There are plenty of restaurants in Tokyo that offer an excellent variety of ramen, udon, and soba to choose from.
Some of these restaurants specialize in their interesting sample of noodles called “Abura Soba” which means “oily noodles”. The Abura Soba does not have soup. Instead, all the ingredients are stacked on top of each other and then mixed together. The end result is a refreshing bowl of noodles without the fatty broth. And so the Abura Soba is touted as a healthier option instead of the traditional ramen soup. The Abura Soba originated in Tokyo sometime in the 1950s but has not caught on with the popularity of ramen or udon.
Abura Soba appeared in the Kitatama district. There are some popular food chains in the Kanto area that specialize in these types of noodles, and their fame continues to grow. Abura Soba is relatively easy to make, as it doesn’t require a soup base that takes half a day to prepare. Therefore, more and more ramen shops are offering Abura Soba as an alternative menu option. Among the most reputable places that serve Abura Soba, is a chain called Abura Soba. With locations in Shibuya, Shinjuku, and other popular downtown neighborhoods, Abura Soba is available and fast food to eat.
The restaurants have the standard appearance of the others specialized in noodles, mainly, a few tables and a long bar for larger groups of people. The Meal Ticket Vending Machine offers three sizes: regular, large, and wide. Because it does not contain broth, it is served faster.
Unlike Tsukemen noodles, Abura Soba is served hot. The pork fat, oil, and hot sauce are poured to the bottom of the bowl, along with the noodles, and then topped with green onions, bamboo shoots, pork, and dried seaweed. The seasonings are based on white onions, pepper, oil and vinegar. Other common but optional additions include: sesame, black pepper, spicy preserved vegetables, finely chopped garlic, red ginger, boiled egg, raw egg, cheese, mayonnaise, and spicy condiments like ichi-mi (chili powder) or even Toubanjan (Pasta de Jewish). An Abura Soba bowl is highly personalized, so you can enjoy it however you like. It is recommended to try the Abura Soba, in addition to the Japanese ramen.
It’s delicious, healthy, and a fascinating experience.
