DINE

A lot of Japanese restaurants serve soba, those long, skinny buckwheat noodles. But not all soba is created equal.

Otafuku

Noodle hounds have been known to drive long distances for the handmade soba served at this modest eatery. When you finish your cold soba noodles, a waiter appears with a bowl of soba yu (steaming water from the pot used to cook the noodles). The idea is to add this to your leftover dipping sauce for a soulful post-noodle treat.

Basic soba, $6.50. 16525 S. Western Ave., Gardena, (310) 532-9348.



Suehiro

They don't make their own soba at this Japanese diner, but the oroshi soba — a bowl of cool, firm noodles topped with grated daikon radish, chopped scallion, julienned seaweed and tenkasu (crunchy little bits of tempura batter not unlike Rice Krispies) — still hits the spot. We especially like that you can get your soba fix at midnight: Suehiro keeps late hours.

Oroshi soba, $8. 337 E. 1st St., Little Tokyo, (213) 626-9132.



Fukada

The bad news about this sleek mini-mall gem? There's often a wait. The good news? It's worth the wait. Soba, served hot or cold, is made in-house daily. Sansai is a tangle of al dente soba served with a side of healthful Japanese mountain vegetables. Order it solo or as part of one of the combinations, perhaps paired with oyako-don, a rice bowl topped with a savory chicken, onion and egg omelet.

Sansai, $7.50. 8683 Irvine Center Drive, Irvine, (949) 341-0111.



Taiko

This attractive little dining room, on the third floor of the Brentwood Gardens center, is an alternative to all the chains in the 'hood. They make their soba fresh daily. Order it cold with a variety of toppings such as grated white yam or spicy cod roe. Most popular, however, is the ten zaru: basic soba with a side of mixed tempura.

Ten zaru, $12. 11677 San Vicente Blvd., Suite 302, Brentwood, (310) 207-7782.



Mishima

The rice bowl and noodle combos are the way to go, at least for big appetites, at this clean and bright neighborhood spot just east of the Beverly Center. Get your soba with a side of curry-topped rice or maybe with a filet of eel in a sweet, tangy glaze.

Noodle curry combo, $10.25. 8474 W. 3rd St., Suite 108, L.A., (323) 782-0181.



— Leslee Komaiko