You can have a service lunch for 600 yen. The portion is generous, and it's surprising to find a lunch for 600 yen these days. It's usually crowded during lunchtime, but the turnover is quick, so you'll be fine with a short wait. The service is also fast!

Lunch at "Ajien" in Shinko 1-chome, Sangoku. Tuesday, February 14, 2023. Another busy day today. I went to the local Chinese restaurant "Ajien" that I had been curious about. Arrived at 12:50. Managed to find an empty seat. Placed my order. The Katsudon arrived at 12:58. I was torn between the unique Katsudon and Mapo Tofu, but ended up choosing the Mapo Katsudon for 750 yen. I added a large serving for an extra 100 yen, making the total 850 yen. The Mapo Tofu has a nostalgic taste and is quite delicious. The Tonkatsu hidden inside is also well-prepared and crispy. The large serving was huge, and although I managed to finish it, I think I'll go for a regular size next time. The pricing is very reasonable, and the restaurant is always bustling with customers, indicating its popularity in the neighborhood. I would definitely like to visit again. Thank you for the meal. #Ajien #Sangoku #Shinko

A few minutes' walk from Sangoku Station. I stopped by here today. The interior of the restaurant has counter seats and table seats, and the main menu is Chinese cuisine. I ordered the katsudon. Let's dig in! This katsudon looks completely different from the typical katsudon at first glance. It looks more like a Chinese rice bowl. However, underneath the sauce, there is a proper piece of katsu. The sauce is flavored with sesame oil and is on the sweeter side, which surprisingly goes well with the freshly fried hot katsu. The amount of rice was about 1.5 times more than a regular rice bowl, so it was quite filling. So, bon appétit! The restaurant has a traditional interior that is not exactly clean. Also, I couldn't help but notice that the glass for water looked like the type of container that usually holds 180ml of alcohol.

Regular customers are drawn into the restaurant as if by a magnet, and the place is bustling with locals from lunchtime onwards. The menu offers a variety of dishes, from set meals to noodle dishes and value sets, all at reasonable prices. I ordered the ankake noodles and curry fried rice. The ankake noodles were a refreshing salt-based sauce with plenty of vegetables and fluffy egg topping. The slightly thin noodles were delicious with the sauce. The curry fried rice had finely chopped ingredients in abundance, with a curry flavor and satisfying volume. The restaurant's specialty is curry-flavored dishes, including mapo tofu, curry Tianjin rice, and Chinese-style rice bowls. The service lunch, which offers a daily bento box at a cheap price, is also recommended. Whether you choose a single dish or a set meal, or opt for a combination of rice bowls and ramen, this popular local Chinese restaurant offers a wide range of options to enjoy.

Near my parents' house, there is a Chinese restaurant in town. I saw it on TV, and their Katsudon is a unique Chinese-style Katsudon. I had been wanting to try it, so during my stay at my parents' house, I decided to go. I arrived at 11:30 AM. There were 2 groups of customers, totaling 3 people already there. Soon after, 8 more people came in and the place was almost full. The Katsudon was indeed Chinese-style, but the sauce had a Japanese flavor with dashi, soy sauce, and mirin. In other words, it was a fusion of Japanese and Chinese flavors. It was delicious beyond my expectations. And the price was only 650 yen! What a bargain! Thank you for the meal!

Finally, we met. Every day is tough. I have no energy to think about dinner. I wish there was a Chinese restaurant nearby where I could have a light drink while enjoying a Chinese set meal. I always used to have a "casual drinking Chinese restaurant" and a "small, affordable yet authentic Chinese restaurant" nearby since my student days, but for some reason, I haven't been able to find one in Osaka right now. Both of them used to be near Toyonaka Station, but they disappeared after I moved. Well, since work is not getting done, I'll head home (laughs). I'll take a different route home today for a change... I'll take Route 176 early and bike towards Toyonaka. Suddenly, I see a sign that looks like a Chinese restaurant on a side street. Could it be? I approach it and see that it is indeed a Chinese restaurant. Wow, a local Chinese restaurant. Let's go in! Despite feeling awkward, my mental state is so low that I am able to be insensitive. I sit at the counter. Oh, the menu is extensive. There are many set meals too. I'm torn, but I order a draft beer for 500 yen and sweet and sour pork set meal for 750 yen. The two customers before me quickly left, perhaps because the Tigers were losing. I watch my team's sad performance while drinking my draft beer. The glass is a bit big. Oh well, it's fine. After a while, a waitress comes in. Shortly after, a group arrives. Are they family? Amidst all this, the set meal arrives. I start with the salad. Then I take a bite of the sweet and sour pork... Delicious! Many places make the fried pork smell, but this one doesn't! The frying is just right. The balance of the sauce's acidity and sweetness is perfect. It's a great match for the beer. The rice portion is generous too. Great value for money! Phew, I'm full. The set meal portion is great! The draft beer glass might be a bit big, but it's fine! I finally found a casual drinking Chinese restaurant. Or so I would like to say, but there's one thing I wish they would stop doing. If it weren't for that, it would be perfect. I'll come back again.

