1. Special mixed tempura rice bowl, large size, 890 yen + 150 yen 2. Burdock tempura udon, 690 yen, chicken tempura, 300 yen 3. Burdock tempura udon, 690 yen, sweet fried tofu, 250 yen 4. Chicken and rice, 250 yen I don't like crowded new restaurants with long lines, so I visited during a less busy time. I was looking forward to the homemade noodles, which were soft with a chewy texture. The flat noodles were interesting. I found the warm udon tastier than the cold one. The sweet fried tofu was the best. If the broth isn't good, I wouldn't want to come back, but the broth and noodles were delicious. The tempura and rice dishes were okay, but the chicken and rice was too sweet and strong in flavor. The udon is not Hakata-style, but more like a local style. The prices are not cheap, but reasonable for an udon restaurant. It's a bit surprising that they don't allow preschool children to enter, considering it's lunchtime. Thank you for the meal.

I visited this newly opened restaurant as it is a sister store of the delicious Fish Chuu. I'm not a fan of soft udon noodles, but I really enjoyed the chewy texture of the noodles here. I had a refreshing summer dish with shiso plum. I also got a kashiwa-meshi bento as a souvenir from my senior colleague, so I'm looking forward to dinner tonight!

I visited Chubei-san's new restaurant, which was clean and had a udon shop-like atmosphere with a brown color scheme. I ordered the shrimp udon, which arrived promptly. The noodles were hand-cut and soft with a unique texture. The broth had a good balance of seafood umami and sweetness, making it delicious. The self-service aspect of the payment process felt a bit impersonal. Thank you for the meal!

I visited around 4:00 PM and it felt like they were just starting for the day. It was empty and I ordered the Mini Katsu Don and Udon set with extra toppings of pickles. The soup was mild and the noodles were soft and flat. The Katsu Don arrived slanted on the plate. It seemed like all the groups had the same sauce (which I like).

The restaurant is newly opened. I was looking forward to trying some unique and delicious dishes, such as Wappa Shokudo and Shinoda B-saku. I originally planned to have udon, but I couldn't resist ordering the special curry rice bowl (with croquette). It came with mini udon and burdock tempura. The curry rice bowl had a rich and spicy flavor with a nice balance. The udon noodles were flat and had a good chewiness with a soft texture. The special mixed tempura bowl my companion ordered looked delicious too. Next time, I'll try the udon as my main dish. I will definitely come back and leave another comment after that.

I visited a udon restaurant that is part of the Tanaka family series. The menu is ordered through a touch panel system. In addition to udon, there are also donburi dishes that are popular at the Tanaka family group's Wappa Shokudo, so I decided to order a set of udon and donburi. However, I was intrigued by the limited 10 servings of summer vegetable bukkake udon, so I ordered that instead. I also added a chicken rice ball. The summer vegetable bukkake udon had fresh and large vegetables, providing a satisfying experience. The udon noodles were soft but had a good chewy texture, allowing for a nice tornado effect. The broth was light and refreshing, enhanced by the addition of lemon juice, which complemented the summer vegetables and udon well. On this particularly hot day, the summer vegetables were especially delicious. The chicken rice ball had a substantial filling of chicken and was well-seasoned, making it tasty. The calm atmosphere and spaciousness of this udon restaurant seemed somewhat wasted, and I couldn't help but feel that it might eventually transform into an udon izakaya. The prices were a bit on the higher end compared to regular udon restaurants, making it less accessible for frequent visits. Perhaps the high rent costs contribute to this. Additionally, there seemed to be an excessive number of staff members. Next time, I might try the set of hot udon and donburi.

Located in the trendy Tenjin area, this restaurant is a stylish evolution of traditional Hakata udon from the popular restaurant chain "Tanakatan." The restaurant, which also has locations in Fukuoka and Tokyo, caters to a young crowd. The menu is extensive, and ordering is done through touch panels at the counter. I tried the "Special Toriten Mix" for 890 yen, a cold udon dish topped with various tempura items. The udon noodles were wide and flat, a unique twist on the traditional style. I also sampled the "Mitsuba Tamago Toji Udon" for 790 yen, which featured a fluffy egg topping and a delicate broth. The noodles were surprisingly soft, even for cold udon. The restaurant also offers a complimentary snack of crispy tempura bits. Overall, the menu is diverse and I look forward to returning to try more dishes.

