This charming little restaurant a few steps down from the sidewalk is a lovely addition to the restaurant choices in the neighborhood. The decor is bright and cheerful and the room (and restrooms) sparkling clean. The service is quick, gracious and calm. And the food is delicious! I don't care to eat meat, so it was wonderful to have several selections of vegan and pescatarian dishes to choose from. My husband and I enjoyed the soups we chose and want to come back to try the cold noodle dishes. read more

Somenya - Soba restaurant - Somenya interior - Japanese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Nothing beats a place where they have 12-year-old Asian kids from working. The service here can range from slow to normal considering that the place itself is not very big. The restaurant focuses mostly on soba or udon noodle dishes with a good selection between hot and cold options. It's not going to be the best udon or soba you've ever had. HOWEVER, I tried the cold ikura & uni cold soba and LOVED it. It's seasonal, so I tried that one out and was extremely surprised about how much I enjoyed the bowl. Not too much soup and the uni didn't completely obliterate when I stirred it up. They do use American wasabi though, and I found it superfluous to the dish and wished it was served on the side. But regardless, despite not having some extremely high quality noodles, the flavor and experience of the bowl itself was super pleasant. I ended up coming back the very next day because I wanted to try their clam soba. The clam soba only comes hot, which is a bit unfortunately because I actually think a cold clam soba with some lemon or yuzu would be phenomenol. I've been seeing recipes for it online so I've been wanting to try it, but their clam soba is a lot more standard and hot. They had a very good amount of clams in it, but I generally like their cold soba better. Still good, but didn't give me that feeling of needing to come back the very next day like I did with the ikura-uni combo. Overall, I'd still come back when I'm in downtown! read more

Somenya - Soba restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Handmade noodles... no need to say more! I'm in! I was not disappointed. The restaurant is small, cozy, casual nestled unassuming on the edge of bustling Chinatown. For an appetizer my friend and I had the spicy salmon tartare which was excellent. Thick cubes of salmon poke tossed in a bright yuzu vinaigrette that enhanced the flavor of the salmon excentuated by bursting ikura added another level to a refreshing texture. The saffron threads added aesthetic and a perfectly delicate garnish. For entrees, we had to try both the homemade soba and udon noodles. Both were so soft with great flavor that provides the essential reminder that homemade is superior. The soba noodles, if you have never had them, are almost sweet. The tofu in the yasai soup was a delightful fluffy pillow of fried tofu skin thinly cut and same flavor as inari tofu. I added a poached egg and the flavor of the yolk mixed into the noodles is unrivaled. I want to eat it for breakfast. I will definitely be back to try more of the menu. read more

Super cute spot! The space is kind of small but it's very cozy. The udon was to die for. Genuinely. The broth was 10/10. I was sick before I came to this place but they sold me the cure. Our waiter was quick and efficient! read more

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Fantastic food with a multitude of options for vegetarians, pescatarians, and non-vegetarians. The cold and hot breakup of the menu means regardless of the weather there is always a perfect and hearty menu option! The spicy crab is absolutely never a miss - both as hot udon and cold soba. The staff was also very kind and accommodating and when we asked about spice levels offered us the chili on the side. The garlic chili crisp itself was so fantastic we ended up finishing all of it and even asking where we could buy it. We thought the soba might be dry for a second but the sauce for the cold soba was also absolutely fantastic. The spot is a bit small and cozy so expect a wait unless you go right when they open, but otherwise always worth the trip! read more

Somenya - Soba restaurant - Hot Spicy Crab Udon (chili oil on side) - Japanese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Cozy down-to-earth spot with colorful decor. The service was efficient and friendly. I really enjoyed the shrimp tempura! It was so crispy and well salted. Also enjoyed the vegetables in the sansai soba read more

