"Manpuku Udon" in Chikushino City. The price for a basic udon is 380 yen. I couldn't decide between the Burdock Tempura Udon (530 yen) and the Maru Tempura Udon (500 yen), but ended up ordering the latter. It arrived in less than 5 minutes. My first impression of the soup was that it was sweet. The dashi flavor was strongly influenced by kombu. The umami of bonito flakes was quite subtle, with other flavors taking the lead. The noodles were about 7x5mm thick and had a strong chewy texture. Despite the strong flavor of the soup, I could still taste the wheat in the noodles. The tempura was about 6mm thick and had a chewy texture. I noticed that this place is related to "Uchida-ya" when I saw it on the receipt. I wonder why they use three different names for their restaurants - "Uchida-ya," "Menkatsu," and "Manpuku"? Compared to "Menkatsu," "Manpuku" has slightly thicker noodles with a milder wheat flavor, and the soup is sweeter with less bonito flavor. Since they probably cook in bulk at a central kitchen, it might just be my imagination.

I stopped by during lunchtime and was served in less than 5 minutes. The portion was good and it's great if you want a quick lunch. The taste was average, not bad but not particularly delicious either. I would probably visit again if I come across it.

Ordered the Niku Ebi Ten Udon for 610 yen. The soft noodles and sweet soup are typical of Fukuoka. The menu is reasonably priced. The atmosphere is family-friendly with both table and tatami seating available. The parking lot can fit several cars, but the spaces are narrow. Is it part of the Uchida-ya chain?

Located at the intersection of Nagaoke where Route 3 and Route 77 intersect in Chikushino City. It does not face Route 3. The restaurant has both sunken kotatsu-style seating and regular table seating. In addition to udon, they also offer set meals and soba. The Marutoku Udon for 452 yen comes with tempura, wakame seaweed, meat, green onions, and tenkasu. It is packed with ingredients and very satisfying, especially considering the price. The noodles are soft. My companion had the Niku Udon for 514 yen, which is always a reliable choice. The portion of meat was generous. Customers were coming in one after another. The set with kashiwa rice and a daily side dish also looked delicious and filling. Thank you for the meal.

Recently, I haven't been to the post office to withdraw money, so my wallet is light on change. I decided to have a simple lunch of udon noodles because it's convenient. On a slightly chilly day, I took a nap until close to lunchtime and was asked to clean up the garden at home. As a result, I ended up going to lunch later than usual. While I usually have cup ramen at home, I would have eaten UFO yakisoba if I had it, but it's a bit expensive so I don't keep it stocked. For my usual solo lunch choice, I decided to go to Manpuku Udon, a shop near my house that is part of the Uchida-ya group and known for its delicious soup. I arrived at the shop around 1:30 pm on a weekday and there were a few customers inside. I sat at an empty table and ordered the Gobo Tempura Udon for 431 yen including tax. It was a lonely lunch with just one item, but as a frugal person, I had to make do. If I get hungry before dinner, I'll just drink water to fill my stomach. The dish was served in about 5 minutes. The thin noodles had a firm texture, almost like frozen noodles. I couldn't help but notice this unique texture when I savored the dish slowly. The Gobo tempura consisted of 6 pieces, and when I peeled off the batter, I could taste the softness of the high-quality Gobo root. The highlight of this shop is the soup. It had a clear, almost transparent color. I believe they use dried fish like anchovies or sardines, and definitely high-quality kelp in the soup. The delicious soup was so good that I drank it all. My stomach was full and I could endure until dinner. I casually referred to the noodles as frozen, but if that's true, the technology behind frozen noodles is truly impressive.

