Shōei-an

When a hearty lunch is in order, few meals satisfy quite like the classic soba shop combination of noodles and a rice bowl. Tucked along a shopping street in Arakawa, Shōei-an has built a loyal neighbourhood following around sets that pair katsudon or curry rice with a bowl of tanuki soba.

The katsudon features a gently sweet dashi sauce soaked deep into the breaded pork cutlet and steamed rice, offering an unpretentious, nostalgic flavour. When ordered cold, the chilled tanuki soba arrives strewn with crunchy tempura flakes and a bright crown of pickled red ginger, whose crisp acidity cuts neatly through the savory broth. Cut slender, the soba noodles catch the dipping soup readily and slide down effortlessly.

Another enduring favorite is the combination of dashi-infused soba-shop curry rice alongside aromatic, crispy tanuki soba. Rich yet deeply comforting, the homemade curry pairs naturally with the soy and fish stock notes of the noodle broth, making it an ideal choice when you want a little of everything.

With handwritten menu strips lining the walls, the dining room invites diners to linger without fuss. It caters equally well to a brisk solo lunch or an unhurried, comfortable meal. Modestly priced and reliably filling, it is a quintessential downtown Tokyo soba counter to keep in mind for an everyday meal.