Somenya - Soba restaurant - Tenzaru - Japanese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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I was very excited to try Somenya because I love soba! On a Saturday night, we waited quite a while before being seated (I think over 30 minutes). Very cute and cozy restaurant. The food came out pretty fast after ordering. For the appetizer, we ordered Koji Fried Chicken, which is basically karaage chicken. They got the flavor down, and it was very good. They're know for their soba noodles, so I tried their most popular, Cold Spicy Beef Soba. The toppings were good, but the soba... was so disappointing. It was grainy, probably from being a bit overcooked. It made me wish I had gotten the udon. When the base isn't good, it kinda ruins every bite. I'm kinda shocked that this what they're known for. However, I did get to try a bit of my friend's udon and it was way more pleasant than my bowl. I would give this place another try. read more

Somenya - Soba restaurant - spicy beef cold soba - Japanese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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YUM! The menu is long and descriptive, and the staff is kind and accommodating. Got the kimchi beef ramen, which in my surprise was more mild in spice. I appreciate that, when ramen is too spicy it is almost unbearable to eat. Definitely recommend a few appetizers such as the crispy octopus. Would come back! read more

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I'm a huge fan of Tora ramen down the block, and this place just did not live up to the hype. It's cutesy Japan, the food is good, not great. The noodle dish we got was unremarkable, good enough to eat again but not notable enough to seek out again. I did really like the truffle edamame. They put the truffle on the outside which was a nice touch. It took a little while to got our table and they kept the lights very bright for a later dinner. Not really a date night spot for me. read more

Somenya - Soba restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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I've been here a couple times. The soba noodles were refreshing and the broth has been umami. Had the tofu here as well. The service was pretty typical, so the wait staff were friendly and attentive. Ambiance and decor was pretty cool too. The pricing is pretty typical of Chinatown Boston restaurants. 8/10: food gets the job done. Effort was shown to the dishes but nothing was extremely mind blowing. Definitely worth a try. read more

I was really impressed with my experience here. I stopped by on a weekday evening where there was basically no wait at all. We started with a salmon yamakake ($13) which had a very fresh, delicate flavor. The grated yam adds a super gooey texture which might not be for everyone. Both of us went for hot udon dishes and tried the beef sukiyaki ($20) and roast duck ($25). I loved how the broth in each dish was unique, super savory, yet light at the same time. I was initially a little bit annoyed at the price point for these dishes, but after seeing just how much protein each udon came with, I felt that the price was very fair. The udon was bouncy, chewy, and a decent portion size. I ended up having to take some leftovers home. Of the noodle soups I've had in Boston over the past year, I think the broth at Somenya has been my favorite! I can't wait to come here again to warm up with their broth on a cold winter day. read more

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So good, staff very patient and kind, food was delicious, ambiance was beautiful. Parking is tough in Chinatown but street parking and a walkable garage nearby. read more

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Came in for the first time for lunch and it was great! The interior is really cute and fun, was not expecting it. The menu is also great -- every dish can be paired with either soba or udon, and they have very extensive hot or cold soup options. Got the chicken karaage curry with udon, and my friend got the same with soba. Both were delicious, I'd definitely come back. Glad to have a good udon spot in such a T-accessible place!! read more

Somenya - Soba restaurant - Chicken karaage curry udon/soba - Japanese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

We found this place thanks to yelp and its proximity to our AirBNB. Fantastic food. Lovely interior, friendly staff.

Somenya is one of the restaurants constantly in my rotation that I always recommend to my friends! The servers are consistently some of the nicest and most welcoming servers I've encountered with the utmost attention to refilling your water without hovering over you. The interior is a beautiful traditional Japanese layout with clean tables and a cozy, warm ambiance. Nice that it's a first-come-first-served system for days when you want to have an impromptu catchup with a friend. The food is always a treat--udon is my favorite food, and the udon here is not only good but also unique! The udon noodles here aren't your typical thick, bouncy texture like Yume but a thinner, more substantial consistency that's almost reminiscent of the carbonara pasta noodles at MIDA. My sukiyaki was just the right balance of sweet and salty broth with sweet beef and onions for fun texture--9.5/10! My friends also thoroughly enjoyed their dishes :) read more

