I visited the Shinjuku branch for the first time. I occasionally visit Tomigaya, but this place is also a hidden gem. On this day, I went with some friends who enjoy drinking, so we mainly had snacks like stuffed intestines, vermicelli, stir-fried greens, and clams. As always, I can never have enough clams, haha. Thank you for the delicious meal.

On this day in January 2021, I had dinner in Shin-Okubo. I got off at JR Shin-Okubo Station, walked out from the west exit dedicated for exits, and walked along the street parallel to the JR line. I found the restaurant I was looking for, called "Reikyo." I had visited the "Reikyo Shibuya branch" a few times before, but this branch I just passed by, and this time I decided to enter for the first time. I sat at a table in the almost empty restaurant after disinfecting my hands. While enjoying a 440 yen tax-included shochu highball with lemon, I ordered the following dishes for the day: 1) Chouzume, tax-included 770 yen. I thought it would be as simple as cutting down the hanging intestines, but it took about 10 minutes from the drink order, and I was a bit bored during that time. It was a simple but essential dish to order, with a lump of umami-like substance that you dip in homemade spicy miso. 2) Stir-fried gizzards, tax-included 770 yen. About 30 minutes after ordering the first dish, the dishes for the two groups of customers who came in later continued to be served. Under the declaration of a state of emergency, I was quite stressed as I wanted to hurry home. My highball was almost empty by the time this dish was served, but I didn't feel like ordering another drink. The punchy seasoning and unique texture were quite pleasant, and it would have surely gone well with the highball. 3) Daikon pickles and scrambled eggs, tax-included 990 yen. This dish was served about 3 minutes after the second one. It was a type where thinly cooked scrambled eggs were wrapped around daikon pickles, with a perfect balance of saltiness, but unfortunately, I had already run out of alcohol. The total bill was 2,970 yen, but I felt a bit unsatisfied due to the strange order in which the dishes were served.

Taiwanese cuisine is not just stir-fried dishes with thick sauce. The ingredients are cheap for the price, but the taste is decent. It's relatively low in oil.

It was excellent. I enjoyed the classic yakisoba, clams, stuffed intestines, and stir-fried vegetables, as well as delicious century egg tofu, pork karaage, and ginger stir-fried cobukuro. The service was also very nice and comfortable. It's the best restaurant with good taste.

Everything I eat here is delicious! It's always crowded so I recommend making a reservation. (Even with a reservation, you may end up sharing a table with others. Haha) The Chorizo is a must-order! It's full of flavor and goes perfectly with beer! The staff seems busy, so they may not come to your table right away or the food may take a while to be served, but it's all part of the charm. Haha It's a really delicious restaurant and I definitely want to go back again.

I visited a Taiwanese restaurant called "Reikyo Shinjuku Branch" in Shin-Okubo around 7 pm on a certain day in January 2018. It is located about a 2-minute walk from Shin-Okubo Station. The restaurant was spacious with no other customers at the time. I sat at a table by myself and ordered a large bottle of "Black Label" beer for ¥630. I also ordered the Yakibifun for ¥840, which had a strong dried shrimp flavor. It contained bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, chives, and thinly sliced pork, providing a satisfying meal. The restaurant offers a variety of authentic Taiwanese dishes, including frog dishes. However, the prices per dish are on the higher side, making it less ideal for solo dining. It is better suited for a group looking to enjoy native Taiwanese cuisine together. The restaurant also has a selection of Shaoxing wine. Overall, it is a cozy and comfortable place that doesn't get too crowded.

From Shin-Okubo Station, head south along the railway tracks. The background music is digital. The air conditioning is working well. There are no other customers. I ordered "Yaki-Beefun". I can hear the sound of ingredients being finely chopped with a Chinese knife. Next, I can hear the sound of a Chinese wok being stirred skillfully. The dish is served in about 5 minutes. The beefun is very delicious. The ingredients are all chopped into easy-to-eat sizes, and the dried shrimp adds a nice touch. There are plenty of vegetables, and the pork has a good amount of fat.

As soon as you exit the ticket gates at Shin-Okubo Station and turn left, you will find a street (which I have named the "Musical Instrument Store Street"). It seems to be a shop started by the siblings of "Reikyo" in Shibuya, but now it has changed hands to a young couple who run it. The menu is authentic, and we ordered stir-fried water spinach, simmered small shrimp and tofu, and stir-fried pork with pickled mustard greens. As a pair of light eaters, my partner and I found it a bit challenging. We could use about two more people who eat heartily. The flavors are solidly authentic Chinese cuisine. I prefer this place over the upscale restaurants in the area.

