越後へぎそば処 粋や Hegisoba Ikiya

Slightly decadent Soba

Had the pleasure of sampling the vegetable tempura and hot soba at the Ikiya restaurant. At first, I was a little concerned about the price point, but once I started steadily devouring the flavorful soba, and saw the craft with which the tempura was prepared as well as the overall presentation of my meal, I appreciated where the cost went. The soba broth was at the perfect temperature, just right to immediately start eating with no fear of it ever getting cold. The broth’s flavor was warm and inviting and not overly salty. The addition of green onion slices meant an even more complex and delightful flavor. Loved every bite. The tempura was lightly golden, and every bite of vegetable tempura was a mouthful of bliss. My partner ordered the the ‘torotoro’ hot soba (with an extra helping of noodles - 大盛り) which the staff happily accommodated, and the soft, silky yam was a perfect complement to the hot, earthy broth and soba noodles. Water was enough for us, but the staff was kind enough to offer us Jasmine tea after to close out our meal. If you’re looking for a slightly decadent take on soba and are hoping for rich, elegant flavors, then Ikiya is where you should go to eat. It gets a little busy around lunchtime on the weekends, so be prepared to wait if you go at peak meal times.