Late on a Sunday night, I dropped by Bistro Polpo for the first time in a while.

Inside Polpo

Maybe because it was Sunday night, things were pretty quiet. On Saturday there had been an event nearby and the place was packed, and even that day they said customers had kept coming in from 5 o’clock. We were chatting about this and that food-wise, and just as I was about to head home the chef said he was making a late-night snack, so I asked for a bowl.

Sudachi soba

This is soba topped with sudachi, a citrus that comes into season in Japan right about now. The tangy sourness is refreshing and suits summer perfectly. The broth, too, was made by the chef shaving katsuobushi himself and drawing the stock from it. That is a level of care most Japanese restaurants around here could not even imitate. With such intense passion for food, it is no wonder the restaurant does well.

The noodles

Slurped down a bowl, cool and refreshing. Live long enough and you get lucky days like this.

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