Sobakiri Arabompu

Tucked next to a tea shop in a quaint backstreet of Nishitenma is Sobakiri Arabompu, a tiny 7-seater soba shop with a produce-driven take on Japan’s darling buckwheat noodles. Owner-chef Hashimoto Yoshio is particular about where his buckwheat berries come from. He sources them from different regions across Japan when they are abundant in harvests and relies on other farms when the stock thins out. The sound of ground buckwheat seeds carries through the kitchen every morning as Hashimoto grinds them on his stone mill. Three types of soba form the body of his menu: nihachi, with a 2:8 ratio of wheat to buckwheat; juwari soba, made from 100% buckwheat; and arabiki, coarsely ground for a robust flavor. Diners can sample all three by ordering the “Soba Zanmai Zaru.” The duck soba is featured in wintertime, but for the summer, the cold soba is a perennial favorite. The meal concludes with a bowl of “soba-yu” — cloudy soba water poured over the dipping broth. Go in knowing you’re going to get the grilled duck and tofu-marinated miso for appetizers. There’s a thoughtful subtlety to Hashimoto’s cooking, as there is in his wife-proprietress’s service. Michelin Guide accolades 2024 - Bib Gourmand