On a regular day at 3:00 pm, after finishing our business in Imaizumi with four people, we stopped by the udon restaurant "Chubei". It is convenient that they operate continuously without a break. This restaurant opened in July of Reiwa 5 (2023) and is the first udon restaurant from the food and beverage group centered around "Tanakatan". They sought advice from the "Nikou Kaya Chosuke" and "Kamakiri Udon" groups before opening this udon restaurant. We were seated at a table for four in the back. Orders are placed using a tablet terminal provided at the customer seating area, but a paper menu is also available for easy reference. If you want yuzu pepper (complimentary), you can also order it through this terminal. I ordered the "Chikara Kitsune Udon" (780 yen). It is a hot udon topped with sweet and salty deep-fried tofu stuffed with rice cake, and green onions. The udon is made using wheat from Fukuoka Prefecture and is freshly made in the restaurant. It is advertised to have a soft, chewy, and smooth texture. The characters "soft, chewy, smooth" are also displayed on the shop curtain. They also declare to serve freshly boiled udon. The surface of the udon is relatively smooth without any roughness, and it holds its firmness even in the hot broth without becoming mushy. It has a chewy and sticky texture that withstands pulling and pushes back against chewing, with a certain weight despite being thinly rolled. It reminds me of the characteristics of Sanuki udon. The shape of the cross-section resembles a bellflower, with the edges of the flat udon swelling and the middle slightly concave. When touched with chopsticks or put in the mouth, it has a soft and flexible feel, mainly due to the thinness of the flat udon. It is somewhat like a willow waist. It tasted delicious, and I enjoyed it. One of my companions ordered the "Kashiwa Udon" (790 yen) with "Nankanseki Kitsune" (200 yen). This consists of hot udon topped with cooked chicken and deep-fried tofu and green onions. The chicken used is from a parent chicken, and the deep-fried tofu is made using Nankanseki tofu, which has a crispy and light texture while maintaining excellent stretchiness. The seasoning was kept simple to highlight the quality of the deep-fried tofu. Another companion ordered the "Oroshi Bukkake Udon" (790 yen) with "Large Size" (150 yen extra). This is cold udon topped with grated daikon radish, grated ginger, green onions, tempura flakes, and lemon, with a bukkake-style broth poured over it. The cold udon was delicious, but the broth was a bit too strong. The third companion ordered the "Special Toriten MIX" (890 yen). This is cold udon with toriten, gobouten, nasu-age, chikuwa ten, onion ten, kamaboko, grated daikon radish, grated ginger, green onions, and tempura flakes. The bukkake broth is poured over it. The tempura might be better served on a separate plate than mixed with the broth. It felt like a generous and satisfying meal. We paid using the self-service payment machine. We picked up the receipt placed on the table and scanned the QR code printed on it using the reader on the payment machine to start the payment process. The total bill was 3,600 yen, and payment could be made in cash or via QR code. After selecting the QR code payment option on the small screen of the payment machine, we scanned the displayed QR code using a smartphone app to complete the payment. It seemed simple now that we understood it, but it was a bit confusing at first. I think I'll be fine with it on my next visit.

I went to a newly opened udon restaurant in Imazumi Park. There aren't many udon restaurants around Tenjin, so it's quite appreciated. The place is brand new and shiny inside. When I went, they only accepted cash for payment (it may have changed now). This time, I tried the bukkake udon. My impression was that it was a decently delicious restaurant. It's udon with flat noodles, so those who like flat noodles might really enjoy it. While taking pictures, I thought that flat noodles look quite appealing. It could be a trendy udon for Instagram.

I visited the new udon restaurant "Hakata Udon Tadahyoe" by Tanakada Group, which opened this month in Imaizumi. The restaurant was full during lunchtime. The interior was clean and orders were placed using tablets. Despite the scorching heat outside, I ordered the "Katsu Curry Udon." It looked delicious from the moment it was served piping hot. The homemade noodles are flat and smooth, a unique feature. The katsu was juicy and very tasty. I was pleased that it came with a mini serving of white rice. I look forward to trying the perfect summer dish of cold udon next time. Restaurant Information: Name: Hakata Udon Tadahyoe Hours: 10:00-20:00 Phone: 092-791-8102 Price: Katsu Curry Udon 1,280 yen Closed on Tuesdays Private rooms: None Location: 1-9-14 Imaizumi, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka City. For more details, visit: https://lit.link/Ryoki Provided by: Ryo Ki Yoshida

【Menu】 - Special Chicken Tempura Mix 890 yen (tax included) - Pork Cutlet Curry Udon 1,280 yen (tax included) - Chicken and Burdock Tempura Udon 890 yen (tax included) - Moon-viewing Cold Udon 790 yen (tax included) Average price per person: 890 yen ◎Shop Information◎ Shop Name: Hakata Udon Chubei Hours: 10:00-20:00 Phone: 092-791-8102 Closed: Tuesdays Location: 1-9-14 Imaizumi, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka City, Fukuoka Prefecture Parking: Not available

Newly opened Hakata udon restaurant. The flat and soft noodles were impressive. I ordered cold udon, and enjoyed the smooth texture as it went down my throat. A bit disappointing aspect is that everything from ordering to paying is very systematic. It's convenient, but having minimal interaction with the staff at a Hakata udon restaurant makes it feel lacking in human touch.

