Food Challenge: 100 Bowl Wanko Soba Challenge

And here were are. POST ONE HUNDRED!!!!

Thank you dear readers on being part of this culinary journey that is The Occasional Gourmand. After many bowls of noodles, plates of rice, dollops of sugar, and a hundred posts later, here we are. This blog will not be what it is without your support. And to commemorate this milestone, I have decided to end my second Japanese gastronomical adventure with a food challenge. And that dear readers, that could spell the end to my gastrointestinal system. 

There are some crazy food challenges in Japan and each region has its own specialty. Niigata has the XL size fried chicken bowl and Tokyo being the modern capital city, it has food challenges for days. But the grandfather of them all is none than the infamous Wanko soba challenge from Iwate.

You can get you mind out of the gutter please.

Wanko soba is a specialty of Iwate and there have been many theories about its originated. One states that it was because of a travelling feudal lord and another was because it was a festival custom. So its origins goes back ages ago, making this food challenge a more significant one with traditional roots, compared to Nathan's. As I could not really afford the bullet train to the Tohoku region, which is beyond ¥14,000, I was fortunate enough to have found a place that does it within the Kanto region. And it was a noodle restaurant in Yokohama called Tachibana's that I visited with my cousins.  

A peek to the interior

Many a patron have stepped into its doors to take on the challenge and after it has been featured in food videos on Youtube, Tachibana's has grown in popularity. I went on a weekday so it was fairly quiet. However, if you are not keen in taking it, there are other noodle dishes like chicken soup soba and kitsune udon.  

The playing field is set. 

The premise of the challenge is fairly simple. First you get a serving of noodles in a small bowl. The noodle portion will then be placed into a bowl for you to eat. After you have done with one serving, another serving will be put into your bowl. And the cycle continues. Once you are unable to continue, you have to put a lid to cover your bowl to say you are done. 

Some of the side condiments for your choosing. 

In the event you get bored with the flavour of soba, you can add some condiments such as chilli flakes and spring onions. There are some side dishes too, such as fried tempura and mountain vegetables to add more dimension. But after doing some research before taking on the challenge, it is a better idea to omit the sides as it will take on the stomach space that should be used for the challenge. The soba comes with a dashi broth. As such, you can pour it out from your bowl into another bigger bowl if you don't intend to finish it. It is still fair game, so long no noodles are thrown out. There are no time limits and you are not allowed to take breaks. 

Colourful. 

To help with keeping track of the noodles consumed, there were marble counters provided and each counter is for 5 portions. My cousins there on standby to help me with the tracking. Of course a food challenge is not complete without any stakes. To succeed the challenge, a normal man must consume 100 bowls. If not then you are not a man. With my masculinity challenge, I sat down and paid my ¥2650 to take it on. Yeap, its still not cheap but at least its not a shinkansen ticket. 

Popped down the first serving. Oh yea, you are given an apron to protect yourself. 

The first serving went down like a breeze. Like any food challenge, the first mouthful is the easiest. In fact, it was delicious. The dashi broth was flavourful and had a strong fragrance. The soba noodles are home made and had a deep woody flavour. A dish that is delicious on its own. Unfortunately, there was no rest for the weary and no appreciation for the tasty. The second bowl came soon enough. 

The first 10 minutes were quite alright and the first 30 bowls went down quite well. Midway, I was told by the waitress that 15 small bowls is equivalent to one proper adult serving bowl. Really should have told me sooner. But as I was deep in the trenches, I had no choice to soldier on. Well I already paid almost ¥3000 haven't I.

Signalling for the next portion.

The whole thing was relentless. Whenever I shot down a portion, she would just pop another straight into my bowl. Standing there like a hawk tracking a weak prey, she struck with the next bowl. And the next, and the next, and the next. It just kept on coming. I was able to catch a break when her tray ran out and she had to go to the kitchen to get some more. Lucky she was quite pretty and a pleasant woman. So I will give her a pass.

When one goes down, she is on standby.

When the 50th portion came, I can start to feel my stomach is getting a bit full. Gone were the days of me gobbling down a plate of chicken rice with 3 portions of chicken. Nowadays I keep my portions small, although some people still say its more that most people. But I digress.

This was portion no 91. The eyes tell the story. 

Things really got ugly when portion no 80 came into play. I was on the brink of exploding and my tongue was just so numbed by the constant repetition of flavour. Adding some chilli flakes does help a bit, ever so slightly. By the time portion 80 came, I was close to giving up and I did resisted the urge of throwing up. The sides were already a foregone conclusion and I was just on autopilot. And it was that point in time, I felt my hubris got the better of me. Never again.

Putting on a brave face. But in fact I was dying inside. 

So when 100 hit, I quickly slammed the bowl shut, ending my train of noodles. Barely but surely, my masculinity was intact and I was given a token of  winning the challenge. Also, I was allowed to pen my name into their record books. The waitress told me that the record for the restaurant was 601 bowls. That is beyond quadruple of my attempt and I struggled! 

Signed! God that was hard!

But all in all, this was very memorable and on hindsight, something that made this return trip worthwhile. Will I do it again, definitely no. Never again. But will I recommend it? If you are a big eater, you should. But you will be put off noodles for a few weeks thats for sure. Unless its ramen, now thats a different story.

The wall of fame, which has pictures of local celebrities that completed the challenge. 

Feel free to drop by Tachibana's for a good bowl of chicken noodle soup, which my cousins say was delicious. But if you feel you have the guts to take on the Wanko soba challenge, the address is as follows:

5-13 Hakuraku, Kanagawa, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture 221-0065

PS: of course women are allowed to take the challenge, and the minimum standard to complete the challenge is 80 portions.