July of the 5th year of Reiwa, business hours (6:30-20:00) Today's daily special: Cold Spicy Curry Soba for 550 yen including tax. Perfect for hot weather, the cold dish with tempura flakes added halfway through for a nice flavor change. In addition to udon and soba, they also offer rice bowl dishes like tuna bowl and pork cutlet bowl.

After a long time, I had a morning drink in Nishinari and felt a bit tipsy, but I refreshed myself with some food at the end. Oh, it was delicious! Even though I had eaten and drank so much at the previous shop, I easily finished the udon and pork cutlet curry. Thank you for the meal! #Nishinari food #Nishinari town food #Osaka gourmet #Nishinari gourmet #Haginoyachagourmet #Matsuya Udon

Visited the cafe Lucky and Love for a delicious sandwich breakfast. Afterwards, for safety reasons, I decided to head back to the hotel through an arcade in a slightly scary area known as "Nishinari" and "Airin." Along the way, I came across an open udon shop and decided to try their meat udon. The atmosphere of the shop was good, with two other customers present. The meat in the udon had a boiled look to it and the broth had a lot of scum on the surface. It was a menu choice I made for protein intake, but unfortunately, it didn't meet my expectations. I ate the meat and left the udon, saying a quiet thank you before leaving quickly. Maybe next time, I'll stick to regular udon. Udon Matsuya - with shichimi, ichimi, meat, and scum. Oh well, I should have just stuck with regular udon. Disappointing.

【Yellow Soba Quest】For lunch, I went to "Matsuya" in the Haginoyachashoten shopping street in Nishinari to try Yaeyama soba. With over 50 years of history, this restaurant caters to the locals in Nishinari by offering affordable udon, soba, and rice bowls. On this day, I enjoyed a bowl of Yaeyama soba with char siu and chirashi sushi. The Yaeyama soba, made with Chinese noodles in a Japanese broth, can be considered a type of yellow soba. Both the Yaeyama soba and chirashi sushi had a simple taste at an affordable price. The broth of the Yaeyama soba seemed to be intentionally light, possibly to cater to the elderly in Nishinari who need to watch their salt intake.

Title: "Osaka Trip in January 2023 Part 7: Surprisingly Light Soba" I used it for dinner on the 2nd day of my 18-ticket trip in January 2023. It had been 10 months since my first visit last year, and I wanted to go more frequently, but Osaka has too many charming restaurants, making it difficult to visit them all. When I arrived at 6:03 PM on Saturday, there were 2 staff members and 4 other customers. I ordered chirashi sushi for 140 yen and soba for 230 yen, paying a total of 370 yen with PayPay (earning 1 point). Shortly after ordering, the chirashi sushi arrived in about 1.5 minutes, followed by the soba. The chirashi sushi was rated 8 out of 10, with a decent amount of rice topped with finely chopped lotus root, carrot, seaweed, and pickled ginger. It was delicious. However, the soba only received a 3 out of 10 rating because the noodles were thick, soft, and lacked flavor in the broth. Despite this, the prices were reasonable. Overall rating: 6 out of 10. The staff were friendly, and the menu variety was appealing. I hope they extend their operating hours in the future. I look forward to trying the curry that the man next to me ordered next time. (January 7, 2023)

For lunch on this day, I visited the restaurant "Matsuya Udon." It is located in the "Haginotsaya Hondori Shotengai" shopping street, between Nankai Koya Line's "Haginotsaya Station" and Hankai Tramway's "Imazato Station." The atmosphere is typical Osaka udon, and it's cheap, fast, and delicious. The menu is really extensive, offering not just udon and soba, but also curry, tempura rice bowls, tuna bowls, and more. There are many toppings for udon, including limited-time options, making it hard to choose. I ordered the "katsu udon for 520 yen" and "onigiri for 140 yen," totaling 660 yen for katsu and two onigiri - a great deal! The udon with onions was a highlight. The cost performance is excellent, and I thoroughly enjoyed Osaka udon. Thank you for the meal!

