macha-san
This time, I decided to change things up and visit the famous Nikomi (simmered meat) restaurant "Sento-se Hon-ten" in Osaka. After seeing it on TV recently and trying their Nikomi at a nearby Seven Eleven, I was curious about the taste of the original store. The restaurant is located between Nipponbashi and Namba, close to the Yoshimoto Shinkigeki theater, which is related to the origin of Nikomi. When I arrived 40 minutes before the Sunday opening time of 10:30, the curtain was not yet out, and the exterior looked like an old udon/soba shop in a traditional town. There was a monument next to the entrance with "The birthplace of Nikomi" written on it. Next to it was the menu. I regretted not lining up at that time, but after exploring the area for a bit, I returned 30 minutes before opening, only to find a line of about 20 people had formed...it seems like once someone starts lining up, it moves quickly. The line extended all the way to the alley beside the shop. So, I joined the line. While waiting, I could hear the sounds of preparation from inside the shop, and by the time the store opened at 10:30, the line had doubled back and continued to grow. It took about 50 minutes from the start of lining up, and I was able to enter the store on the second round (about 20 minutes after opening). Upon entering, I bought tickets from the vending machine on the left. Although it was not on the outdoor menu, besides Nikomi, Nikomi with tofu, Nikomi udon/soba, and Tamagokake Gohan (small and large) were available, as well as Buta Nikomi/Buta Nikomi with tofu/Buta udon, and kake, kitsune, tamago, kobu, tsukimi, and tempura udon/soba. However, on this day, I had already decided on the Nikomi (800 yen) and Tamagokake Gohan small (200 yen), so I purchased a ticket with a thousand yen bill. It seemed like many people were ordering Nikomi. The store had about 15-20 seats in total, with 6-person, 4-person, and 2-person tables. I shared a table with others on this day. There was soy sauce for Tamagokake Gohan on the table. It seemed like one person was in charge of cooking, and another of serving and cleaning. After a few minutes of waiting, the long-awaited Nikomi and Tamagokake Gohan arrived. I took a bite of the Nikomi meat first. The tender, finely sliced meat had a gentle flavor that blended well with the broth, a taste that would put any Japanese person at ease. The meat was finely sliced and tender, allowing you to enjoy the gentle deliciousness of the broth without interfering with the meat texture. There was also a half-cooked egg in the Nikomi, so if you're not very hungry, you could just order the Nikomi. Next was the Tamagokake Gohan. I sprinkled a little soy sauce and mixed it. I tried it as it was and with the Nikomi meat on top, and personally, I felt that mixing the Nikomi meat and broth into the rice made the broth's deliciousness blend well with the Tamagokake Gohan. I then alternated between the Nikomi, Tamagokake Gohan, and pickles and finished it in no time. The Nikomi surprisingly had a generous portion, so even though the Tamagokake Gohan was small, it was a satisfying amount for me. It started when a Yoshimoto Shinkigeki actor asked for "Udon without udon" when he was hungover, and now it has become one of the famous dishes in Minami. It was a nostalgic taste that sometimes makes you want to eat it. I would like to try the udon next time.