I used to see ads for lucky charms in gambling magazines. Seeing an illustration of someone bathing in a tub of money with beautiful women on both sides, I couldn't help but feel more suspicious than envious. Speaking of suspicious things, there is a term called "yabu" in Japanese, which refers to doctors who use superstition rather than medicine to cure illnesses. Today's lunch was at "Yabusoba," a restaurant that used to be near JR Otsuka Station or the Arakawa Streetcar line's Sugamo Shinden stop, but has now moved to Koshinzuka. I ordered the "tenseiro" soba in a large portion. Others ordered simpler options like "morisoba," "kakesoba," or "zarusoba." Perhaps they were being considerate since I was paying? The soba had a great aroma when dipped in the soy sauce base and slurped up. The eggplant tempura was crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, while the shrimp tempura had a delicious crunch and flavor. The soba got tastier with each bite, and even the soba broth at the end was delicious. It feels like a win to experience such high-quality food at a random restaurant. I look forward to enjoying it with some drinks next time.

A soba restaurant within walking distance from Sugamo Station. The interior is clean and has a dignified atmosphere with classical music playing. When I visited, there seemed to be many female customers. I ordered the "Tenseiro" set (1,620 yen). It came with plump shrimp tempura and a serving of soba noodles. The soba noodles were incredibly delicious. I felt satisfied just eating the soba alone. The tempura, when dipped in the soba broth, was exquisite. Everything was delicious, but the shrimp stood out as particularly tasty. Considering all this for 1,620 yen, it felt like a great deal. When I'm in the mood for alcohol, I'd love to come back and enjoy some drinks with appetizers.

After how many years, I visited Sugamo. I had lunch at a soba restaurant a little away from the station. I ordered a delicious dish called "Duck Yaki" as a snack. It was thick and tender. And then... I had the "Tenseiro" for 1620 yen. The soba was smooth and fragrant, just the way I like it. The tempura was crispy too. Even though it was a bit away from the station and it was past noon, the restaurant was full and I had to wait a bit (on a Saturday). The deliciousness definitely justified its popularity.

Myoga and eggplant soba with broth: 1,200 yen Natto and pickled turnip cold noodles: 990 yen - I visited around 12 pm on a weekday. It was empty due to the rain, so I was seated immediately. - I chose the two seasonal limited items that were posted on the wall. - The eggplant was delicious. - I was curious about what other customers were ordering. Is it common to order an additional side dish like pickled radish or octopus wasabi with soba?

A soba restaurant where Mr. Nishikai, who trained for about 30 years at "Ueno Yabusoba," opened his own shop in 2013. The current location moved from Otsuka in 2020. Despite being a 10-minute walk from Sugamo Station, the restaurant is bustling with regular customers. The soba served here follows the Edo style. The soba flour is sourced based on quality rather than origin, blended in-house, and hand-cut. The thin and smooth noodles pair well with the rich broth that even Edo merchants loved. The tempura has a light batter with a slightly substantial volume, ensuring a good coating. It is recommended to enjoy it with the tempura dipping sauce rather than salt. The most highly recommended dish overall is the bukkake soba. In addition to the classic squid tempura, there are seasonal menu items such as tempura with summer vegetables. A welcome addition to the neighborhood.

Located about a 10-minute walk from Sugamo Station North Exit on the JR Yamanote Line, there is a soba restaurant called "Sobakiri Yabu" near the Koshinzuka area. Originally based in Otsuka, the restaurant moved to Sugamo in September 2020. I visited for lunch for the first time! On this day, I ordered the Curry Nanban in a large size with rice. The Curry Nanban came with long green onions, two pieces of mochi, and chewy duck meat underneath. The curry soup was incredibly delicious! It was hot, so be careful not to burn yourself, but it was smooth and very tasty. The soba was also plentiful due to the large size, and when eaten with the curry, it was delicious. I was surprised by the amount of rice, but I was happy with the firmness of the rice, which was to my liking. To finish off, I also had soba-yu, which was a delicious ending to the meal!