Early June 2011. On a recent day off. Still feeling a bit heavy in the stomach, possibly due to vomiting and diarrhea three days ago. However, in the afternoon, I relaxed by soaking in a lukewarm bath at "SAKURA" in Sugamo, and then headed to a union meeting in Shinjuku. I had two meetings scheduled for the day. The first one was at the main office starting at 6:30 PM and ending at 7:30 PM. After that, I hurried to the head office in East Kabukicho. The meeting here was also scheduled to start at 6:30 PM, but it ran late and ended at 9:00 PM. After that, I walked home passing through Shin-Okubo Koreatown. I was planning to have a light dinner, so I looked at various restaurants, but they were all quite crowded. The Korean restaurants in Koreatown at night were bustling with energy. However, I didn't want to wait, so I passed by Shin-Okubo Station and turned into the first street I saw. There were also many customers at the Thai restaurants. Among them, I noticed a Taiwanese restaurant called "Reikyo Shinjuku Store" where no one was seated outside. I entered and ordered the "Stir-Fried Rice Vermicelli" for 840 yen and a cider for 210 yen. Since my stomach wasn't feeling great, I decided to avoid alcohol and went with a Kirin Lemon which was delicious. After a while, the Stir-Fried Rice Vermicelli arrived. The portion was just right for me at the moment, not too much. The taste was decent. As I was about to leave, I asked the male waiter how long the restaurant had been open, and he said it had been in business for 37 years. It seems the main branch is located in Dogenzaka, Shibuya, and was established in 1974.

I often use the Shibuya main store, but I found out that there is a branch in Shin-Okubo, so I went there. "Reikyo" is a long-established Taiwanese restaurant, and the Shibuya main store is always bustling with a lively atmosphere, with sausages hanging at the counter and Chinese language flying around. So I had some expectations when I went to the Shinjuku store in Shin-Okubo, but compared to the Shibuya main store, it felt quite inferior. I went for dinner time, and at first, since there were no customers yet, the atmosphere of the store felt a bit dark. But as customers started coming in, it gradually became a cozy atmosphere... There were quite a few families with children. The menu felt similar to the main store. In terms of taste, there were dishes that were just as delicious as the main store, as well as dishes with completely different seasonings. This time, I had pork tongue, chicken and cashew stir-fry, hollow heart vegetable, Chinese congee, and Shaoxing wine. I usually don't eat hollow heart vegetables, so I almost always order it when I go to "Reikyo". It has a delicious flavor with chicken broth (?) and garlic. It is said to be highly nutritious as well. The congee was completely different from the main store. In the main store, the congee has a seasoned taste and is quite delicious, but in the Shinjuku store, it felt like plain congee with soy sauce, green onions, and coriander on top... It's still delicious though. In conclusion, if you go to "Reikyo", it's definitely better to go to the Shibuya main store!

Reigokyo is a famous restaurant in Shin-Okubo. They have their main store in Shibuya Dogenzaka. Reigokyo, the Shibuya main store, has a history of 55 years. The restaurant has been around since the post-war black market era. I've known about the Shin-Okubo store for a long time, so I always thought that was the main store. The Shin-Okubo store is also a standalone building and has been around for 35 years. Both locations are well-known for their Taiwanese cuisine. The dishes like Hui Guo Rou are lightly seasoned with pork belly, and the vegetable dishes have a thickened sauce characteristic of Chinese cuisine. The Fried Vermicelli is not too overpowering in flavor, which is typical of Reigokyo. Many inexpensive restaurants tend to have overly salty dishes that hit you right away, but Reigokyo's dishes are all lightly seasoned with good ingredients and flavors. This is the taste of a long-established restaurant. As we were enjoying the delicious food, we noticed a senior person sitting at the next table who turned out to be the lawyer Mr. ◎◎, known for his TV and writing activities. He seemed to have a lively and interesting personality. When we ordered dessert, including Steamed Castella and Almond Tofu, they reacted unusually excitedly. The Steamed Castella and Almond Tofu were both delicious. The total bill came to 4500 yen, which is a bit higher than cheap Chinese restaurants, but the taste is exceptional. Highly recommended. Reigokyo Taiwanese Cuisine, Shinjuku Store 1-11-27 Hyakunincho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 03-3367-4359 Business hours: 16:00-24:00