Somenya - Soba restaurant - bottom: hot beef sukiyaki udon top left: tenzaru soba top right: kimchi beef udon - Japanese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Really cute place located in Chinatown! There was a very nice selection of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian noodle bowls. I was debating between soba and udon and ultimately chose soba due to the name of the restaurant and the reviews about the housemade noodles. I ordered the chili oil tofu cold soba, which came out quickly. The chili oil was nice and garlicky, and the silken tofu made the noodles a little creamy. For the noodles themself, I didn't taste too much buckwheat flavor, and I realized a couple bites in that I should've just ordered the udon because of the bouncy texture. Next time, I will order the chili oil tofu udon; I'm sure it will be delicious! read more

Somenya - Soba restaurant - Chili oil tofu cold soba - Japanese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

So good I came here twice on my trip to Boston!! I came here after being recommended Somenya by a friend. Although they're known for their soba, I LOVED their spicy cold udon noodles!! The noodles were light, refreshing, and bright. The lemon provided the perfect level of acidity needed and the level of spice was perfect too. The restaurant is a bit small and the bowls are rather pricy for the portion you get... but otherwise the food is delicious and would definitely recommend! read more

Somenya - Soba restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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I found this cute little place on the corner of the street and it was so good!! The service was amazing and the waiters were very attentive. I ordered the truffle snow crab cold soba and chicken curry hot soba. The truffle and snow crab went so well together and nothing over powered the other. Definitely a must try for those who love truffle. The chicken curry was nice and warming. The texture of the noodles was perfect, nice and chewy. I would love to come back and try other noodles soon. read more

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We were so amazed to find this gem in Chinatown. The cold soba noodle is refreshing and light. The fresh wasabi, turnip and lemon makes the the dish taste vibrant. The service is very attentive and friendly. read more

Somenya - Soba restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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We stopped by here on a Saturday night and there was already a line out the door. Just walking down the steps in the restaurant, you notice the traditional Japanese layout is and how thee are so many little details all over. Its a very cozy and nice spot. The servers were nice and very welcoming. We got the Ikura Uni Soba, which is seasonal but it was the favorite dish in our group. The soba noodles were good and they gave a generous portion of uni. We also ordered the Zaru Soba and the Beef Sukiyaki. Both were delicious as well. The sukiyaki had a nice sweet and savor mix. read more

Finally got the chance to come by to try Somenya, in Boston's Chinatown! I believe they are one of the only restaurants here that serve soba noodles, but I could be mistaken. You have the option to either do soba noodles or udon, and they have hot soup noodle options & cold noodles! If you're not feeling in the mood for noodles, they also have rice bowls, Donburi, which include chicken karaage, sashimi bowls, beef don, and uni. We opted for the beef sukiyaki soba in hot soup & karaage chicken curry soba. Both came with large poached eggs, one each! I actually really enjoyed our meal today, and honestly didn't expect to like to so much, mostly because noodle places can be super hit or miss. Definitely glad that Somenya turned out to be a HIT and I for sure see myself coming back here in the future! Staff was nice and friendly. 5/5. read more

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I have gotten takeout from Somenya a few times now and am obsessed with their soba. The beef broth soba, in particular, is one of the richest, most flavorful soup dishes I have had. The restaurant itself is intimate and cozy and the staff are always very friendly. read more

Somenya - Soba restaurant - Fried chicken rice bowl - Japanese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Delicious restaurant with good appetizer variety and lots of options for hot and cold udon or soba as well as rice bowls. Somenya is a small underground spot serving up a variety of comforting Japanese dishes. Service here is efficient and the food is delicious. If you're coming here on a Friday or weekend evening, plan on arriving before 6pm because when I left there was a pretty extensive wait. The food here is delicious, I got truffle fries ($8) and some shrimp tempura udon ($20) which is on par with another Japanese noodles specialty spot, Futago. Their broth udons and soba come with a vegetarian broth which was still very delicious. The udon here is a thinner type, the only other place I've seen it is Raku in NYC. read more

