Izushian

At Izushian, sara soba is served across five small plates. Wasabi, spring onion, egg and grated yam come alongside, so you can vary the condiments as you work your way through the meal. One diner added two more plates after finishing a serving; ordering extra is an option if you would like a little more.

One visitor, trying sara soba for the first time, recalled being shown how to eat it and finishing with sobayu, the hot water used to loosen the remaining soba dipping sauce. If you are unsure how to enjoy the dish, you could ask about ways to pair the condiments.

If you would like a side dish with your soba, there is sara soba served with assorted tempura, or with agedashi tofu—fried tofu soaked in broth. Oroshi soba, topped with grated daikon and served with dashi, is another option for a bowl that differs from sara soba.

The lunchtime set meals suit diners looking for rice and small side dishes as well as soba. The Matsu set comes with fried chicken and fried stuffed lotus root; the Ume set includes fried stuffed lotus root and agedashi tofu. Both are served with chilled tofu, pickles, rice and a small portion of soba. The choice comes down to whether you fancy fried chicken or an extra tofu dish.

In Nakagyo Ward, Kyoto, near Kyoto City Hall, Izushian serves Izushi sara soba and can be an option for either lunch or dinner.