Common Grains Soba Pop-Up Restaurant at Soba-Ya

Location: 1757 W. Carson Street, Suite R & S, Torrance, CA 90501
Description: · WHAT: Artisan soba makers Sonoko Sakai and Mutsuko Soma will host a pop-up soba restaurant during the grand opening of the new soba-based restaurant, Soba-Ya, featuring freshly stoned and milled handcrafted soba prepared with a choice of traditional or modern ingredients and garnishes and specialty onigiri.
· WHERE: Soba-Ya is located at 1757 W. Carson Street, Suite R & S, Torrance, CA 90501 MAP
· WHEN: Common Grains pop up is only in the evenings 5-9pm, and closed on Sundays, but
SOBA-YA is opened 7 days a week 11-230 and 5-9pm.  Opening night is Thursday, February 9, and the Common Grains Pop Up runs through Tuesday, February 21, 2012 from 5-9 p.m.,  Pop Up closed Sundays.
· COST: Menu items range from $11-16
· RESERVATIONS: Seating is limited. Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling Soba-Ya at 310.782.7356

Free Gift:

• A set of 4 Common Grains (environmentally sustainable) chopsticks to the first 100 people at the restaurant opening.

PAST EVENTS \\

BREADBAR Century City | Jan 10-22

Common Grains Soba Pop-Up Restaurant and Sake Bar at BREADBAR Century City
·         WHAT: Artisan soba makers Sonoko Sakai and Mutsuko Soma will host a pop-up soba restaurant and sake bar featuring freshly stoned and milled handcrafted soba prepared with a choice of traditional or modern ingredients and garnishes and specialty grilled onigiri.
·         WHERE: BREADBAR Century City located at Westfield Century City shopping center (10250 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90067)
·         WHEN: Tuesday, January 10 – Sunday, January 22, 2012 from 5-10 p.m.
·         COST: Menu items range from $11-16
·         RESERVATIONS: Seating is limited. Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling BREADBAR Century City at 310.277.3770

 Menu (Jan 10 - 22, 2012)

(v = vegan option available)

SOBA
Zaru Soba -  Nihachi Style Soba with Japanese Herbs $12  v
Juwari Soba - Soba Made with Pure Buckwheat Flour $13.50  v
Hot Duck Seiro - Duck, Tokyo Negi, Yuzu, Japanese Herbs $16
Soba Salad - Daikon, Greens, Sprouts, Crsipy Buckwheat, Creamy Sesame Vinegarette $14  v
- Add Drunken Breast for $2.00
Hot Mushroom Seiro - Medley of Mushrooms, Tokyo Negi, Yuzu $14.50  v
Pork Kakuni Seiro - Braised Pork Shoulder, Tamago, Tokyo Negi, Ginger - $16
Walnut Dipping Sauce $3
- Add $5 for extra large soba portion (200 grams) -

SMALL PLATES
Grilled Onigiri - Multi-Grain Rice, Miso or Soy Sauce $2.75
Ohitashi - Blanched Spinach Salad With Soy-Bonito Dressing, Bonito Flakes $4.50  v
Lightly Pickled Vegetables - Napa Cabbage, Japanese Turnip, Cucumbers, Ginger, Kombu, Japanese Chili $7
Shira-ae - Green Beans, Golden Beets, Fuji Apple, Tofu, Cream, Sesame and Cashew Nuts $9  v
Nitamago-Marinated Soft Boiled Egg $2.00

SWEETS
Broken Jellied Tea with Fresh Fruit - Creamy Matcha Green Tea, Fruit, Roasted Soybean Powder, Okinawa Brown Sugar Syrup, Crispy Buckwheat $6  v

BEVERAGES
Cold Sake    |  Hananomai (fruity),  Kurosawa (medium dry)
Japanese Beer   |   Roasted Tartary Buckwheat Tea (Hot or Cold)
Roasted Tartary Buckwheat Tea  |  (Hot or Cold)

Mitsuwa Market Place | Jan 26-29

Artisan Soba Demo & Tasting at Mitsuwa Marketplace | Jan 26-29

• WHAT: Common Grains will host a soba demonstration and tasting in the Japanese marketplace. Guests will have the opportunity to purchase fresh soba and homemade dipping sauces that can be prepared at home.
• WHERE: Mitsuwa Marketplace located at 21515 S. Western Ave., Torrance, CA 90501
• WHEN: Thursday, January 26, 2012 – Sunday, January 29, 2012, demonstrations at 12 p.m. and 1 p.m.
• COST: No cost to attend the soba demonstration, $18 for fresh soba for two with homemade dipping sauces

Cooks County Restaurant | Feb 1

Common Grains East Meets West Dinner at Cooks County
·         WHAT: Common Grains will host an exclusive East Meets West dinner at the acclaimed new restaurant, Cooks County, where guests will enjoy a special prix fixe menu created by Sonoko Sakai, Mutsuko Soma and Cooks County’s executive chef Daniel Mattern and pastry chef Roxana Jullapat.  Chefs will collaborate to present a unique tasting menu featuring soba and Cooks County’s seasonal California cuisine. Menu highlights include Monkfish kara-age with Shishito peppers and freshly stoned and milled handcrafted Nihachi style soba noodles with soy-bonito and walnut dipping sauces. Sake pairings will also be available for the three-course tasting menu.
·         WHERE: Cooks County is located at 8009 Beverly Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048
·         WHEN: Wednesday, February 1, 2012, from 6-11 p.m.
·         COST: $32 per person for the three-course prix fixe menu and $45 for prix fixe menu with sake pairings; $4-16 for a la carte menu items
·         RESERVATIONS: Seating is limited. Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling Cooks County at 323.653.8009

Cooks County - Chefs Daniel Mattern and Roxana Jullapat
"A perfect first-date restaurant? If you're persuaded by clams steamed in vermouth, nettle fettuccine with chanterelles, and beef tenderloin with sunchokes, I'm guessing it might be." - Jonathan Gold (LA Weekly)

Menu

Revised Pre-fixe menu  $32  \  Sake pairing $45
Tamago dofu - Steamed custard, uni, sprouts  (This dish is served cold)
Monkfish kara-age with shishito peppers (*Kara-age means batter fried. Shishito peppers will be deep fried without batter)
Hand cut zaru soba (a blend of Mankan and hand milled Kitawase buckwheat) and with soy-bonito and ground walnut dipping sauces.

A la carte menu
Hand-cut soba (a blend of Mankan and hand milled Kitawase buckwheat) with herbs, daikon radish,  soy-bonito and ground walnut dipping sauces. $16
Nimame - Tanba Black Beans, Sanbonto sugar  $４
Kinpira − Burdock, Carrots, Rutabaga  $7
Goma-ae −Brocholini, baby carrots, ground sesame seeds $8

Beverages
Sake  6 oz $12 (will bring the sake)
Roasted buckwheat tea - $4 (cold or hot)