Well, it depends on the quality and thickness of the meat, right? If you want a quick and easy lunch, noodles or curry are good choices. I recently visited a udon specialty shop that I've been to a few times. They have set meals and rice bowl options, making it a convenient place to eat. I arrived just after 11 am on a weekday, so there weren't many customers yet. I decided to order the curry when a young woman came to take my order. I ordered the pork cutlet curry for 683 yen including tax. I may have shown off a bit by ordering that, as I probably would have just said curry if I were older. Since it was cheap, I didn't have high expectations. Japanese people tend to get irritated if they have to wait over 8 minutes for their food to be served, but luckily, it arrived within that time frame. The curry was served on a large plate with five slices of pork cutlet. I first checked the rice, which was cooked slightly softer than I prefer. I won't go into detail, but it's clear they didn't use high-quality rice. The pork cutlet was about 6mm thick and reasonably tender, providing a sense of comfort. Upon examining the cross-section of the meat, it appeared that the fat had shrunk, indicating that they may be using frozen meat. I have a habit of checking the details, as I like to provide thorough explanations to my followers. The curry was a medium-spicy, slightly sweet flavor, similar to homemade curry. When I found a piece of beef in the curry sauce, it brought me joy. Overall, I felt satisfied and could enjoy the meal without any complaints. The affordable price is likely due to the use of frozen meat, probably from Canada.

As the weather gets colder in early November, I feel like eating something that warms me up, and it should be affordable. Even wealthy people must eat udon, but they probably order more expensive items according to their status. I visited a nearby udon restaurant around noon on Sunday and decided to try something different than my usual go-to of burdock tempura udon. I ordered the "Nabe Yaki Udon" for 662 yen including tax. It was served in a heat-resistant ceramic bowl, filled with plenty of ingredients such as shrimp tempura (with a generous amount of shrimp), fried seaweed, chicken slices, and a half-cooked egg hidden under the shrimp tempura. The noodles were chewy and satisfying, and the light soup, possibly made with bonito flakes and anchovy, had an elegant taste. The restaurant's commitment to quality noodles and soup was evident. The shrimp tempura was expertly fried, making the smaller shrimp look larger than they were. I particularly enjoyed the tender texture of the fried fish. The chicken slices were also a nice addition to the meal, providing a good source of protein. I savored every last drop of the delicious soup without worrying about the other customers around me. I also noticed a few other menu items that caught my eye, so I plan to return to try them soon.

My house, which is over 30 years old and made of mortar, is showing signs of aging with cracks appearing. I occasionally try to fix it when I have free time, but it seems like a never-ending task. On a sunny morning, I decided to paint the parking lot concrete floor and repair the cracked areas. I used a grinder to cut V-shaped grooves in the cracked concrete floor, applied primer, and then filled the grooves with silicone using a caulking gun. Due to my shaky hands, there were some uneven spots, and it will take at least three days to fully dry. After finishing the work, I realized that I couldn't move the car because the silicone was still wet. Feeling hungry around noon, I decided to go to a nearby udon restaurant for lunch. I ordered a katsu donburi with mini udon set, which cost 820 yen including tax. The katsu donburi was served quickly, and although the broth was delicious, the rice was not soaked in it, making it difficult to finish. The meat was tender and tasty, but I ended up leaving about 70% of the rice uneaten. The unexpected addition of wakame and tenkasu in the mini udon was a nice surprise, and the slightly thinner noodles were chewy. The soup had a rich flavor with hints of bonito and dried fish, showing that the restaurant prides itself on its broth. I regretted not pouring the soup over the leftover rice, but I still enjoyed it. Most of the other customers who came in after me ordered udon sets, showing the popularity of the restaurant's udon dishes. The receipt I received read "Uchidaya," confirming that it was indeed a reputable udon shop.

Feeling down, I decided to give up and head back home when I stumbled upon a udon restaurant with a lot of cars parked outside. The sign said "Natural broth and carefully selected noodles." I decided to have lunch here today. It was Sunday at noon when I walked in. The restaurant was quite spacious, with only half of the tables occupied. It wasn't crowded, so I felt relieved. I sat at the counter. I was pleased to find out that it was non-smoking all day, and there was no bad smell inside. In addition to udon and soba, they also had curry, rice bowls, and a variety of other dishes on the menu. I ordered the "Maru Special Udon" for 452 yen including tax. The toppings included half a tempura, half a fried tempura, seaweed, meat, tempura bits, and green onions. It seemed like a good deal with all the toppings included, but the dish was called "Maru Special" rather than "Maru Value." The udon noodles were soft and chewy, just as they advertised. I really enjoyed them. The soup was light in flavor. Usually, when meat is added, the soup becomes sweeter, but I didn't taste any sweetness from the fat in the meat. Still, for 452 yen including tax, I think it's a good value for money. I wouldn't go out of my way to visit from Shirakiwahara, but it seems to be popular with families on weekends due to its good value for money. The reason for my feeling down is unrelated to the restaurant, so I'll leave it in the comments section.

