Naka Uo is always on your side, open 24 hours a day. It is located under the elevated tracks of Tokyo Station. The parent and child bowl is delicious and cost-effective, but the building (or rather, the space under the tracks) is old, so the facilities are also old, and the interior feels a bit cramped, lacking cleanliness. Maybe it's because the ceiling is low under the tracks, or because it's dark, but it's definitely not a cozy atmosphere. I ordered the parent and child bowl with green onions and eating chili oil on the side. The amount of eating chili oil served separately is too much (^_^;) I mean, I'm happy, but health-wise, this is too much (^_^;) There's about a quarter of the amount in a bottle of that Momoya eating chili oil (^_^;) Of course, it tastes delicious when you add it, but adding this much seems unhealthy. But being frugal, I didn't want to leave it, so my partner and I shared it and managed to eat it all... Eating chili oil can be added for 100 yen, but under no circumstances should you eat it alone...!! It's just right for sharing with about five people.

I visited a restaurant that serves a breakfast dish with special eggs for 470 yen around 6:30 am on a weekday. There were 11 customers when I arrived and 6 customers came in after me. There were 3 staff members working. The place is closed in the morning for those who live far from Tokyo Station. I saw someone drinking raw eggs very quickly. It's truly Tokyo Station.

In the past, I remember hearing reviews about the morning set at Nakau in the Chichibu mountain range, priced at 290 yen, which was delicious but made people wonder if it was okay to be so cheap. I understand that feeling. On this day, I had to undergo an MRI examination in the evening, which required fasting for six hours. So, I asked my boss if I could take my lunch break early from 9-10 am to have breakfast at Nakau. I arrived at work before 7 am, worked for a bit, then took a break from 9 am to have an early breakfast/lunch. Nakau, or Yoshinoya, for breakfast? Yoshinoya is closer to the office, but Nakau's breakfast set with "special" eggs seemed more appealing to me. There were many breakfast menu options available, starting from 290 yen. I usually go for the breakfast set with chicken side dish, which includes rice, miso soup, Kyoto-style pickles, special eggs, seaweed, and a chicken side dish. I opted for less rice with a 20 yen discount, making it 370 yen. The Kyoto-style pickles were delicious, and the special eggs tasted rich and flavorful. The chicken side dish may be small, but it had a good amount of chicken in it. All this for only 370 yen! It's truly a bargain! However, it does raise concerns about whether it's safe and sustainable to have such cheap meals. The staff working there were foreigners who efficiently carried out their tasks without any language barriers. I always wonder if I could do the same in a foreign country, learning the language and working there. No, it seems impossible for me. I feel grateful to the foreigners who chose to work in Japan and work diligently. Of course, I also appreciate the Japanese staff. There was another restaurant nearby with a sign saying "Temporarily closed due to lack of staff." I see these kinds of notices more often these days. Takeout only due to lack of staff, daytime hours only due to lack of staff. It's worrying. My body is a concern, too. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the delicious and affordable breakfast at Nakau. The eel menu and the classic oyakodon also looked tempting. I'm happy about the low prices, as I'm a commoner. But I believe that if the profits of the workers and the people producing the ingredients are at risk, the prices should be adjusted accordingly. By the way, the MRI I had in the evening was my first time. I had mistaken it for the CT scan I had taken before for severe headaches. When I went to the MRI floor, I heard a deep, heavy sound playing, like a club. Well, I've never been to a club. For about 40 minutes, I had to wear headphones while classical music played, which was pointless. It felt like being attacked by very loud sounds continuously. It's not suitable for people with claustrophobia because you're placed in a confined space. I kind of understood why that might be difficult for them. However, I've always liked small spaces like closets since I was a child, so it was no problem for me. I was daydreaming about riding the Sunrise Izumo train someday, so I imagined myself rolling around on the MRI machine like Doraemon.

Hello, today I didn't have much time and was busy, so I decided to have a quick and simple lunch at the fast food chain "Nakau" for some donburi. If you're in a rush, this is the place to go. I ordered the Oyakodon in large size for 520 yen from the ticket machine. It's not like the popular gyudon chains, but it's fast, cheap, and tasty. However, I couldn't help but notice a certain smell lingering throughout the restaurant, which was a bit disappointing.

