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| - After being mesmerized by the No Reservations episode in Japan where Anthony Bourdain enjoys cold soba noodles made from a reputable master (begin around 19:23... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLtRN_C0ev4), I was excited to learn Las Vegas now has its own place for authentic Japanese soba, a firm vermicelli sized noodle made from buckwheat. Although the soba is not made from scratch on the premise by a resident soba master, I've heard that it is shipped in from their sister restaurant in Torrance, where it is made fresh daily with imported Japanese buckwheat flour.
To summarize my three trips here, I've included my take on various offerings:
Appetizers:
Chawanmushi- velvety egg custard with seafood, similar in quality to Kyara across town, with slightly better price point ($4 vs $5)
Battera- Holy smokes/Holy mackerel this is some nice thinly pressed smoked mackerel atop well seasoned vinegar rice!
Entrees:
Chirashi bowl- beautifully arranged assortment of sashimi and roe over sushi rice, strongly recommend pairing with the cold Zaru soba
Noodles:
In the dilemma between hot and cold soba, I felt that the cold soba was the clearcut favorite for me (I've also gathered from reading other reviewers that their udon is not the typical thick chewy noodle, but a thinner softer variety so you've been warned) The Zaru soba is simply plain chilled soba noodles served on an artistic bamboo basket (zaru) with some shredded nori and accompanied by some scallions, wasabi, and dipping sauce of mirin, dashi, and soy sauce. Proper technique is to take a few strand of noodles with the chopsticks, dunk the bottom half of the noodles into the cup with the dipping sauce (some like to add the scallions and wasabi into the dipping cup whereas placing them directly onto the soba can intensify their flavors), and it is encouraged to slurp them into your mouth so that you first get the taste of pure buckwheat flavor followed by the combined flavor of all the ingredients together. The texture and inherent flavor of the noodle is best appreciated in this form and it is a very refreshing afternoon meal especially in the summertime although I also didn't mind eating it during my last visit in the wintertime.
Drinks:
Yuzu limeade with mint- bubbly, tart and mildly sweet, akin to a very refreshing non-alcoholic Asian mojito
Soba tea- the broth from which the soba is cooked is chalk full of vitamins B1, B2, and rutin (good for lowering blood pressure and a potent antioxidant to boot) and the gracious staff presents it at the close of the meal which can be consumed as is or combined with the dipping sauce as a nice hot broth.
While our Western palates are conditioned to routinely appreciate an unctuous hunk of pork belly or a rich and gooey mac and cheese, it's nice to occasionally balance it out with foods more subtle and delicate, producing a much cleaner finish and leaving an overall sense of wellness rather than having a cloying aftertaste and feeling overstuffed. Inaba offers a wide array of items that accomplishes just that so best to not arrive ravenously hungry and be sure to set your AYCE sushi cravings on the wayside when approaching this oasis of zen accompanied by the soothing tunes of their never-ending playlist of Beatles/Michael Jackson muzak.
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