Title: "Exploring Western Japan with the Youth 18 Ticket in March 2022 - Part 8: A Udon and Soba Shop with Everything" On the third and final day of my trip to Western Japan in March 2022 using the Youth 18 Ticket, I checked into a budget hotel in Shin-Imamiya district around 6 PM the day before and headed to Namba district. Along the way, I had dinner at Gyoza no Ohsho, took care of some errands, and by the time it was 10 PM, I had received a ticket for a public bath but felt too tired to go, so I returned to the hotel. I fell asleep with the lights on and woke up at 6 AM the next morning, feeling fatigued and with blisters on my toes, making me want to go back to Kashiwa quickly. However, I decided to have breakfast first before heading home and visited Udon Soba Matsuya at Hagi no Chaya, recommended by someone I knew. Upon arriving at the shop at 6:30 AM on a Sunday, there was already one customer ahead of me. The shop had a bright and clean interior, with a TV airing a program about the Imperial Family on Sunday mornings. I initially thought of ordering Yaeyama Soba but was intrigued by the daily special, a Tempura Rice Bowl for 520 yen, so I changed my order. The ordering was done verbally, and payment was made just before the dish was served. The dish arrived in about 4 minutes and was rated out of 10 points as follows: Soup: 4 points - A simple broth with only green onions, tasting like a light soy sauce-based broth. Pickles: 5 points - Thinly sliced takuan pickles that served as a good palate cleanser. Tempura Rice Bowl: 7 points - Consisted of half-cut Satsumaimo sweet potato tempura, chikuwa fish cake tempura, quarter-cut kakiage mixed vegetable tempura, and two shrimp tempura. The tempura pieces were small in size, with a light and crispy batter. The rice had a bit of sauce drizzled over it, making it slightly soft from absorbing the sauce. The portion of rice was quite generous. Overall Rating: 7 points - Compared to Tenya, a chain known for tempura rice bowls, Matsuya offers a similar experience at a more affordable price. The fact that they open from 6:30 AM is a plus, making it a convenient breakfast spot when staying in Osaka in the future. (March 20, 2022)

From morning, I was moving around without eating anything, so it was a late lunch time after 3 pm. There were so many menu options at this place called "Matsuya" behind the Nishinari Police Station. It's not the Matsuya chain, by the way. We were the only customers because it was around 3 pm. The interior had only a counter, which could seat about 10 people. They were very strict with COVID-19 measures, which was reassuring. The menu had around 120 items, making it hard to decide. I was torn between the pork cutlet bowl, curry with pork cutlet, and even Yaeyama soba. Finally, I chose the "Niku-sui (beef hot pot) (530 yen)". It was my first time trying Niku-sui, so I went with the sweet soy sauce flavor. The Niku-sui had a Sukiyaki-like seasoning with a hint of sweetness, maybe from the udon broth? It had a strong bonito flavor and was refreshing. It was filled with beef, tofu, green onions, mushrooms, and other ingredients, which warmed me up. It was delicious. The raw egg dropped into the hot pot became creamy when mixed, which was also nice. For the side, I chose onigiri (2 pieces) with a choice of okaka (bonito flakes) or salmon furikake. It had a nostalgic taste that was satisfying. I thought I would go easy to avoid getting hungry before dinner, but it turned out to be quite filling. It was a classic Osaka flavor, and I was very satisfied. Matsuya Udon Osaka, Osaka City, Nishinari-ku, Hagi-no-chaya 2-3-8 06-6647-5128 Business hours: 6:30 am to 8:00 pm Closed on January 1st and every Thursday.

I thought it was a stand-up udon shop, but it's actually a place where you can sit down and eat. The prices are quite reasonable and affordable! You pay when you order. I ordered the "Yaeyama soba" for ¥360! It came with a good amount of green onions and about 5 slices of chashu. The chashu was really good! The soup had a nice Japanese flavor, and the noodles were also good. Delicious! I will definitely come back!

Actually, this is my second visit here. The first time I forgot to take photos, and this time I forgot to take photos of the food... I always seem to eat right away when food is in front of me, and then realize at the end that I forgot to take pictures. I couldn't get used to Osaka's udon, so this time I went with soy sauce ramen. The toppings included bean sprouts, seaweed, green onions, and chashu. I ordered ramen, but for some reason I thought it was soba and we both got confused, but the waitress made it for us in about 5 minutes. Maybe next time I'll try miso ramen.

