Somenya Is Boston’s Best Noodle Restaurant | Eater Boston

"Tucked into a below-street-level space in Boston’s Chinatown, this small Japanese restaurant is where I go for a comforting bowl of hot soba or udon in winter or a cooling bowl of cold noodles in warmer weather. Open since 2023, it focuses on house-made noodles and a concise menu of izakaya-style starters like sashimi, takoyaki, and fried chicken, and everything on the menu feels like a steal for the price. Beef curry udon, with shaved rib eye, a soft-boiled egg, and plenty of noodles, is sweet, savory, and mild, almost like a stew, while the spicy snow crab soba features sesame chile and garlic chile oils that heat up the broth and a hefty pile of sweet crab that plays nicely with the spice. Among the small plates, takoyaki arrives with bonito flakes waving gently on top; the balls of minced octopus, ginger, and green onion are fried crispy and served with a sweet Japanese mayo. Scallop sashimi is cut pleasingly thick, topped with salmon roe, and served in a delicate yuzu sauce. Bright paper umbrellas and flags dot the ceiling, Japanese mural-covered walls lend unexpected warmth, and the lively basement room is usually packed most evenings. With only about 20 seats and no reservations, waits are common during peak hours from Wednesday through Saturday, though takeout is available and there is a much larger sister location out in Quincy." - Tanya Edwards