Honmura An specializes in soba and belongs to the group of restaurants who made good first overseas before returning victorious - opened by restaurateur Koichi Kobari, Honmura-An is highly favoured by the celebrities and New Yorkers.
Well, if there aren't any reservations, just be prepared to wait because they have a following - Japanese and foreigners alike.
I should have tried their soba with sea urchin but since there was a seasonal menu, we decided to just try those items instead.
Fresh Watercress from Mt Fuji area marinated in Black Sesame Sauce (JPY 1,000)
On a normal basis, I'd have balked at having to fork out the same amount of money for blanched watercress. But being in Japan changed the way we ordered things - turns out I would pay for their local produce which is a world of difference from what I have been eating back home.
Refreshing and extra crisp, the water, air and being on a holiday made this unusually ordinary dish taste just so good. Or, it really had to be the Japanese transforming a carriage out of a pumpkin.
Minced Duck Meat served in fried Tofu Envelope, served with fresh Scallions and Ponzu Sauce (JPY 1,200)
Loosely translated as yong tau foo with an exquisite crisp tofu casing and delectable minced meat stuffing. Another really simple dish that proved really memorable.
Salt Grilled Winter Sawara Mackerel with Green Shuniku Chrysanthenum Sauce (JPY 1,200)
My encounters with mackerel have largely been fishy, and almost reluctantly this was ordered - winter anything does have a hold on me, somehow. This was everything but fishy, infact incredibly fresh and tender, the skin was crispy too. The green starchy sauce goes with winter dishes, somehow starchy broths in winter is highly embraced.
Soba in hot soup with savoury curry flavoured oysters and scallions (JPY 1650)
Since soba was what we came for, we had to try it both in their hot and cold versions.
Clear broth that packed a ton of flavour with those springy handmade noodles. These buckwheat noodles are coarser than the usual silky soba noodles and pack more bite. Oyster fritters however, were missing out on the curry flavour if any at all.
Karami Oroshi Soba Cod Soba with Spicy Winter Daikon Radish Toppings (JPY 1,350)
Between the hot and cold version, the latter suits my palette more. Chewier than the hot version, this is refreshing as an appetizer. Even without proteins, this tastes just so good even on its own!
The waiting time between courses was too long and I'm not sure if it has anything to do with the seasonal menu since the tables that went ahead with the normal menu received their orders way faster. Faced with a terribly apologetic owner and tasty dishes, you bet we will be back.
Honmura-An
Minato-ku, Roppongi 7-14-18.
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