Taiko

Tenwari soba served with tempura is a good option when you want noodles and fried food together. One diner who tried the tenwari soba with tempura praised the noodles’ smooth texture, the tempura’s crisp batter and the springy prawns. The sobayu, or leftover soba cooking water, contained buckwheat kernels, whose little pops made a lasting impression, they noted.

The menu goes beyond tenwari soba, with white mori soba made from buckwheat grown in Eda-mambei, Hokkaido, and coarsely ground tenwari soba from Shinshu. White mori soba comes in regular and large servings, and the menu also lists a warm version, making it easy to choose according to your appetite and preference. One diner noticed the aroma rising as they slurped the noodles; another said they detected no aroma in the tenwari white soba. Browsing the range of varieties and preparations is part of choosing a bowl to try.

For lunch, the tempura soba set meal is another option. The menu says it comes with a rice ball and rolled omelette, making it a heartier choice than a bowl of soba alone. Taiko offers a lunch menu and is described as suitable for solo diners.