It's about a 3-minute walk from Okubo Station North Exit. I felt like having some grilled lamb skewers, so I decided to go. I arrived around 12:30 on a Saturday. The restaurant is on the second floor and can seat around 30 people at tables. When it gets busy, sometimes you may be seated in the underground area. The "lamb kalbi" is always my go-to here. Sometimes I just crave it. You grill it yourself over charcoal at your table. It takes time to cook, but it's fun to adjust the flavor with the spices on the table while you wait for it to cook slowly. Personally, I like it when the fat gets crispy and juicy from being well-cooked. It tastes great when you take a bite of raw garlic with it! It goes perfectly with beer! I often order the "spare ribs with green beans and potatoes stew." The tender spare ribs go really well with alcohol! The well-cooked potatoes and large green beans are soft and delicious. There are also glass noodles in it, so it's quite filling. You can pay with QR code. The portions are generous overall, so it's better to come with multiple people. Since it's Northern Chinese cuisine, there are also spicy dishes, ones with lots of garlic, and dishes with unique spices. I think it's quite authentic. However, they also cater to Japanese tastes, so if you want to eat Chinese food near Okubo, this place is recommended. I will definitely go back. Thank you for the meal!

The lamb legs (soy sauce stewed?) were delicious! They were tender and had a good texture. I usually consume a lot of spices, so I felt the seasoning was a bit light. I completely forgot that a Chinese YouTuber living in Japan recommended the hot pot meat (similar to sweet and sour pork) and Yanbian cold noodles, and ended up ordering only lamb meat.

The lamb kalbi skewers were delicious and I enjoyed the unique use of cumin and chili spices, but the other dishes didn't quite impress me. The staff was very kind and attentive, making sure the meat was cooked just right. The alcohol strength varied, so I had to be careful with my drinking pace. Overall, a good experience! 😄

I visited a restaurant near Okubo Station because I wanted to have authentic Chinese food. It was 18:30 on a Sunday, but I was able to get a table without a reservation. This time, I made a reservation on Tabelog 10 minutes before, and it was good to be able to use my Tabelog T-points. I ordered the following dishes: special limited pork stir-fry, shrimp and vegetable stir-fry, and various skewers such as lamb, gizzards, and tendon. The stir-fried dishes were delicious! The quality of all the dishes was high, and the prices were reasonable. The skewers were cooked on a charcoal grill at the table, and they were all seasoned the same but very tasty! You might get tired of the same flavor, so it's okay to change the taste by removing the spices. Finally, I forgot to take a picture of the cold noodles, but they were refreshing and delicious as a finishing touch! We also ordered drinks for two people, and the total was 6,000 yen! You can enjoy authentic Chinese cuisine at a very reasonable price.

On Saturday night, I walked in without a reservation and didn't have to wait. I was a bit worried that the Chinese food might not be authentic, but all the dishes were delicious. Despite the appearance, the dishes were a bit mild in flavor, which was surprising. The portion size for each dish was huge, so it was just right for 4 or 5 people. The flavors weren't too strong, so you could eat a lot without feeling sick. Surprisingly, we managed to finish everything. There were many menu items with ingredients I don't usually see, but at least the classic dishes were safe to eat.

Mitomi Emon's gourmet site has started. Do you know about Yanbian cuisine? It is a genre of Chinese cuisine located on the border between China and North Korea. Yanbian is a place where Korean ethnic minorities reside. This means that you can enjoy a hybrid of North Korean and Chinese cuisine. The Chinese restaurant "Senrika" introduced today is located in Shin-Okubo, which is known as the largest Korea Town in Tokyo. The specialty of Yanbian cuisine is lamb skewers! It is such a classic dish that there is a special skewer grilling machine for it. Although each table at the restaurant has one, unfortunately, the table we were seated at did not have one. The skewers are grilled in the kitchen and brought to your table. When you think of Chinese cuisine, you may imagine a flavor profile based on chili peppers, but here, the unique feature is the use of cumin and other spices for a spicy flavor. The same seasoning is used for most dishes, but you can enjoy different expressions due to the different cuts and types of meat. Menu items include "Lamb Skewers" in Silk Road flavor, Yanbian flavor, and spicy flavor, as well as "Gizzards," "Chicken Wings," and "Beef Tendon Skewers."

