Nosh of Someone Else's Day: Soba

Recently I went with a Japanese friend to an apparently decent Soba restaurant. To me, Soba are noodles, which you can have fried or in soup like all other noodles. Which is all very well and good. But at the time I was gagging for KFC (so classy!) and therefore ordered kara-age (fried chicken). My Japanese friend seemed a little surprised. HE had ordered ONLY SOBA, with a little dipping sauce.

I had remembered another Japanese friend ordering similar at a different restaurant, and wondering where the rest of her meal was (perhaps she was on a diet?)

In fact Soba are noodles-to-be-appreciated in Japan. They are made from buckwheat (soba actually means 'buckwheat') and appreciated as a standalone dish for their delicate flavour, freshness... the time of season the wheat is harvested even makes a difference in flavour to the Soba connoisseur.

Anyway, I enjoyed my fried chicken like the gaijin* philistine I am! But perhaps next time I will venture for the healthier option...

This place even had its own soba-maker

*Gaijin (外人) = 'foreign person' ie non-Japanese

Soba image courtesy of importnoodles.com