What I *really* wanted for lunch was a toasted sandwich and a coffee - cheap and easy, with cheap being the operative word. I'd invited Mum and my sister to the nursery on the Great Ocean Road which has a cafe attached to it so we could look at plants, chat and have lunch - but it was closed for the winter. So we went again to their favourite lunch spot, which isn't mine - Soba Ramen, on Bell Street, Torquay. 

It's not that I don't like noodles - in fact, I love them. But to me they should be cheap, not $22 - $26 dollars for a relatively small bowl. Perhaps it's because I can cook good, cheap noodles myself. Sure, the wontons are more fiddly to make - but I can do the broth and add a protein and some veggies and noodles for not a lot of money. Alright, maybe I'm being unfair again. A lot of restaurants go bust because they can't keep up with the increased prices and still offer reasonably priced food to their customers and make a profit. I did quite like this broth, which I ordered medium spicey, and I enjoyed it more than the black garlic broth of last time, which I found gritty. Besides, the curly 'two minute' noodles remind me of ultra cheap campfood. I love them, but to pay money for them kinda got my goat a bit. 

<center>https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/riverflows/23z7Hv4qJxttjZz3WY8rD3BcEczAhzXbyPFutCsUJy9ToUJ7mGxucuPcva7PkhYU8EDGx.png</center>

My sister enjoyed hers. It came with three small pieces of steamed chicken and an egg, and some crispy fried noodles on top. 

<center>https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/riverflows/23wMabXTx9TJmCqXTMQpB1D3cyqAWF5csyQnagw48kGd2z8rgkBm2QvuGrPW4GXV6AMUG.png</center>

And Mum had the vegetarian. There wasn't a lot of vegetarian options, which I found pretty poor actually. A lot of noodle places will come with a few options - say a broth with vegetables and tofu or chicken or beef or pork or wontons. But this pumpkin soup with a kind of crispy tofu was okay - just nothing special. A bit like pumpkin soup really. 


<center>https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/riverflows/23vi6K2k1yzSSK15EyAWnefVkLvBnKsCAYAvtxjsQDibQpfKxpWxD8sAsAmeLqDcEVgpr.png</center>

Lucky Mum paid for it or I would have really got my grouch on. I do like noodles and Japanese and the location is great, plus I imagine it'd be nice on a Friday night if you could afford the sake, but honestly I only go here because of Mum and my sister. 

I tell you what though, writing this post has made me want to go home and make some noodles for dinner. Here's the menu, if you want to be inspired. 


![image.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/riverflows/23wCbDnqxSYKzyHA8HjmMzDVTS2ys84qjWj7ghnpNdVcC62mvxSUatUbe8fAwvTPgVoAd.png)<sup>[Image Source](https://restaurantguru.com/Sober-Ramen-Torquay-Torquay-Victoria/menu#google_vignette)</sup>


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# `With Love,` 


![image.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/riverflows/23t6xT1abr5kFMeEirKwZ2QqT6MK9U4SBpKCQZAjVEojgm7uSSGL9AJSuwtBsUmMAV5jv.png)







**Are you on HIVE yet? Earn for writing! Referral link for FREE account [here](https://hiveonboard.com?ref=riverflowsJ)**</center>
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