On this day, I had various business negotiations piling up, and meeting each person one by one seemed like a hassle since they were all friends. So, I decided to gather all the related parties (representatives from a foreign raw material manufacturer, a junior trading company, a subcontractor manufacturer, a development representative from a client, and the usual foreign sales representative, a total of 6 companies and 6 people) together. A Chinese restaurant with a round table is ideal for easy conversation with everyone. I wanted to go to Reigetsu in Shibuya, but it's hard to make a reservation for less than 10 people and it's always crowded, making it difficult for in-depth discussions. While thinking about what to do, I found out that there is a Reigetsu Shinjuku branch in Shin-Okubo, so I quickly made a reservation for 6:00 PM. It's conveniently located just 50 meters into the alley on the right side after exiting Shin-Okubo Station. I had no idea that there was a Reigetsu branch in a place like this. They should have told me earlier! The interior of the restaurant, like the one in Shibuya, has red brick walls and a spacious area that can easily accommodate over 50 people. When we arrived, the restaurant was empty and almost like a private reservation. We quickly ordered three bottles of beer and made a toast at the round table at the back. We started with three servings of sausage, three servings of garlic stir-fried clams, and three servings of fried vermicelli, and decided to order a bottle of Shaoxing wine. However, they recommended the delicious Shaoxing wine in a decanter, so we opted for that and enjoyed it on the rocks. The sausage here had thicker slices and felt a bit tough compared to the one in Shibuya. The sweet and salty miso sauce was served in small dishes, but it was not enough, so we asked for more. The cilantro and white onions were generously provided, which was appreciated. The clams were delicious, but the broth seemed less flavorful compared to the one in Shibuya. Similarly, the fried vermicelli was tasty but lacked a bit of umami compared to the one in Shibuya. We then ordered more Shaoxing wine and additional dishes such as two servings of pea shoots, two servings of spring rolls (8 pieces), and two servings of sausage. The pea shoots were slightly overcooked, and we wished they had retained more crunchiness. The spring rolls had a crispy skin and were delicious. However, each plate contained four large rolls, which made it difficult for a small group to finish. We usually don't order wine with Chinese food, but when the staff mentioned that they had Beaujolais Nouveau, we decided to try a bottle for good luck. This year's Beaujolais was slightly heavier than usual, with a medium-light impression. After drinking a lot of Shaoxing wine, it was hard to tell for sure. We then ordered two servings of mixed vegetables, two servings of thinly sliced pork yakisoba, and shrimp fried rice for the subcontractor manufacturer representative who had a wheat allergy. The sauce was flavorful and delicious. We continued to order more Shaoxing wine, ending up with about 7 to 8 bottles in total. After about two and a half hours, the meeting concluded successfully. There were only two other groups of customers in the restaurant, so the kitchen and service were a bit slow due to being understaffed. While the dishes here may seem a bit less flavorful or bland compared to the Shibuya branch, it could just be my personal preference.

Unfortunately, there was no water spinach. Shrimp chili. Shaoxing wine served in a jar.

I usually go to the main branch in Shibuya, Dōgenzaka, so I visited here to change things up. Although it's close to Shin-Ōkubo Station, people coming from other places are probably here for Korean food, and the menu prices displayed outside are quite high for this type of restaurant, making it a bit intimidating for first-time visitors. So, even though it was a Saturday night, it wasn't very crowded. I decided to order the same "classic menu" that I always get at the main branch. Here are my thoughts: Stuffed intestines: The spices (star anise?) are stronger and greasier here compared to the main branch. But I might actually prefer it this way. The side ingredients like white beard onion, cilantro, and spicy miso are the same. Clam stir-fry: The taste was the same as the main branch. I thought the portion was unusually large, and when I looked at the bill, it turned out it was for two people. Oh well. Stir-fried vermicelli: There's more bean sprouts here compared to the main branch, but the taste is almost the same. There was a lot of clam broth, so I poured plenty on top. This combination is still the best. Five-ingredient fried noodles: This was the most disappointing dish as it was different from the main branch. The taste was not bad, but it lacked the beans and ham that are usually in the main branch's version, and it felt like there was less sesame oil. Draft beer: Nicely chilled and cheap (500 yen). The service was a bit amateurish but earnest, in contrast to the main branch's professional aloofness. In conclusion, if I'm nearby and craving Chinese food, I'll come here. But if I don't have much reason to be in Shin-Ōkubo, I'll probably stick to the main branch. The "professional aloofness" of the main branch, along with its sense of "unusualness," is hard to beat. This restaurant on its own is delicious, so in that sense, it's a bit unfortunate. The number of reviews is unbelievably low for a longstanding 40-year-old establishment...

It is recommended for those who want to enjoy delicious Taiwanese cuisine with family or alone. In our case, we start with ordering sausage, stir-fried clams (which are amazing), and daikon mochi. These go perfectly with beer. Next, we order fried vermicelli (also delicious), and boiled dumplings, finishing with fried noodles. The atmosphere is not pretentious, but rather cozy and homey, which I imagine is similar to authentic Taiwanese dining. As a souvenir, we buy meat rolls to enjoy the next morning, which are also flavorful and satisfying.

★Yoshiharu Doi's Gourmet Exploration★★dancyu★★Honest Walk with Ariyoshi-kun★★Sighting! Ad-machi-koku★Established in Showa 30, Taiwanese cuisine! Real Doi-sensei's go-to restaurant for 20 years! Round table seating available for various group sizes★Signature dish! Sausage (Smoked sausage)★Popular classic dishes! Garlic stir-fried clams, Taiwanese dried radish omelette★Hot and sour soup (soup only)★★★Highly recommended by Doi-sensei! Fried rice vermicelli noodles★★★Barwan (Sweet potato flour dough)★Lu Rou Mian