Hourai Soba, or "Eight Treasures Soba"
by Honke Owariya, Kyoto, Japan
Dating back to 1465, Honke Owariya is one of the oldest continually operating restaurants in Kyoto, Japan. Originally established as a confectionery shop, it evolved into a soba noodle specialist, earning a reputation that reached the Imperial Family and the monks of Kyoto’s great temples. For over 550 years, Honke Owariya has been run by the same family, now in its 16th generation, and continues to serve its signature soba dishes in the same location they've operated out of since the 18th century.
So of course, when I was recently in Kyoto, I had to stop by for lunch! How could I pass up visiting such a historic and renowned restaurant?
 |
| Honke Owariya's famous Hourai Soba, cold soba noodles with "eight treasures" (¥2970) |
I arrived around lunchtime to a line that looked daunting, but which actually ended up moving pretty quickly. About 30-40 minutes later, I was near the front of the queue, and one of the staff came out to hand me an English language menu to begin looking through.
I already knew what I wanted to order, however. I had come here for one thing and one thing only: Honky Owariya's signature "Eight Treasures" Soba.
First, though, I started out by ordering an appetizer of tempura, which came with a variety of vegetables and shrimp served alongside grated daikon radish with a savory tempura dipping sauce. It was some of the best tempura I've ever had. Each piece was thinly sliced and covered in a perfect light coating of crispy fried batter which was not too oily.
 |
| assorted tempura set at Honke Owariya (¥1980) |
Honke Owariya’s most beloved dish is their signature Hourai Soba, also known as the “Eight Treasure Noodles.” The name refers to the eight traditional toppings that accompany the restaurant’s hand-pulled buckwheat noodles: simmered shiitake mushrooms, shredded egg, toasted sesame seeds, shrimp tempura, wasabi, nori (seaweed), finely sliced Japanese leeks, and grated daikon radish.
Rather than arriving as a single bowl, the soba is served in five delicate tiers of small lacquer plates, Diners can layer flavors and textures to their taste, experimenting with the ratio of the different toppings to find their perfect balance.
 |
| assorted "eight treasures" toppings for soba noodles in Kyoto, Japan |
The noodles are served cold in the traditional style alongside a small jar of chilled savory soba broth, which can be poured on top of the dish before eating.
I ate a lot of really great food during my recent trip to Japan, but my lunch at Honke Owariya remains one of my favorite meals. It wasn't just the food (which was delicious), but the entire experience, from arriving at the old wooden restaurant to assembling my serving of noodles.
It's no wonder that the restaurant has been a Kyoto staple for over half a millennium!
 |
| cold soba noodles with toppings at Honke Owariya in Kyoto, Japan |
Location
Honke Owariya is located in a traditional wooden Edo period restaurant building dating back to the 18th century.
The restaurant is located at Japan, 〒604-0841 Kyoto, Nakagyo Ward, Niomontsukinukecho, 322. Due to its popularity, the restaurant can get busy, especially during the lunch rush, but the staff are efficient, bringing the menu (offered in both Japanese and English) out to those waiting in line to help speed up the process. We only had to wait for about half an hour before we were seated.
 |
| Honke Owariya, which dates back to 1465, is still located in its 18th century restaurant location |
Comments
Post a Comment