Tempura Soba at Tsukiji, Tokyo

Japan has always been on my list of destinations to visit, but being the procrastinator that I am, I always thought "I'll go some day". On the cusp of suffering a quarter life crisis, why shouldn't some day be a lot sooner so I headed off to Tokyo in October 2010.

I had breakfast at this delightful little noodle shop at the Tsukiji Central Wholesale Market which only had seats for 6 people. The stall was operated by 2 men and 1 women who looked well into their 70s. The menu was entirely in Japanese so I just pointed to the first item on the board.


This was the best tempura soba noodles I've ever tasted! The broth was simple and subtle (not super salty like some Japanese food in Melbourne), the prawn tempura crisp and it was sprinkled with finely chopped spring onion. It was steaming hot, fresh and perfect for the cold wet Autumn morning, it was like a warm hug. Although I didn't slurp the noodles, I did drink the broth straight from the bowl so that's as Japanese as I got. I often think back on my trip and this memory always stands out as one of the best experiences I had in Japan.