A note on the words: soba are thin Japanese buckwheat noodles, and chilled tanuki soba serves them cold with a chilled tsuyu topped with crunchy tempura flakes, wakame seaweed and scallions. Inari-zushi are plump pouches of seasoned fried tofu filled with sushi rice, here made extra hearty and delicious when dipped lightly into cold noodle broth.
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Tateshina on Tabelog (English) — opening hours, payment details and the Japanese address are kept up to date there, not here.
Hello, this is Hangover Meshi. To tell the truth, there is a place I have been going to constantly of late: “Tateshina” right in front of Akasaka-mitsuke Station. As for what kind of shop it is, it is a standing soba counter, and since my morning route started taking me past here, I just end up having soba all the time. It is located right about across from the police box at Akasaka-mitsuke Station. It adjoins an izakaya, and I suspect it turns into an izakaya at night (though I have never been).
Looking at the building, the side on the right marked Tateshina is where you order your soba or udon.
Stepping inside, the layout is like this: you buy your meal ticket, and if you ordered a dish that lets you pick a tempura, you choose your tempura.
Once you buy your ticket, it is best to tell them straight away whether you want soba or udon (or rather, they will usually ask).
And the izakaya marked “Sennari” on the left of the photo is actually connected inside.
The style here is to eat your soba at the seating on that side. When you finish, the tray return area is also inside Sennari.
My impression is that quite a few people don’t get the system and look lost, ha. Whenever I notice, I help point them in the right direction.
Zaru soba — 450 yen
Chilled tanuki soba — 450 yen
Pork curry — 430 yen
Katsu curry — 590 yen
Egg curry — 490 yen
Mini curry and tempura soba — 690 yen
Inari-zushi — 160 yen
Mini curry — 300 yen
What I usually have is the chilled tanuki soba.
Once in a while I go for hot tempura soba, and when I’m feeling up for it, a mini curry or inari-zushi.
My collection of soba bowls eaten so far.
And let me tell you, this is delicious.
What makes it so good is, first off, the soba itself has a wonderfully chewy texture.
It is a little different from the soba you get at regular standing counters.
And then the toppings: wakame, scallions, and what’s this — sansai, mountain vegetables! Having these in the bowl is great. At an ordinary shop they would call it “sansai chilled tanuki soba!” and charge you extra! The wasabi looks like a generous dollop, but it is not all that pungent. If anything, I would be happier with a little more. Maybe next time I will ask for extra wasabi!
The tsuyu is a somewhat sharp dipping broth. It was kept in the refrigerator right up until serving, and that thorough chill is very nice.
Here is the combo with inari-zushi added.
This inari-zushi runs 160 yen for two pieces, but they are plump and generously stuffed, surprisingly hearty tofu pockets.
Taking a bite halfway through and dipping it lightly into the tsuyu broth is something I have grown quite fond of doing!
Seeing reviews saying their curry is delicious, I decided to order the mini curry on a whim.
Adding this makes for quite a hefty meal. Stuffed! But the curry is genuinely delicious.
A spicy, old-fashioned kind of curry. It is seriously good.
When I feel that it might be a bit chilly, hot tempura soba hits the spot too.
This one comes with shungiku, garland chrysanthemum tempura, and at first it is wonderfully crisp. The flavor of the chrysanthemum is delicious! After a while the tempura softens into the broth just right.
The hot soba is delicious too. The hot broth is milder than the chilled version. Just the right richness to drink right up!
So, this is the soba shop I go to quite often. It almost feels like it has become a daily habit by now, but it is delicious, and the fact that they are open from early hours like 8:00 or 9:00 in the morning is wonderful! I am sure I will keep coming back!
Tateshina (Soba / Akasaka-mitsuke Station, Nagatacho Station, Akasaka Station)
Tabelog lunch rating ★★★☆☆ 3.5
I ate here and paid for it myself. Nothing on this site is a comped meal.
One more for the road?
