The shutter had been down for a long time, so I thought the restaurant had closed, but today it was open so I decided to go in. It's a Chinese restaurant facing Waseda Street that has been around for quite a while. I ordered the liver and leek stir-fry set meal. At first glance, it looks like a typical liver and leek stir-fry, but the liver is stir-fried to perfection with a subtle seasoning of pepper and minced ginger, making it quite delicious. The Chinese soup was also not too salty, which I appreciated because it didn't make me thirsty later on. The rice was slightly hard, but with the flavor and portion of the liver and leek, I can forgive it for 700 yen.

Summer has arrived! I ordered the Char Siu Cold Ramen for 1050 yen. I've never heard of Char Siu cold ramen before, so I decided to try it. It comes with bean sprouts, wood ear mushrooms, tomatoes, and a boiled egg, which is quite generous. The green noodles are made from vegetables, so it's healthy. It tastes delicious when you add a little vinegar and chili oil alternately. Make sure to order the large portion to fill up your stomach here!

It's raining outside, so I thought there's no better time to enjoy hot ramen in the cool weather. I ordered the ramen set meal for the second time. The set includes ramen with a side dish and rice. The soup is light in flavor but becomes richer as you keep drinking it. If you feel it's not enough, adding some chili oil and mixing it in can enhance the taste. This ramen is vegetable-based and considered gentle on the body. Just a heads up, the air conditioning is not on yet, so be prepared when you visit. The owner mentioned that Tamori used to stay at a boarding house called "Saito Boarding House" during his student days, but it no longer exists.

Located near the Nishi-Waseda intersection along Waseda Street, there is a Chinese restaurant called "Chinese Cuisine Houmiro." It is a long-established restaurant that has been around since 1948, and it is run by a couple. The interior of the restaurant has a traditional atmosphere with four 4-seater tables and 2 single tables. The walls are decorated with the character "吉," adding a unique touch. The menu includes ramen starting from 650 yen, various noodle dishes, rice bowls, and set meals. The set meals, such as ramen set and gyoza set, are priced at 700 yen, making them a good deal. I decided to try the half cha-han (fried rice) and ramen set for 950 yen as it was my first visit. The husband took care of the service, while the wife was in charge of cooking. After a 10-minute wait, the fried rice and ramen were served simultaneously. The ramen had a nostalgic soy sauce-based soup with classic Chinese noodles. It was topped with boiled egg, wakame seaweed, bean sprouts, green onions, and chashu pork. The chashu pork had a rich flavor and paired well with the noodles. The fried rice was moist and fluffy, with a generous amount of chashu pork that added just the right amount of saltiness. It was delicious when eaten with the ramen soup. The portion size was satisfying. Payment is cash only. I look forward to trying their omurice and cold noodles in the summer. I will definitely visit again.

Ten years after graduating from Waseda University, I visited a Chinese restaurant for the first time. The place had been closed for a while but opened on 6/5, so I decided to give it a try. The interior was filled with oil paintings and Chinese characters, giving off a very authentic Chinese vibe. The air conditioning wasn't working well at the time of my visit, so be cautious when you go. I ordered the Gyoza set meal for 700 yen, which came with boiled egg, pickles, cabbage, Chinese soup, and delicious homemade gyoza. The soup was hot and had a lot of flavor, so I took my time to cool it down before eating. The owner's wife had been in the hospital for three months but had recently been discharged, allowing the restaurant to reopen in June. I had a great conversation with the owner about the old days at Waseda University, including stories about student movements. They mentioned that they don't know how long they can keep the restaurant open, so I recommend visiting while you have the chance. Enjoy your meal!

Ramen fried rice set for ¥950. When walking along Waseda Street, I often noticed the sight of rice cakes cooling outside the shop. I had been wanting to visit this place for a while. The restaurant has 6 tables and a TV. It is a Chinese restaurant in the Inishie Street. I decided on the ramen and fried rice set. The fried rice had plenty of pork, green onions, and eggs. Personally, I am happy when minced naruto is included. The ramen soup is light soy sauce flavor with pork, vegetables, half-boiled seasoned egg, and garnished with green onions. The noodles are curly egg noodles. Both dishes are delicious and a great value set.

At the intersection of Nishi-Waseda and Grand Hill, where Waseda Street and Shin-Mejiro Street meet, not far from Waseda University's west gate, there is a long-standing Chinese restaurant called Houbiro. The restaurant's impressive roof tiles give off a historic vibe. I decided to visit for lunch the next day after seeing the restaurant's exterior while walking around the area at night. I ordered the Half Fried Rice with Ramen set for 950 yen and the Chinese Steamed Bun for 690 yen. The next day, I returned to pick up the Chinese Steamed Bun and was pleasantly surprised by the generous filling and delicious taste. The ramen was also flavorful and comforting, perfect for a cold day. Overall, I highly recommend trying the dishes at Houbiro if you come across their sign advertising the Chinese Steamed Bun.

