What is the story about?
Chef
Hirohisa Hayashi closed his13-year-old namesake Soho restaurant, but happily for his fans, he turned the space into a new casual soba spot inlate March.Soba Ulala focuses on soba created with a blend of wheat flours from upstate New York and Japan. While the lunchtime hours include donburi and soba sets, dinner is all about a la carte sobas, hot and cold.
What to order
- The cold soba with uni and ikura ($65) is absolutely laden with rich seafood. I loved how the cold broth helped the noodles maintain a somewhat al dente texture and the contrast it created with the hot soba.
- For hot soba, we got the roasted duck breast with scallions ($35). The noodles, which turned softer as they continued to cook, paired well with the meaty broth and thin slices of duck.
- The tuna maki ($14) was impeccable, especially with the particularly spicy wasabi.
- The softness of the house-made agedashi tofu ($14) was a nice texture in between bites of the mushroom and pepper.
What to drink
The amazake mocktail was made with strawberries, and I turned it boozy with sake for a fruity, sweet, slightly herby flavor ($26).
Best seat in the house
The counter works best for solo diners; opt for the tables for groups of two or more if you can.
Insider tip
If you miss Hayashi’s original Hirohisa restaurant, don’t worry; the chef isworking on reopening it elsewhere in New York.
