Omuraan was opened by a Japanese chef who ran a family soba business in Tokyo. The place first became popular amongst local office workers, especially as there hadn't been any "proper" soba shops in the area before this one. Due to its reputation as a great lunch option amongst salary men, it was only a matter of time before it became more widely known. The lunch soba sets are delicious and don't break the bank. The most popular soba set is the "sam-mee soba," which is served in three separate bowls, one topped with pollack roe topping, another with yam and another with tempura. The broth is mellow and unassuming, with noodle made from Bongpyung buckwheat (a well-regarded buckwheat producing region in Korea).
Once evening hits, Omuraan operates as an izakaya where office workers can destress and friends can celebrate over drinks and side dishes. Nota bene: Ordering a main dish is required in the evenings even if you're just there for a snack. You really can't go wrong with their tempura, like chicken karaage and korokkae (Japanese croquette). These days, now that there are many more Japanese restaurants with excellent service, the furor around Omuraan has died down a bit. We're actually rather grateful for that—it's still a decent place for soba, drinks and tempura, and it's now much less crowded. All the more for us!