I’ve been meaning to go to Soba koh for a while now- StB mentioned it a while back and we’d had plans to go, which fell through with busy work schedules, projects, what have you. She then went with someone else (hmph!) and reported back, which made me want to go even more, since I’d discovered how much I like uni (sea urchin), something that is definitely not for everyone.
In any case, Saturday found some of the other Bs and I hungry after arcade games at Dave & Buster’s (followed by successful makeovers at Sephora- my skin never looked so flawless since becoming an adult). We decided to trek down to 5th Street and finally give this soba place a try…
Unfortunately, none of the appetizers really spoke out to us, so we opted to go straight to the main course.
BB ordered the eel & hijiki tofu soba, which she enjoyed but noted that the eel wasn’t too prevalent in the dish. The eel had been mixed in with the tofu balls, muting the flavor and not showcasing eel to its advantage. The soba itself was good, soft but not mushy, and different from soba she’d had previously.
ShB ordered the agedashi tofu over soba, which she noted the tofu was a bit chewier than she’s used to. Still tasty, but chewy, she wondered if it were the broth making them chewy or if that’s just how it was there. Her noodles were very short, though BB suggested it might be because they kept breaking off for her.
Finally, last but definitely not least was the uni ikura soba (sea urchin salmon roe soba). I immediately removed the wasabi but failed to remove the shiso (the middle green item on the top left of the picture)- Japanese mint, something I generally do not enjoy. I ate some of the uni, liked it, and decided the best course of action was to pour some of the broth out (I believe it’s dashi soy broth) of the container, and then mix up the soba, uni and ikura to distribute evenly. Mixed up thusly, the dish was wonderful with layers of flavor- a burst of roe in one bite, with a bit of the uni lending a complex ocean taste to the soba. The soba was smooth, soft, and very fresh. My biggest complaint was not having enough noodles- I am not normally the first person done eating, but I finished rather quickly and just watched my dining companions forlornly while they continued to eat their noodles. I still felt a bit hungry, in fact, wishing for more noodles, and almost ordered something in addition, but decided against it. I also managed to eat the entire glob of shiso in one bite, which to my surprise was much milder than the shiso I’ve had in the past (usually in whole leaf form, though, while this was shredded). I can’t say I enjoyed the shiso, but I appreciated that the shredded form was not quite as harsh as I find regular Japanese mint.
My dish was a bit on the pricy side at $18, but well worth it (please just give me more soba next time!!!). I definitely would go back to have this on a day when I’m not concerned about price and aren’t that hungry. My companions were shocked to find that their sodas, ordered casually without looking at the menu (I’m not sure the prices are listed on the menu, actually), were $3.50 each (no idea if there were complimentary refills offered on that, since neither finished their sodas). That’s a bit ridiculous for a glass of soda, so I’d suggest sticking with the complimentary roasted green tea (delicious!) or water.
Yvo says: If you like soba, this place- which apparently normally has the chef rolling out soba in the glass room by the front door (we arrived close to closing time, around 9:30 or so, he must’ve gone home)- is a must try. It’s not like the other soba I’ve had, and if you like uni, definitely try the uni ikura soba at least once. Like StB, I also enjoy the sake oyako/salmon ikura don (salmon sashimi & salmon roe over rice) at Sobaya (a few blocks away), which is a bit cheaper but larger… and over [sushi] rice, actually. The place is small, and generally doesn’t take reservations so there may be a wait unless, like us, you go around closing time. I definitely recommend the place.
recommended
miss beancurd says
I’ve been wanting to try this place for a while too- I love how they make their own soba.. but I tend to forget about this place when I’m in the neighborhood since it’s on a side street. I’m glad you think it’s worth the money though!
Swan says
holy cow, the soda was $3.50? the duck appetizer was really good. i think i liked that better than the soba even.
Thy says
nice.everything looks good 😀
i thought you were my sister because her first name starts with Y and last name is Vo.
haa. then i realized you look nothing like her
and that you’re 7 years apart.
Anonymous says
Well, at least I am so out of loop that I am no longer your stalker…giggle….
I want to move to NY for one reason now. I want my skin flawless. To heck with the food….
BTW…me and the Porcupine love to fish [didn’t know that did ya?] and we catch eel all the time [by accident]…we don’t do anything with it….but we are never without takers that want those icky, ooey things.
So, I am sure the dinner was great..but, ah…I have to PASS…lol
SkippyMom