Somenya - Soba restaurant - Shrimp Tempura Udon ($20) - Japanese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

I came here during weekend lunch time and sometimes there's a bit of wait time. Service is good even though the tables are a bit close to each other. I got the beef sukiyaki udon ($20 before tax and tips). It's good in general. The portion is big enough for a meal. The udon doesn't taste like ordinary udon, but it's closer to noodles. What I don't like is that the egg is pretty raw and once I poked the egg yolk, it's no way to be found. read more

Somenya - Soba restaurant - Beef sukiyaki udon - Japanese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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5 stars for concept and food!! Packed for a Thursday! The wait staff were probably college students- which is fine. The service was so so because the attentiveness and overall follow up was not there. Not sure is something that should be called out, for an establishment that has been very well received. Ramen was fine and octopus (fried calamari) were good, tofu was also good and the only back and forth we had was about the duck. Not sure what was up with that. I do not think it was unreasonable to ask for well done meats- the waitress said absolutely cannot accommodate that. They advertised and written that it is pink and not cooked through. Ok- so I get that they want to retain the meat's tenderness and stick to what the menu's description has stated. However, asking for well done is not totally that far of a stretch- it is easier than asking it to be just right medium pink and has a bit of give. Well- done can mean just hot water and making it more cooked Heck, you can give me a small bowl of hot water and I can do it myself to cook it like hot pot style/Pho. Just pinpointing a small example that it is sometimes not that big of an ask when the request is not thaaat out of the ordinary. So it is okay if they say NO- and it is also sometimes a directive that chefs refuse to budge on (just trying to give this the benefit of the doubt.) Note that in this day and age, with allergy requests and all these crazy convoluted demands that makes any chef go berserk- asking for meats to be cooked for 20 seconds longer is probably at the bottom of the bunch with this, with the least amount of work, time, effort and talent. It just doesn't take much. We will never know why it is such a big to do, ah wells. Decor ambience restrooms were generally all tidy. Place is small but large groups can fit if there is space available. read more

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EVERYONE needs to come here! It's that good! I've been here several times and I'm shocked that I haven't written about these guys before. That changes now! Tucked in Chinatown, these guys are relatively new compared to all of the nearby noodle joints. I found out about these guys from browsing Chinatown options on Boston Eater, and I was drawn to this place because it had so few reviews at the time. The exterior is very cute as it looks like a traditional Japanese house (okay, I have never been to Japan). Upon entering, you take several steps down and you are greeted by a wonderfully decorated little restaurant with very tightly packed tables. The Japanese vibes are real. On to the food.. The appetizers are all solid. I have no complaints and really enjoy the Agedashi Tofu, Truffle Edamame, Koji Fried Chicken, Shishito Peppers, Fried Oysters, Japanese Takoyaki, and Crispy Squid Tentacles. I told you I've been here a lot! Hiyashi Sansai Soba (in Cold Sauce) - this was the first thing I ever ate in this restaurant and it was what got me obsessed. The broth was so superbly flavorful and I was delighted by the quality of the wasabi - I think it was real? It had such a different sweet flavor profile I never had before. The included mountain vegetables balances out this bowl with very refreshing notes. Spicy Beef Soba/Udon (in Cold Sauce) - holy sh*t this bowl is delicious. I DO NOT like udon, but the kind they use here is flatter than the standard affair. When served cold, they have a wonderful bite to them - something I don't enjoy when hot. I have also eaten the Soba variant and equally love it. Holy moly the broth is outstanding, and the spicy beef is f*cking GOOD. This was originally the best tasting noodles I have ever eaten, but now they sit at a razor thin distance in 2nd place (Yume Ga Arukara is my fav). If you're looking for an excellent bowl of noodles, and if you've never tried cold noodles before, you should totally come here. And you should brag about this place to everyone you know. read more

