Today's Spicy Adventure: Kurokamo Daifujin 8-gou Ikebukuro Store in Ikebukuro Spiciness Level: - Spicy Hot Pot: ★★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆ (4) - Spicy Pork Feet: ★★★☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ (3) I went for a spicy adventure in Ikebukuro at a genuine Chinese restaurant. The interior was filled with Chinese customers, and the staff were also Chinese, although they could speak some Japanese. I ordered the spicy hot pot, where you can choose the ingredients on skewers. I picked broccoli, yuba, pea sprouts, and eringi. You can also order meat separately, but I didn't know how, so I went without meat. For noodles, I chose thick glass noodles. I also asked for a recommendation and got the spicy pork feet, which was served separately. I was thirsty, so I tried to order a drink, but it was self-service, and all the drinks were Chinese. I ended up choosing a red boy's picture on a condensed milk juice, which I like. The spicy pork feet arrived first, and it was quite a generous portion for one person. It was spicy and delicious. Next, the spicy hot pot arrived with cloudy soup and plenty of chili oil. It was spicy but not overwhelmingly so, and the springy noodles were tasty. It's great that you can get lots of vegetables in the hot pot. When I got the bill, I was surprised at how cheap it was! Everything together only cost 1,600 yen, which is a steal. I think the drink was 400 yen, so the pork feet and hot pot only cost 1,100 yen. Considering that hot pots are usually expensive, this place offers the best value for spicy hot pot.

The spicy soup tasted like Sapporo Ichiban salt ramen instant noodles. The duck neck was spicy and very delicious. I am being overwhelmed by the authentic Chinese food at Kitaike, but I think it would be interesting if Japanese people took this genre seriously.

On this day, I went to Zhou Heiya Daifujin to eat mala tang. The Japanese pronunciation is "Shouheiya Dai Fujin," but in Chinese it is pronounced as "Zhou Heiya Daifuren" (I have been studying Chinese on my own recently). There are many branches of this restaurant locally, but the ones in Japan are said to be fake (laughs) (as mentioned by a YouTuber from Sichuan province). However, there are still many branches in the Kanto region, so I think the fakes are popular to some extent. When you enter the store, you are greeted in Chinese. Probably realizing that we were Japanese from our awkward "Ni hao~," they then responded in broken Japanese. You take a basket, choose your favorite ingredients (skewers) from the refrigerator, hand them to the staff, and they bring you the mala tang. I played it safe with ingredients like komatsuna, napa cabbage, dried tofu, and a unique one - duck blood (duck liver), choosing about 8 skewers. You can also choose the noodles to put in. I chose knife-cut noodles, but the noodles that came in were some kind of mysterious noodles (laughs). I wondered if they were really knife-cut noodles, but since this is almost China in Ikebukuro, I ate it as it was. The bill came to 1080 yen, which is quite cost-effective. It may take some courage to go alone, but visiting with friends in a small travel mood is fun. All the other customers were locals. It was a strange space where we were speaking Japanese. This is almost China. There are many duck dishes that are rare in Japan, but we didn't get to that this time (laughs). I would like to visit again for dinner time. I went home thinking that I would enjoy North Ikebukuro more if I understood a little more Chinese. Thank you for the meal.

I had heard that the Chinese food in Ikebukuro was really good, so I decided to take a walk and try this place out. I found out that there is a branch near my place too. The restaurant had a very old-school vibe with only Super Dry and Tsingtao bottled beer available, even though there was a regular drink menu on the wall. The food had a slight numbing effect and may not be for everyone, but I personally enjoyed it. The place was constantly busy with customers coming in and out, so it might be a good idea to eat quickly and move on to the next spot.

Recommended by a Chinese friend, I came here. Basically, they do not speak Japanese here. The main dish is "mala tang". It's a style where you add your favorite ingredients (100 yen per skewer) to the 250 yen noodles and soup. This time, I topped it with broccoli, beef tendon, lotus root, and fish balls with cod roe. I made it spicy, but it was just the right amount of heat. The soup was delicious.

