In Mabi, Kurashiki City, do you know that there is a soba restaurant converted from a storehouse at the end of a narrow road lined with bamboo groves and rice fields?
The name of the restaurant is Nama Soba Chaya Zouzaan.
It is said that the name of the restaurant comes from the fact that it was converted from a storehouse (kura) that originally stored important items such as family heirlooms and kimonos, rather than a storehouse (kura) for food and grains, and it means a place where you can sit and eat.
Before starting the restaurant, the owner ran a design company. I will introduce the stylish interior and the 100% buckwheat soba made with carefully selected buckwheat flour from Hokkaido.
The recommendation is cold seiro soba that allows you to directly taste the flavor of 100% buckwheat soba
The owner's recommendation is the seiro (cold) soba that allows you to directly taste the flavor of 100% buckwheat soba.
I also ordered a set meal and tempura.
| Name | Price (including tax) |
|---|---|
| Seiro (cold soba) | 700 yen |
| Set meal (rice and 2 side dishes) | 300 yen |
| Tempura | 400 yen |
The total is 1,400 yen (including tax).
When I lined up what I ordered, it became a luxurious set!
The soba made from 100% pure Hokkaido buckwheat flour is fresh and has a good texture, and the soba dipping sauce, which has a mild sweetness, enhances the aroma of the soba.
With wasabi and white green onion, slurping the soba with air changes the flavor and makes it even more enjoyable.
On the day of the interview, the set meal included seasoned rice, dashi rolled omelet, and marinated eggplant.
The dashi rolled omelet is fluffy and soft, allowing you to feel the flavor of the dashi, and the seasoned rice has a gentle taste that is comforting.
The tempura includes shrimp, shiitake mushrooms, eggplant, pumpkin, and green pepper.
Dipped in pink salt, it is crispy and delicious.
The texture of the shrimp tempura, which is crispy and fluffy, is a must-try dish.
Having the soba broth warms the body and brings a sense of calm.
It was a satisfying lunch time where I could enjoy a full meal.
I also currently live in Mabi as of November 2018.
The owner, who is from Mabi, and the restaurant have fortunately escaped flood damage and continue to operate, but I heard that customer numbers have decreased compared to before the disaster.
Even in such a difficult situation, I interviewed the owner about their thoughts on continuing the restaurant and their current feelings as a fellow resident of Mabi.
Nama Soba Chaya Zouzaan Data
As of November 2020, closed for business.
| Name | Nama Soba Chaya Zouzaan |
|---|---|
| Address | 2591 Ayata, Mabi-cho, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 086-698-3551 |
| Parking | Available 10 cars |
| Business Hours | Weekends and holidays 11:00 AM to 2:30 PM (until soba runs out) |
| Regular Holidays | Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday |
| Payment Methods |
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| Reservation Availability | Available If you make a reservation for a course of 3,500 yen or more for 8 or more people for lunch on weekdays, it can be open. For dinner, if you make a reservation for a course of 3,500 yen or more for 4 or more people, it can be open. Please contact us for details. |
| Seating | 1st floor: 17 seats, Counter: 5, Number of tables: 5 2nd floor: 20 seats, Number of tables: 6 Terrace: 6 seats, Number of tables: 1 |
| Smoking | Non-smoking (smoking allowed only in designated areas) |
| Restroom | Western-style toilet |
| Website | Bichu Shikisai Shokuka Gomaizasa |
