime. I bought a meal ticket at the entrance, handed it to the staff, and sat at the counter. I ordered the "Niku-mashi Niku Soba (Medium, 1290 yen)". You can choose from large, medium, or small sizes, but the price remains the same. I chose medium, and it was quite a generous portion. The soba came with green onions, sesame seeds, meat, and a lot of seaweed on top. The dipping sauce was sweet with a generous amount of chili oil. The combination of the sweet sauce and spicy oil made it very delicious. The soba noodles had a good firm texture and chewiness. When I added a lot of tempura flakes halfway through, it added a bit of richness and enhanced the flavor. I didn't notice it while eating, but there was a free egg (1 piece) placed on the counter when I finished. I will try adding that next time. This place introduces famous shops from all over the country. Please take a look if you're interested. http://posoposo.jugem.jp/

At this restaurant, I had always been hesitant to order something simple because I thought it might not be worth it. However, I finally decided to visit during opening hours and carefully looked at the menu hanging outside. I settled on the Bukkake Soba, the most basic option, which comes with white onions, chopped seaweed, sesame seeds, and bonito flakes. While these toppings are not necessary, I wish they were served on the side so I could enjoy the plain flavor of the soba with just the noodles, broth, and chili oil. The chewy texture of the soba may divide opinions, but I personally think this eating style is great. I accidentally bought an extra-large portion ticket, but I ended up feeling very satisfied and full. The gamble paid off - I got to experience the "why" factor at a reasonable price, and the simplicity of the dish made everything clear and enjoyable. Plus, if you pay a little extra for more noodles, you'll get even more value for your money!

I went to the main store of Why do you put chili oil in soba? with Imai. Large meat soba 990, large spicy grated daikon 300, crab stick tempura 300. The grated daikon is really good. The large size is not too much, just right. Maybe adding more meat would be better. It might be good to add a little more tempura too. It becomes a little bland.

I visited the restaurant to try the spicy oil soba that I had been curious about. I arrived around 1:30 pm on Sunday. The restaurant was crowded, about 70-80% full. I purchased a meal ticket first. I ordered the famous spicy oil soba. Even though it was the same price for a large portion, I wasn't sure about the taste and quantity as it was my first visit, so I chose a regular size. The soba was cooked as soon as I handed in the meal ticket. It was served in about 5 minutes. The soba with plenty of seaweed had a good texture and was delicious. The slightly sweet sauce with spicy oil mixed with the broth was also tasty. I finished it in no time and regretted not getting the large portion. I drank all the dipping sauce with soba broth at the end. Toppings like tempura crumbs, spicy oil, and raw egg were free to take. I only added tempura crumbs to the dipping sauce, but I would like to try adding raw egg next time. Although it was a bit pricey, it was very delicious, so I plan to visit again. It was delicious, thank you for the meal.

There is a restaurant located about a 5-minute walk from Ikebukuro Station called "Ranchitai" which was quite crowded. I have loved soba noodles since I was a child but haven't had the chance to eat them in a while, so it felt like a reunion. Hmm, it was delicious, but personally, I felt it was a bit lacking. However, soba noodles are still delicious. If I have the opportunity, I will visit again.

Today, since I had the day off, I went to Ikebukuro. I visited a shop that I had been curious about. Do you put chili oil in soba...? There was a similar shop in Shinjuku, could it be a related store? Tried it. Hmm, surprisingly delicious. The right amount of spiciness that stimulates the appetite. It was delicious. Thank you for the meal!

It's been a while since I visited. The noodles were very chewy. They had raised the prices, which is understandable in the current situation. The portion size used to be bigger, so it's a bit disappointing. They now only give one raw egg per person. It seems like they reduced the amount of chili oil, so I had to add more myself. The soup, with fish powder sprinkled on top and diluted with soba broth, was delicious.

I didn't expect to find something like this at this restaurant. I wanted to try something different from the usual meat-focused menu, so I opted for a more simple dish. However, the sweet broth packed with vegetables was surprisingly good. Once I finished most of the vegetables and started slurping the soba noodles, I added some chili oil from the bottle on the counter. This allowed me to experience the combination of soba noodles and chili oil. I realized that chili oil is made from sesame oil, and it enhanced the aroma of the soba noodles. Even though this dish may not be typical of a soba restaurant, the unexpected pairing of flavors was quite interesting.

The soba noodles here are not just ordinary, they have a powerful taste that even the strong citrus peel in the dipping sauce can't match. The uncut chikuwa adds a dynamic touch to the dish. If you go for a regular size, the richness of the dipping sauce might overpower the noodles. I might try the large size next time.

"Naze Ra" has multiple branches, but this one is the main store. It was my first time at "Naze Ra" and I decided to come here. For my second lunch today, I chose the smallest portion of meat soba (small) at 200g, but it was a mistake. It was so delicious that I wish I had ordered the medium size (250g) or even the large size (350g) which are the same price. Most of the hearty eaters here go for the large size. The soup tasted like adding sesame oil to the noodle soup, which was a unique flavor. There were also condiments like chili oil, raw egg, and tempura bits on the table. The amount of shredded seaweed and white sesame sprinkled on the soba was generous. It felt like being treated luxuriously just like when visiting grandma's house. At first, I thought it was similar to another famous noodle shop, but as I ate the noodles with firm texture, soup with chili oil, and raw egg, I realized this one was definitely tastier. The staff were friendly, cheerful, and kind. However, the meat was overcooked and lacked flavor, which was disappointing. There were various seasonings available at the soba soup corner, and I ended up drinking all the soba soup as it was unexpectedly delicious. Even though I ordered the small size, I ended up feeling full!

The texture is great. The meat is also delicious. If you go at exactly 12:00 on weekdays, it's empty. But as more and more customers leave, there are a few people lining up. I ordered the small size meat udon for 960 yen. I found the flavor to be strong, so I enjoyed eating the noodles without dipping them too much in the sauce, like with soba. I liked that there was a lot of seaweed and sesame seeds. I can understand why people get hooked on it like with Jiro-style ramen.

Inspired by the restaurant name "Why Add Chili Oil to Soba," Minato-ya has a strong noodle texture compared to Anto. The clientele here is more masculine, with a lot of rough-looking men. I've been here about 20 times, but I've never seen any female customers. It might just be a coincidence. The meat soba comes in small, medium, and large sizes, all for the same price. You buy a ticket, wait to be called, then pick up your order. Once you have it, sprinkle on some red pepper flakes and add extra chili oil. On top of cold noodles, there's a generous amount of sweet and savory simmered beef, lots of chopped green onions, plenty of shredded seaweed, and sesame seeds. Dip it all in the cold broth and slurp it up. This soba is surprisingly tiring to eat, which is unusual. Is this really soba? It might not be what you expect from delicious soba. It's better to think of it as something different. The beef here is delicious. This ridiculously manly meat soba really hits the spot. Thank you for the meal.