I went to "Senrika" in Shin-Okubo with a friend for lunch on a holiday. The restaurant is located on the second floor, about a 3-minute walk from Shin-Okubo Station. They serve yakitori and Chinese dishes. The lunch menu is available on weekdays, but on weekends, you can only order individual items. Many customers were drinking alcohol while enjoying their meals. The menu is extensive, so it's a good idea to decide what you want to eat beforehand. The portion size of each dish is quite large, so it's better to be selective when dining with a small group. Personally, I found the Chinese dishes to be "average." The recommended items are the skewers, especially the lamb skewers. The lamb skewer is priced at 350 yen per piece, lamb kalbi at 170 yen per piece, and bone-in lamb kalbi at 924 yen per piece, all of which were delicious and substantial. The spices used really enhance the flavors. You can leave the grilling to the staff, but it's also fun to use the tabletop grill with charcoal to cook the skewers yourself. Next time, I'd like to carefully choose the dishes I order before visiting. Thank you for the meal! #Senrika #Shin-Okubo #Chinese cuisine #lamb skewers #lamb meat #Tabelog #Ron2941 #Foodie #Love drinks #Love bar hopping Rating for this restaurant: "6" Rating criteria 1 Worst restaurant 2-3 Not recommended. Never want to go back. 4 Mediocre 5 Average 6 Quite good 7-8 Recommended 9 Highly recommended 10 Best ever.

While exploring Halal Mart in Shin-Okubo, I came across a North Korean border area cuisine and decided to try it without hesitation! I was torn between Xiaoweiya Bo, but ended up trying my first Yanbian cuisine! The skewers are cooked right in front of you and are delicious! Just be careful because they can get very black if you're not paying attention (see seventh image). The Chinese staff members may not speak much Japanese, but the regular customers are mostly Chinese and it creates a fun atmosphere! The dishes are all large and have a great volume, so if you're focusing on skewers, it's better to go with skewers! Recommended dishes include tofu rolls, lamb skewers, squid skewers, cashew stir-fry, dried tofu, and Harvest Vegetable.

The lamb skewers here are tender, juicy, and deliciously seasoned. Whenever I crave lamb skewers, I always come here. Those who enjoy spicy food should try their hot pot as well. You can experience the authentic taste and be completely satisfied. I find it entertaining to grill the lamb skewers at the table. This kind of system is rare, so I recommend trying it at least once! They offer various types of meat besides lamb. The food was so delicious that I ended up drinking a lot of Shaoxing wine (laughs). This is a recommended restaurant for those who enjoy Sichuan-style mala flavors!

Last year, I missed the chance to eat dog meat in South Korea, so I ended up going to this place. It was quite expensive, but I felt it was a valuable experience that I couldn't pass up. The service and taste were both average. Everything about the restaurant was just average. However, the fact that they serve dog meat gives them a big advantage. There is a growing movement against eating dog meat in countries like South Korea and China. So, it felt like a meal that weighed heavy on my heart, especially as a dog owner. (Honest essay about the experience: [link])

Yanbian cuisine refers to the cuisine of the Korean ethnic group who migrated to northeastern China. One of the popular dishes is grilled lamb skewers, which are heavily spiced to suit the cold region. This influence can be traced back to Mongolian food culture. While some regions in China have a tradition of eating dog meat, there is increasing criticism both domestically and internationally. Despite this, Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture is known for its consumption of dog meat. One restaurant in Tokyo, Chisato, offers unique Yanbian dishes like lamb skewers and dog meat hot pot. The reviewer decided to try the daily special dish, lamb offal soup, and found the experience to be interesting and enjoyable. The restaurant had a cozy atmosphere with a view of the bustling streets of Okubo. The reviewer observed that there were no Japanese customers during their visit. Overall, they appreciated the opportunity to try something new and unique in terms of cuisine.

Senrika offered beef tendon curry, similar to the small curry shop, Menya Yu, which I used quite frequently during lunchtime. However, I stopped using it abruptly around two years ago when the coronavirus started to spread. Yesterday, the roads were icy due to the snow, making long-distance travel unsuitable, so I decided to have lunch nearby. I thought of a unique Chinese restaurant near my workplace that I had not visited before. Unfortunately, I couldn't find that restaurant, so I ended up at Senrika as a backup option. The restaurant is located on the second floor of a building that also houses a popular Nepalese restaurant in Okubo. The yellow sign with the name Senrika caught my eye as I approached the building entrance. I went up to the second floor using the stairs next to the entrance. Previously, they offered three lunch dishes that changed daily for 850 yen, 800 yen, and 750 yen. Now they have expanded to four options priced at 880 yen, 850 yen, 800 yen, and 750 yen. Senrika serves "Yanbian cuisine," which is known for its spicy and numbing flavors due to its location in the northeastern region of China near Korea. The cuisine features ingredients such as lamb and dog meat, reflecting the local customs. As I entered the restaurant, I noticed that about 70% of the tables were occupied. Previously, it used to be filled with customers from the same region, and I had even been turned away due to full capacity. A familiar female staff member recognized me but there was no longer the same friendly conversation as before. I was seated at a table by the window and noticed two Chinese men at the table to my left and a slim Japanese man in a suit looking at his smartphone at the table to my right. Apart from the Japanese man, there were no other solo diners. The conversation at the neighboring table indicated that there were no other Japanese customers present. For lunch, I chose the daily special "Sweet and Sour Pork Spare Ribs." The man next to me received the daily special "Spicy Sweet and Sour Stir-Fried Ground Pork" along with appetizers of fried peanuts, cucumber and sausage salad, soup, and a plate of rice. The main dish was promptly served after the appetizers. The spare ribs were coated in a thick sauce with onions and carrots, and were tender and flavorful. The soup, made with seaweed and beaten egg, was thick and not too salty, typical of Chinese soups. The spare ribs were easy to separate from the bones and the sweet and savory sauce complemented the rice well. The rice was cooked just right, not too hard or too soft. I declined the offer for more rice and finished the meal with the cucumber and sausage salad and fried peanuts. The man next to me, who I thought was Japanese, turned out to be a Chinese man from the same region, as I overheard their conversation.