I went swimming, but unexpectedly found a long line and had to give up. It was Sunday, and most of the restaurants in Waseda are closed on Sundays. I tried to remember if there was any open shop along the road I had been walking on, and I thought I remembered seeing this particular shop open, so I headed back there. When I arrived at the shop, I saw the open sign, so I was relieved. I didn't end up as a lunch refugee. Inside the shop, there were two customers already seated. I ordered the half-fried rice and wonton for my dad (950 yen) and the mapo tofu ramen for myself (700 yen). The shop has a traditional atmosphere, being an old-established Chinese restaurant founded in 1948 in Waseda. On the wall, there is a golden decoration with two characters "喜" lined up, symbolizing double happiness. After a while, my dad's half-fried rice and wonton arrived. My dad's eyes widened with disappointment as it seemed they mistakenly gave him wonton noodles instead of wonton soup. Nevertheless, he had to make do with it. Then my mapo tofu ramen was served. It was filled with plenty of tofu, and I couldn't tell if there was any minced meat in it. The noodles were just ordinary Chinese noodles. The mapo tofu sauce was piping hot, not too spicy, and lacked the numbing sensation that is popular nowadays. It felt a bit bland, so I added some chili oil from the table condiments. The noodles were average, with no particular standout. Overall, it was a decent meal, lacking a bit of excitement. Last spring, I tried to visit this shop but was told they were closed for making chimaki to send to China. I noticed chimaki displayed outside the shop this time. Although they don't sell it every day, they put up a notice board outside when it's available for purchase. I'll definitely try it if I see it next time. Keep up the good work. Thank you for the meal.

Half-fried rice and ramen for 950 yen. Animal-based and dried food-based? Soy sauce soup with thin curly noodles, pork belly chashu, white leek, bean sprouts, garlic chives, wakame seaweed, half-boiled egg. The half-fried rice (rice, egg, chopped chashu) was the first choice, but unfortunately, the ramen shop was sold out. The second choice was this place. I saw this place on a TV show and decided to try it out. The place has a lot of history and is run by an elderly couple. The ramen had a light chicken broth soy sauce soup with a unique flavor. The noodles were thin and curly, which was interesting. The chashu pork was well-seasoned and delicious. The addition of garlic chives was unexpected but added a nice touch. The ramen also came with a flavored half-boiled egg, which was a pleasant surprise. The half-fried rice was well-cooked and had a good amount of chashu. Overall, the food had a cheap but enjoyable taste, and I liked it.

As I walked along Waseda Street towards Waseda University, I came across a quaint shop with an old-fashioned showcase. The shop seemed to be run by an elderly couple and was very clean with proper COVID-19 measures in place. I ordered a set of half fried rice and ramen for 950 yen. The ramen had a generous amount of toppings, resembling Cantonese noodles, with a sweet and gentle soup that paired well with the thin noodles. The fried rice was also delicious with a nice fluffy texture. Although the shop had a sign for Chinese cuisine, it felt more like a casual local Chinese eatery. Thank you for the meal.

This morning, I suddenly decided to head to Waseda first. I thought maybe the peach blossoms on Waseda Street might be blooming. But they weren't blooming yet. So I decided to have a drink at lunch. I couldn't find anything appealing in Okuma Shopping Street, so I went up to Nishi-Waseda intersection. I thought I might find a nice shop along Waseda Street if I walked from there. And I did. It was an old-fashioned Chinese restaurant. They had a la carte dishes and it seemed like you could drink even at lunchtime. I ordered a large bottle of Kirin beer. It was a Lager. I also had liver and leek stir-fry and mapo eggplant. The ginger slices in the dishes were delicious. I don't think I've ever experienced enjoying the ingredients in a dish before. When I asked when the restaurant opened, they said 23 years ago. It didn't seem that short to me, but they clarified that it was in 1948. It's such a lovely restaurant where you can relax even during lunchtime, despite not being very spacious.

The rainy season is about to end and it feels like a midsummer day. I visited a restaurant that I had been curious about for a while. The reviews were mixed. When I arrived before noon, there were 2 customers already there. The owner apologized for the broken air conditioning, but the open door created a street food-like atmosphere. They didn't have a lunch menu, but they offered a variety of classic Chinese dishes for around 700 yen. I decided to try the mapo tofu set. The owner and the lady started preparing the dish, and soon it was served. The mapo tofu was not bad, but it lacked saltiness. I added some soy sauce from the table, which improved the flavor, but it became too salty. The soup was also bland. It might be the restaurant's style, but it felt like something was missing.

