Veteran soba restaurant of uncompromising sophistication and commitment.
A collection of Edo period buckwheat noodle cups welcomes you. “Nagoya is the land of Kishimen. You can eat real soba there!” This is also why it is appreciated. Even those who come from Tokyo are surprised to hear that they can eat soba in Nagoya! We are also happy to hear that people from Tokyo are surprised to hear that they can eat soba in Nagoya. We want to continue to explore what we are doing now, without being confused by trends.” says the husband. Although he was born in Nagoya, he worked as a subcontractor for a TV station in Tokyo and was in charge of sound for the Kohaku Uta Gassen (Red and White Singing Contest). It was rewarding, but after five years of taking the Inokashira Line to Shibuya and back, he began to feel unsatisfied, and his brother, who worked at a sushi restaurant, advised him, “Maybe soba is the way to go from now on?” He took his brother’s advice and opened his own business.
A restaurant that gave form to the owner’s ideals.
“It’s late afternoon and I’m walking around town, feeling a bit peckish. Suddenly I found myself sitting on the small porch of a soba shop and ordering a ‘mori’ and a ‘chilled sake’…” The ‘unusual’ experience of drinking while the sun is still high in the sky. The slight feeling of guilt enhances the intoxication, and the ‘soba shop sake’ allows you to enjoy a fleeting ‘individual’ moment. The snacks are ‘buckwheat miso’ and ‘grilled seaweed’. The owner wanted to create a restaurant where people can spend a moment until the seiro comes out.
Sticking to raw materials
The buckwheat flour is selected from buckwheat seeds grown at the foot of Aizu Ban Di Mountain in Fukushima Prefecture and in fields in Ibaraki Prefecture and milled in house. There are three types of pure white buckwheat noodles: ‘Nami-soba’, ‘Nama-soba’ (made from 10% raw buckwheat flour) and ‘Sarashina-soba’ (made from the centre of the buckwheat seed) (with 20% flour). Seasonal specialities such as ‘yuzu-kiri’ (yuzu-flavoured) soba and ‘futa-uchi’ (thick buckwheat noodles) are also offered, which allow you to enjoy the aroma and firmness of the soba.
Enjoy a variety of dishes that show the care of the owner.
When asked about their recommended menu, we asked for Tempura Soba and Kamo Nanban. (The duck is a seasonal menu item, available from mid-October to around the spring equinox.) We had both! Tempura and Kamo Nanban, a chic and stylish type of food that goes well with Soba and was established as early as in the late Edo period. We started with Tempura Zaru with Japanese prawn kakiage, followed by Kamo Nanban. I was surprised at how well the duck breast and soba noodles went together, with the fat slowly melting into the meat.
(Duck meat is said to contain high levels of oleic acid and other ingredients that are good for health and beauty. Also, if it is overcooked, it becomes dry and dry, so cook it with care).
Dessert is ‘Soba Tofu with Kuromitsu’. Thick soya milk and buckwheat flour are kneaded together, and bittern is added to harden it. Looks like panna cotta, doesn’t it? I didn’t think it would turn out like this! said the master. Soba Tofu without molasses is served with wasabi before drinking alcohol. It is often served during the warmer months.
◆Meeting Yamato Seisakusho
President Fujii is an enthusiastic person who loves machines and designs everything himself. 15 years ago, when I participated in a ‘Soba Class’ at which a number of respectable soba noodle shops came, I met the president who was teaching the class. I learnt that delicious buckwheat noodles could be made even without handmade machines, and decided to use the handmade Ichiban machine. I have been using Yamato’s machine ever since. I have been using it for a long time, and I am thankful that I have found a machine that is good for both kneading and cutting. I get up at 8am and start my day with a relaxed mind. Only the final kneading is done by me. It is really easy to be a machine. It is good when you are young, but when you do everything yourself, you don’t have time to train others.
◆Is there any difference in taste between handmade and machine-made soba noodles?
We have compared the taste of handmade and machine-made buckwheat noodles and found that there is no difference. The origin of “Teuchi Soba” was to say “Our restaurant carefully examines the flour and makes our Soba carefully” in response to the increase in the number of shops selling poor quality Soba called “Dasoba-ya” in the Edo period (1603-1868) which put 80% of the ingredients into their Soba. Therefore, even today, it does not mean that everything is ‘handmade’ because it is ‘handmade’, and machine-made soba is also a fine ‘handmade soba’ that has nothing to be ashamed of if it is carefully made to the essentials. We hope that customers will not be misled by books of advice, but use their own taste buds to find a good restaurant. I believe that we must rethink the true meaning of ‘handmade soba’, remember the spirit of hospitality, master the art of handmade soba and pass it on to future generations as a cultural heritage.
A shop where Edokko is alive and well. Leisurely further devotion.
‘It’s a beautiful shop with a lot of character! When was it built?’ It has been 30 years since this shop was built. We chose this interior from the very beginning. I want to convey the dandyism of the Edo people. The dashi broth is made from honbushi, so I don’t think it’s too strong. I still go to Tokyo many times to study. I also went to Kagawa Prefecture with my family to visit udon restaurants! Refined taste, pleasant service. I want to keep learning in order to have good drinks, snacks and soba noodles.
We have many regulars, quite a few of whom come every day or more than twice a week. I am 55 years old. My two sons are also buckwheat noodle lovers. On holidays, they go fishing from Shizuoka to Wakayama and enjoy themselves! One person who knows the restaurant well told me that they always prepare udon noodles for those who cannot eat barley, which made me feel the heart of the owner who is always thinking of his customers.
