JR Nagaokakyo Station is a highly rated restaurant. They serve udon during the day and izakaya dishes at night. I visited for the first time on a holiday night and was able to make a last-minute reservation. The restaurant was full when I arrived, so making a reservation is recommended. You leave your shoes in the shoebox and they have both counter and table seating. All seats are sunken kotatsu style, so it's comfortable for your legs. The appetizer was edamame cooked in a peperoncino style with olive oil, garlic, and red pepper. It was very delicious and I couldn't stop eating. The root vegetable chip salad was served on a large plate with chips made from potatoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and garlic(!), along with fresh lettuce. The dressing was white miso, which enhanced the flavor of the chips and lettuce. The fried mochi with yuzu sauce was crispy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. The yuzu sauce had a refreshing yuzu flavor that lingered. The fig tempura was sweet and hot, and the white miso sauce on top was also delicious. The stir-fried tripe and cabbage had tender and shiny tripe with crispy cabbage, and the sauce was perfect. We also had oolong tea and a draft beer which was just changed and at its best. The total bill for two people was 5070 yen. Every dish was incredibly delicious, and the variety of the menu shows the dedication, effort, and talent of the chef. I definitely want to visit again and try all the dishes.

I visited around 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. The atmosphere inside the restaurant was calm and relaxing. I ordered Chikuwa Tempura and Warm Egg Udon for 1100 yen. The freshly fried chikuwa tempura and hand-made udon were very delicious!!! This place might be a hidden gem in Nagaokakyo!

I have been to Hanarae's place a few times, but never had the chance to have lunch nearby. When I finally went after a long time, I found that the menu had completely changed. They now offer homemade udon with options like tsukemen, kake-men, and bukkake-men. For men, set meals seem to be a good choice. I tried the warm tsukemen. It doesn't have the firmness of Sanuki udon, but the smooth texture and fresh taste were nice. The tantan was a bit sweet and slightly spicy, which was perfect for me as I don't like it too spicy. It was delicious!

Hanarai, a popular udon and sake bar in Nagaokakyo City. Located about a 7-minute walk from JR Nagaokakyo, this restaurant is situated in the outskirts. There is a parking lot nearby, so many people come by car. I visited after my daughter's art exhibition, and there was a wait of about 3 groups before us around noon. The udon takes a long time to cook, so we ended up waiting for about an hour to get seated. My mother ordered the shrimp and mushroom tempura udon, my wife ordered the shrimp and mushroom tempura bukkake udon, my daughter ordered the chopped fried tofu udon, and I ordered the hormone set meal. The shrimp and mushroom tempura came with 2 shrimp and was very filling. My hormone set meal consisted of udon in a spicy hormone dipping sauce. We could choose between rice with raw egg or rice porridge, and I chose rice with raw egg. My daughter also enjoyed her udon and finished it all. The udon noodles are made in-house in a noodle making room, so they are very long. There is room for improvement in terms of operations, but the udon is very delicious.

I used it for lunch on a regular day. The chewy homemade noodles have a delicious taste that is hard to find elsewhere. The dipping sauce for tantan and soy sauce base also goes very well. It would be nice if the cost performance was a little better. I wish there were set menus that would be a good deal. Dipping udon (sesame base) tantan for 950 yen, dipping udon (soy sauce base) with pork belly and onsen egg for 1,180 yen.