When you come out of Tokyo Station Marunouchi North Exit and walk along the tracks, you will find Nakau just before the first traffic light. It's a rare Yoshinoya chain store in the expensive Marunouchi area. It's a lifesaver. When you come here, the feeling of getting a good deal makes you end up ordering side dishes. There are also many foreign tourists who seem like tourists, maybe it's listed in guidebooks?

I had to go to Otemachi for something and didn't have much time for lunch, so I was unsure where to eat and ended up at Nakau. I chose the "Oyakodon (regular) and hot Hiyakara udon (small)" (550 yen) from the vending machine. When I sat down and handed over my ticket, the food was served right away. Fast service! The egg in the Oyakodon was perfectly cooked with a fluffy texture and delicious flavor. The udon seemed a bit small at first, but it turned out to be just the right amount as it complemented the rice dish. There were many people like me who were in a hurry. It's convenient to have such restaurants around.

I was busy and didn't have time for lunch, but I started to feel hungry so I looked for a place where I could eat quickly. I found a restaurant with a lot of customers even though it wasn't lunchtime. I ordered a pork cutlet bowl for 590 yen. It's a good deal to be able to fill up my stomach in Marunouchi at this price.

I visited Marunouchi Nakau for the first time in a while. I may not have been here since before the pandemic. Lately, I've been into downloading various fast food apps, and Nakau is one of them. Today, I was awakened to the convenience of mobile ordering. I ordered the new menu item "Tan Tan Udon" and a mini chicken bowl. The creamy soup had a subtle spicy flavor, but the mellow taste stood out more. The noodles in the Tan Tan Udon were thicker compared to Tan Tan noodles, so there was less surface area for the sauce to stick to, and the flavor was somewhat lacking in impact. Maybe my expectations were too high? I felt a bit disappointed. It was a good decision to add the mini chicken bowl for the amount I needed. The quick and polite service was still excellent. Be sure to install the app! You can use your time efficiently by skipping the ticket machine and ordering after you sit down!

Before boarding the Shinkansen, I decided to stop by here for a quick lunch. When I checked the curry menu at the ticket machine, both the parent-child curry and chicken tempura curry were sold out. The lineup only consisted of pork cutlet curry for 690 yen, special egg curry for 570 yen, and regular curry for 490 yen. Although I wasn't very interested in the pork cutlet curry, I felt a bit disappointed with only two other options, so I purchased the pork cutlet curry ticket. I sat at an available seat, placed the ticket on the counter, and the staff quickly brought me a glass of water and retrieved the ticket. In about 3 minutes, the pork cutlet curry arrived with rice on the left, curry sauce on the right, and pickled vegetables in the front, with the pork cutlet on top of the rice. I asked the staff for some extra sauce, but sadly they replied, "We don't have any." While I didn't voice my disappointment (because I'm a coward), I believe that if they serve pork cutlet curry, they should have sauce available upon request. The curry had a lower viscosity, rich vegetable flavor, balanced acidity, and was surprisingly spicy. It may be the spiciest among beef bowl restaurants, but it should be tolerable for most people. The use of spices is not trendy like Yoshinoya, but the balanced flavor profile is appealing. The pork cutlet was average. Without sauce, I dipped it in the curry. I confirmed online that they had renewed their menu on September 1st. I personally enjoyed Matsuya's curry even before the renewal, and I feel that it has become even tastier now. The curry comes in the three options mentioned above. I learned that I can order the regular curry and add toppings like chicken tempura or parent-child dish. Next time, I plan to try ordering the regular curry for 490 yen, plus chicken tempura for 150 yen, and parent-child dish for 390 yen, totaling 1,030 yen. Thank you for the meal.

Morning. I had about 15 minutes to spare near Tokyo Station, so I decided to grab a quick breakfast. I noticed a Nakau nearby, so I thought I'd have a beef bowl. But when I looked at the menu on the ticket machine, they didn't have beef bowls! Oh no! Well, I guess I'll go for the pork cutlet curry instead! I ordered at the machine, and in less than a minute, the pork cutlet curry was served. The speed was impressive. The taste was good too, and it's convenient when you're short on time. However, maybe it's because of my age, but having pork cutlet curry for breakfast felt a bit heavy. Hang in there, body! Thank you for the meal!

