さぴお
Hello, this is SapiO. The 5th branch of Tenho is a new brand that focuses on tantanmen and Chinese soba! When it comes to the Tenho group, they have their main store in Nakano-Sakaue and branches in Shinkoenji, Higashi-Nakano, Hounancho, and along the Koshu Kaido and Hounan-dori around the Ring 6 to Ring 7 area. I have visited the Hounancho branch multiple times, but personally, it didn't quite hit the spot for me. Therefore, I have not visited the main store, Higashi-Nakano, or Shinkoenji. It seems that the menu varies slightly depending on the store, but the basic concept is to combine curly noodles with animal white broth and melted lard soup. I only know the Hounancho branch, but a few years ago, the menu clearly underwent a major change, so I wonder if there was a change in management. I feel like it has become more corporate-like... In the midst of this, the 5th branch opened. The shop name is "Mendokoro," and the flagship menu seems to be soupless tantanmen. This seems different from other Tenho branches, so I visited right away. It is located near Nakano-Sakaue, along the street in front of Hosenji temple. The exterior has a stylish and bright café-like atmosphere that sets it apart from other Tenho group stores. Could there be a connection between the shop name "Mendokoro" and the famous shop "Mendokoro Kinari" in Higashi-Nakano? The appearance of the Chinese soba noodles also seems similar... I think Mendokoro in Higashi-Nakano was run by a different company than the original Aoki Kinari. If I'm wrong, please correct me. There were 3 customers ahead of me around lunchtime, and 2 customers came in later. The interior has a large counter with table seats as well, making it a medium-sized store. Looking at the ticket machine, the lineup includes "Soupless Tantanmen," "Tantanmen," and "Chinese Soba." The default soupless tantanmen is priced at 950 yen, which is quite bold. Tenho group stores tend to have high prices overall. In the Hounancho branch, if you pay for rice, you can have unlimited refills, so this store is probably considered a high-end brand within the group. Inside the store, there were 3 staff members, I think. Prior to the visit, a small mortar and sesame seeds were provided for the soupless tantanmen. They seem to have added an element of entertainment for the customers. When you shake the tebo, the food is served. For the actual meal, a bowl with condiments like vegetables and nuts was served. The noodles are likely made by a noodle factory. They are thick flat noodles with a chewy texture that I have never seen at Tenho before. The store in Hounancho has a few tantanmen dishes, but this one looks more authentic. This really raised my expectations. I mixed in the sesame seeds. The noodles have a chewy texture as expected. The length of the noodles is long, and you can see that they are coated with the sauce and ground meat. The ground meat is also well-prepared and delicious. And the authentic spiciness with a strong numbing sensation hits you. After finishing the meal, my tongue was numb for almost an hour. It's not very spicy, but the numbing sensation is quite strong. The occasional accent of nuts adds to the flavor. I tried adding a little bit of zasai (pickled mustard greens) to the rice as an experiment. Lastly, the fun part - mixing the rice into the remaining sauce! I ordered rice, so I had it, but it seems there are no default options for extra rice or mixing like in Taiwan. I finished the meal and was quite satisfied with the well-prepared noodles and rich toppings. The high quality of the noodles really surprised me. The staff also provided a small cup of black oolong tea as a palate cleanser, reminiscent of Yum Cha. With the self-service sesame grinding and the entertaining meal service, it seems like they are quite conscious of adding an element of entertainment to the dining experience. If I have the chance, I will try the Chinese soba next time. Thank you for the meal.