My friend who works in Nagaokakyo City told me, "They're having a 'Nagaokakyo City LINE Coupon Festival', so let's add each other as friends and go eat!"... and shared this great information with me! \( ˆoˆ )/ Friend: "I'll leave the restaurant choice to you!" Me: "Okay! I'll look it up!" As I looked at the list of restaurants where the "Nagaokakyo City LINE Coupon" could be used, I noticed the name of the restaurant "Hanarai (Hanarai)"! "Ah! This is the place...!!" I had bookmarked it after reading a review from MyRebi who lives in Nara! (☆∀︎☆)ｷﾗ-ﾝ!! "That's the one!" It was decided easily! (bﾟv`*) We made a reservation and visited on a Friday night! ------------------------------------------------------------------ This time, we ordered: 〈Drinks〉 ⚫︎ Kyoto-produced The Premium Malt's Medium Jockey 640 yen → Friend ⚫︎ Lemon Shochu Highball 500 yen → Me ⚫︎ Gandeki Junmai Sake 550 yen → Shared ⚫︎ Kakuhai 500 yen → Friend ⚫︎ Ginger Highball 550 yen → Friend ⚫︎ Aragoshi Mikan Sake (Soda) 600 yen → Me 〈Dishes〉 ⚫︎ Appetizer (Edamame Peperoncino Style) ? yen ⚫︎ Chicken Karaage 720 yen ⚫︎ Seseri Salt Grilled 700 yen ⚫︎ Fried Tofu 550 yen ⚫︎ Root Vegetable Chip Salad 830 yen ⚫︎ Edamame and Shirasu Kakiage 930 yen ⚫︎ Scallop and Negi Tororo Yaki 880 yen ⚫︎ Water Dumplings 550 yen ⚫︎ Zaru Udon 850 yen ▲ Nagaokakyo City LINE Coupon Festival -600 yen *All prices include tax ------------------------------------------------------------------ ◆ Appetizer (Edamame Peperoncino Style) ◆ Kyoto-produced The Premium Malt's Medium Jockey ◆ Lemon Shochu Highball ◆ Chicken Karaage ◆ Seseri Salt Grilled ◆ Fried Tofu ◆ Root Vegetable Chip Salad ◆ Gandeki Junmai Sake ◆ Edamame and Shirasu Kakiage ◆ Scallop and Negi Tororo Yaki ◆ Kakuhai ◆ Ginger Highball ◆ Aragoshi Mikan Sake (Soda) ◆ Water Dumplings ◆ Zaru Udon The food was delicious and the drinks were refreshing. The atmosphere was great, and we had a wonderful time dining at Hanarai.

This was my first time visiting the Nagaokakyo Station, and there were two highly rated restaurants in the area according to Tabelog. This restaurant was ranked second (at the time of my visit) after Furaibo, so I decided to stop by after visiting Furaibo. The restaurant had a udon izakaya vibe, with a traditional Japanese exterior. Upon entering, I was greeted by mellow oldies jazz music playing in the background, and the interior had a calm and traditional Japanese izakaya atmosphere, with an L-shaped counter and sunken kotatsu seats in the front, and more seating towards the back. The menu had categories for bukkake, kake, and tsuke udon, with unique options like hormone and tantan udon, but I didn't see any curry dishes. They also offered dishes like tamago kake gohan and set meals, and in the evening, they had a variety of izakaya-style dishes. I ordered the bukkake udon with shrimp tempura and shiitake mushroom tempura, and opted for the cold version. The udon arrived after about 10 minutes, neatly folded with tempura and condiments on top, and the broth served separately. The udon noodles were thick with a slightly curved edge, initially soft but with a strong chewy texture and good elasticity. As I was eating, I noticed that the neighboring table with children had a tool to cut the long udon noodles, which reminded me of the No.1 udon restaurant in Kyoto (according to Tabelog ratings at the time of writing). This unique texture is not just from the ingredients and kneading method, but also from the boiling process. The broth had a sweet flavor typical of Kansai style, and pouring about half the provided amount was just right. The tempura, with crispy shiitake mushrooms and perfectly fried shrimp, was also excellent. With this meal, I have conquered the restaurant I wanted to visit in the Nagaokakyo area, and I must say, it was quite delicious. Thank you for the meal.

Today's lunch was at "Hanarai" restaurant. It is located a little east of JR Nagaokakyo. I had the Ebi-Ten and Agemochi Bukkake Udon for 1,350 yen (tax included), served hot. The udon noodles were glossy and delicious, although the portion was a bit small. It came with grated daikon radish, ginger, finely chopped green onions, and small strips of nori surrounding three medium-sized Ebi-Ten and three small pieces of Agemochi. I poured the warm broth over everything and started slurping the noodles. They were delicious with a great texture and smoothness. The broth was also very good. The Ebi-Ten was excellent, with a thin and crispy batter that enhanced the flavor. I even ate the tails. The Agemochi was also elegant and tasty. The only downside was the slightly small portion size and the relatively high price, but considering the quality, it was worth it. I left satisfied. Thank you for the meal!

Had dinner at Hanarai in Nagaokakyo. It's a place I've been curious about for a while. They serve udon during the day and izakaya dishes at night. We ordered water dumplings for 550 yen, fried mochi for 550 yen, and cold udon with simmered pork and onsen tamago for 1180 yen. We also had two draft beers for 640 yen each. The fried mochi was outstanding. The udon noodles were chewy and delicious. Although the portions seemed small, we ended up feeling full after trying three dishes (including the appetizer). The prices may seem a bit high, but considering the atmosphere, service, and quality of the food, it's reasonable. The only downside was that the draft beer was a bit pricey.

