めん Chǔ あおさ Tíng - 宮城県

On the way to Takaradasakura Onsen as always, I was intrigued by the sign for duck soba noodles at this restaurant, so I decided to give it a try this time. The tanmen and miso tanmen were both packed with vegetables and quite filling. It's clear that they use plenty of local vegetables, probably because they also sell vegetables locally. The tempura as a standalone dish was enough for three people and focused on vegetables and mountain vegetables, making it healthy. The sweet potato broth udon was also delicious, but the tonkatsu, katsukare, and yakiniku set meals here really stood out with their generous portions of meat, including brand-name pork. It just goes to show, you can't judge a restaurant by its appearance.

On the way to Zao Echo Line from Shiraishi IC, I had duck soba. The broth here has a perfect combination of duck and grilled leeks, and it was very delicious. I have tried duck soba at many places before, but this one definitely ranks in my top 3. I would love to go back anytime I am in the area.

I tried the Ten Zaru and 1 Pound Tonkatsu set meal. While it may not be as authentic as a soba restaurant, I could still smell the scent of soba and the tempura was served in a generous portion for 1300 yen. If you can't finish your meal, they will pack it for you to take away. The 1 pound tonkatsu uses Zao brand pork and JAPAN X pork, and takes about 30 minutes to fry. The meat is tender, with a light and sweet taste, and is cut into thick slices about 2cm thick. The breading is thick and firm. The potato salad and fried egg on the side are also nice additions.