It’s counter seating only in this modern interior accented with natural materials. The chef likes his soba to have a certain translucency, so he kneads it into ni-hachi, which contains 20% wheat flour. Soba is served cold on wicker baskets, not in soup, so patrons can appreciate the fragrance and firmness of the grain. ‘Kaeshi’, a mixture of soy sauce, sugar and mirin, is used to good effect in the rich dipping sauce, displaying the chef’s Kanto training. ‘Gaku’ means ‘mountain and sky’, signifying the chef’s commitment to attain ever higher goals.