#Curry food tour across Japan #Curry Club - Night Training Poo Pong Curry (Matsuya Kinshicho Kitaguchi store) Thank you for the meal (^ ^) #PooPongCurry #Crab and Egg Curry #Matsuya #MatsuyaFoods #curry #curryrice #CurryClub #CurryLover #AlmostEverydayCurry #Sarameshi #KandaCurryMaster

He moved his workplace from the sad area of Yoshikawa in Saitama to the bustling district of Kinshicho, and for some reason, I can't stop feeling excited. I love bustling areas! On Sunday, after I finish work, I will head to Kinshicho and wait for him to finish work so we can have dinner together. The reason we went there is not just because I love bustling areas too much, but because he has a gastroscopy scheduled the next day and he needs to finish dinner by 9:00 pm. I finished work at 8:15 pm. We need something quick to eat! Kitakata Ramen, Tenya, Yoshinoya, Matsuya, etc. I'm fine with anything! Let him decide. We chose "Matsuya Kinshicho Kita-guchi Store," a well-known chain restaurant serving beef bowls located about a 1-minute walk from Kinshicho Station. We bought food tickets at the vending machine outside, entered the store, and waited for a few minutes. When our number on the food ticket was called, we went to pick up our order. - Cheesy Beef Bowl: I've only had Matsuya through takeout or delivery service before. The cheese on top of the beef bowl wasn't fully melted, but the saltiness of the cheese and the broth of the beef bowl matched well and it was delicious. However, the broth was a bit too much, so I should have asked for it without the broth. - Beef Chapche Set Meal (with extra rice): He had the Chapche. Usually, we would share and try each other's food, but this time he didn't offer me any. It seems the flavor was a bit mild, so he added some shichimi spice. He quickly finished his meal by 9:00 pm. Mission accomplished. Let's head back while being drawn to the sparkle of the bustling area!

At the age of 48, I had my first endoscopy scheduled for the next day. I was told to stop eating and drinking by 21:00 the day before, and since I finished work at 20:00, it was a tight schedule. Luckily, there are plenty of dining options in front of Kinshicho Station, so my girlfriend surprised me by picking me up after work and we had dinner together. We decided to go to "Matsuya" for a quick meal, where you can choose from beef rice bowls or set meals. I ordered the beef chapchae set with extra rice, while my girlfriend went for the cheese-filled beef rice bowl. The food was decent, but lacked a bit of punch, so I added some shichimi spice to enhance the flavor. If you opt for extra rice, I recommend getting double chapchae or ordering extra side dishes to balance the pace between the main dish and rice. Although you can choose from a variety of drinks like brown rice tea, water, hot water, or lukewarm water, the brown rice tea was a bit disappointing in terms of flavor. Overall, it was a satisfying meal.

On my way home, I suddenly craved curry intensely, so I visited this place just a 2-minute walk from the north exit of Kinshicho Station, where I had missed out on soup curry at a local Matsuya restaurant the night before. So, this visit was also for revenge. I arrived on a weekday at 8:35 PM, and the restaurant was about 40% full. I sat at a table for two, disinfected my hands and phone, and then ordered the Beef and Chunky Vegetable Soup Curry for 780 yen using the mobile order system. The mobile order system is convenient and earns points, so it's more cost-effective than paying in cash, but I wonder if it's not widely used. I have never seen a number with an "M" prefix other than my own displayed on the monitor before. Maybe the reduction of points from 10% to 3% is hindering registration and usage. After ordering, I waited for 5 minutes before being called to pick up my order at the counter and return to my seat. The tray contained the soup curry, rice with fukujinzuke (pickles), and miso soup. The soup curry included beef belly, one carrot, one small potato, two daikons, and a half-cooked egg. It didn't really have chunky vegetables as advertised. The poster shows plenty of vegetables in the curry, including green beans and onions which were missing from mine. As a chain restaurant, I will not hesitate to complain, but this is quite disappointing. The table I sat at was also dirty. Maintaining cleanliness even in a self-service restaurant should not be difficult. If there are no table wipes available for customers to use, it's easy to imagine that the tables will remain dirty. Although the meal turned from enjoyable to disappointing, I will focus on enjoying the soup curry. Hmm, there is quite a bit of oil floating on top. The spiciness is mild, and the sweetness and acidity make it quite delicious as a soup curry. Despite my dissatisfaction with the vegetables, the sweetness and satisfying texture of the beef belly are good. The half-cooked egg is perfect. I alternated between the soup curry and rice, and finished with the miso soup. I used to request no miso soup before, but since the mobile order system, I have not been able to communicate this. It's fine to have miso soup with regular curry, but I think it's unnecessary with soup curry. On a side note, the fukujinzuke that comes by default with Matsuya's curry is very disappointing. Since they provide pickled ginger, the fukujinzuke is not necessary, but if they include it, I wish it was a bit tastier. I got carried away and wrote various complaints. I am a heavy user, as I always have Matsuya's chilled beef rice and original curry at home, so please forgive me. Thank you for the meal.

