#MIYAGI RAMEN TV#

On a small plate is some spring onion and wasabi which you can add to the sauce, and in a wonderful surprise, the wasabi is both real, and freshly grated.

It doesn't affect the taste much, though, so you can dip them as usual into the fishy sauce they are served with.

Sakura means cherry blossom, and it has a beautifully delicate pink color that is passed on to the noodles. There's plenty on the menu, including thick, wheat noodles called udon, but in spring there was only one thing I wanted to try – sakura noodles. It's delicious, but don't just take my word for it – it's served alongside your meal. You also get a good view of the boxes of soba tea that you can buy to take home.

#MIYAGI RAMEN TV#

It never seems particularly busy, which means you can choose where to sit – either on the Japanese tatami with floor cushions, or you can keep your shoes on and watch the TV if you prefer western-style chairs. It's a modest-sized restaurant, and everything, including the food, has a very homemade feel. Banzan Soba offers anything and everything made with soba, from noodles to ice-cream to tea. On the road between Rikuzen-Ochiai and Ayashi train stations, near a 7-11 convenience store, is something of a soba specialist. And great news for anyone with a gluten intolerance – it's gluten-free. It certainly contains lots of iron, and all of the essential amino acids. Soba is buckwheat, which is considered to have many health benefits. Luckily, Japan has another noodle-based treat for you: soba. There are lots of delicious options, but the wheat-based noodles and oily soup isn't for everyone. The Ochiai-Ayashi area is blessed with a wealth of ramen restaurants.

Miyagi ramen