Tenseirou 1,620 yen, extra large portion 250 yen. There used to be a soba restaurant in this location for a long time, but it seems like it changed and became delicious, so I decided to visit. I arrived at 11:15 on a weekday and was the first customer. However, by 11:30, it was full. It seemed like the tables were not efficiently used as they filled up the 4-person tables with single customers. I wonder if they will switch to 2-person tables when it gets busier. The tempura in the Tenseirou set includes two large prawns. The prawns are big, so it's quite filling, but I wanted to try the soba in a large portion. The soba was delicious. Since it's close to home, I will come back again. However, if I always order Tenseirou, it will be expensive, so next time I will try something else. I wonder if they offer delivery service. I would like to order delivery as well.

In March, I went to enjoy a drink with my wife in the Sugamo area of Tokyo, at a soba restaurant that we both like in the Sugamo district. The restaurant is called Sobakiri Yabu in the Sugamo area. The place is located about a 17-minute walk west from Sugamo Station on Route 17, passing through the Toshima Market and turning right at the next traffic light. It was almost full, but luckily we found a table and sat down. It seems to be quite popular. I ordered the Echizen Oroshi Soba, which costs 800 yen per serving. My wife and I enjoyed it with soba-yu (hot soba water). I really like this dish and ended up ordering a second serving. My wife ordered the Tenseiro, which costs 1,620 yen. The presentation was nice, and the tempura was cooked perfectly with a good balance of flavors. My wife seemed very satisfied with her choice. I ordered the Curry Nanban, which costs 1,010 yen. I was in the mood for curry at a soba restaurant, and the balance of Japanese and curry flavors in this dish was just right. Overall, we both prefer this place over another famous soba restaurant nearby. We will definitely come back again. Thank you for the delicious meal!

First visit. It was lunchtime on the weekend, but luckily there was one seat available and we were seated right away. I ordered the large zaru soba, which came with a generous amount of seaweed on top in a steamer basket. The thin, greenish soba noodles were firm and cut finely, making them irresistible. I added real wasabi from the third bite onwards. The combination of spiciness and sweetness was pure bliss. I couldn't resist ordering the squid tempura soba as well. The hot squid tempura, sweet winter radish grated on top, and elegantly sweetened shiitake mushrooms thinly sliced all combined to create a complex umami flavor in my mouth. In a world where many "high-end" restaurants offer small portions at high prices, I could feel the owner's dedication in their meticulous work and pricing. Thank you for the wonderful meal.

The thin and soft soba noodles at this restaurant were easy to eat, as they mixed well with the dipping sauce. The aroma was pleasant and simple, making it appealing to everyone. Personally, I prefer soba noodles with a stronger aroma and more unique flavor, so I felt it was a bit lacking in that aspect.

On the 4th, I went to Sugamo. Since I was with my husband today, we decided to have soba. Our restaurant was not facing Jizo Street shopping district. It was a place I had been wanting to try for a while. Unfortunately, two groups had just entered before us. I peeked inside and saw that some tables were still waiting for their food. We decided to wait for about 30 minutes to be seated. Just as we were seated, another group left and the next group that lined up after us got in immediately. Waiting in line can be tough when the timing is off. My husband had the soba set and I had the katsudon. The katsudon came with soba noodles on the side, which was a nice touch. The restaurant had about 6 tables, so it was relatively small. The place was very clean and the katsudon was delicious. The sauce on the katsudon was not too sweet, giving it that authentic soba restaurant taste. We enjoyed our meal.

I am hooked on ten-don (tempura rice bowl). While reading reviews of a soba restaurant, I came across their menu item called "Ikaten Oroshi" which looked delicious. I decided to visit the restaurant and try it out. The dish consisted of finely cut soba noodles topped with tempura squid, grated daikon radish, chopped seaweed, radish sprouts, and shiitake mushrooms. I poured some dipping sauce over it and enjoyed the meal. The soba noodles were delicious and the tempura squid was crispy and tasty. It was a refined dish. I would like to try out their other menu items as well.

