While coming to listen to a competition at メイシアター, I visited this place right at opening time, having given up last year because it was packed. There were already 3 groups waiting. The exterior looks like a neighborhood Chinese restaurant, but inside there are Shaoxing wine bottles and such, giving it a somewhat authentic feel. Two older men were working in the kitchen behind the counter, along with one staff member who looked like a trainee and one female staff member. With that many people working, I figured it must be popular. I ordered a tantanmen and fried rice set. The tantanmen wasn't soupless or sesame-miso flavored; it was a taste I'd never had before. A strong star anise flavor is unusual. The heat was moderate, but there was no numbing sensation. I keep Sichuan pepper in my usual bag, but I forgot it! What a shame. The fried rice had separate grains, in the neighborhood Chinese restaurant style.

+3

The gym was closed for Obon. I wanted to get moving, and the day's high was below ３０ degrees for the first time in a while, so I decided on a longer, leisurely bike ride to this Chinese restaurant in Suita. They have holiday lunches too, and the chili shrimp looked good. I couldn't decide between tantanmen and mapo tofu, so I asked, 「Which is spicier, tantanmen or mapo tofu?」 Apparently mapo tofu, so I ordered that. While checking the main menu to see how much tantanmen cost on its own, I saw that mapo tofu could also be ordered spicy or extra spicy. A shame that wasn't listed on the lunch menu. I thought the mapo tofu could have had a little more heat and numbing spice. Since it's around 1,500円, I'd have liked more substantial side dishes and salad too. Maybe making a special trip meant my expectations were too high.

+2

【中華飯店 色香美味】 A gentle mapo lunch at a neighborhood Chinese restaurant rooted in the community. 「中華飯店 色香美味」 stands in the Hankyu Suita area, blending into the residential neighborhood. The exterior is classic neighborhood Chinese restaurant, making you hesitate for a moment at first, but this is absolutely the kind of place loved by locals. The renovated interior is clean and more comfortable than expected. At lunchtime, neighbors come in one after another; its everyday, locally integrated atmosphere is pleasant. What I had that day was Mapo tofu lunch, 1,386円. The mapo tofu looked gentle from the moment it arrived. Putting in a spoon, the tofu was softly quivering, with a very smooth mouthfeel. The heat is definite but not excessive, and the sansho is restrained too. Rather than packing a punch, it has a balance anyone can enjoy, naturally making you reach for more rice. Being allowed 1 rice refill is a nice point too. There's a generous amount of mapo, so it's plenty satisfying for lunch. It isn't flashy or edgy, but has a comforting quality that makes you think, 「There are days when this kind of mapo is just right」. A community-focused neighborhood Chinese lunch I'd want to keep coming for if it were nearby.

+3

I visited for lunch. The staff were kind and the restaurant was a lovely space. I had 麻辣野菜湯麺 with double the spiciness (extra charge). It was spicy but full of umami, and truly delicious. Everything else was very delicious too. The mapo tofu looked really good, so I'd like to try it next time. They seem to have lunch sets at lunchtime too. Recommended♪

On my first visit, I had the daily clam and komatsuna soup noodle set. It felt like Chinese cuisine rather than the usual neighborhood Japanese-Chinese restaurant. (Not a matter of good or bad, just a different category) With the soup noodle set, rather than enjoying the unity of noodles and broth as with ramen, I could savor the noodles, broth, vegetables, and clams individually. There were so many clams I almost worried for them(lol) The popular shumai also wasn't the usual vegetable and finely minced meat filling, but had a coarsely ground, meaty flavor. It was well seasoned, so just a little soy sauce was enough. The egg fried rice had well-cooked egg and light seasoning, serving as a substitute for white rice. The dessert almond tofu, perhaps homemade, was mildly sweet, with a nice flavor contrast against the syrup. It made me want to try the other dishes too.

+3