These are days of heat and tribulation. For 40 days and 40 nights we sweltered and sweated through that record heat wave -- and there's plenty more of the summer yet to come. Not surprisingly, given these almost biblical weather conditions, our main source of solace and sustenance has been noodles -- usually of the chilled variety.
On the fifth floor of the sleek new Coredo building in Nihonbashi, one of our favorite Korean restaurants has opened its latest branch. Saikabo's original shop in Yotsuya-sanchome (reviewed in this column three years ago) is funky and intimate. Here, the presentation is much more sophisticated, and the cooking is every bit as good as we have come to expect. You will find the usual pulgogi (grilled meats) and chige stews -- plus, of course, Saikabo's excellent chijimi pancakes, arguably the best in the city.
But it was the chilled noodles that we were there for. Made from buckwheat mixed with sweet potato flour, they have a soft brown color not so different from soba noodles but with a much smoother texture that helps them slip down your throat effortlessly. These are prepared in two ways, as bibin-reimen or as mizu-reimen (their Japanese names). The former are seasoned with a thick, spicy sauce that leaves your taste buds prickling. The mizu-reimen, on the other hand, are served in a delectable chicken broth (also chilled) that is almost as translucent as water -- hence the name.