I urgently went to Kinshicho. I went to Matsuya Kinshicho Kitaguchi store at the north exit while waiting for the first train. I had the beef and vegetable soup curry. The rice was served in a large portion. I didn't have high expectations, but the soup curry was just average. It lacked spiciness and depth in flavor. Well, considering the price, it's decent. I finished it while adding flavor with the pickled ginger on the table. It's okay, but something feels missing. Matsuya, after a long time, hasn't really made any surprising improvements.

Today's lunch was here. When I entered the restaurant, the air conditioning was so cold that it was almost too cold. After a few minutes, I got used to it though. This time, I ordered the "Chunky Chicken Tomato Curry" that came in second place in the second revival menu election, just behind the first place winner. I wonder what was in first place. I'm interested. I was told to wait a little while. Maybe it's frozen? The curry that arrived had the curry and rice served separately. The curry was tomato-colored. The chicken had no skin, which was healthy. There were indeed a lot of chicken pieces in it as promised. I liked that. Other ingredients included eggplant, bell pepper, and zucchini. It truly felt like a summer curry with these seasonal vegetables. The curry sauce was indeed curry-like. It was spicy at first but then became surrounded by a tomato flavor towards the end. There was a lot of side dishes, so the rice felt a bit lacking in portion. But it was delicious. Truly deserving of its popularity as number two!

Just near the north exit of Kinshicho Station is Matsuya. There are more counter seats than table seats, giving the impression that it targets working salarymen. There are ticket machines inside and outside the store, one each. When your order is ready, they will call out your number so you can pick it up. Even if you miss the call, the display above the kitchen area will show the numbers being called or prepared, so you can relax. Premium beef bowl (regular size) for ¥380 - the classic beef bowl in a regular size. It tastes a bit better when you sprinkle the accompanying sansho pepper. It's nice that miso soup comes with the order when dining in. Fresh vegetables for ¥110 - I forgot about the dressing and ended up eating them as is. It made me realize the importance of dressing (laughs). Buying cut vegetables at the supermarket might be more cost-effective. QR code payment is also available. Next time I go to Matsuya, I want to try something different. Thank you for the meal! (*´∀人)

Recently, due to the state of emergency declaration, there has been a trend of avoiding eating out, causing significant damage to restaurants. But what if you just go alone and eat in silence? Of course, when it's not crowded. I usually have breakfast with convenience store bread, but this time I decided to have a beef bowl once in a while. On a day when I didn't have telework, I went out. The nearby Yoshinoya was empty, so I thought this place would be quiet too, but unexpectedly, it was quite crowded. When did this place become more popular than Yoshinoya? Well, I've been a fan of this place from the beginning though. In the morning, I just had a beef bowl. I ordered a premium beef bowl, but even though it's called premium, it's actually the default (laughs). I wanted to order more, but I get sleepy during work, so I held back. Somehow, this place has become like a food court without a floor staff. You just buy a meal ticket at the machine and then sit down. When your number is called, you go pick up your food. The quick service is really appealing. I was called in about 3 minutes after sitting down. Today, the amount of beef was a bit less. It's inevitable that it varies depending on the day. But it looked a little disappointing. At times like this, I top it off with my favorite pickled ginger. I pile it on without fixing it, and it's like a pickled ginger bowl with beef topping (laughs). I sprinkle black sesame roasted shichimi (Japanese seven-spice blend) on top, about 5 packets worth. It has a tangy and spicy flavor because it contains Sichuan pepper. The light beef, tangy pickled ginger, and rice all together in my mouth. It's delicious, as always. Even though we should refrain from eating out, occasionally enjoying a solitary meal when going out is also nice.