A Chinese restaurant located along Okubo Street, a little closer to Okubo Station from Shin-Okubo Station. It is on the second floor of a building after climbing the stairs. I visited for the first time during lunchtime on a weekday. Lunch hours are from 11:00 to 15:00. The interior of the restaurant feels slightly dim, with sunlight shining in at the window seats. The tables are quite close together. The staff and customers were all conversing in Chinese. The lunch menu is divided by day, with four options for each day, plus three specials for the day. Not a fan of spicy food, so I avoided anything red in the photos and chose the "C. Stir-fried Chicken and Potatoes (土豆焼鶏肉) for 800 yen". Other daily menu options (this day was Tuesday) included A. Lamb Offal Soup for 880 yen, B. Sichuan-style Braised Pork for 850 yen, and D. Stir-fried Beef and Vegetables for 750 yen. Today's lunch specials were Mapo Tofu for 700 yen, Sweet and Sour Spicy Pork for 880 yen, and Spicy Beef Noodle Soup for 800 yen. Prices ranged from 700 yen to 880 yen, with change from a 1,000 yen bill. The food arrived after a 10-minute wait. First came rice, egg drop soup, and two types of pickles (spicy kimchi and salted boiled peanuts), all of which were refillable. Then, the main dish was served, featuring large chunks of potatoes and plenty of chicken. The soy sauce-based stew was a bit salty, but the rice paired well with it. The potatoes were quite filling. There are many other menu items I'm curious about, so I'll have to come back on a different day. PayPay is accepted for payment, but separate bills are not allowed.

- Pork spare ribs and eggplant stir-fry ¥800 tax included This is a Chinese restaurant located about a 3-minute walk from Okubo Station on the JR Sobu Line. It is on the second floor of the building and may not be easy to notice. I resisted the temptation to go to the Nepalese restaurant on the third floor and decided to try this place instead. The Nepalese restaurant upstairs is also delicious. Now, I heard that this Chinese restaurant serves different dishes from the typical Chinese cuisine popular among Japanese people, so I decided to check it out. The lunch menu varies depending on the day of the week, with four lunch options available each day. On the day I visited, I chose to try the pork spare ribs from the lunch menu. Despite being located along a main street, the restaurant is somewhat hidden, so there were only a few customers when I visited. The spacious floor allowed me to enjoy my meal in a relaxed atmosphere. [Pork spare ribs and eggplant stir-fry] The dish came with a generous amount of stir-fry, a hearty portion of rice, egg soup, and a side dish. The pork spare ribs, although bone-in, had plenty of meat on them, so it wasn't just bones. This was a pleasant surprise. The ribs were cut into easy-to-eat pieces, and they were seasoned with a salty flavor from soy sauce, oyster sauce, and a hint of star anise, giving it a typical Chinese cuisine flavor. The tender eggplant, sliced garlic, and pork all mixed together nicely. The rice was so delicious that I ended up finishing it all before I knew it, which left me slightly puzzled. The peanuts sprinkled with salt in the side dish had a wonderful aroma and paired perfectly with the savory meat. The strong aroma of the peanuts did not get overshadowed by the rich Chinese flavors. Occasionally munching on the peanuts as a palate cleanser and then going back to enjoy the pork spare ribs made the dish even more delicious. It was a delightful meal. Thank you.

After the state of emergency was lifted, I tried a promising Chinese restaurant in the nearby Yanbian region. The lamb skewers, dried tofu, and stir-fried potatoes were excellent! However, the steamed chicken was too spicy for me. There are many more interesting restaurants in the neighborhood, so I look forward to trying more of them!