"Tianjin noodles for 750 yen"

This is an old Chinese restaurant located on Waseda Street near Nishi Waseda intersection, on the left side as you head towards Waseda Station from the Babaguchi intersection on Meiji Street. The exterior of the restaurant is decorated with tiles, giving it a pseudo-Chinese feel, while the interior exudes a hint of Chinese ambiance. I decided to try the Wan Tan set menu for 900 yen, but ended up spending 1400 yen after adding a 500 yen order of gyoza. The service was a bit disorganized, with the fried rice left sitting on the counter before being served lukewarm. The gyoza arrived first, followed by the Wan Tan and fried rice. The fried rice was decent, with a good texture, but the Wan Tan was overcooked. The soup lacked depth of flavor, and the ingredients in the soup clashed in taste. Overall, the fried rice was tasty but not served hot enough, the gyoza was average, and the Wan Tan was disappointing. The service was also lacking, as the staff seemed more interested in chatting with regular customers than attending to new ones. In conclusion, the experience was mediocre in terms of both food and service.

Waseda Street leading from Waseda University to Takadanobaba Station. Among the small buildings lining this street, there is a building with a nostalgic tile roof that exudes a certain charm. That is Houbiro, a long-standing Chinese restaurant. To get there, exit the Tozai Line Waseda Station from exit 2 or 3b and head towards Anahachimangu Shrine. Keep going up the hill towards Nishi-Waseda intersection and towards Takadanobaba Station. It's a little to the right. At first glance near the entrance, it looks like an old Chinese restaurant in the city, but when viewed from the opposite side of the road, it gives off a historical vibe that makes you want to stop by. What I ordered: - Large beer @ 650 yen - Tenshin-don (Tianjin-style rice bowl) @ 700 yen Upon entering the restaurant, it is small but the Chinese-style interior is eye-catching. It seems to be run by an elderly couple. I started with a beer. Looking through the menu, the set menu seemed like a good deal. However, I was in the mood for Tenshin-don that day. Despite my hesitation, I ended up ordering the Tenshin-don. The Tenshin-don had a decent portion size. The taste was more homely than I expected. It's not bad for a casual lunch. After finishing my meal, I mentioned to the couple that I was intrigued by the exterior of the restaurant, and they started sharing various stories with me. From the history of the restaurant to stories about Waseda University students and how the opening of the Tozai Line and urban redevelopment changed the flow of people. They mentioned that since there is no successor, they don't know when the restaurant will close, which made me feel a sense of urgency. It was heartwarming to hear that they want to keep going until the Tokyo Olympics. I look forward to visiting again to meet this talkative couple when I'm in the area.

The origin of the katsudon restaurant was closed when I went there, so I found a visually appealing restaurant and decided to go in. It was run by an elderly couple. I ordered ramen and fried rice. The sound of the pots clanging in the kitchen was pleasant, and the timing of the ramen and fried rice being served was perfect! The floor and tables were a bit dirty, which is not good, but I really liked the size of the ramen bowl and the taste. The amount of ramen was just right, which I prefer, even though some might complain it's too little. The fried rice with an egg on top was a nice touch. The flavors were delicious, and the way the oil was distributed was just right. It's probably more of a Chinese or Taiwanese restaurant in the town, and not the type of place you would find on food review websites. I personally enjoyed it. It was also nice to see the old man peeling chestnuts with so much dedication. The untidiness is a downside though!

In the Waseda area, there are many delicious ramen shops, so I come here occasionally. I had always been curious about the classic-looking Takarabirou, but I had never been inside. I thought that maybe this old establishment in this competitive area might actually be quite tasty. When I entered the shop, 3-4 older ladies were working hard to make dumplings or something similar. An older man who seemed idle brought me water as if he was a waiter. Looking at the menu, ramen started at 550 yen. It was a normal price for a student area. The wonton noodles at 650 yen seemed like a safe choice. I ordered and the food was served in about 10 minutes. The toppings included leeks, seaweed, bean sprouts, half an egg, and a seemingly flavorless slice of pork. It looked decently appetizing. The soup was light, with a subtle broth. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't delicious either. The pork was also as bland as it looked. The noodles were medium-thin and curly, not bad but not great either. There was nothing particularly praiseworthy or critical about them. The prices were neither high nor low. It's a difficult restaurant to evaluate. In short, it was average. If they have the mindset of wanting to serve their customers delicious food, that would be great.

I visited "Houbiro" in Nishi-Waseda, which has a red-themed exterior and offers decent Chinese cuisine. When I arrived before lunchtime, there were no other customers. The tables, with pipe legs, were arranged in sets of four on each side of a central aisle. It seemed like the table on the right side was reserved for the wife, and the one on the left for the husband. The atmosphere, chairs, tables, and the half-fried rice ramen I ordered for 900 yen all felt very Showa era. They also had options like mapo tofu set for 650 yen and chilled Chinese noodles for 750 yen. I noticed a newspaper under the table, but when I saw the date was from today in the Heisei era, I came back to reality.