If you are a fan of traditional izakayas in Kansai, you cannot miss the legendary old-school izakayas known by the veteran enthusiasts! One of these is the long-established izakaya, Masuya, which can be found in various locations across Kansai. Another izakaya, Maruichiya, also found in different areas, was originally part of the same group as Masuya. It is common knowledge among izakaya enthusiasts with a rating of 55 or higher, but those with a rating of 65 or above may know that Matsuya, found in various locations, was also originally part of the Masuya group. Although the relationships between these groups and shops have since changed, Matsuya in the Hagi no Chaya shopping district is operated by a veteran who knows the old days when these connections existed.

When you walk from Nankai Dentetsu Shin-Imamiya towards Tennoji, you will come across a road passing in front of Nishinari Police Station. If you continue straight on that road, you will reach a shopping street. Walking in the direction of the Nankai Dentetsu railway line in the shopping street, you will see it on your right side. I think it is a branch of Matsuya. The prices are a bit higher compared to Matsuya in Namba, but the menu is extensive. I tried ordering the katsudon that I always get at Matsuya. It was a katsudon with a lot of volume, just like a regular donburi restaurant. It was satisfying.

In the vicinity of Nishinari, a low-cost noodle shop offering soba and udon dishes. The owner aims to provide a standing-eating experience similar to station udon, but with the option to sit down. Their signature dish is the Yaeyama soba priced at 360 yen (tax included). This dish has been featured on the TV show "Kenmin Show" as a must-try Okinawan soul food. The Yaeyama soba is served in a semi-transparent plastic bag with canned mackerel, which is then mixed and kneaded by hand before serving. The dish includes generous portions of char siu, which adds a rich and delicious flavor. The noodles are cooked quickly and may be slightly overdone, but the broth, whether for udon or soba, has a consistent taste. Overall, the dining experience was efficient and satisfying. Additionally, there is a smoking area located next to the shop in an alley, although it was not in use during the visit.

I have been to a few Matsuya Udon restaurants before, but this was my first visit here. They have katsu udon too! This is definitely delicious. I'm curious about the Yaeyama soba. The interior of the restaurant is neat, clean, and has a sense of cleanliness. It feels like it was just renovated. There is a sit-down counter, with a spacious seating arrangement, partitions for separation, and disinfectant available, so they are well-prepared for the new coronavirus. The menu is extensive. Among the Matsuya restaurants I have visited, this one seems to have the most variety. I was curious about the tonkotsu ramen, so I ordered it. I placed the payment on the counter and they brought the food to me later. The chashu was cold but authentic. The soup was light and thin, and the noodles were soft and slightly thick. They also had red pickled ginger, sesame seeds, and green onions sprinkled on top. At 380 yen, this udon restaurant is reasonably priced and the food was well done. They have self-serve water with a water dispenser at the back of the restaurant. There were two male staff members working hard. It was delicious, thank you for the meal.

This day was January 2nd... I was hungry but the other shops were not open, so I decided to visit the only open shop, "Matsuya." The place seemed to have mostly regular customers. They had "katsu udon" on the menu, which I ordered. The shop requires payment when ordering, which is a good practice. There were English menus, probably for foreign tourists, and even a Chinese menu. I ordered the special katsu udon for 470 yen. It came with fried pork cutlets, sliced onions, and chopped green onions. The portion was generous, and the broth had a nice flavor from the bonito flakes and fried pork. The udon noodles were basic but satisfying. Overall, it was a tasty meal.

"Meat Sucking Set (with white rice, onigiri, inari, chirashi sushi - any of these options) for 500 yen including tax. The meat sucking dish includes Chinese cabbage, enoki mushrooms, shimeji mushrooms, onions, green onions, pork, and eggs - a dish with plenty of ingredients. It's not a secret menu item, it's actually listed on the menu as 'meat sucking'! It's also expected to be finished within 10 minutes (lol). #Nishinari #Haginoyachaya #Udon #Matsuya #MeatSucking #ChirashiSushi"

Abura-kasu udon for ¥520 and onigiri for ¥140.

I like the atmosphere of this udon restaurant located in a deep shopping street. I ordered the tempura soba, and it had a gentle taste with a strong dashi flavor.

It's totally edible!

This is Hagi no Chaya. The tempura was delicious. The udon noodles were a bit soft and cut unevenly. They accept PayPay.