Using the time information Date and time: Sunday, around 12:00 Reservation: None Waiting time: None Number of people: 1 person Seating: Counter Frequency: First visit Duration of stay: 20 minutes Payment: Cash Food Menu - Burdock Tempura Udon: ¥690 (tax included) - Tororo Kombu (Grated Kelp): ¥110 (tax included) Drink Menu - Square Highball: ¥450 (tax included) Good Points - Chewy Udon noodles Bad Points - Misjudged the amount of Tororo (grated kelp) Other Notes - Cash only for the time being Impressions This is my temporary return to Fukuoka, part 6. For lunch on this day, I visited "Chuubei," a udon restaurant affiliated with the renowned "Tanaka-Tanaka" chain that I had been curious about after seeing it on Myレビmp's blog. It is located a short 5-minute walk from Tenjin Minami Station, across from Imazumi Park. Upon entering the restaurant, there were no previous customers. Later, a total of 4 groups, including solo diners and couples, came in. I chose to sit at the counter. The staff were efficient, likely because it was still early in the day, with two servers - one confident and the other a bit awkward. Orders were placed using a touch panel. It was a hot day, but I decided to have a drink anyway. I ordered a Square Highball and a warm Burdock Tempura Udon with Tororo Kombu as a topping. The drinks and udon arrived almost simultaneously. I started with the Square Highball to quench my thirst. The Tororo Kombu topping turned out to be more than I expected, with a lot of kelp covering the dish. The Burdock Tempura was served on a separate plate, and I couldn't help but wish the kelp was served separately too. The broth had a strong umami flavor, making it difficult to discern other flavors. The homemade flat noodles were thin and quite soft, lacking the chewiness I expected from Hakata udon. Despite the unexpected amount of kelp, the thinly sliced Burdock Tempura was crispy and delicious. The total bill came to 1,250 yen, paid in cash as they only accepted cash at the time. Overall, it was a more affordable option compared to Tanaka-Tanaka. I'll skip the Tororo Kombu next time. Thank you for the meal.

(2023.07.22) The Tanakadan Group, known for its upscale izakaya "Hakata Tanaka Tanaka," as well as the more affordable "Wappa Teishokudo" and "Kaisen Shokudo Uotada," has opened a new concept following "Shinoda B-Saku Dining." I had the pleasure of visiting this new establishment located on the first floor of the Nishinippon Shimbun Tenjin Minami Building, next to Imazumi Park, also known as Sankaku Park. Upon entering, you are greeted by a high-quality facade with a traditional Japanese atmosphere. Inside, there are 19 seats at the counter and 14 seats at 5 tables, creating a relaxed ambiance. In the back, you can see a noodle-making machine through the glass, raising expectations for delicious udon. The udon served here emphasizes a soft, chewy, and smooth texture, as indicated on the uniform. I tried the "Oroshi Shiso Myoga Bukkake Udon" and could truly appreciate the attention to texture. The aroma suggests the use of high-quality wheat flour. I also had the "Tori-Ten" topping, which was crispy and fluffy, with a tender and juicy interior. A delightful dish indeed.

Overall, I visited the udon restaurant run by Mr. Tanaka, who used to train at Kamakiri Udon. I had high expectations since Kamakiri Udon's owner, Mr. Nagasuke, trained at Tanaka before. However, personally, I felt that the restaurant did not exceed my expectations. The system was similar to Shokudo Shinoda B-saku, where you order using a tablet and self-checkout. It could also be used as an udon izakaya, but it closes at 8 pm. As for the bukkake udon, the flat noodles looked delicious, but when I tried it, it tasted more like regular udon. Even though the noodles were homemade, it didn't have the same appeal as Kamakiri Udon. When it comes to kashiwa (chicken) in Fukuoka udon, I wonder why they use chicken meat as the topping. Fukuoka's nikugobo udon traditionally uses beef, so it seems odd. It makes sense to have chicken rice with chicken, but the flavor of beef enhances the broth significantly. The tradition and culture behind these choices are quite interesting. Bon appétit!