Somenya - Soba restaurant - Spicy Beef Udon - outstanding. delicious. perfection. marry me. - Japanese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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I got take out so i can't speak to the service. The packaging for the take out was great! They use the bowls with the noodle separator - i love those so you don't need to grab a bigger bowl to combine all the stuff together. The presentation was also lovely too, i can only imagine that it might look even better in person. In terms of food, it was good. Not the best udon i've had, but definitely satisfied the craving. We also got some apps, the octopus legs were delicious along with the fried chicken. read more

- texture of the udon was phenomenal! so smooth, buttery, and chewy! - duck was so succulent and tender - spicy crab was not that spicy and the crab brought a lot of nice sweetness to balance. - quantity and quality of meat for duck and crab were well worth $25 - fried tentacles SHMACKED read more

Somenya - Soba restaurant - spicy crab udon, duck udon, fried squid tentacles - Japanese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Very tasty curry, simple ingredients and fresh topped vegetables. Shrimp tempura was well cooked. read more

Somenya - Soba restaurant - Shrimp curry - Japanese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

I came here on a Sunday for an early lunch with friends, and there was no wait! after seeing the menu, my mouth started watering so so much LOL. this place is pretty quiet and chill to grab food by yourself or in a group, and the servers were all nice :) here's what I got: - spicy beef soba cold ($20, 9/10): will definitely order this when I come again in the future! the yuzu juice and crunchy garlic chili oil elevate the flavor of the cold sauce and pair soo well with the shaved ribeye - karaage chicken curry don ($18, 7/10): I do wish there was more chicken and curry sauce because half of the plate was filled with just rice, and I ran out of the sauce pretty quickly. other than that, the chicken thighs were cooked perfectly & cripsy fun fact: this was my first meal after moving to Boston! read more

Somenya - Soba restaurant - spicy beef soba cold - Japanese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Absolutely love how cozy this place is. Small shop in Chinatown but worth the visit, especially during the colder months! Tried the crispy squid tentacles and beef sukiyaki udon and they were both very tasty. read more

Somenya - Soba restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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The spicy cold tofu appetizer, cucumber salad, and spicy crab cold soba were all so delicious! All had great flavor and were the right amount of spiciness. The spicy crab soba was addicting to eat and I thought the portion was super good. Service was nice and friendly. The inside was nice and cozy. There may be a wait if you come during peak dinner time but not too long. read more

Somenya - Soba restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Thankful to have this cute neighborhood spot. A little pricy but the food generally does hit the spot. The cold noodles were good, but the portion size was smaller than that of the hot noodles. They don't take reservations for small parties. There can be a bit of a wait on weekends, but not bad during the week. read more

Somenya - Soba restaurant - Salmon Ikura - Japanese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

There was a little wait coming in since they do walk-ins only, even on a weekday night. Once seated, we tried a variety of appetizers, with the Crispy Squid Tentacles being the most notable. I think the Cucumber wasn't anything special and the Koji Fried Chicken was a bit strangely powdery (but juicy) so they weren't my favorites. For mains, I really enjoyed the Spicy Beef Cold Soba and Beef Sukiyaki Hot Udon. The noodles were very uniquely fresh and the soup as a whole was very flavorful! read more

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Came in with a party of 7 yesterday, and didnt need to wait too long. The restaurant was very cozy and decorated well. Our table mostly had the spicy beef cold noodles. It was recommened by our wonderful server to get the soba noodles. Didn't disappoint. The flavor of the soba matches well with the flavors in the bowl. But I also tried the udon, not too think, nice chew and absorbed the flavors of the dish. Dont think theres a wrong choice. The portion size might have been a little small for me to be like "Pho" full. But it's just enough to be satisfied to fill your stomach. Loved the service. She was really nice and attentive with waters and made sure we mixed the noodles to enjoy the experience to the fullest. Overall, would definitely come back again! read more

