This post was written in 2007. Shop details and prices may have changed since then.
I went to Okuni in Izumo, a place famous for its miso ramen. That rich miso ramen broth looks like it would be great for a hangover. The thick braised pork was good too.
The basic ramen
The ajitama egg is good too… the thick noodles are nice and springy, and the flavor is top-notch. You don’t find many bowls this good even in Tokyo.
Spicy ramen
I haven’t been craving spicy ramen much lately.
Chahan
Fried rice. Nothing special.
Kimchi
Was it 200 yen..? Moments like this always make me miss Korea.
Oda is home to a silver mine called Iwami Ginzan, which is right on the verge of being named a World Heritage Site. Word was that the soba shop in the tourist village below it is really good, so I went to check it out.
The place is called Asahian.
I ordered the limited menu, only 10 servings a day.
Unagi nanban
Proper, classic unagi nanban. I never expected soba this good to turn up in such a remote corner of the countryside. It tasted great, but the broth was strong, so it didn’t quite match Kanda Yabu Soba.
This is the kamo nanban zaru soba I ordered.
The noodles.
These noodles, at least, could hold their own against any soba shop in Tokyo. The deep aroma and springy texture let you taste the terroir, if that makes sense.
The dipping sauce with duck
The big chunks of green onion were fresh, and the broth, full of duck flavor, was rich and delicious. Soba and sushi in Japan really are something else. It seems like every town has a great shop.
Fresh wasabi
Grating this takes a bit of arm strength. Gotta keep working out ^_^
Sobayu
It’s the water the soba was boiled in. Great for cleansing the palate.