I visited for lunch on a regular day. The original curry has been replaced by the founding beef curry, which has become a regular menu item. The original curry at Matsuya was quite spicy and of high quality for a beef bowl restaurant's curry, and it was my favorite. I was curious about what kind of curry would replace it, so I went to try it. I ordered the "Founding Beef Curry with Fresh Vegetables Set (Regular)" for 590 yen including tax. It's 100 yen more expensive than ordering it on its own for 490 yen. It's still cheap, but it feels a bit pricier. I quickly finished the salad and tried the founding beef curry. It has a slightly Western curry-like taste. The texture of the simmered beef belly meat is still present, and it's quite delicious. However, I still prefer the sharp spiciness and heat of the original curry. Thank you for the meal.

Premium beef bowl (without broth) for 380 yen - Starting work! On my way to the site in Kinshicho, I had breakfast. I was in the mood for soba, but nowhere was serving it. So, I reluctantly went to a beef bowl restaurant and decided to have the morning set at Yoshinoya, as there were no customers. I noticed that Matsuya next door had about 5 customers, so I went there instead. I had planned to have the morning set, but last time I had it, there was a raw egg... so I quickly changed my order to a beef bowl. I could have gone with the mini size, but since the price difference was minimal, I ordered the regular size, and ended up finishing it all. I am full now. The restaurant, as usual, needs cleaning. Thank you for the meal.

I got off at Kinshicho Station on the Hanzomon Line, planning to have kakesoba at "Metro An", but to my surprise, it was closed for the year-end holidays! The trains were running, but the station soba was closed. Is this part of the work reform? So, I ended up having breakfast at "Matsuya". It's been about a year since I last visited. Compared to the "Yoshinoya" I visited the day before, they are quite similar. I think the rice at "Matsuya" is slightly better. I hope they learn from each other! As for the not-so-great hotel buffet... they need to put more effort into cleaning the restaurant. Thank you for the meal.

It's been a while since I visited Matsuya. This particular branch is new to me. They have brought back the "Bibin-don <regular>" (490 yen; tax included) that won in the Bibin-don showdown (vs. Gyudon) that was held in the spring. I decided to try it out. The layout here is not the usual counter seats in a U-shape. I sat at the counter seats facing the wall. The Bibin-don arrived shortly, and it looked a bit dull in color than expected. A more vibrant color might have been more appetizing. The sweet and spicy seasoning is good. Unlike Bibimbap, it comes with kimchi, kinpira instead of namul, green onion, nori, and a soft-boiled egg. The flavors and textures are well thought out. It's recommended to mix it well before eating. It was a delicious meal.

This is Matsuya located in front of the north exit of Kinshicho Station. It's in a great location right in front of the bus terminal, and it's larger compared to the store at the south exit. Inside the store, there are counter seats lined up against the wall, with table seats in the front. However, there are partitions in the middle for solo diners, making it less ideal for group dining. I saw a poster advertising "Draft Beer for 150 yen" when passing by other stores, so I decided to visit with a junior colleague after work for a quick drink at a budget-friendly place (or so I thought), without lingering too long. However, the north exit store does not sell alcohol. Despite being in a downtown area like Kinshicho, it seems they can't serve alcohol due to rowdy customers. The store is not small, so it's not clear why they can't provide alcohol. Feeling tired from work and with no beer available, we ended up having a meal instead. We ordered: Premium Gyudon - Atama Oomori (480 yen) Matsuya seems to have taken on the popular trend of offering a larger portion like Yoshinoya. I chose this standard menu item to avoid the hassle of choosing. Just like Yoshinoya and Matsuya, having plenty of toppings makes it very satisfying. The well-balanced flavor compared to Yoshinoya makes the generous portion no problem at all. Raw Egg (60 yen) Even though you can eat without the egg, we decided to order it. It's the best side dish to go with the meal. By the way, at Yoshinoya, they crack the egg for you, but at Matsuya, they serve it whole. Matsuya is a cost-effective dining option. I want to emphasize again that this store does not sell alcohol. Please be aware.