I have been to this spicy hot pot restaurant about 5-10 times now. The default set includes soup and 3 items for 550 yen, with any additional items costing only 100 yen each, which is quite reasonable. Among the various spicy hot pot restaurants, this is my favorite. The broth has a rich flavor, not just spicy but also has a good punch of umami and saltiness. For those who can handle the heat, I recommend getting the extra spicy option. The milky beef bone soup helps to balance out the spiciness, making it easier to eat. Recommended toppings include lettuce, lamb, duck blood, and round fried tofu (not sure of the official name...). For a more substantial texture, I suggest choosing the thick flat glass noodles, but if you prefer a slippery texture, go for the thin glass noodles. Both the staff and customers are Chinese, so they communicate in Chinese, but simple Japanese words should be understood, and you can easily communicate through words and pointing. This is my top recommendation for a spicy hot pot restaurant. Thank you for the delicious meal every time.

"周黑鴨大夫人" is a chain with 8 stores in Japan, with the 8th store being the latest addition. When I visited the first store in Nishikawaguchi 6 years ago, there were no branch stores yet, but now they have multiplied significantly. Interestingly, 3 out of the 8 stores are located in Ikebukuro, indicating how Ikebukuro has become like a Chinatown. Inside the store, Japanese is hardly spoken, making you feel like you're in a foreign land. I ordered the following items using the Japanese written on the menu and some gestures: Winter Melon Tea (300 yen), Duck Neck (250g 610 yen), Duck Hearts (100g 510 yen), Kombu (130g 410 yen), Quail Eggs x 12 (310 yen), Lychee x 6 skewers topping (850 yen), and Sun La Spring Roll Soup (820 yen). Here are my reviews of the dishes I tried: Duck Neck (250g 610 yen) - The duck neck, cooked until black as the name suggests, is a spicy dish with a strong flavor of spices that will make your mouth tingle. It's a unique dish that enhances the taste of the duck neck with intense spiciness. Duck Hearts (100g 510 yen) - Although I originally ordered gizzards, they were sold out, so I tried the duck hearts instead. They were small but well-seasoned. Kombu (130g 410 yen) - Unlike the Wakame in another restaurant I visited, this chain uses Kombu. However, I personally feel that Wakame would have been a better match for the spicy seasoning. Quail Eggs x 12 (310 yen) - The boiled quail eggs were soft and flavorful, absorbing the spicy seasoning well. They can also be a great topping for noodles. Lychee x 6 skewers topping (850 yen) - I customized my Ma La Tang with various toppings like vegetables, mushrooms, and noodles, but the broth lacked depth compared to another restaurant I visited. Sun La Spring Roll Soup (820 yen) - The soup with long glass noodles, peanuts, pickled vegetables, and coriander had a nice texture, but the broth was a bit lacking in flavor compared to another restaurant. Overall, the chain's vacuum-packed duck neck and other items seem to be the highlight, while the noodle dishes and Wakame are better at another restaurant I visited.

I am becoming an expert in Zhouhei duck spicy soup. Sichuan-flavored duck meat shop with the main store in Nishikawaguchi. The flashy exterior is covered with flower wreaths. The cute girl like Peko-chan. There are many stores in Ikebukuro. The store is small with about 15 seats. The young Chinese male and female staff are friendly and speak Japanese, so you can feel at ease. As soon as you mention the spicy soup, you are guided to the refrigerated case of ingredients before sitting down. The base of the spicy soup with noodles is 250 yen, and you can choose 3 or more ingredients from the refrigerated case for 100 yen each. So it costs 550 yen and up. I chose cow tripe, bean sprouts, coriander stems, cod roe balls, dried sausages, and garlic chives. Usually, the staff takes the ingredients you choose right away, but this time I succeeded in taking a photo of the chosen ingredients. I handed the basket to the staff and asked for flat glass noodles and medium spiciness from the 8 types of noodles available. I was asked if I wanted to add coriander. Beer is a 300 yen can of Super Dry. The snack is marinated egg (Chinese-style boiled egg). There are chili oil and sesame oil on the table. This is really delicious! The spicy soup arrives. The ingredients are neatly arranged. The soup is smooth. I think it contains pork bones, chicken feet, and white sesame. Also, there must be a variety of Chinese medicinal herbs in it. It has a very gentle flavor and doesn't smell too much like China. If you are intimidated by the flashy entrance and the Chinese world, you won't be able to reach this taste. Please try making your own spicy soup with plenty of your favorite ingredients.

I was satisfied.