Tokyo

Soba Osame

蕎麦　おさめ

Nestled in a 100-year-old home with a Japanese garden, Soba Osame offers an enchanting experience. Perfecting the art of soba-making using native grains from various regions, Chef Kenji Osame takes pride in preparing different styles of noodles for his guests. From the selection of seasonal toppings to the making of Edomae-style dashi, his dedication to detail is evident in every bowl.

First opened in Nishi-Azabu in 2018, Soba Osame moved to the current location in Mejiro in 2023. A lantern-lit path of stepping stones leads you to the building, heightening anticipation for the evening. Wooden signs hang in the entryway, displaying the names of the regions where the day’s soba came from.

Honoring Japanese traditions, you will be asked to remove your shoes before stepping into the house. As you walk down the hallway, the Japanese garden steals the spotlight. The charming courtyard is laid out with stones, lanterns and traditional plants such as plums and maples. The view changes with the seasons.

The dining area has a beautiful ambiance, set with black-dyed cedar flooring and alcove displays. Antique Imari plates and seasonal artworks are borrowed from the chef’s father-in-law who works as an antique dealer. Curated by one of the staff, the restaurant offers a great sake menu, made up of about five staple vintages and seasonal selections.

Pure flavors of “native” soba

At Soba Osame, you are in for a treat to savor the pure flavors of “native” soba. These noodles are made from high-quality buckwheat species that have been cultivated in the local soba regions. Grown without any crossbreeding, these varieties are treasured for their rich flavor and fragrant aroma.

At 7:30am every morning, the chef begins preparing the soba in the noodle-making room. Offering guests a chance to try and compare sobas, he makes three distinct kinds: seiro, arabiki and gensoba. Seiro is the most standard type of soba, typically served cold. Arabiki is coarsely ground soba with a deeper flavor. Gensoba is milled with the husks intact, giving it a stronger taste and texture.

The rich flavors of the soba come to life with the broth that the chef cooks with great attention. The warm soba soup has a deep flavor of dried bonito flakes and mackerel. The cold dipping sauce is made from honkarebushi and thickly-shaved arabushi from Makurazaki, adding layers of hidden umami.

The cold whole-grain soba is made using a soba variety grown in Hoki in Tottori Prefecture. This soba offers a refined texture and a lingering flavor. The warm duck soba uses noodles made from a native variety from Tsushima in Nagasaki. The bowl is topped with a generous serving of duck, cooked perfectly tender and medium rare.

The seasonal dishes also show off Osame’s culinary craftsmanship. The herring is simmered for three days, allowing the flavors to infuse into the meat. The chicken thighs are flavored with soy sauce and koji, and grilled to perfection. The grilled tiger prawns are marinated in Saikyo miso. This dish pairs beautifully with sake.

The tamagoyaki, or Japanese omelette, is cooked in a copper pot. Not too sweet, its flavor is imbued with flavorful dashi. Every bite is soft and fluffy, melting away in your mouth.

INGREDIENTS
Osame is particular about where the ingredients come from. Focused on native varieties, he selects the soba grains from about 10 selected producers across Japan. From Akita to Nagasaki, these crops have their own characteristics that are specific to each region. "It’s also important to maintain the quality of the soba by vacuum-sealing it and storing it at a cool temperature."

The fresh wasabi, a key condiment for soba, comes from Azumino in Nagano Prefecture. The chicken is premium Daisen chicken from Tottori.

CHEF

Kenji Osame

Kenji Osame was born in Kanagawa in 1988. His father ran a restaurant, which made him interested in cooking from an early age. He became fascinated with the world of soba after tasting Togakushi noodles, made with one of Nagano’s unique varieties.

After graduating from Tsuji Culinary Institute, he joined Takeyabu, a renowned soba restaurant in Chiba Prefecture, where he began his training. He later worked at Okawaya in Kagurazaka and Tohakuan Karibe.

While preparing for his new restaurant, he tasted the soba at Kikutani, a restaurant in Sugamo, that used native grains. He was so moved by its flavor that he made it his mission to highlight similar varieties at his restaurant. Together with his wife, he opened Soba Osame in Nishi-Azabu in 2018 to specialize in native soba varieties. He was 30 years old.

Recognized for its superb cuisine, the restaurant quickly gained a strong following. In 2023, he moved his restaurant into this charming old house in Mejiro.

VISION
Kenji Osame aspires to elevate soba to global recognition, much like sushi and yakitori. Soba is such a wonderful traditional culture that is unique to Japan, he says. To build his international footprint, he has in the past hosted pop-ups in Macau. He currently has offers to collaborate with chefs in France, and says he would like to participate in more international events.

THE TEA ROOM

Soba Osame is located inside a 100-year-old house that was originally the residence of a tea ceremony master. A private tea room serves as a nod to its origins, offering guests a space steeped in tradition. The room is now set up with tables and chairs so guests can enjoy it as a stunning private dining room. The surrounding garden, meticulously designed by the chef’s family members who are professional gardeners, showcases the beauty of the Japanese season. Visitors are treated to a landscape that changes throughout the year, featuring plants such as maples, camellias, plum trees and green ash.