There are a few parking spaces available, but it gets crowded during lunchtime so we lined up to finally have a meal with my family. The udon here is more about savoring the texture, smoothness, and flavor rather than just the broth. The udon noodles have a nice chewy texture, and the tantan udon, which is chewy and spicy, even got my mother, who doesn't like spicy food, hooked and she kept eating it over and over. Eating Log rating 3.66

After visiting the Koryuji Castle Park, I stopped by a udon restaurant near Nagaokakyo Station. I ordered the Tan Tan Tsuke Udon with tempura plate for 1,600 yen. The presentation of the udon was beautiful. The udon noodles were chewy and very long. They were cut to the perfect length with a udon cutter. The Tan Tan broth was full of sesame aroma and you could adjust the spiciness with the included chili oil. It was very delicious and you could feel the attention to detail in the preparation. The tempura included chicken, wheat gluten, shrimp, green peas, pumpkin, and maitake mushroom. They were all crispy and tasty, especially the green peas which were exceptional.

A udon izakaya located along the road a little east of JR Nagaokakyo. The restaurant is not very spacious but has a nice atmosphere where you can relax and enjoy your meal. I visited for lunch this time, and had tempura with zaru udon (cold udon), while my wife had tempura with tantan udon. The udon noodles were very chewy and long, so you have to cut them while eating. The tempura was fried carefully, and the udon noodles were thicker than Sanuki-style, giving them a satisfying texture. The regular dipping sauce was just as expected, a simple soy sauce-based broth, while the tantan dipping sauce was incredibly delicious, not too spicy, and you can adjust the heat with the chili oil provided on the side. Tantan udon has a delicious flavor that becomes addictive.

I had some premium meal vouchers for Kyoto, so I looked for a nearby restaurant to use them and ended up visiting this place. It's a bit of a walk from the station, but there is a dedicated parking lot nearby. This restaurant specializes in udon, with unique options like tantan, horumon, and pork belly udon being popular choices. They also serve tempura, and in the evening, the restaurant turns into an izakaya. I ordered a tempura plate and tantan udon. The tempura included shrimp, fried tofu, chicken, green beans, eggplant, and pumpkin. While not as fancy as a specialized tempura restaurant, it was quite delicious for an izakaya. The tantan udon is like tsukemen, where you dip the noodles in a spicy sesame sauce. The sauce was rich in sesame flavor without being too spicy. The udon noodles were thick and chewy, and quite long, so they provide udon scissors. The noodles were top-notch, with a good texture and chewiness. Overall, the restaurant offers a variety of creative dishes and is worth a visit.

Since visiting the closed store in the city, I went to Nagaokakyo seeking that taste from back then. The tongs used to cut the udon noodles are said to be an homage to Yamamoto Menkura. The soy sauce-based dipping udon and the sesame-based tantan udon (I forgot to take a photo) were delicious. I hope they will reopen in Kyoto city once the situation with COVID-19 settles down.

A few minutes' walk from Nagaokakyo Station is an udon restaurant. They specialize in hand-made udon noodles blended with their own unique wheat blend, but they also serve as an izakaya at night. The udon menu is extensive, but the most popular is the tsukemen udon. I ordered the chilled tantan tsukemen udon and added a tempura plate for a few hundred yen more. The udon noodles are incredibly long, reminiscent of a commercial for Kyoto Bank. The noodles are thick and chewy, with a unique texture that is hard to describe as either firm or soft. When you bite into them, they are fluffy and chewy. The tantan tsukemen broth is not overpowering, with a mild spiciness and sesame flavor. When you drink the broth alone, it has a noticeable sweetness. I personally prefer a bit more spiciness or a richer sesame flavor. You can adjust how much udon you dip in the broth to your liking. The tempura plate includes shrimp, chicken, fu (wheat gluten), and three types of vegetables. The okra and eggplant are particularly good. The tempura made with summer vegetables is excellent. Although alcohol is not listed on the lunch menu, you can still order it. Enjoying tempura with beer and finishing with the chewy udon noodles is a great combination. They also serve motsunabe (offal hot pot) at night, but I think udon would be the best way to end the meal. With these chewy udon noodles, any dish they prepare is sure to be delicious. I would love to come back to this restaurant and visit Katsuryuji Castle again when I'm in Nagaokakyo Station.

