umaimono-daisuki
Appearance
The shop is located in a back alley about a 5-minute walk from Jimbocho Station on the Toei Subway Mita Line, Shinjuku Line, or Tokyo Metro Hanzomon Line. Nearby, you can see the famous Sanuki udon restaurant "Udon Maruka" on the side, and the shop is located in the back alley. The appearance of the shop has a somewhat cluttered feel, but if you look closely, you can see the famous Asakusa Kaikaro's bento boxes that are also used by famous ramen shops. Inside, the restaurant has more of an Indian restaurant feel rather than a Chinese restaurant, with a slightly oriental vibe. There are only 30 table seats in total, and during busy times, customers may have to share tables.
Menu
During lunchtime, there was a service lunch available. The prices are quite reasonable, giving off a sense of affordability in the competitive lunch market. As it is a Chinese restaurant, there were options like ramen and rice dishes as well. The variety is quite extensive, covering all the major dishes. The dumplings are a specialty, with a total of 8 types available. Ordering the dumplings as a set with ramen or fried rice, for example, offers a significant discount.
Vegetable Dumplings
I ordered the vegetable dumplings, and they were served in regular (6 pieces) size. The golden brown color of the dumplings was visually appealing. The size of each dumpling was slightly larger than average, making it quite satisfying to eat. The thin skin and the filling mainly consisting of cabbage were well-balanced and delicious.
Fried Rice with Black Pork Dumplings Set
Since I ordered the vegetable dumplings separately, I also ordered the set with black pork dumplings and fried rice. The soup that came with the fried rice had a rich and robust flavor, which I personally enjoyed. The fried rice had a good amount of ingredients, and the seasoning was simple with just salt and pepper, yet it was tasty and not overpowering. The dish was well-portioned and satisfying.
Black Pork Dumplings
The other specialty dumplings, black pork dumplings, normally come in a set of 6, but when ordered as a set with fried rice, it comes with 3 pieces. These dumplings were larger than usual, with a thin and slightly chewy skin, giving them a texture that falls between Chinese and Japanese dumplings. The filling mainly consisted of black pork mince, which was flavorful enough to be enjoyed without additional seasoning.
Review
"I will definitely come back again!"