Sobakoh beats Soba-Ya when it comes to fresh soba noodles in the East Village. But it cannot compete with the housemade ice cream offered at Soba-Ya. $6 buys a trio of flavors—a citrusy Yuzu ice cream, and a Black Sesame flavor with a dense fullness and an addictive grit from the not-too-finely ground seeds. (Toasted, of course.)

But most interesting of all is the Wasabi-Honey, with a nasal-cleansing kick gently tempered and sweetened by a mellow honey. More spicy than sweet, it's deeply intriguing. But if that's a bit odd for your taste, there's always Green Tea and Ogura (vanilla with red beans), to complete the set of five ice cream flavors.

Soba-Ya

229 East 9th Street, New York NY 10003 (map)
212-533-6966‎
sobaya-nyc.com