[Ebi Chaahan only! Chinese Fried Rice Blog] Enjoying delicious Ebi Chaahan! Part 227! Today, I visited Chiri Kyou in Okubo and Shin-Okubo for some shrimp fried rice. Okubo Station is on the JR Chuo Line, while Shin-Okubo Station is on the JR Yamanote Line. This area is surrounded by Shinjuku, Takadanobaba, and Nakano, and is known for its many Asian restaurants. Okubo Station area has Chinese, Indian, and Pakistani restaurants, while Shin-Okubo area and eastward are more Korean. It's a multicultural and chaotic neighborhood. - Chiri Kyou (Okubo/Shin-Okubo/Yangzhou Chaahan) Let's go to Chiri Kyou located between Okubo and Shin-Okubo stations along Okubo Street. The restaurant is on the second floor, not the one in front but through the right door. Inside, there are table seats that are not fancy but clean and well-maintained. The staff and customers are mostly from mainland China, with conversations in Mandarin. I was the only Japanese customer there. This restaurant specializes in Yanbian cuisine, which is located north of North Korea in the northeastern region of China. Yanbian is known for its unique blend of Chinese and Korean culinary traditions. The Yangzhou Chaahan arrived without soup and included ingredients such as eggs, green onions, cucumber, luncheon meat, and pine nuts. The dish was moist and packed with a generous amount of ingredients. The shrimp was a decent size. - Bill at Chiri Kyou Yangzhou Chaahan: 880 yen (excluding tax) Total: 968 yen - Access Located between Okubo and Shin-Okubo stations along Okubo Street.

I have been coming here irregularly for 20 years. I recommend this place over the Ueno branch. There are many menu items that may be unfamiliar to Japanese people, but the top 3 popular lamb skewers that you cook yourself are undeniably delicious. And I always order the stir-fried dried tofu. It was packed late at night. There may not be many Japanese customers. I still love it just as much as before.

In Tokyo, there are many specialty stores that are fun and unique, especially with Sichuan cuisine. However, near Shin-Okubo Station, there is a Chinese restaurant that serves Korean-style cuisine, specializing in Yanbian dishes. Here, you can taste forbidden meat (dog) and other unique dishes like lamb skewers with strong flavors. They also offer rare Korean soju. The restaurant is open year-round from 11:00 to 5:00, without any breaks, which adds to its charm!

People who love spicy flavors will be drawn to this Chinese restaurant! I was taken there and enjoyed a dinner full of exciting and stimulating flavors, with plenty of spices used in the seasoning. The skewers were cooked over charcoal, allowing us to grill them to our liking, which was a fun and delicious experience.

I usually enjoyed the spicy hot pot at this restaurant, but it seems like they have completely revamped their lunch menu. It was no longer on the menu outside, so I had a bad feeling about it. I frequent this place more than the number of reviews suggests. The restaurant's main feature is that it mainly caters to their own people, with only a few Japanese customers. Chilimixiang specializes in Chinese and Yanbian cuisine, which is known for its strong spiciness. The dishes are a fusion of North Korean and Chinese food culture, which may not be very familiar to Japanese people. I was disappointed to find out that the "spicy hot pot" was no longer available, so I opted for the "braised pork belly and dried tofu stew" from the menu. I was told that this dish is not very spicy compared to the others. Despite that, I love braised pork belly and enjoy the texture of dried tofu, so I decided to have it for lunch. The customers here are mainly students who order individual dishes like hot pots, lamb skewers, and plate dishes in excess of the number of people present. They often leave a large amount of food uneaten and settle the bill. The braised pork belly had a sweet and savory flavor and was tender. The dried tofu, similar to "himokawa udon," had a unique chewy texture that I enjoyed. With these dishes, I knew I wouldn't have any trouble finishing my rice. By the time I finished paying, the restaurant was full of customers. Don't expect service that caters to Japanese preferences, but you can definitely expect the flavors to be satisfying. That's just how they do things here...

I went to a restaurant with a friend who loves lamb meat. The friend recommended this place, which they heard about from a Chinese acquaintance. The restaurant had a very local feel, almost like we weren't in Japan. We were the only ones at our table speaking Japanese. The skewers had various cuts of meat that you could order individually, making it fun to try different ones. Each skewer had different spices that enhanced the flavor of the meat. They were juicy with meat juices inside, and they were grilled in front of us on a special charcoal grill that I hadn't seen before. It was surprisingly easy to grill them to a nice, crispy finish. The spicy soup with beef and vegetables in a pot-like dish was flavorful, not just spicy. However, it was a bit too spicy for me to finish. We ended the meal with cold noodles topped with plenty of vinegar. I would like to visit this restaurant again for their skewers.