01 / ABOUT THE PLACE
About this place
One review describes the sobagaki served at the start of the course: with a little salt, its gentle, natural buckwheat sweetness comes through clearly. Tucked into a quiet part of Nezu, Nezu Sōkian is an evening soba restaurant where reservations are required. In a hushed dining room furnished with a long hibachi brazier and a kan-doko sake warmer, diners can take their time over drinks and dishes shaped by the flow of Japanese cuisine.
The omakase course unfolds through dishes such as fragrant seasonal grilled miso, a two-tier box filled with assorted drinking snacks, soba sushi and a dish of the day. The drinking snacks include house-made karasumi and other delicacies, while the drinks range from Daishichi long-aged sake and barrel-aged sake to craft gin. Non-alcoholic options include bottled Uji gyokuro tea called Gyokuto and Shinshu apple sparkling drink, so diners can share the meal according to their own preferences.
The course’s centrepiece is hand-ground, 100% buckwheat soba. One review notes that the fine-cut noodles still have a satisfying firmness, with a rich aroma and a fresh, smooth finish. The noodles can be enjoyed with spicy daikon if you like; the meal ends with a sweet and hōjicha, leaving a gentle final impression, as one review recalls. Service begins at 6 pm, and advance reservations are required, so it is best to settle on a date and book ahead.
