Katsudon set with extra-large soba noodles for 850 yen plus 100 yen. The katsudon is traditional and delicious. It's great that the extra-large soba noodles are only an additional 100 yen. You have to grate the wasabi yourself, which might be a bit confusing if you're not used to it. Overall, it's a restaurant worth revisiting considering the cost performance.

Today I tried having lunch in a different direction than usual. There weren't many dining options around, so it was very crowded. It seemed like they were overwhelmed with orders since it was lunchtime. I had the daily special, which was a traditional soba bowl topped with wakame and komatsuna. It was delicious and very filling. It might be just right for men. I enjoyed it. Thank you for the meal.

Tendon set for 820 yen. I had lunch in Akihabara. It was my first time visiting this restaurant. I didn't have high expectations, but the soba was incredibly delicious. The shrimp in the tempura was big and satisfying to eat. Both the taste and the price left me feeling very satisfied. I enjoyed it very much.

Tempura rice bowl set with extra-large soba noodles for 870 yen plus 100 yen. The tempura portion felt a bit lacking in quantity. I think I preferred the pork cutlet bowl I had last time. The option for extra-large soba noodles for just 100 yen more is appreciated. I plan to try a different menu item next time.

The lunch was great.

I wonder what to do next, there are no more restaurants I want to visit. Heading west on Showa Street, I end up at Yodobashi. "Waga-ya" is a soba-style izakaya. I want to keep the soba. Soba & rice bowl, mori soba & katsu-don. Mori & katsu, nothing beats this, no menu needed. This menu is not common in soba-style izakayas. The interior of the restaurant is long with tables lined up in one row extending to the back. There are also slightly larger tables at the back. Waga-ya lunch menu: Cold soba (seiro) 550 yen, hot soba (kake) 550 yen, Soba set with curry 700 yen, ginger pork rice bowl 720 yen, daily special 770 yen, medium fatty tuna rice bowl 780 yen, katsu-don 800 yen, tempura rice bowl 820 yen. Prices are lower compared to other soba restaurants. The soba has a good texture, not too soft. The soba broth, served in a large pot, is a bit too thin and not very tasty. The katsu-don is the star of the show. The egg on top is cooked perfectly, shiny and fluffy. The katsu is thin, about 2mm, but tender. It tastes like it was freshly made, not cold and tough. The price range reflects the quality of the food. It's a popular choice for lunch. As a casual diner, I think it could be a bit more expensive for better quality, but it's not bad. The standard is set by the average worker. Smoking is allowed even during lunch, as it's an izakaya. Interestingly, today the passive smoking prevention law was enacted in Japan. The times are changing. In conclusion, the thickness and frying time of the katsu make a huge difference. I might consider revisiting for tempura soba or duck soba.

This is an izakaya located a little north of Yodobashi AKIBA. I went there with a drinking buddy around 7:30 pm on a weekday. There was a blackboard menu outside the shop advertising "tuna bits for 100 yen". We decided to check it out and went inside. The interior was long with about 7 tables and a semi-private room for 8 people at the back. We started with a draft beer (480 yen) and ordered the tuna bits (100 yen) and butter-fried bean sprouts (400 yen). We were served fried potatoes as a complimentary appetizer. The tuna bits were decent for the price, and overall, it had a casual atmosphere. I switched to a grapefruit sour (320 yen) for my second drink, which was quite sweet and more like juice. The relaxed service made for a comfortable experience. This place might be better suited for a leisurely drink rather than a quick one.

I visited this restaurant on a weekday around 19:00 based on a friend's recommendation. There were two groups of customers already there. We ordered squid sashimi, chilled tofu, ham cutlet, tuna sashimi, fried chicken skin, chilled tomatoes, stir-fried bean sprouts, and more. Since the restaurant was not crowded when we ordered, the dishes arrived promptly one after another while we were eating. The squid sashimi was thickly sliced and tasted even sweeter with wasabi. The ham cutlet had a crispy texture from the coarse breadcrumbs. The fried chicken skin looked delicious and was crispy with a rich flavor. The restaurant seemed to be run by the owner and the second generation, with the latter handling the kitchen. The owner seemed quite elderly but still active. It was a bit difficult to place orders, but the owner's presence gave a sense of security. Initially, the restaurant was quiet for a weekday, but it started to fill up around 20:00 with reserved customers. Despite being a bit far from the station, it was a charming izakaya with delicious food.

Near Akihabara Station, I tried to have lunch at "Tan Kiyoshi" but it was closed. I wandered around the area and was invited by a friendly staff member to visit their restaurant. I confirmed that they still had the "Special Set Meal (750 yen) - limited quantity" and decided to enter. The interior was like a typical izakaya, with menus of dishes and sake pasted on the walls, creating a lively atmosphere. The special set meal was served in a box and included cold soba noodles, mountain vegetable rice, tempura, grilled mackerel with salt, and more. The soba noodles were average. The mountain vegetable mixed rice came with salmon roe and seaweed on top, but the freshness of the salmon roe was lacking. The small grilled mackerel was quite tasty. The set also included simmered yam and lotus root, lettuce, watercress, cucumber salad. The tempura consisted of one shrimp, eggplant, and shiitake mushrooms, and was decent. Being able to enjoy such a variety of dishes at this price was very reasonable. I believe the quality of this izakaya lunch set is quite high. (Visited on May 2, 2013)