I visited a restaurant in Nagaokakyo City, known for its "hana-mizu" (flower water) and located near Yanagidani Kannon Temple. The restaurant is situated in a quiet residential area with few other dining options nearby. The interior has a calm and sophisticated atmosphere. I ordered the "Pork Belly Steamed Tantan Udon" and the "Pork Kakuni and Onsen Tamago Dipping Udon" with a tempura set, choosing one hot and one cold udon. The udon was beautifully glossy, with just the right amount of firmness. The soy-based dipping sauce for the Pork Kakuni Udon had a sweet and savory flavor that was addictive. The dipping sauce for the Pork Belly Steamed Tantan Udon was not as intense as traditional tantanmen, with a slightly refreshing taste. The tempura set included vegetables, shrimp, chicken tempura, and deep-fried tofu, adding a touch of elegance to the meal. I finished with a comforting "zosui" by adding rice to the remaining dipping sauce. This udon restaurant is definitely worth a visit for its unique and delicious offerings.

[Date] June 3, 2021 (Thursday) 12:06 PM [Foodlog rating] 3.31 [Waiting time] None, 2 groups inside [Service] Yes [Would visit again] Definitely [Payment method] PayPay [Parking] 4 spaces available 100m east of the restaurant on the south side [Tantan Tsuke Udon] [Noodles] Regular (served cold) [Dipping sauce] Rich sesame sauce The homemade noodles are long and need to be cut with scissors, but they have a great texture and flavor. The dipping sauce is rich in sesame flavor with a hint of Japanese taste, complementing the noodles perfectly. Delicious! [Tantan Udon without Soup] [Noodles] Regular (served cold) [Toppings] Ground meat, chopped green onions, shredded chili peppers, chili oil [Sauce] Rich sesame sauce The presentation is beautiful, and the dish needs to be mixed well before eating to evenly distribute the sesame sauce at the bottom. The noodles have a good texture and flavor that stands out even against the rich sesame sauce. It's incredibly tasty and definitely worth trying again! Prices: Tantan Udon without Soup - 900 yen Tantan Tsuke Udon - 900 yen

(・ω・) This is Hanarai. I came here for the second time, as I had visited with my wife before. If I have any photos left, I will post them again. After finishing work, I was hungry so I came here. It was past 7 pm and there were no customers, maybe because of the rain. I ordered the dipping tan-tan udon, but they said they usually serve izakaya-style dishes at night, so ordering just udon was not allowed. However, since there were no other customers today, they allowed it. The complimentary appetizer was spicy garlic edamame, and it was delicious. The way they prepared the edamame was quite creative. The dipping tan-tan udon was as delicious as I expected. As someone who likes spicy food, the mild spiciness was just right. It's no wonder it's a popular menu item. The udon was chewy and really tasty. I finished with a comforting zosui and left completely satisfied.

Nagaokakyo Station, where I had a business connection, seemed to have few dining options around. I found a udon restaurant in a residential area on the southeast side, and decided to try it out. I ordered the tantan tsukemen set, choosing the cold udon option. The tsukemen sauce was just the right amount of spicy, and the udon noodles were long and easy to eat, with scissors provided to cut them. I could feel the history of dedication and improvement in the flavor of the sauce and noodles. Finally, I enjoyed a delicious zosui made by reheating the tsukemen sauce and adding rice and a half-boiled egg. It was a satisfying meal!

This was my third time visiting Hanarai. I ordered the braised pork belly tantan udon, small taro tempura, mentaiko omelette, fried eggplant, and udon seeds. The food was delicious, but it took a bit long to come out. Also, the attitude of the staff was a bit off. The way the servers brought the dishes to the table was quite sloppy. The last order was supposed to be at 10 pm, but the staff came to inform us that it was the last order at 9:45 pm. Well, it's a small restaurant, so I guess it's understandable. When I ordered the udon seeds, I was told it would take 15 minutes, but it actually took 30 minutes (lol). I also ordered the porridge with my companion. When the servers brought two bowls of soup and the porridge, one of the bowls had less soup and they said they couldn't make it. Shouldn't they have known that when we ordered? It left me feeling frustrated. Finally, at the checkout, the canceled porridge was still on the bill. When I pointed it out, the staff just casually said, "Oh, was it canceled? Sorry about that." It was disappointing. I used to travel over an hour to come and eat Hanarai's udon, but now I'm thinking it's not worth the effort.

I was looking for motsunabe and found a delicious one in Nagaoka! I visited at night, and it seemed like they required ordering an appetizer and one drink per person as it was an izakaya. The motsunabe had a refined taste with a flavorful broth, and the motsu was soft and delicious. I finished with some udon and left feeling satisfied. Thank you for the meal.