The sweltering heat bathing Lion City for the past few weeks doesn't seem to abate. Hot food no longer seem tempting to my palate. Nothing beat having soba during hot hot Singapore summer. Normally, I cook dry soba bought from supermarket or Daiso. Irregardless whatever brand of dry soba I purchased, nothing beat freshly made soba kneaded by human hand. Today my craving for quality cold soba prompt me to tried the Shimbashi soba outlet opened in Raffles City Basement. It been 3 years since I last tried the handmade soba at the newly open Shimbashi Soba at Paragon until now I still reminisce the el dente fresh buckwheat taste that deeply imprint in my brain.
I went down to the Raffles City outlet with my usual makan kaki, I tempted to take the Soba Serio $12.20 (simply just plain cold soba with soba dipping sauce and nothing else) but my makan kaki as usual indicated Soba serio although you can enjoy a full plate of soba if you calculate based on BOM (bill of material) might not be that valued for money. For value for money, it is best to go for the value set meal that is available in the Shimbashi's menu.
I settle for Teriyaki Don Value set that come with complimentary warm or cold soba while my makan kaki ordered the Tempura Don Value set. I ordered cold soba so that I can savor the handmade soba true el dente-ness. If serve warm, the soba will lose its el dente if left to soak in the soap too long. It took about 15 to 20 minutes, before the value sets were served to us.
The cold soba is served in ceramic dish topped with fresh wakame drenched with soba dipping sauce. Unable to hold back any further, I decide to assault the cold soba as its is the primary reason & mission. As I slurped in the cold soba and took my first bite, the memory when I had my first hand made soba in Shimbashi Soba came flooding back. The soba is still as el dente as I remembered with a fresh taste of buckwheat without any floury aftertaste you get from commercial dried soba. The citrus shoyu dipping sauce and fresh wakame is like the the woodwinds & strings in orchestra, compliment the soba very well without overwhelming your palate. You can taste the soba, shoyu & wakame indivdual taste distinctly.
The chicken teriyaki is not too shabby with very crispy chicken karaage drenched lightly with teriyaki sauce. The whole don ensemble is balanced, the teriyaki sauce not overpowering sweet which is good so you can still taste your chicken karaage and it goes well with the japanese rice. I would conclude that Shimbashi Soba's handmade soba never fails to amaze me as rarely I can visit another outlet and still get to savor the same taste & feel as its flagship during its initial opening.
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