Visited around 12:30 on a Tuesday. The restaurant was almost full. They only accept cash payments. The parking lot may be a bit challenging for beginner drivers. The good smell of bonito coming from the duct. As I entered the restaurant, the enticing smell of curry. Couldn't resist ordering something other than curry udon. After some contemplation, I decided to order the satisfying set meal, even though it was a bit pricey. - Sauce Katsudon: Thin pork cutlet with a light sauce, maybe Worcestershire sauce? Would have been nice if it came with some cabbage or something... The sauce on the rice was deliciously sweet. The pork cutlet itself was decent. - Mini Curry Udon: Surprisingly spicy, gradually getting hotter as you eat. The udon had a decent amount, not clearly shown in the picture. The best part was dipping the rice soaked in sauce into the curry. That was the most delicious part. Overall, it felt like a restaurant loved by locals. Will definitely come back again. Thank you for the meal!

Today, I came here. This restaurant is located along the busy Route 171, a place that caught my attention every time I passed by. The radio is playing♪ Inside the restaurant, there is a kitchen on the left side that cannot be seen, no counter seats, and about 5 sunken kotatsu seats. There is also seating on the 2nd floor, although it may not be in use now. The place is run by two women, around 70 years old, and a part-time worker. The menu includes udon, soba, donburi, and set meals. I aimed for the "Curry Donburi" based on past reviews and photos, but it wasn't on the menu! I was surprised when the mother who brought me water said it used to be on the menu. She kindly offered to make it for me. After a while, it arrived♡ When I tried it, the curry roux, made by dissolving curry powder in dashi broth and thickening it with katakuriko starch, had a spicy kick to it. It was quite stimulating. The person who made it said, "It's spicy, right♪" and indeed, it attacked my mouth with a prickling sensation (^∀^；) The ingredients included beef with a lot of tendons, onions, carrots, and green onions. I finished it soon, and it was a light portion. It's a perfect dish to warm you up in the cold season♨ I'm grateful to the mother who kindly made it for me (o^O^o) Thank you for the meal! Personal note: Not wheelchair accessible, separate traditional Japanese toilets on the 2nd floor, parking availability not confirmed.

Truck drivers have been known to gather at this restaurant, which has a reputation for delicious curry udon. Run by an elderly woman, this longstanding establishment serves surprisingly authentic curry udon. Despite the lack of the promised dashi tamago, it's worth trying out the curry udon here.

I had been curious about this place for a while, driving by and seeing it out of the corner of my eye. Finally, I decided to stop by. The curry udon and sauce katsudon are the signature dishes here, and I was worried if I could finish both by myself. But when I looked at the menu inside, I found the perfect option - the "Satisfaction Set (sauce katsudon, mini curry udon, dashimaki, and pickles)" for 1200 yen. It was an amazing set. The curry udon was delicious, the sauce katsudon was exactly as I imagined, and everything was satisfying. For 1200 yen, it was totally worth it.

Source Cutlet Bowl Miso Soup Set 850

In September 2018, I visited a restaurant called "Yamazaki-ya" located on the left side of National Route 171 in Ibaraki City, heading further east. Instead of ordering the Tonkatsu set as originally planned, I decided to try the "Manzoku Set" for 1200 yen. The set included three pieces of sauce katsu on rice, curry udon, dashimaki tamago, and homemade pickles. The sauce katsu was like Osaka's famous "no double dipping" kushikatsu, coated in slightly sweet Worcestershire sauce. The curry udon had a spicy curry sauce that coated the thin steamed noodles well. The dashimaki tamago and pickles were also delicious, giving a traditional taste. The restaurant had a nostalgic atmosphere, and I was touched by the kindness of the elderly couple running the place and the local regulars who helped out. It was a heartwarming experience that truly captured the essence of the Showa era. It was a great dining experience!

When heading towards Minoh City from Ibara Interchange, the Family Mart across the street and the traffic light at Shimoicho serve as landmarks since the sign is not visible. The interior of the restaurant only has table seating, with no counter, so it may not be very relaxing. However, all seats allow smoking, making it a great spot for smokers. I ordered the sauce cutlet bowl for 650 yen, but it was disappointing that it didn't come with soup. The cutlet was surprisingly large with a thick coating of fine breadcrumbs that matched well, although the acidity of the sauce was a bit strong for my taste. The rice hidden underneath was piled high and coated in sauce, making it enjoyable until the last bite. I wanted soup, so I tried to order the miso soup set for 200 yen (with rolled omelette and pickles) but was told that the broth was their specialty, so I opted for the mini udon set for 350 yen (with rolled omelette and pickles) instead. While I didn't notice any particular emphasis on the noodles, the udon broth was slightly light but packed with umami, providing a rich and delicious flavor.

