When someone asks what your favorite noodle dish is, what comes to mind?
Ramen, soba, udon, somen, pasta… There are so many kinds of noodles.
It can be hard to choose which noodles you like best, but I imagine you know clearly whether you prefer soba or udon.
Whether you’re on the soba or udon side probably has a lot to do with the food culture where you live.
As the saying goes, “soba in the east, udon in the west.” Kurashiki, in western Japan, has overwhelmingly more udon shops than soba shops.
Did you know that a rare soba shop in udon country, Kurashiki, is located in the tourist destination of the Bikan Historical Area?
We visited “Bicchu Soba Yabu,” located along the Kurashiki River in the heart of the Bikan Historical Area.
The information presented here was accurate when this article was published in May 2022. Please note that it may differ from current information.
A long, narrow building partly shared with the neighboring shop
“Bicchu Soba Yabu” is located along the Kurashiki River, south of the Ohara Museum of Art.
The area where Yabu is located has many restaurants. Its neighbors are the udon shop “Teuchi Udon Onishi” and the cafe “Sabou Minatoya.”
The old house has been renovated, and what’s especially interesting is that part of the building is shared with the neighboring shop.
The wing facing the street is a row house, forming one continuous structure.
Teuchi Udon Onishi, Sabou Minatoya, and Yabu are all housed in the same building.
I’ve visited all three shops before, but because there are walls separating them, I never realized they were in the same building.
One thing all three shops have in common is their long, narrow “eel’s bed” layout, extending deep into the building.
You can’t tell from inside the building, but the section extending toward the back is a separate structure from the neighboring shop.
Incidentally, the space beyond the kitchen was once a residence.
Yabu has been family-run since it opened, and the family apparently used to live in the residential section.
The residential section has since been renovated, adding more seating.
Noodle menu
A soba shop with such an intriguing layout makes you curious about the menu, too.
As I flipped through the menu… Wait, there are lots of udon dishes, too?
That means everyone in a group can enjoy their preferred noodles, whether they’re a soba or udon fan, without compromising!
The udon dishes caught my eye, too, but since this is a soba shop, I’ll focus on the soba.
As I was deciding which soba to order, one of the staff recommended the country-style soba, so I decided to try it.
Country-style soba
The country-style soba is served cold. It’s topped with grated daikon, bonito flakes, green onions, nori, and a raw egg.
The staff recommended dipping it in the sauce.
Yabu’s country-style soba is refreshing, with plenty of fragrant condiments. Enjoy it while savoring the changing flavors.
It’s a dish you’ll want to slurp down on a hot day.
Shinoda-maki soba
The staff also recommended “Shinoda-maki soba,” saying it was a little unusual.
Have you ever heard of shinoda-maki?
I looked it up and found that it can refer to various things, such as “meat wrapped in fried tofu” or “one made with vegetables only.”
Yabu’s shinoda-maki is a piece of fried tofu, seasoned quite sweetly, with mochi inside.
As I tried shinoda-maki soba for the first time, I thought, “Shinoda-maki is better than just fried tofu like in kitsune soba or just mochi like in chikara soba!”
If you can eat fried tofu and mochi together, isn’t shinoda-maki a great deal?
Shinoda-maki soba is served hot and comes with two pieces of shinoda-maki.
Even one piece of shinoda-maki is quite filling, making this a great choice for anyone with a hearty appetite.
The side dish “Yabu Meshi” is recommended
Along with the noodles, the side dish called Yabu Meshi is also recommended.
It’s seasoned rice cooked in the broth used for the soba.
It’s served wrapped in real bamboo bark. You don’t see bamboo bark very often these days, do you?
You sometimes see plastic bamboo-leaf wrappers, but the real thing is rare!
Apparently, some customers take it home because it’s so unusual.
The rice used is Himenomochi glutinous rice from the Arai district of Okayama Prefecture (Niimi City) and Nikomaru white rice from Mabi, Kurashiki City.
The glutinous rice gives it a chewy texture. It has a lovely dashi aroma.
This simple mixed rice dish has no other ingredients, allowing you to fully savor the umami of the dashi.
Plenty of Toppings
There is a wide selection of soba and udon dishes, as well as nine toppings.
You can customize your noodles to suit your taste.
| Topping | Price (tax included) |
|---|---|
| Raw egg | 55 yen |
| Grated daikon radish | 110 yen |
| Shinoda | 165 yen |
| Grated yam | 165 yen |
| Mountain vegetables | 220 yen |
| Meat | 330 yen |
| Shinoda roll | 330 yen |
| Three kinds of tempura | 330 yen |
| Six kinds of tempura | 605 yen |
Tempura
Tempura is also available as a topping.
Don't you find yourself wanting tempura with your soba or udon?
▼Three kinds of tempura
The three kinds of tempura were shrimp, shiso, and pumpkin.
It's nice that you can add a topping to any noodle dish you order.
Shinoda Roll
The shinoda roll featured in the article about shinoda roll soba is also available as a topping.
You can add it to any dish you like for an extra 330 yen (tax included).
If you're curious about the shinoda roll, be sure to try it.
Bicchu Soba Yabu lets everyone enjoy the noodles they like without compromise, even when some in the group prefer soba and others udon.
With so many toppings, you can enjoy a bowl customized to your taste.
Yabu has been family-run since it opened, and today the second and third generations work together.
We spoke with Hiroko Eto, the second-generation owner and manager.
Bicchu Soba Yabu Information
| Name | Bicchu Soba Yabu |
|---|---|
| Address | 5-30 Honmachi, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-422-1386 |
| Parking | None |
| Hours | 10:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; 10 a.m.–5 p.m. (Sundays and public holidays) |
| Closed | Irregular holidays |
| Payment methods |
|
| Reservations | Accepted Reservations unavailable during busy periods |
| Seating | 48 seats Number of tables: 13 ※The number of seats has been reduced from normal to prevent the spread of COVID-19 |
| Restroom | Western-style toilet |
| Website | Official Instagram |
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