The buckwheat soba noodle shouldn’t be confused with udon, its thicker, wheat-flour sibling. Nor should it be confused with ramen, the meat-brothed mainstay which, though delicious, is heavy on the calories and the sodium. Japanese soba hails from the Nagano prefacture, a largely rural area of northern Japan, and is perfect for a light weeknight dinner. This restaurant is cool and traditional, with a wrap-around wooden counter on one side, comfortable booths, and netsuke (miniature sculptures) dotting the walls. Everyone here is either Asian or Asian American, but it’s also escaped the hype, so you’ll always find somewhere to sit. Dig into the Ten Zaru (cold soba noodles paired with dipping broth) and the perfect tempura prawns. —Elena Clavarino

Elena Clavarino is the Senior Editor at AIR MAIL