I went to Nakau at Tokyo Station. The taste at Nakau is consistently delicious. It's easy to go even with children. I ordered the parent and child bowl which came with eatable chili oil. The chili oil wasn't too spicy, but it was tasty. Thank you for the meal.

I finally found a restaurant in my busy schedule and had the fluffy "oyakodon and cold hiyashi kara udon (small) set". It seems they accept various payment methods such as credit cards and Suica, but I was a bit confused on how to use them. The oyakodon had a perfect fluffy texture to the egg, which was really delicious. The cold hiyashi kara udon (small) was refreshing with the added ginger, and the noodles had a nice chewiness. The broth was not too strong, just right. All of this for 500 yen is an amazing deal!

Before boarding the Shinkansen, I stopped by Nakau's Tokyo Station North Exit store for a late lunch. It had been four and a half months since I last visited their store in Higashi-Ginza. At the Higashi-Ginza store, I had the Premium Beef Curry, but I didn't post a review. I had heard that Nakau's curry had been renewed from Premium Beef Curry to Chicken Curry in mid-November, so I was eager to try it if the opportunity arose. I arrived at 2:20 PM on a weekday, with the store about 30% full. I purchased a ticket for the Chicken Tempura Curry @630 yen from the ticket machine after sanitizing my hands. I sat at a table for nine people while holding the ticket. (I read in a review that you don't need to hand the ticket to the staff at Nakau's.) Two minutes later, the Chicken Tempura Curry arrived. The rice had three pieces of chicken tempura on top, accompanied by fukujinzuke. Since it was the New Year, I also received a lucky coupon. It offered a 30 yen discount on rice bowls and udon, and two free pieces of Tatsuta-age. The way it was written made it seem like the curry was not eligible for the discount. I tasted the curry, and it was incredibly delicious, getting me excited! It was full of flavor from the chicken and onions. It reminded me of the canned curry I loved as a child from Nakamura-ya (different from the current Nakamura-ya canned curry). The curry sauce had small pieces of chicken thigh in it. Personally, I prefer it over the regular curries from Matsuya, Sukiya, and Yoshinoya. It might even surpass Matsuya's limited-time curry. That's how much I liked it. The spiciness was mild, so I added a little bit of shichimi togarashi for extra flavor. The chicken tempura topping was also tender and tasty. I drizzled some umami soy sauce on top and enjoyed it even more. I used to think that Nakau's curry was inferior to Matsuya's and Sukiya's, but after the renewal, that's no longer the case. The renewal was a great success in my opinion. Next time, I plan to try the Specialty Egg Curry. Thank you for the meal.

Marunouchi's only gyudon (beef bowl) restaurant, probably for breakfast or lunch near Tokyo Station's elevated tracks. The long and narrow shop has a ticket vending machine where you can make your order. I tried the Katsuo Donburi (bonito rice bowl) set for 690 yen, with a side of small udon for 100 yen and the pork teki plate for 550 yen, totaling 1340 yen. The Katsuo Donburi at 690 yen seemed a bit expensive, I could make it at home for around 200 yen. However, the pork teki plate was excellent, leaving me satisfied with just the right amount of food in the morning. Now it's time to get back to work.

I only had 20 minutes until my meeting!! I was getting hungry and couldn't go on like this~ So I decided on a quick lunch at Nakau. I usually like oyakodon, but this time I had the beef bowl and udon set. The beef bowl and udon both had a rich and delicious broth, even though I usually prefer the oyakodon.

I visited the restaurant because the deadline for the free voucher for "Hai Kara Udon" was approaching at the end of this month. I had a mini-sized gyudon (beef bowl) and the free voucher for Hai Kara Udon. I topped the gyudon with plenty of shichimi (seven spice blend) and red pickled ginger. I also sprinkled some on the udon and finished every last drop of the broth. Udon is my favorite.