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Love how all of their noodles and desserts are made in-house! I'd definitely come back again for their hot Curry Beef Udon -- it was so flavorful and the broth was so comforting. Their premium shaved ribeye was so tasty in their beef dishes, but I must say it shines the most in their hot Beef Sukiyaki Soba. As for their Hiyashi Sansai Soba, not only was it very refreshing, but it was surprisingly filling with all its fresh veggies. For dessert, their soba ice cream is so popular and I can see why! It was very tasty and unique. We also enjoyed their Matcha Kanten, which is a tasty from jelly with a strong matcha flavor that can be contrasted with the nice and sweet syrup. This is a cute spot to visit for dates or with friends in Chinatown! Love the atmosphere and decor and the service is generally pretty quick. read more

Somenya - Soba restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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We ate at Somenya Soba Restaurant on a weekend for dinner. We came right before they got busy. Located in Boston Chinatown at the beginning of Hudson Street, downstairs, basement level, the restaurant is not big at all but the service is top-tier and very efficient, kind, and warm. The food was delicious. The soba broth was so delicious and savory. The noodles were a good size and tasty. We love the apps that we ordered, the tofu and octopus. They had great presentation, good food, and reasonably priced. read more

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Somenya was DELICIOUS! Tucked away on the edge of Chinatown, Somenya is a small cozy soba spot decorated with Japanese decor serving up homemade noodles. We came for lunch on a Friday and although it was quite busy, we got seated immediately. The restaurant is quite small, but not too small where you would feel you are too close to the table next to you. I liked how their menu had a good variety of cold and hot soba and udon dishes available. Since it was a hot day, my friend and I opted for their cold soba noodles and crispy squid tentacles to start. I decided to get their Spicy Beef Soba Noodles and my friend got their Salmon Ikura Soba Noodles. - Crispy Squid Tentacles ($12): This was so crunchy and crispy! I loved the spicy mayo sauce they gave us, I wish there was more of the mayo sauce and squid. This was a great appetizer to start us off though. - Spicy Beef Soba ($20): The beef was super tender and there was a good amount of meat for the price. The soup of the soba was delicious, I loved the tempura flakes and crunch garlic chili oil. The spice was at the perfect level of spiciness. - Salmon Ikura ($26): My friend loved how fresh the salmon was! The pieces of salmon were thick and incredibly fresh. He wished there were more pieces of salmon since he only got 4 or 5. Overall, Somenya was a great experience! I thoroughly enjoyed the food, although it is on the pricier end. I would totally recommend coming here to give it a try! Since it is located in Chinatown, the best way to get here is via the train since there is minimal street parking. read more

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I'm on a mission to find the best ramen place in Boston. Starting off strong, Somenya offers a wide variety of hot and cold sobas and udons. A cute little spot, we walked in at 6 on a Tuesday and got a table, but by 6:30 there was a wait. Very clean aesthetic decor, and loved the wooden silverware and the stone bowl the ramen was served in. I was undecided between the beef sukiyaki and beef curry udon, as I wanted beef but both had the spicy symbol next to them. The waitress said the beef curry udon was not spicy, so I went with that! The poached egg was delicious, and the yolk added a pleasant umami flavor. The beef was thin and practically melted in my mouth. One review says the noodles at Somenya are homemade, and I wouldn't doubt it as they were sooo good. The broth was thick and flavorful but not too rich. I ate the whole bowl. And I will be back. read more

Somenya - Soba restaurant - beef curry ramen - Japanese Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Making a return to Somenya after the better part of a year, I decided to satisfy my craving for kitsune udon. Arriving at 2pm on a Sunday, the establishment only had a few patrons, so I received a table immediately. The kitsune udon was still $16. This time, the broth arrived less hot than I would have liked, and the portion size seemed smaller. The aesthetic stone bowl was also swapped out for a normal bowl. The establishment still possesses some of the most aesthetic interior decor around. read more

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