Tempura Udon Special Mix ¥890 Mini Katsudon ¥450 The udon noodles are flat and have a chewy, mochi-like texture. They are not as firm as other udon noodles, but have a slippery feel typical of Hakata udon. The tempura selection includes plain fried eggplant, fish cake tempura, chicken tempura, onion tempura, burdock tempura, and they were all delicious. Although the udon wasn't my favorite, overall it was tasty. Thank you for the meal.

Iizumi: A new "udon" restaurant opened near Sankaku Park on 7/8. It is a new store from the Fukuoka established "Kappo" or "high-class izakaya" called "Tanaka Tanaka." Although Tanaka Tanaka is a bit pricey, their affiliated fish restaurant "Uotada" and popular set meal spot "Wappa Shokudo" are more affordable and well-liked. The restaurant has a spacious interior with many counter and table seats. On the table, there are various condiments and even "ika ten" available, which is delicious. ^^ Orders are taken via tablet, and payment is self-service. Due to the heat, I didn't feel like having hot "gobo ten udon," so I opted for the "special tori ten mix" (890 yen including tax) over bukkake udon. This dish includes "tender two pieces," "onion," "chikuwa ten," and "gobo ten," among others, all fried crispy and delicious. The "tsuyu" broth, typical of Tanaka Tanaka's establishments, is also tasty. The noodles are "hiramen" made in-house, not quite the soft Hakata style nor the firm Sanuki style, but with a good balance of firmness and smooth texture, though lacking a bit of gloss. Personally, I prefer noodles with a bit more firmness. Topped with plenty of ika ten, the noodles could use more firmness, but the flavor of the tempura and broth was enjoyable. With a good portion of noodles and toppings, the price seems reasonable considering the number of toppings.

Newly opened #Hakata Udon Chubei {Imaizumi, Chuo-ku} I went to Hakata Udon Chubei on July 11, 2023 (Tuesday). This place is located in front of the Sankaku Park in Imaizumi, where the Tanaka-ya Group opened a new udon restaurant on July 8th. Now, what should I eat? The basic kake udon is priced at 580 yen (tax included). You can also get a mini oyakodon combo for 930 yen. However, I noticed the word "bargain" in red. I ordered the Special Toriten MIX for 890 yen (tax included). It came with tempura flakes. The cold udon came with green onions, lemon, grated daikon radish, toriten eggplant, onions, and bamboo shoots. Now, let's pour the soup over it. This cold soup is incredibly delicious. Squeezing the lemon enhances the aroma and doubles the deliciousness. The toriten is thick, juicy, and tender. The eggplant is juicy, and the burdock root is crispy. The udon noodles are flat, chewy, and have a good texture. It pairs perfectly with the soup, and I was completely satisfied with this bowl. Address: 1-9-14 Imaizumi, Chuo-ku, Fukuoka City Closed on Tuesdays.

Newly opened in front of Imazumi Park in Chuo Ward, Fukuoka City, a new store from the Nakatanaka Group is now specializing in Hakata Udon called "Hakata Udon Chuhei." The interior has a calming atmosphere with dim lighting, but despite being newly opened, there are few customers. Recently, the Nakatanaka Group has been implementing a policy of not allowing infants and toddlers to dine in their restaurants, and this store is no exception. Orders are taken using a tablet system, and self-checkout is also available, which is a common practice in Nakatanaka Group restaurants. However, there are quite a few staff members, even more than the customers. The menu is quite extensive, and it took a while to decide. I ordered the Gobo Tempura Udon and Kashiwameshi Set for 890 yen. Despite being called Hakata Udon, the noodles were flat and resembled Donbei-style noodles. The broth was delicious, and the Gobo tempura was freshly fried and served in thin, long pieces. The Kashiwameshi was overly soy-flavored and had a dark, mushy consistency. There was tempura bits available on the table, including squid tempura, and various condiments such as chili peppers, yuzu chili peppers, and salt. I also ordered the Curry Udon with extra rice set for 890 yen. The curry udon had a thin consistency with a strong dashi flavor rather than the curry flavor. It had a generous amount of minced meat and strangely, fried tofu. When eaten with rice, it resembled more of a beef bowl than curry. Although the udon noodles were soft and chewy, which is typical of Hakata Udon, it was not exactly my preference. Overall, the dishes were tasty, but preferences may vary among individuals. There was a sign mentioning that the restaurant was recommended by Niwakaya Chosuke. There was also a noodle-making factory at the back of the restaurant. I received a can badge as a souvenir for the opening, which was a nice touch. Thank you.

On September 6, 2023, I had the loyal soldier udon (980 yen) at this restaurant.