This is a shop located a little away from the Sugamo shopping street. The atmosphere inside the shop was calm and cozy. The set of pork cutlet bowl and warm soba seemed like a good deal for around 1000 yen. This time, I ordered grated yam soba. The soba noodles were thinly cut and had a good texture. The grated yam was lightly seasoned, so it would have been better with more flavor. The tempura also looked delicious. I would like to try the pork cutlet bowl next time.

In late August 2022, I revisited this restaurant. These days, I find myself visiting various hospitals quite often as I am getting older. The other day, I went to the dentist, general practitioner, and dermatologist in the morning. While waiting for my medication at the pharmacy, I sneaked out to have an early solo lunch here. There were five other customers already there. This time, I wanted to eat tempura, so I ordered the "Tempura Assortment" for 1620 yen. The thin soba noodles were delicious, but the tempura was even better. I especially enjoyed the tempura pumpkin, which I thought was delicious for the first time in my life. The two prawn tempura were also plump and satisfying. I still think this is my favorite soba restaurant in this area.

Sugamo is a popular spot for visiting graves, especially for the senior generation. It is known for its many soba restaurants, but finding a truly delicious one can be challenging. After reading reviews from other customers, I decided to visit this place. Despite it being past 12 pm on a Sunday, the restaurant was already full, showing its popularity. After a 20-minute wait, I was seated inside the clean and modern-looking restaurant. I ordered the following dishes: - Myoga and eggplant soba (cold) for 1,100 yen - Squid tempura with grated daikon (cold) for 1,290 yen - Seiro soba (cold) for 770 yen - Cold nukazuke soba (cold) for 910 yen - Tempura assortment for 1,200 yen I could see the soba-making area in the kitchen, which made me look forward to the hand-made soba. The dishes were soon brought to me, and I was impressed by the presentation and attention to detail. The squid tempura was not what I expected, but the thin and crispy tempura pieces were delicious. The soba noodles were excellent, and the broth had a delightful aroma. The myoga and eggplant soba was beautifully presented, using fried eggplant slices and other toppings. The soba had a great texture and flavor, and I finished it quickly. The soba broth was clear at first but became milky and tasty when stirred. The only slightly odd thing was the classical music playing in the background. Overall, the experience was fantastic, and I might return to try other dishes next time.

I visited a soba restaurant called "Sobakiri Yabu" on a Saturday in April 2022, a little after 6 pm. It is located about a 5-6 minute walk from Koshinzuka Station on the Toden Arakawa Line. The cozy restaurant had two other customers when I arrived. I sat alone at a table and ordered sake and some appetizers. I enjoyed a delicious junmai sake called "Kuroushi" for ¥800. The appetizer of mountain vegetables for ¥420 was generously served with shiso leaves, grated daikon radish, and a soy sauce dip. The mountain vegetables had a subtle dashi flavor and paired well with the sake. The katsuo tataki for ¥700, topped with myoga, green onions, and sesame seeds, was delicious. I enjoyed it with wasabi and grated garlic. The fresh bonito had a nice smoky flavor that complemented the sake. I then switched to a delicate sake called "Saku Honochi" for ¥800. I ended the meal with seiro soba for ¥770, which had a unique thin noodle texture. The broth had a rich flavor that paired perfectly with the soba. I also enjoyed it with the leftover mountain vegetables. Overall, I had a satisfying experience at "Yabu," a hidden gem located a bit away from the station. The food, sake, and service were all excellent, and I look forward to visiting again.

