Sobaya

Sobaya consistently gets ranked as "inexpensive," but that's never my experience. The kake soba is priced the same as at Soba Koh ($8.50), and if you feel full after one bowl then you must be waif-like. I invariably end up ordering more dishes. Not that I mind, but "cheap" is a $15 meal (including tip) at Men Kui Tei.

food
Kake soba with spinach
Ikura soba (salmon roe, grated daikon)

We got soba soups because it was another chilly day, and I also wanted to compare Sobaya's kake soba against Soba Koh's. The noodles here are much smoother and less grainy than at Soba Koh - I'm not sure if this is a difference in quality or preference.

Harushika nama zake
Sobaya has a very large selection of sake in 3 ounce glass, priced $6-7 apiece. It's a great way to sample many different sakes, but you'll want to keep an eye on the tab.

buri teriyaki
oshinko (carrot, cucumber, daikon, cabbage)
bowl of rice

The tart pickled vegetables, salt in the broiled fish, and the sweetness of the rice is a great combination, a perfect follow-up to the soba.

ice cream (black sesame, yuzu, honey wasabi) with extra red beans on the side

The flavor in each ice cream was excellent. The black sesame was sweet but earthy. The yuzu was bright and tart. Honey and wasabi flavors were present in full force - but as a personal preference, I could probably do without the wasabi.

service
Friendly and prompt.