たかまじろ 1220
I had lunch at this Chinese restaurant Kurei Rin, located just past Kotoen Park from Kinshicho Station. It was January 4th, so I thought I had shifted my lunch time, but there was a long line in front of the store. Since I had come all the way, I decided to line up at the back of the line. The operation was good, and the line moved quickly, so I was seated at the counter as I was alone. Behind the counter, there was a kitchen with two male cooks, one female assistant for dishwashing and support, and one female staff for the hall. I looked closely at the menu. The lady next to me was enjoying a draft beer, so I decided to have one too and thought about what to have as a snack. Considering that I would eat shrimp fried rice as the main dish later, I decided on dumplings. The dumplings of the lady next to me looked delicious, so I was tempted to order them, but I was also intrigued by the Bang Bang Chicken on the menu. Moreover, there was a (small) size available. Thinking that I could just eat both dumplings and Bang Bang Chicken, I ordered a draft beer, Bang Bang Chicken (small), and shrimp fried rice. The restaurant was still full, and there was still a long line outside. It's a very popular restaurant, unexpected. In front of me, two busy men were cooking one after another. They were efficient but not rough, working swiftly and smoothly. The draft beer arrived, and it came with complimentary bean sprouts. The bean sprouts were seasoned with pepper and oil, and they were delicious. I finished the draft beer quickly and ordered another one. By that time, the Bang Bang Chicken (half) and the shrimp fried rice arrived. The Bang Bang Chicken, even in a small size, was a portion that could easily be mistaken for a full size at a regular restaurant. It had plenty of steamed chicken and crunchy cucumber, and the sweet and sour sauce matched very well. I enjoyed it with the draft beer, feeling that it was the best New Year's holiday. Then I tried the shrimp fried rice. The soft eggs and large shrimp, six of them, were perfectly incorporated into the slightly oily fried rice, and it was delicious. I ate it quickly and it was gone in no time. Despite being busy, I could feel that each dish was carefully made. Choosing the Bang Bang Chicken was a good decision, but I also had a satisfying fried rice after a long time. It's a restaurant I would like to visit again. Thank you for the meal!