I read a couple of online reviews about the Michelin one star soba restaurant Okina and wanted to visit since it is my neighborhood, Ebisu. Above is the entrance to the basement located shop.
The starter was eggplant with chives and dried jako (tiny young sardines or anchovies that have been boiled then salted and dried, thus naturally preserved and are used in many Japanese dishes).
This was followed by a sashimi course with hotate (scallops), shako (mantis shrimp), and karasumi (dried salted mullet roe) from left to right.
Baby corn form Nagano with nikumiso (miso paste with ground meat).
More sashimi, tai (sea bream) and hamo (daggertooth river conger) from left to right.
Next was grilled anago (salt water eel) in a sweet soy based sauce.
Sato imo (taro root).
When eating washoku (Japanese style food), I usually like to have some nihonshu (sake). I didn't keep track of the brands but this one was from Fukui-dry and light.
Fried tofu with soba seeds.
The main event was the soba (buckwheat noodles), and I believe this was sarashina soba: thin, light-colored soba, made with refined buckwheat. All of the dishes were exquisitely displayed and extremely fresh and of high quality. I enjoyed all of them and many were served cold which seemed appropriate for the high humidity day of the visit. It was ¥15,000 per person for the course. I don't eat at places this expensive often, but I felt satisfied with my meal and experince.
Looks good Pat, not that expensive for a Michelin Star place
Posted by: Peter Campbell | June 14, 2015 at 12:22 PM
It was good, we got the cheapaest course there were other courses that were ¥25,000 and ¥35,000.
Posted by: MC | June 14, 2015 at 01:56 PM
Yummy! Who knew soba could be so fancy?
Posted by: Terry | June 14, 2015 at 03:34 PM