Soba Tuesday

Soba Canada only opens on Tuesday evenings at Ichiriki Japanese Restaurant.  Call ahead to make sure they are opened.  I was told the owner has the restaurant sublet to the soba maker to spread the health benefits of buckwheat noodle and to show Japanese cuisine has other varieties than just sushi, iazakaya tapas, udon and sashimi.  It is nice to know there is a eatery that is dedicated to only soba.

The Number One Power In Soba In Canada. E: Ichiriki’s day job is a sushi restaurant, but once a week and on Tuesday nights it transforms itself into a soba restaurant.
This review is for Soba Canada’s offering. The chef behind Soba Canada is proud of his creation, which is purported to be of high quality hand-made (‘teuchi’) and woven Canadian buckwheat without a machine’s usage.

This being summer the menu is comprised of cold soba. Here is the menu:

• Zarusoba $13.00
• Ten-Zaru $21.00
• Ebiten-Kakesoba $21.00
• Kakiage-Kakesoba or Zarusoba $20.00
• Age-Soba $19.00
• Oboro-Kakesoba $19.00
• Kaiso-Kakesoba (Funori and Daikon) $19.00
• Kani-Kakesoba $21.00
• Oroshi-Kakesoba (Daikon) $15.00
• Ikura-Kakesoba $21.00
• Chirashi-Soba $21.00
• Salada-Soba $21.00

All items are available for x1.3 price for x1.5 the quantity. Additional items on the menu are:

• Tempura $10.00
• Kakiage $10.00
• Kani $5.00
• Ikura $5.00
• Oboro $5.00
• Tororo $5.00
• Asari Soup $5.00
• Edamame $4.50
• Orosi $3.00
• Nori $3.00
• Nama-Harumaki $6.50
• Age-Harumaki $6.50

The dessert menu is comprised of: cheese Cake for $6.00, Azuki Icecream for $5.00 and Maccha Icecream for $3.50.
Having never had it I opted for the Chirashi-soba. This being summer the soba is cold. Winter brings out the warm soba.
The reservation included a $5 Tororo, which is grated mountain potato. On the night it was not available. The waitress suggested shrimp and smoked salmon, spring roll, tempura and more instead. I picked oboro tofu for its deeper taste.
The chef certainly must like his oboro because the menu’s longest description belongs to the Oboro HiyaGake, which is cold gake style with water and dashi added. The menu notes that it is Non GMO as well.
The soba was on the substantial side, which worked. The Chirashi soba options were shrimp or crab. Mine was the latter. The soba sat in a bed of sauce and was topped with eggs, cucumbers, nori and, sadly, fake crabs. The portion was more than adequate. It was delicious. Soba Canada’s offering is outstanding.
Zarusoba is typically considered Edo style, but owing to the utilization of and the desirability of having access to the best water Nagano is famous for soba.
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A: The room belongs to a sushi-ya so the counter and its fridge are nestled in one corner. They were understandably closed. The bar has Japanese style ‘kawara’ tiles above it. Aside from several Japanese ornaments and paintings the rest of the dining area is a simply furnished room with low lighting.
A faint jazzy music flows out of the PA system – which is not surprising as the restaurant has the occasional jazz night – while autographs of jazz performers line a wall.
The air was cool and air-conditioned. The washroom was very clean.
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T: I had a reservation, but it was not necessary to secure a table. There were several available. More pertinently, the chef iizuka-san, who hails from Asakusa, Tokyo and once upon a time worked in the import/export business, uses the information to plan his ingredients and cooking time. He asks for the food order in advance where he can.
The food took approximately twenty five minutes to arrive. It is slow; however, an indication of the freshness of the dinner. The waitress delivered tea almost instantly and when I asked for water that too arrived promptly. Minutes later the other waitress showed up with edamame, which she explained is compliments of the chef. They knew the food will be slow in arriving.
The restaurant does not offer parking. One can park in the underground lot to the east or find metered street parking.
The bill again was slow to arrive.
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S: The waitresses were probably assisting in the kitchen because, while the size of the restaurant is not big and not all tables were occupied, they were often rushed. There were fifteen people dining on the Tuesday night. Service was polite nonetheless. The obligatory ‘happy birthday’ sing-along went off, which implies the foul vanity practice has now infiltrated Japanese restaurants. Both waitresses were Japanese. Ichiriki/Soba Canada is the kind of place where when one says “thank-you” the reply is “douitashimashite.”
Both waitresses were polite and understated until the younger lady, Sato from Nara, claimed she is a ‘soba professional.’ I know she was smiling as she said it, but was she being light-hearted?
While it was Soba night Ichiriki’s itamae was also milling about.
A sheet at the entrance reminded patrons that Tuesday nights are dedicated to soba and sushi would be available. I had strived to come down once three years ago with a friend, but when I had called for reservations for my friend and I the chef had excused himself informing how he has no soba that particular week. It had taken me so long to return, but that is an indicator of the soba's quality. We were also informed that cash would be the only form of payment. Likely the two incarnations of Ichiriki do not share receipts and accounts.

The chef is a japanese and foods r authentic. Good quality of foods and calm and neat atmosphere. I always go to this place almost everytime when i visit yonge and bloor area. Love this place!

Great for a little place. Owner is almost always there. He takes personal interest in his business. Food is good and has variety. Love their Agadashi Tofu and combos. Always see Japanese people in there beside the Yonge/Bloor business crowd.

Very popular place for lunch. Many people who work in the area go on a regular basis. The bento boxes are very good, and the sushi is very fresh. This is one of the top three sushi restaurants among the dozens in the area. Only slightly more expensive than the others, it's well worth it. The atmosphere feels very authentically Japanese.

My only complaint is that due to inadequate ventilation, your clothes always smell like fried tempura afterwards.