Camp at lunchtime and waited in line for about 15 min. Ordered Canton ramen, gyoza and mapo tofu. Food served very fast and very hot. Tasty. A bit on the salty side. Cheap prices. A small fast food place.

Very generous portions and super quick service. The gyozas are huge.

Greasy spoon in the middle of the aristocrats. An oasis of food that makes sense with a price that is not insane in this area where poor people cannot enter. This ain't fine dining definitely. But it's definitely comfort food. And the draft beer is a rare one only sold in Hokkaido. It's a cheap one with not 100% malt but it's comfort beer. Also somehow the music playing is almost the typical southeast asian dad playlist of old English and American songs like time in a glass bottle.

A local Chinese restaurant I dropped into for lunch. It was originally in Hiroo and seems to have moved to Meguro. There are many items on the menu, but I started with the wonton noodle and half-fried rice set. The ramen feels like typical local Chinese ramen, which is normal, but the fried rice in the set is the kind of deliciousness you can't easily make at home, which is what local Chinese food is all about. You get a gyoza service coupon. It gets crowded at lunch, so you might have to share a table. Payment is semi-self-service cash payment.

Back to Taro Meguro branch for the first time in a while! First, I quenched my thirst with a chilled bottle of Yebisu! Next, I had the chashu platter, which is one of their signature menu items! The thickly cut chashu has the umami of the meat condensed, and the more you chew, the more the sweet and salty taste of the sauce spreads! The gyoza has a crispy, fragrant sear, and the meat juices overflow from inside, and you can also feel the sweetness of the vegetables! The mapo tofu's stimulating aroma of sansho pepper tickles your nostrils, and once you take a bite, the richness of the doubanjiang and the moderate spiciness mix in an exquisite balance, and the smooth texture of the tofu gently wraps it all up! The shop was bustling with people enjoying a drink after work and families enjoying a meal! Holding a bottled beer in one hand, snacking on chashu and gyoza, and finishing with piping hot mapo tofu—local Chinese food is the best! Thanks for the meal!

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