Cozy35
- Three-in-One Noodles ¥1,280 tax included
This is a Chinese noodle shop that opened about a 5-minute walk from Takadanobaba Station on the JR Yamanote Line. It was a very authentic Chinese-run shop. It seems like there are more and more Chinese noodle shops popping up in Takadanobaba. Is this shop really good? A curious visitor dropped by. During the weekday lunchtime, there were no customers when I arrived. There were only 2 groups of customers after me. The staff consisted of one woman when I was there, and an elderly man appeared towards the end of my meal. It was quite relaxed. The female staff member seemed to not speak any Japanese at all. I pointed to the menu in front of the register and ordered the Zhajiangmian. However, she seemed hesitant and started speaking in Chinese, which I couldn't understand, so she ended up using a translation app on her smartphone. She asked, "There are no toppings, is that okay?" Ultimately, we agreed on the "Three-in-One Noodles," a noodle dish with three colored toppings, which seemed to be the recommended dish. The staff member went into the kitchen and after a short while, the dish was served, taking about 5 minutes. It's hard to convey through photos, but the bowl was about 1.5 times the size of a typical ramen bowl, and it was filled with noodles and toppings. I started eating, and then something happened again. The "Three-in-One Noodles" had plenty of noodles topped with three colored ingredients: boiled komatsuna (I think?), a mixture of tomatoes and eggs, and minced meat. There was also a small amount of simmered beef tendon-like meat in the middle. Additionally, there was a spicy sauce with Sichuan pepper and chili peppers on top. More than three colors, right? I tried each topping with chopsticks since there was no spoon, but the noodles were disappointing. They resembled knife-cut noodles but lacked any chewiness and had a rough texture, almost like raw flour. Could it be that they didn't knead the dough to develop gluten properly? Even if they were pre-cooked, did they end up like this? Anyway, the noodles didn't suit my taste, and I felt a bit overwhelmed after eating about 1/3 of it. I couldn't change the flavor, as there were no condiments in front of me. The toppings tasted as they looked, with a numbing sensation from the Sichuan pepper and the typical spiciness of Sichuan-style Chinese cuisine, which I used as a stimulant to continue eating. While I was eating, there was some commotion behind me. I remembered that a young Chinese customer had entered after I ordered, and the staff member was conversing with them behind the counter. They were speaking in broken Japanese, with the customer saying, "It tastes better if you mix the dish well." The staff member probably couldn't wait to tell me this (laughs). Of course, I mixed it well before continuing to eat. The toppings were quite good, but the noodles were surprising. I have been to various Chinese noodle shops before, but this was a first for me. Is this the right way to serve it? They also offered a side of pickled radish and carrots, which was nice, but I feel a bit hesitant to revisit and confirm if the taste of the noodles is just for today. So, I'll wait and see. Thank you for the meal.