Maruten and fried chicken were delicious. "Manpuku Udon" in Chikushino is located at the intersection of the elevated Route 3 and the old Route 3 in the Nagao-ka intersection of Chikushino City. I stopped by on the way back from my parents' house in Ogori. My child wanted to eat a hearty katsudon, which cost 683 yen. I enjoyed maruten (198 yen) and fried chicken (399 yen) while drinking bottled beer. The fried chicken was freshly cooked and the portion was generous. My child helped me finish more than half of it. It felt like a family restaurant experience, but the cost performance was quite good.

Just at the corner of the Nagaoke intersection on Route 3, there is Manpuku Udon in Chikushino Bypass. I had always been curious about it whenever I passed by, but during the self-restraint period in mid-April due to the coronavirus, there were no other cars parked at lunchtime, so I decided to stop by. Upon entering the restaurant, I found a quite spacious interior, with a layout similar to a family restaurant. I was seated at the central table and when I looked at the menu, I found a wide variety of options at reasonable prices. I ordered a set of Katsudon and Udon, with Udon topped with raw egg and burdock tempura. It's quite appreciated that you can add regular Udon to the Katsudon for just 262 yen excluding tax. The food arrived quickly after ordering! The Katsudon had a crispy surface, and the egg was cooked just right, very delicious. The Udon had a rich broth and the noodles, probably frozen, had a firm texture and were tasty (^-^). I enjoyed it very much. The prices were reasonable and the taste was good. It turns out it's related to Uchidaya, which makes sense. I'm curious about the Katsu Curry too, so I'd like to visit again. Thank you for the meal <m(_ _)m> #Manpuku Udon #Chikushino branch #Chikushino City #Chikushino Bypass #Parking available #Udon family restaurant #Wide menu selection #Cost performance good #Uchidaya #Udon #Katsudon #Fukuoka gourmet #Gaso #Ramen-Loving Gaso-san #gaso #fukuoka #udon #gourmet

At the intersection where National Route 3 and its old road intersect, there used to be a chain udon restaurant called Uchidaya. It closed down a long time ago but was renovated into the current restaurant called Manpuku Udon. It's a common trend that the quality of the new restaurant taking over Uchidaya's space is not very promising. The same thing happened when Imai Te Chanpon took over a space in Harada. Anyway, Manpuku Udon offers a surprisingly wide variety of menu options. I decided to go with the Marutoku Udon and Kashiwameshi set meal (788 yen including tax), which includes udon, kashiwameshi, and a daily side dish. On this day, the side dish was white fish fry. The restaurant has mostly table seating, with some raised tatami seating that can be used as semi-private spaces or for a more izakaya-like experience. They also offer some izakaya-style menu items. The distance from Nishitetsu Sakuradai Station is a bit far, but let's talk about the udon. The Marutoku Udon is topped with half a tempura, beef, wakame seaweed, and tenkasu. The broth is decent, and the noodles are slightly thinner and have a frozen noodle-like texture. The kashiwameshi is a bit on the bland side, and the white fish fry seems to be a standard frozen product. However, compared to Uchidaya, the taste is much better, and the price is fair. It gives off a more refined Uchidaya vibe. Overall, it was a satisfying meal.

I enjoyed the meal. Thank you for the feast.

Near Sakuradai Station, along Fukuoka Minami Bypass, there is a restaurant called Manpuku Udon. Today, I was craving protein so I ordered the Beef and Burdock Tempura Udon. Shortly after ordering, it arrived. The soup is made with bonito flakes, dried sardines, and kelp, resulting in a light and refreshing taste. The sweetness from the marinated meat blends into the soup, yet surprisingly it is very light. There is no lingering sweet aftertaste, which I personally enjoy. The burdock tempura, pre-fried, was sliced slightly thick and diagonally, providing a satisfying crunchy texture. The noodles were medium thickness, with a smooth and chewy texture that was delicious.

The broth was rich. The set meal was a good deal. I used to go to Uchida-ya often. The interior of the restaurant seems to have been renovated and it looked very clean.