I visited the soba restaurant on November 20, 2021 at 6:00 PM. There were 3 groups when I entered, and 2 groups came in after me. It is located in Toshima-ku, Tokyo, within a 15-minute walk from JR Sugamo Station, a little off Nakayama Street. The restaurant has 18 seats and opened in 2020, making it a clean and small soba restaurant. The owner seems to have trained for 30 years at "Yabusoba" in Ueno. The soba here is sure to be excellent. They offer a variety of dishes such as seiro (steamed soba), cold zaru soba, tempura rice bowl, and tamagoyaki (Japanese rolled omelette). I tried the myoga and eggplant bukkake soba for 1,100 yen, which is a seasonal dish. It was great, very delicious. It's a bit far from the station, but you can enjoy a meal in a calm atmosphere. It's also conveniently located near Jizo Street, making it a good option for a meal in between sightseeing. Soba Kiriya Bu is where you can enjoy delicious soba made by the owner who has undergone extensive training in Sugamo.

In mid-November 2021, revisited the last visit of the year to Homyo-ji in Sugamo, following Zoshigaya Reien. After paying respects at the grave, had a solo lunch at a place where I had previously enjoyed. The elegant interior had three other customers. This time, I had the "Tenseiro" for 1,620 yen. The large shrimp tempura was delicious, but the slightly white, thin noodles were the highlight. I'm not a soba expert, but this was the most delicious soba I've had recently. Satisfied.

I enjoyed a late lunch at the Komeda Coffee shop in front of Sugamo Station with the "Niku Daku Kome Gyu" dish, then visited the Edoroku Jizo Shrine at Sekishoji Temple. I bought norimaki at Marukome's "Iseiya" and then searched on Tabelog for "Sobakiri Yabu" to confirm their business hours until 19:30. I visited the Togenuki Jizo Shrine at Koganei Temple at 18:08, then spotted "Sobakiri Yabu" across the street at 18:20. After taking routine photos, I entered the shop at 18:22 and ordered the "Nameko Soba" for 930 yen plus a topping of fried egg for 1,000 yen. The broth was a bit too salty, but the soba was delicious and went well with the toppings. The hot soba with nameko mushrooms was satisfying, but I was a bit disappointed by the additional charge of 120 yen for the fried egg. The young waitress was attentive and the overall experience was good. The soba shop on the corner of the intersection received a rating of 3.36 stars from 12 reviews.

Visited in mid-July 2021. Yesterday, I visited Homyoji Temple in Sugamo, where my aunt and uncle rest, as it was the start of the Bon Festival. After paying my respects, it was lunchtime. I didn't want to deal with the crowds, so I decided to visit this place for a solo lunch. It used to be a casual dining called "Musashino," but now it has a modern atmosphere as a soba restaurant that relocated from Sunagawa Shinden. The interior is completely different from before, with a modern feel. I ordered the "Cold Zaru Soba" for 910 yen. There was only one customer when I arrived, but more people started coming in during lunchtime. After a short wait, the Cold Zaru Soba and soba-yu (soba water) arrived. Unlike typical Cold Zaru Soba where the noodles are already soaked in sauce, here the noodles and dipping sauce are served separately, like Morisoba. The thin white noodles were surprisingly delicious. It felt more like an authentic soba restaurant rather than the casual dining place that used to be there. I would definitely want to come back again.

It's an 8-minute walk from the A4 exit of the Toei Mita Line Sugamo Station. It's about a 10-minute walk from JR Sugamo Station. Located past the Tsukiji Market Toshima Market and down a side street. "Sobakiri Yabu" has a calm atmosphere with a sense of freshness. Classical piano music plays quietly in the background. We were able to use a table for 4 people as it was not crowded. - Seiro (Mori soba) 770 yen - Large serving 250 yen extra The soba was finely cut and had a firm texture. The edge was good and the noodles were delicious. The dipping sauce had a rich and spicy flavor with a strong dashi taste. I didn't touch the green onions, but I ate the wasabi as it was. The soba water was clear and had an elegant flavor, a perfect way to finish the meal. I also saw they had swordfish tempura, which I would like to try.