Tsuta Japanese Soba Noodles

We came around 5:30PM on a Thursday and it wasn’t crowded, we got seated immediately. We got seated in the area next to the bathroom which wasn’t that great. We ordered the Ajitama chashu shoyu soba and the kurobishio tonkatsu soba. It took awhile to cook but when we finally got our order, it was really good! It’s different since it’s not ramen noodles. The noodles are a bit firmer and has a bite. They give you a good portion. There weren’t too much of the black pepper minced pork in the kurobishio tonkatsu soba, but the pork slices were enough to satisfy. The boiled egg in the ajitama chashu shoyu soba was really good. It was still gooey on the inside while firm on the outside. The service was friendly and gave us water to pour for ourselves. When we were leaving around 6:30PM, there were a lot of people waiting inside, so I’d suggest people to check the waitlist to see if there’s a wait, or just come earlier if you can.

Good not great. Worth coming for if you’re in the area and/or the wait is not too bad. Tried both the mala and the kurobishio (black pepper/garlic) ramens along with the aburi niku appetizer. The broth is good, but maybe a bit on the too oily side. The mala reminds me of Sichuan food bc of the peppercorns/peppers and has a good kick. I found myself fishing the peppers out since my spice tolerance is on the low side these days. Noodles have a good bite to them and are different from other places since they use soba noodles. Chashu is tender but nothing terribly special. Service is nice and efficient. Prices may seem high but sadly are par for the course with Bay Area ramen.

A newer place that recently opened up in SF. I had their signature ramen - Ajitama Chasu Shoya Soba. The broth was very clean tasting and not that heavy. You can taste a slight hint of the black truffle oil in the broth. The noodles were cooked properly and the egg was perfect. My friend had the Tonkatsu one, which had more of a stronger and creamier taste to the broth. Overall, a pretty cool place to check out.

After hearing about this place, I decided to come try it for myself. I can definitely say this one of the best places to get Japanese noodles. There was a bit of a wait for this place, but quite reasonable. After standing in line for about 40 minutes, I was finally taken to my seat. Given some other place can take at least an hour, this was very fast. After having sat down and placed my order, the food arrived in front of me within 10 minutes. The tonkotsu soba was rich and flavorful, leaving a soft after taste on the palette. The karaage (fried chicken) was crispy and lightly seasoned, pairing well with a squeeze of lemon and their mayo. Can't wait for the next time, to try some of their other flavors.

The ajitama char siu shoyu soba was fantastic. The noodles were fresh and springy, and the four thin slices of char siu really hit the spot. I usually prefer tonkotsu, but was pleasantly surprised by how well the chicken, clam, and fish broth combined with the shoyu and black truffle. However, what tickled my taste buds the most was the chicken karaage. The meat was very tender and flavorful, but the batter was simply magical. I struggle to find the right words to describe it. It wasn't thick or crispy. It was crumbly and... fluffy. It felt like I was eating a pastry covered in powdered sugar. That may not sound appetizing, but it is. Incredibly so. You'll just have to taste it yourself. For a restaurant that has a Michelin star at the OG location, this joint was not expensive at all! Their classic shoyu soba costs $12, which is pretty standard here in San Francisco. You can also get extra noodles for just $1! The karaage costs around $6. FYI: My party of two waited in line (outside) for around 30 minutes on a Wednesday night. They do not take reservations. Worth it! For more restaurant recommendations, follow me on Instagram @rogerlamchop 😋

Very tasty soba with reasonable prices. Their shoyu soup is very delicate with truffle fragrance adding a layer of taste. Their chasu in particular is very soft and some of the best I've had. We also had their karaage, which was marinated and fried impeccably with crispy skin. I would definitely revisit again and again.

I came here during their soft opening time, so they only provide two option of noodles, one is white truffle oil, which is smell good but taste flat, also the noodle is soba noodle, but its not 100% soba tho, taste like somewhere in the middle of soba and ramen. Im okay to eat in here if there no line.

I have been to the Tokyo location many times, and I can say the food is (almost) as good here!! I really enjoyed the shoyu soba + the niku meshi. I would definitely come back for the food. I should have known not to come opening day, so that’s my fault. It was very disorganized. Long waits when seats were available inside. There was a mix up with my order (but it was an easy fix). There was plastic in my drink?? Not sure if it was the problem with the coke can or the restaurant.