When I went to see a movie in Kinshicho, I used a smartphone coupon at Matsuya in front of the station to get a 100 yen discount on the grilled beef set meal for 500 yen. In addition to the grilled beef, it came with salad, rice, and miso soup, all for just one coin. The cost performance was so high! I enjoyed the grilled beef and salad with plenty of sauce and dressing.

This place serves "gyumeshi" instead of gyudon, and it's the default but "premium." I ordered premium gyumeshi for breakfast. Having gyudon for breakfast is a bit unusual, but the restaurant was quite crowded. Maybe because they also offer breakfast menus like natto. Anyway, when you go to a gyudon restaurant, you have to have gyudon, right? It's fast, cheap, and delicious. That's the good thing about gyudon restaurants. It took a bit longer this day because it was crowded, but the portion of beef was generous, so I'll forgive that (laughs). The center of the gyumeshi. Use your chopsticks to make a hollow in the middle, then grab a bunch of pickled ginger and put it in the hollow. Repeat this four times (laughs). On the top of the mountain, sprinkle black sesame roasted shichimi. Four packets of that too (laughs). I'll stop here for today. But on days with less meat, the proportion of pickled ginger becomes higher. It's like a mountain of pickled ginger with a gyudon flavor (laughs). This day had a good balance with plenty of meat. It was delicious. The black sesame roasted shichimi has a good spicy flavor with Sichuan pepper, which goes well with the meat and rice. I'll power through the morning event in Ebisu with the power of gyumeshi (laughs).

【Today's Lunch】I had some business at Yodobashi Camera in Kinshicho, so I decided to ride my bike and stumbled upon a great deal with Origami Pay offering a discount of 190 yen. Since it was only available until today, I went to a nearby Matsuya restaurant and had the "Premium Gyudon with Extra Beef, Raw Vegetables, and Soft-Boiled Egg Set" for 600 yen. With the discount of 190 yen, the discount rate was 31.6%! It was a delicious meal, thank you!

Located on the Arkakit side of Kinshicho, this Matsuya has ticket machines on both sides as you enter. The staff, who are of Asian descent, are friendly and efficient, making the ordering process stress-free. I recommend the "Premium Gyudon Special" with extra broth. Despite the restaurant being almost full, the dish arrived in just 2 minutes. The Asian female staff member was also very nice, with a cheerful "hai" when serving. I topped my gyudon with plenty of pickled ginger and black shichimi pepper, but it lacked spiciness. I added more shichimi pepper for extra flavor. The combination of ginger and beef in each bite was incredibly delicious. The spiciness of the ginger and the richness of the beef mixed together in my mouth, creating an amazing taste. It had been a while since I had gyudon, making it even more delicious. I added more pickled ginger halfway through, which made me sweat from the spiciness. I finished off by pouring hot tea over the remaining gyudon, turning it into gyudon ochazuke. It was a satisfying end to the meal. Gyudon is a dish that I enjoy occasionally, and I will definitely have it again!

I went for breakfast. I ordered the breakfast set for 290 yen, with a side of beef dish. It's a good value for money and a nice option for breakfast. I recommend choosing the beef dish. It's a good way for foreign visitors to experience Japanese food in a casual setting.

The usual "Beef Rice Lunch (raw egg)" comes with vegetables, miso soup, and even though eggs have become expensive, it's only one coin! So grateful~

The new hamburg steak was very salty, but delicious. It was good, but nothing special. The mini tteokbokki was delicious.