SOBAR

"Head to Sobar on days when the thermostat has decimated your willpower. This sleek soba shop specializes in juwari soba served cold, with various dipping sauces like traditional tsuyu, tomato chile, and spicy sesame. The noodles themselves are thick and chewy—juwari soba is made with 100% buckwheat, as opposed to the typical mix of buckwheat and flour—and all the sauces have that kind of muted saltiness that requires no water chugging whatsoever. Start with the Kyoto-style dashimaki tamago, a soft, slightly sweet egg omelet that’s the closest we’ve come to finding a cloud on a plate." - brant cox, sylvio martins, garrett snyder, cathy park

"This soba noodle temple opened in 2023, drawing in curious diners who had never tried a traditional soba noodle dining experience, as well as those familiar with the tradition. The organic buckwheat noodles are served cold with dipping sauces (most are soy-based, but one tamari option makes this a viable option for gluten-free diners); a leveled-up order might be choosing the ribeye niku soba with seared ribeye and a poached egg. Small-plate starters like spicy edamame, agedashi tofu, and lightly battered shrimp and vegetable tempura round out the offerings." - Eater Staff, Matthew Kang

"Find Sobar in Culver City near the intersection of South Centinela Avenue and Washington Boulevard. The restaurant makes its signature noodles ju-wari-style using 100 percent organic buckwheat flour from Maine. The signature noodles are served cold with dipping sauces that are mostly soy-based, but the tamari option makes for happy gluten-free diners. For a rich and filling soba experience, get the ribeye niku soba with seared ribeye and a poached egg." - Cathy Chaplin, Matthew Kang

"Head to Sobar in Culver City on days when the thermostat has decimated your willpower. This sleek soba shop specializes in juwari soba served cold, with various dipping sauces like traditional tsuyu, tomato chile, and spicy sesame. The noodles themselves are thick and chewy—juwari soba is made with 100% buckwheat, as opposed to the typical mix of buckwheat and flour—and all the sauces have that kind of muted saltiness that requires no water chugging whatsoever. Start with the Kyoto-style dashimaki tamago, a soft, slightly sweet egg omelet that’s the closest we’ve come to finding a cloud on a plate. " - Brant Cox