コスパ高し！そばなら水車生そばよりこちらかも。 : Mataemon Soba

On this day, I visited Tendo City in Yamagata Prefecture. I often get told by friends that it’s impressive how I always manage to find time and money to go out on weekends. However, I believe that time needs to be made and money should be spent when you can, so I don't really pay much attention to those comments. Once I arrived at Tendo Station, I headed straight for an onsen (hot spring). There are only a few inns that offer day-use baths, but I selected one and relaxed in the soothing alkaline waters. I thought that since it was gentle on the skin, I wouldn't get overheated, but perhaps I became a bit too relaxed, as I started to feel slightly dizzy before heading out for my food adventure. For this day’s food journey, I first planned to try the Torichuka (chicken soba) that my colleagues in Tokyo strongly recommended at [a:6000063, Suisha Nama Soba]. While I found it satisfying, my plan was to visit this restaurant afterward. The restaurant is located just a stone's throw away from Suisha Nama Soba. At the time of my visit, there were eight reviews on Tabelog with an average rating of 3.0, which is in stark contrast to Suisha Nama Soba. However, I came across another site that praised it highly, which sparked my interest in giving it a try. There’s a sign on the street that mentions it's directly taught by Murayama Araki Soba, along with a note stating "the entrance is on the south side". As indicated, the shop is located on a slightly tucked away side street. The exterior has the look of an old-fashioned soba shop, but the entrance features an automatic door. I entered around 12:30 PM, and seeing the parking lot was full, I thought it might be crowded. Fortunately, I managed to slip in just as customers were leaving. Inside, there were table seats near the entrance and tatami seating further back. There was a menu on the table, which focused mainly on soba, and the first item listed was the Ladies' Set for JPY 570. This was quite a price difference compared to the Men’s Set at JPY 720. Since I chose to have a lunch combination of chicken soba from Suisha Nama Soba, I wasn’t sure about ordering from the set menu and opted for an a la carte item instead. After ordering the Mori Soba for JPY 570, a staff member asked me, "The Mori Soba is machine-made; is that alright?" I was puzzled since the menu stated it would be handmade, but thinking it might be due to circumstances that day, I asked, "Is the Zaru Soba handmade?" to which they replied, "Yes." So I ordered the Zaru Soba for JPY 620. While I waited, they provided a complimentary appetizer, which included a delightful assortment of cooked mushrooms that resembled wood ear mushrooms, pumpkin stew, a salad, pickled cucumbers, and even fruit jelly. I was taken aback by the generosity of this appetizer. It took about 7-8 minutes for the Zaru Soba to be served, and during that time, I skimmed through some newspaper clippings on the table. I found out that this restaurant is directly related to the highly regarded Murayama Araki Soba, which was the only establishment from the Tohoku region listed in the world restaurant rankings "La Liste" published by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs last year. The "directly taught" sign on the main street became easy to understand. The soba served was a thicker variety typical of rural soba, with a chewy texture and a delightful mochi-like quality. It tasted very close to the standard Yamagata soba I had experienced since moving to Sendai, and the aromatic flavor of the soba was truly excellent. The dipping sauce was on the stronger side, but it complemented the soba nicely. While enjoying the soba, I also nibbled on the appetizers, which all had a homemade taste and were delicious. I believe that having the Zaru Soba with the appetizer for JPY 620 offers outstanding value. In contrast, the Mori Soba at Suisha Nama Soba (likely without any extras) costs JPY 720, making the difference clearly apparent. Not ordering the Torichuka and soba from Suisha Nama Soba, but instead opting to have a meal here was absolutely the right choice. I would highly recommend this restaurant over Suisha Nama Soba for anyone looking to enjoy soba in Tendo.