Hiyashicyuka is gold! staff super friendly

I happened to spot this place and stopped in while cycling to see the cherry blossoms at Chidorigafuchi. Had the gyoza set meal for 750円 around 13:00 on Sunday. Maybe because it's close to Waseda University, it's excellent value. The seasoning is light too, just how I like it. The rice was especially delicious this time (the timing, such as being freshly cooked, may have helped). Also, the tea is delicious. I'd like to stop by again when heading toward Tokyo. The building is showing its age, but the toilet was clean and had a Washlet.

This is a neighborhood Chinese restaurant on the way from Takadanobaba to Waseda. It's run by a married couple. Apparently, they're famous for their Chinese chimaki. It seems you need to reserve them. Visited around 13:00 on a weekday. The restaurant was quiet. Maybe university classes haven't started yet? Ordered the stir-fried vegetable set meal. As expected, the vegetable stir-fry at an independent restaurant has a different presence from a chain's, with chunky vegetables and plenty of meat. Lots of rice too. The sides were a seasoned boiled egg, zha cai, fukujinzuke, and a cherry tomato. The Chinese soup was lightly seasoned. I spent a relaxing time soothed by the couple's conversation in the restaurant. Thank you for the meal.

+3

Back in Tokyo after a long time, a place full of memories, with a visit to Anahachiman while I was there. For lunch, I happened to walk into a restaurant Kintaro had visited. Come to think of it, a place I happened to enter in Kawaguchi was also one Kintaro had visited. My tastes probably resemble those of Machichuka de Yarouze. I thought the rebanira's distinctive seasoning was its restrained oiliness and noticeable ginger. The lack of hustle and bustle also suited me.

宝美楼, near the Nishi-Waseda bus stop. I went there to eat for the first time. 宝美楼 is one of the increasingly few shops on Waseda-dori with “kanban kenchiku,” or signboard-style architecture. It has character. Having grown used to lunches costing close to a thousand yen around the station, I found the lunch menu quite inexpensive. Stir-fried vegetable set meal, 650円. The menu says it comes with salad and soup, but in addition to a few lettuce leaves, a small side dish came with a seasoned egg, zha cai, pickled cucumber, and red pickled ginger. With sides like these, I thought they could skip the lettuce. The wife handled the kitchen, while the husband served customers. He was wearing a white chef's coat, which made me imagine he might have done the cooking in the past. Looking at restaurant menus is also a hobby of mine, and 宝美楼's menu is quite interesting. Beijing yakisoba and Shanghai yakisoba are listed side by side. I'd like to try them sometime to find out the difference. Alongside them is Taiwan bihun. Relations between China and Taiwan seem fine here. Then there's chicken karaage, sweet-and-sour pork, and ebi chili. The pricing is typical of long-established Chinese restaurants. I'd felt hesitant about going in and had kept putting it off, so I'm relieved I finally got to eat there.

+2