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How to properly eat soba 2012/10/23 08:14
Hi,
I would like to ask how do I properly eat cold soba with dipping sauce in its own cup in terms of condiments. As I've noticed that places would provide finely chopped green onion (negi) and Wasabi, I'm pretty sure one adds the negi in the dipping cup. However, I'm confused with the wasabi: do you mix the wasabi into the sauce cup or do you apply tiny amounts to the noodles you're about to dip in your cup? I've actually heard the part about applying wasabi onto the noodles from this vid @ 9:20 (the soba section starts at 4:43) in addition to it being a faux pas of mixing wasabi into soy sauce when it comes to eating sushi. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTKMgnWjlI4

Another condiment for soba in question is grated radish (daikon oroshi): do I apply it with the noodles or mix it into the soba dipping sauce? I've noticed at a Yatai serving Tempura in Nakasu that people would mix the daikon oroshi into the tempura sauce.

Your answers are greatly appreciated as I would as a tourist like to follow the local ettiquette, thanks!
by rsxguy04  

Re: How to properly eat soba 2012/10/23 12:13
You mix all in the source. If you don't care for hot wasabi or daikon roshi too much, mix as you like.
And eat making as much slurping noise as you can and cut the noodle by teeth. Don't vacuum in one strand of noodle as you might do with spaghetti noodle. The source might spatter on your face.
by amazinga (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: How to properly eat soba 2012/10/23 12:25
In addition I also add some grated ginger, too.
by amazinga (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: How to properly eat soba 2012/10/23 20:12
You can do whatever you want to do.

Soba is great food,
but it's just a food loved among the public,
not hight-class cuisine.
The strict manners like Sado the tea ceremony is not there.
And I think "unposed" is just soba's style, the spirit of Edo-citizen's.
Take it easy!
by ajapaneseboy rate this post as useful

Re: How to properly eat soba 2012/10/24 10:03
It is not a must to add wasabi, negi or even oroshi.

The best way (sobe freak way) is that first you just pick a small amount of soba and eat it without dipping into the tsuyu (soup) so that you can taste it alone. Then you may want to dip soba into tsuyu, but do not let the soba swin in the soup. Just dip swiftly and pick up and slurp with air. When you slurp soba, just try to vaccuum the air and let the noodle just come along with it.

Now if you want to add some fravor, you may want to add wasabi or negi as much as you want into tuyu, not apply them onto bare noodle. The master of the vidoe recommended that, but it is not common anywhere as I do that some time when I need some strong feel.Wasabi and negi goes well along but not with oroshi.

When you want oroshi, usually you can find and order Oroshi soba on the menu, either hot or cold. Soba is served with a great amount of daikon-oroshi on top or in a large tsuyu cup. That's the style for oroshi. You may add wasabi and negi then.

Do not forget about asking for soba-yu (plain soba broth) when you are done with your noodle. Vitamins or other good ingredients came out into it.
by Jay Kay (guest) rate this post as useful

Re: How to properly eat soba 2012/10/27 04:14
Thanks for all of your responses, especially to Jay Kay!
by rsxguy04 rate this post as useful

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