Founded in Yomitani Village  Mainichi Shokudo  is an Okinawan Soba Restaurant Loved by the Locals

Yomitani is a village filled with delicious bakeries and fancy cafes.

There has been a recent increase in Okinawan soba restaurants, and we paid a visit to the Mainichi Shokudo that has gained quite a following with the local community since opening its doors in 2017.

The yellow exterior doesn’t look like your ordinary soba eatery, and once you enter even the interior looks like a cafe.

However, when it comes to the taste of the soba it is the real deal. The delicious taste of the stock is without a doubt what pulls in the local clients.

It has a space for kids and colourful chair that create a bubbly atmosphere. I went to find out what makes the uniquely coloured Mainichi Shokudou so facinating.

Contents

1. The pull of the vibrant yellow exterior.
2.The spacious cafe style interior
3. A kids’ space in a soba restaurant? !
4.Soup that you will drink to the very last drop.
5. The perfect side menu
6. Summary

 

Mainichi Shokudo is located in Yomitani Village, Chuubu Okinawa.  It is located near Yachimun no Sato.

Make your way using a satellite navigation system and follow the signs along the way. You will come a cross the striking yellow establishment that seems as if it is a natural part of the surroundings.

Based on its appearance you would be forgiven for thinking it was an ordinary cafe.

With a name like Mainichi Shokudo you would be tricked into believing that you had come across a restaurant serving typical Japanese meals, but there is no doubt that this is an Okinawan soba place.  It far from a cafe or a typical Japanese eatery.

This is the Mainichi Shokudo oozing with uniqueness from the appearance all the way to its name.

The interior holds a range of different coloured chairs creating a poppy atmosphere. There are not many seats in comparison to the spacious interior , giving you room to relax.

If you picture the typical soba restaurant, you may imagine a very busy and noisy establishment. However, this Okinawan soba restaurant feels more like a cafe.

The smell of the stock soup floats from behind the counter, filling the room with a delightful aroma.

The sight of the well arranged pottery will give you that at home feeling.
Even the view of the kitchen from the counter is colourful.

This is the kids’ space that you didn’t believe could exist.

An Okinawan soba restaurant with a kids’ space is not something that you would expect to see.

It is only the size of one tatami mat, but kids can enter the land of colouring books and toys. Remember to tell them to remove their shoes first.

Keep your kids entertained while you wait for your food, by using this space perfect for customers with children.

We even have a baby bouncer. Child sized cutlery and child seats are of course also available.

We ordered an Okinawan pork gristle soba. A full bowl topped with two thick slices of pork.

Tempted by the smell of the bonito stock flavour, the first thing I tried was the soup. I was surprised by how delicious it was.

It is rich in flavour yet leaves you feeling refreshed. It doesn’t have that greasy feeling, so you can easily drink it to the very last drop.

The mixture of soup and the thin flat noodles boiled together with the bittersweet Okinawan pork is perfectly balanced.

The lightness of the soup and the thick slices of pork creates a deep contrast in taste which you can’t stop eating.

I tend to usually leave some noodles and soup in the bowl, but just for today I finished everything down to the very last drop of soup.

Here is the Okinawan pork gristle soba [A-sa] in the Okinawana local dialect  is the word for an edible green algae.
With a slight smell of the ocean and an original taste.

Make sure to try the A-sa soba on your second visit or you can share if you come with a friend.
There is also a three meat slice and a yushi tofu soba option available.

You can order soba as a meal by itself, however we recommend the juicy set . Where you can have other delectable dishes comparable to the soba.

There is also taco rice and Okinawan pork gristle rice bowl, so if you want to eat something else other than soba you will not be disappointed.

The Okinawan soba restaurants specialty dessert zenzai (made from sweet red beans) or the owners coffee of choice are essentials for after your meal.

It may not be noted in many tourist guidebooks, but there a lot of local patrons of the Mainichi Shokudo.

From the groups in their laborers outfits to the families with young children that frequent this establishment we can see that this restaurant is loved by people from all walks of life.

According to my friend that lives in the area, when it comes to Okinawan soba this place is number one and I’m sure that there are a lot regular customers who would agree.

Mix with the locals and enjoy this delicious and friendly soba in a spacious and relaxing surrounding.