SOBA was voted one of the five runnerups to the London Weekend Television Restaurant Awards for 1998 in the Oriental section...

  
     

 

 


 Poland Street in Soho is rapidly becoming a testing-ground for young designers. The latest addition is the Soba Noodle Bar designed by architects David Adjaye and William Russell and graphic designer Rana Salam.

A false window in Georgian-wired glass faces the street and acts as a canvas for the bar's graphic identity. Salam, who imported the huge hand-painted Lebanese posters of pop stars that decorated the Freedom Cafe last July, here uses the Japanese flag as inspiration. Bright red dots dominate the facade and are echoed in the typography chosen for the logo.

Inside the 75-seater bar, budget-conscious standard components are given a twist. "We were more interested in carving out space than being too designy," says Adjaye. Resin-coated shuttering ply fronts the drinks bar and smooth Dalsouple rubber covers minimal tables and benches. Walls are concealed with the corrugated plastic used for potting shed roofs (backlit with florescent strip lights like a chequer-board of light and shadow) and the stairs to the toilets are screened by a sheet of the now ubiquitous polycarbonate - this one enlivened with coloured uplighters.



  
 
I found out about Soba Noodles because of a sign carrier advertising it on Oxford Street. Inside the decor is bright and simple with long yellow tables and corrugated plastic walls. The noodles and rice dishes are delicious. The ramen bowls are huge - filled with a year's supply of liquid which is great if you're up for a detox - and the hugely portioned rice dishes give you the perfect opportunity to practice the old shovel routine.
 

Journalism is riddled with opposing opinions, Tony Parsons may love a movie for its fine characterisation and ground breaking special effects, where as Tom Shone may point out its similarities to Plan 9 from Outer Space. Ian R Webb may think Gianni's frocks are to die for, while Grace Bradbury may wish to postpone any premature funeral arrangements, at least until next season.

An interesting journalistic difference of opinion presented itself to the Blue team recently. Caroline Stacy of Time Out directed her vitriol upon the decor of recently opened noodle bar Soba when she wrote, "Soba has all the charm and detail of a hi-fi warehouse". Could this be the same Soba touted in this months Blueprint, the magazine commonly held as the design bible. Mmmm? Ms Stacy was equally venomous concerning the fare. Far be it for Blue to jump to the unfounded assumption that Ms Stacy's opinion was in any way influenced by Time Out's advertising affiliation with Wagamama, the well known noodle giant situated just up the road from Soba. But we thought we would check it out anyway.

Upon arrival, this journalist was reminded of anything but a hi-fi warehouse. In the current tradition for all things paired down, the place is minimalist. But not without charm either. The walls were concealed with corrugated plastic and lit from behind by florescent strip lights. The simple tables and benches are covered with Dalsouple rubber and resin-coated ply fronts the drinks bar. Apparently the designers, David Adjaye, Wlliam Russel and Rana Salem were less concerned with being designy than simply carving out space. But while the spacious, yet intimate, 75 seater can certainly pack them in, it is also without doubt, not lacking in the aesthetic.

My adeptness with a pair of chop sticks is equaled only by my interest in feminism. Consequently a knife and fork was requested. This didn't present a problem and I was immediately brought them by a smiling waiter called Evan. There was also much sighing of relief when it became apparent that the restaurants name was in no way an indication of its attitude to alcoholic consumption. A bottle of Kirin sitting proudly in front of both myself, and my companion in gastronomic appreciation the one and only Doc Roberts, we were ready to enter the crazy world of oriental cuisine.

As we stuck our snouts into mounds of stir fried vegetables, chicken and noodles, we were pleasantly surprised to discover that the background music was unobtrusive. This is not always the case in many other 'trendy' establishments. And was vital to our evening out as I had a most important business matter to discuss with Mr Roberts. The matter being my increasing insecurity concerning the state of my hair, which I'm trying to grow, but looks a bit of a state, and not wanting to sound too poncy, was demanding the attention of a reputable stylist, and I don't really know any, so I wanted to pick Adams brains, er..ok.

Soba's manager Chetin Issmet, was entrusted with choosing our fare, and without wishing to sound like a arse licking, sychophant, he did a truly wonderful and flawless job. The ladies at the adjoining table also seemed to be having a good time. "Really nice", one of the louder ones pointed out to me, "I come here all the time, we are just having a bit of a girlie night you know". Er..no not really? "Oi, don't go taking any pictures of me with my mouth full of noodles will you?" Course not!

The Soba experience can certainly be recommended. The prices are low-most dishes being below £5.00. It makes a refreshing change from the ubiquitous Stockpot and Polo for cheap, yet nutritious and really quite exciting fare. There is a smoking section. And the decor is really cool. So Ms Stacy, stick that in your spring roll and er...eat it!

Turning Japanese - The new fast food is high on style, low on cholesterol and moving nationwide. While Wagamama whetted the British appetite for ordered canteen spaces and healthful bowls of noodles, the new hot spots are cosier in feel. Chetin Ismet of the Soba Noodle Bar in London explains their appeal: 'What burgers were to the 70s and pizzas to the 80s, noodles are to today.'
 
Chetin Ismet, the owner of Soba, insists he did not even know of the existence of Wagamama, when his builders began working on his site off Oxford Street, anyway he has come up with an ultra-modern noodle bar - one which, whith its translucent walls of corrugated plastic, long yellow table and fixed wooden benches, is genuinely Japanese in feel.

Ismet, it turns out, has never been to Japan, and says he got the idea for his restaurant from California. The cooks in the kitchen, however, are all Japanese.
 
This is dining for modern times: a long, communal yellow table and black lacquered benches dominate the room, while fibreglass walls decorated with Japanese calligraphy complete the picture. Customers are a mixed bag of inner city types and out-of-town shoppers. The noodle stirfry with seafood, chicken and tofu isn't so different from the one you might make at home, given a little expertise, but for £5.30 who's complaining? The soups (5.30-£5.50) are huge hotpots of delicious ingredients such as large slabs of teriyaki-marinated lean chicken, shitake mushrooms and buckwheat noodles. Our starter of salt and pepper squid (£3.75) was expertly executed, and even the plain old dish of Chinese greens with oyster sauce was a tasty treat (£2.95).
 
With all the piled-up noodle hairdos on the catwalk this season, and with a healthier eating diet on the agenda, it's only natural that noodle and dumpling bars, with their minimalist, conceptual interiors and bowls of ramen, should take over the fashion conscious palate. Poland Street's Soba is cooking up a storm, as is Camden's ever popular New Culture Revolution, which recently opened another noodle-in on the Kings Road, following in the neat footsteps of the scenes instigator, the non-smoking, also available in a cookbook, Wagamama. Hungry? - Jessica Stein.
 
The capital's answer to Tampopo, Soba serves great big helpings of delicious noodle dishes at extremely reasonable prices. Minimalist decor, maximum value.