Minsa

If Okinawan soba is what brings you to Minsa, the noodles and toppings are a good place to start. One lunchtime diner recalled how the broth clung to the curly noodles and praised the flavour of the soki. Another was struck by the fact that the cartilage in the soki soba was tender enough to eat. The menu also includes sanmai-niku soba, topped with pork belly, and a small goya, leaving room to choose different toppings and sides while making soba the centre of the meal.

For a meal built more around side dishes, options include goya champuru, carrot shirishiri and homemade aged island tofu. One diner described the goya champuru as a substantial dish; for a group, it could be part of a table spread with several small plates. Sea-grape dishes are another option: the menu lists sea grapes sent from Okinawa and a special Okinawan salad. A diner who ordered salad alongside soki soba said it was refreshing and came with plenty of sea grapes. Add hirayachi, a savoury Okinawan pancake, or pork and egg to try something beyond soba.

Drinks listed include Orion draft beer, sanpin tea highball and Zanpa awamori by the glass. There are options for an evening meal shared over several Okinawan dishes as well as a lunch centred on soba. One diner also mentioned enjoying Okinawan songs in the restaurant. Minsa is an option in Nakameguro for a meal that can take different forms while exploring the island’s cuisine.