Number of visits: 1 time I happened to notice this place and decided to go in for lunch. I ordered the "Chicken Karaage Set for 800 yen." The food arrived relatively quickly, and the set included karaage (fried chicken), dashimaki (rolled omelette), salad, rice, and miso soup, which was quite satisfying. The portion of karaage was good as well, so I would say it meets the mark. At least it wasn't a disappointment. As for the taste, it felt like a typical local diner, which is also fine. However, the limited and cramped parking space, along with the inconspicuous location of the restaurant, might make it easy to overlook. It's not a bad place overall, and the atmosphere was quite pleasant, so I think I would be willing to go back again. I apologize for the poor quality of the food photos.

I found a promising restaurant through a search because I had to go in this direction for work. The restaurant was located along the national highway with limited parking spaces, so parking required some thought - I had to park in reverse to make it easier later. The atmosphere inside the restaurant was like an old-fashioned udon shop, with a variety of recommended set meals for oden lined up. The specialty here seemed to be curry udon, which sounded perfect for my slight cold. I hesitated between the shrimp tempura curry udon and the regular curry udon, but ended up choosing the shrimp tempura curry udon set. I was happy to see that it came with a dashimaki tamago, but that was the extent of my joy. The soba turned out to be udon for some reason, and the landlady just laughed it off. Furthermore, the curry udon had very little broth, almost like curry yakisoba. While the ingredients were good and the flavor was spicy, it felt like something was off. Additionally, the shrimp tempura was an extra 200 yen, but there was too much batter. Overall, despite the emphasis on quality ingredients and their origins, it felt like something was not quite right. Truly disappointing.

This is "Yamazaki-ya" in Shimoimachi, Ibaraki City. It's located along Route 171, more like a countryside than a town. For the past six months, I've been driving past this place about three times a week, but I never noticed it at all. It's true what they say, "the darkest place is under the candle." When I asked an acquaintance who lives nearby to recommend a good restaurant, they introduced me to "Yamazaki-ya"! I was excited to try this unexpected restaurant that seemed like something I would enjoy! When I entered the restaurant, I could feel the atmosphere of a long-established place. The deliciousness was in the air! The Curry Udon (680 yen) is their signature dish, so I had to order it. It took about 10 minutes from ordering to serving, and the soup was rich and thick! It had a lot of ingredients and was piping hot. Surprisingly, it was quite spicy. It might be too much for kids, but for adults, the spiciness was just right. Next, the noodles. They were thinner than I expected, but the texture was excellent! They were smooth and went well with the curry broth. Overall, it was a satisfying meal for 680 yen! Thank you for the delicious food! I would love to have a year-end party here! Location: 10-1 Shimoimachi, Ibaraki City Phone: 072-643-3759 Business hours: 11:00-14:30, 17:00-21:00 Closed on Sundays

On this day, I continued my training in Ibaraki for the whole day. I had my eye on a ramen shop for lunch, but it seemed like they were not open. With limited time, I entered a nearby restaurant. There were 2 groups of customers before me and 2 groups after me in the restaurant, which had tables and tatami seating only. They served udon, soba, and set meals, and it seemed like they turned into an izakaya at night. The curry udon looked delicious, so I ordered it with rice. The rate of ordering set meals or curry udon seemed to be high among the customers. After a short wait, a large bowl was served with a thick curry soup steaming from it, looking very appetizing. The soup had a Japanese-style seafood broth base, and the curry flavor was quite strong, with a decent level of spiciness. It was quite viscous, so it stayed hot for a long time. The noodles were thin, like fine udon, with a smooth surface and a light texture. The toppings included beef, onions, and large-cut leeks, which were typical for curry udon. This was my first time trying curry udon with thin noodles. It seemed like they focused on curry udon, as they had a variety of options like tempura and crab sticks. It was a delicious meal.

I was driving on Route 171 and still hadn't had lunch, so I decided to take a chance and go into a restaurant with a parking lot. It was almost 2 o'clock, so I was worried about missing lunchtime, but luckily they said it was still okay to order. I ended up choosing the curry udon, even though it wasn't on the lunch menu. I kind of regretted not trying the dashimaki listed on their website. The curry udon had firm noodles and a spicy soup that didn't seem too rich at first, but as I ate more, the flavors really came through. It was delicious! My mom ordered the Japanese-style ramen, and she said the soup was also really tasty. Although I thought it was just an udon shop, they had a diverse menu that would be great for a business lunch. Upstairs, there were tatami rooms for private parties, so maybe local companies have gatherings there. Overall, I think the delicious broth means all their dishes are probably good.

Bukkake Udon Set * Yamazakiya @ Ibaraki October 11, 2010 Since becoming a working adult, I often enjoy eating udon. I have a collection of photos of udon restaurants!!! However, I'm sorry... I don't remember the name of this udon restaurant, or I may not have even looked at it... ↑ The name of the restaurant has been identified!! It is located along the road from Minoh to Ibaraki, and looks like a normal house. Bukkake Udon Set for ¥500, with rice and dashimaki tamago included, was a great deal! I alternated between warm and cold udon noodles. But, the highlight was the dashimaki tamago which was really delicious... This place is actually known for its curry udon, and the whole restaurant smelled strongly of curry. I didn't try it after the meal because I thought my breath might smell, but still...