12:50 visit. The place was about 80% full and I only had about 10 minutes left, so I considered a standing-eating option. But if there was a seat available, I hurried to the restaurant. The signboard read "Asari Udon," a direct competitor to Hanamaru and Marugame. Let's go for the lunch set: a regular-sized Japanese-style beef bowl and a small Asari Udon (600 yen). It's a good deal as the individual prices are 380 yen for the beef bowl and 350 yen for the udon, so you save 130 yen. I didn't have to wait long, and the service was quick as expected. Alongside the usual Japanese-style beef bowl was a small bowl of Asari Udon with clam shells floating in a yellow buttery broth. The aroma was delightful. I started with the udon, which had a comforting softness and a stable texture that allowed me to slurp it up easily. Let's dig into the clams now. The portion was small but there were a decent amount of clams in there. Of course, the clams were delicious. The buttery flavor was a bit strong, overpowering the clam taste, but it was still tasty. Next, I added plenty of pickled ginger to the Japanese-style beef bowl and enjoyed it heartily. It was indeed delicious. The udon continued to be slurped up, and the broth was flavorful. Overall, it was really tasty. Finally, I finished off with the beef bowl and used the miso soup as a palate cleanser. I was thoroughly satisfied. I hope they make this a regular menu item.

Title: "Mr. Yatsu's Year-End Party in 2019 Part 1, Breakfast at Nakau" For the breakfast of the 2019 "Mr. Yatsu's year-end party," I enjoyed a meal at Nakau. Mr. Yatsu is a friend from my vocational school days. It has become a tradition for us to explore Tokyo together all day starting from around Tokyo Station on the day of the year-end party. This time, I initially suggested another well-known soba chain restaurant, but he didn't seem to like their soba very much, so he proposed Nakau instead. We met at 9 AM and entered the restaurant. I ordered the Morning Mixed Rice with Natto Set for 340 yen, with a free large serving campaign going on. The large serving arrived in about 5 minutes, consisting of rice, miso soup, natto, raw egg, okra, and bonito flakes. It felt like a morning meal menu that was similar to Yoshinoya's "Mixed Topping Rice Set for 350 yen," but with natto instead of beef. Considering the price of 340 yen, I think the content was not bad. The rice was a bit dry, so I mixed in the raw egg first and ate it as tamago kake gohan. Since it was a large serving of rice, there wasn't enough egg to make it moist, resulting in a slightly dry tamago kake gohan. Next, I mixed in the natto and had it as natto tamago kake gohan. By this point, I had eaten some, so the natto spread evenly throughout. It was delicious. Finally, I added the okra and bonito flakes, and enjoyed the final form as "Natto Tamago Kake Okra Bonito Flakes Rice." Since I had already eaten quite a bit, I could strongly taste the okra. The umami of the bonito flakes spread evenly throughout. The miso soup contained chopped fried tofu, spinach, and green onions, and had a slightly rich flavor. It was not bad. Overall, by mixing in the raw egg, natto, okra, and bonito flakes, the meal essentially consisted of just rice (with toppings) and miso soup, but I could enjoy various different flavors throughout, so I didn't get bored and finished it all. While beef bowl chain restaurants often offer morning sets with a beef side dish, Nakau, which is not dependent on beef, has quite high-quality alternative menus as well. Since the large serving of rice was free, I was comfortably full by the end. I think 340 yen for this menu is quite a good deal for a morning menu. I couldn't help but wish Nakau was in my hometown of Kashiwa... (2019.12.5)

There are many restaurants around Tokyo Station where you can have breakfast, but personally, I was in the mood for a hearty meal in the morning. So, I decided to go to the familiar beef bowl chain, Nakau. It's very convenient to have a national chain restaurant that you can visit in the morning. This time, I visited the "Nakau Tokyo Station North Exit" located near the Marunouchi exit of Tokyo Station. One of the great things about Nakau is the availability of udon noodles. Among the four major beef bowl chains, Nakau is the only one where you can have udon noodles with your beef bowl. I ordered the beef bowl (regular size) and the "hai-kara udon" (small) set this time. It costs less than 600 yen, so the cost performance is very good. The "hai-kara udon" has a simple and easy-to-eat taste, and it's good for digestion, making it suitable for breakfast. The noodles are soft and lack firmness, which is a texture that I personally like. The soup is light and delicious. I think this udon is very good because it has a feeling of "this is how it should be." While the beef bowl alone may be better at Yoshinoya or Sukiya, the presence of udon noodles enhances Nakau's uniqueness.

Today's energy boost, morning yay! "Haikara Udon at Nakau, Tokyo Station" A simple tanuki udon with light broth, tempura flakes, fish cake, and chopped green onions. This is just the right amount for early morning♫ It was delicious ⭐(￣∇￣*)ゞ