okame soba; soba with fish cake, mushrooms, and greens
A traditional Japanese noodle dish: hot soba in broth topped with slices of kamaboko (boiled fish paste), shiitake mushrooms, greens, and often nori seaweed. The name comes from the arrangement of toppings resembling the face of Otafuku (Okame), a traditional comical woman's mask.
On a cold day, I crave a hot bowl of okame soba.
Okame soba comes with kamaboko, shiitake mushrooms, and greens on top.
Kitsune soba is topped with sweet fried tofu (aburaage), while okame soba features a variety of toppings including kamaboko and vegetables.
Tanuki soba is topped with tempura batter bits (tenkasu), giving it a different texture and flavor profile compared to okame soba.
Kanji spelling using 亀 (turtle) and 蕎麦 (soba). Rarely used; the kana form is strongly preferred.
Alternate kanji spelling using 阿亀. Extremely rare; the kana form is the practical choice.
The name comes from the resemblance of the arranged toppings to the face of Okame (also called Otafuku), a traditional Japanese mask representing a plain, cheerful woman. The exact origin of the dish name is uncertain, but it is a well-known soba variety in Japan.