today, an unexpected treat arrived in the form of my sister inviting me out for a late lunch/early supper (let’s not get into semantics here, OK?) at soba-ya, a tiny, quiet and zen-infused japanese noodle shop tucked next to a holistic pet shop. it almost makes perfect sense!
clean aesthetic matched the flavors of everything. my sister, a veteran of this restaurant, suggested that we start with the boiled spinach and sesame. i immediately blanched, thinking this sounded kind of gross, and when it arrived, a lump of smashed greens on a tiny square plate, i just about congratulated myself…that is, until i tasted it. simple. unpretentious. delicious. “though it could use a little peppery kick,” i muttered, finishing off the dish.
i had a small appetizer portion of shrimp tempura and it was not so good – oily, mushy and spongy. however, this was all made up for by the soba i ordered: cold, unadorned and served with a side of hot broth with duck breast. the noodles have the perfect texture – not over cooked like at other places, and have a good, chewy bite. the duck soup was more like a gravy and i took to slathering the slices of meat over my noodles before stuffing the whole mess into my face. result? happiness! no more cranky pants!
the service is lovely – polite, and like all good superstitious japanese places, they insist on everyone saying goodbye to you as you leave (it’s for good luck). well, good luck for me because i’ll be back soon! good luck for them because next time i’m going in with a real appetite and ordering one of everything on the menu. keep it comin’!!!
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