Today's Ajien is going all out with their fried dishes ⭐️ The fried set meal for 750 yen includes shrimp tempura, chicken tempura, and pork tempura - the three musketeers of fried foods. The chicken tempura is exactly as it looks, a crispy and juicy type of fried chicken. The pork tempura is a tender and fatty type with a sweet flavor. The shrimp tempura is on the softer side, typical of Chinese-style shrimp tempura. All the flavors are intense, with a strong pepper taste that makes it delicious. The egg omelette is also rich in flavor. My dream is to have a brown-colored one ♬ The soup is a strong ginger type. This is how a Chinese-style restaurant should be!

[July 26, 2021] I entered a Chinese restaurant in the city using Google Maps. "The Lonely Gourmet" style - Inogashira Goro Hmm, there are too many options, how should I attack? (There are too many menu items) Oh no, don't get overwhelmed by the atmosphere of the restaurant, calmly choose the best move to make (Local salarymen, middle-aged men, the place is packed). Two salarymen ordered, "Two lunch sets" and "One more lunch set, please," and I followed suit (laughs). What's included in the lunch set?? (laughs) Oh! Yakisoba and rice! Carbohydrate attack. (A specialty of Osaka. But I don't think I have this at home.) [Yakisoba] Wow, this is really good. [Fried dumplings] Yeah, this is also good, really good. It may seem relaxed at first glance, but this restaurant is top-notch! We ordered the daily lunch set for 550 yen (tax included). Thank you for the meal.

In Osaka, there is a Chinese-style katsudon that I had heard about but never seen before (I think). I found this restaurant nearby when I searched for it! It's a retro-style Chinese restaurant called "Misono." The atmosphere is very comforting. The menu says "Katsudon," but it's a Chinese-style katsudon. Katsudon for 600 yen. The quiet owner and kind landlady. Here comes the dish. The thick, hot sauce covers the katsu generously topped with vegetables. Mmm, it's delicious! The seasoning is just right, not too sweet or overpowering. The vegetables are cut large, giving a mix of Chinese and katsudon flavors. The neutral seasoning is unexpectedly delicious! I'm curious about the daily special set meal for 550 yen, but I might end up coming back for the katsudon again. I'll definitely visit again! Thank you for the meal!

A traditional Chinese restaurant with a lot of local customers. They have a wide variety of menu options, and I was torn between the Chinese-style pork cutlet bowl and the Mapo pork cutlet bowl, so I ended up ordering the Mapo pork cutlet bowl for 700 yen. The Mapo pork cutlet was not very spicy, and the pork cutlet was thick, tender, and delicious! The portion size was quite generous even though it was just a regular size. Thank you for the meal.

Due to the self-restraint from the coronavirus, the investigation of CKD is not progressing. I tried to visit the shop to somehow advance the investigation, but every time I go, it's just a parade of Japanese-style dishes. Before I knew it, I realized that I haven't had Chinese-style katsudon recently! So today, I went to Mikuni no Ajisai, a place where you can enjoy cheap and delicious Chinese-style katsudon. The ingredients for the Chinese-style katsudon include green peppers, shiitake mushrooms, Chinese cabbage, onions, carrots, and egg sauce. The ingredients may vary slightly depending on the day. As always, the Chinese-style katsudon was delicious that even made the corners of my eyes droop. Did the katsu get bigger? When I had it before, it was a small katsu like the ones you get at an employee cafeteria, but today it was thick and quite good. I thought it was a frozen katsu, but it might actually be handmade. If you want to eat cheap and delicious Chinese-style katsudon, then Mikuni no Ajisai is the place to go.

Last time I had a wonderful encounter with CKTD at Mikuni no Aji-en, and their other dishes also look delicious. Especially, their fried chicken had a good reputation, so I decided to revisit. If it's delicious again this time, it will become my regular spot. I was intrigued by the mapo katsu don on the menu, but today they had a daily special of mixed vegetables and fried chicken for 550 yen, so I ordered the daily special set. My junior colleague said the fried chicken was delicious, and indeed, it had a slightly lacking juiciness but the coating had a nice flavor, reminiscent of old-school Chinese-style fried chicken. The harmony of the crispy coating and tender chicken meat was delightful. The mixed vegetables dish had a punchy sauce with plenty of vegetables and pork, which you can enjoy on its own or over rice. The hot and gingery chicken broth soup made me feel like I was truly dining at a local Chinese restaurant. The next day, I felt like having mapo katsu don again, so I revisited. My taste buds seem to be unable to forget the flavors of Mikuni no Aji-en. The mapo katsu don consisted of mapo tofu with fried fish cake, and although it wasn't very spicy or numbing, it was flavorful and had a good amount of minced meat, carrots, and wood ear mushrooms. Of course, there was plenty of tofu and the usual fried fish cake on top, making it a satisfyingly hearty meal. The flavor was a bit lacking in punch, but the hot tofu made up for it. The generous portion of rice made the mapo sauce seem a bit scarce, which was a bit disappointing, but it left me feeling full. This restaurant may not be suitable for those seeking delicate flavors, but it is perfect for those looking for the taste of local Chinese food with its bold and hot flavors, quick service, affordable prices, and delicious dishes.

After finishing the CKD survey for the year, I recently visited a new CKD restaurant called CKD7 Bowl! This review is titled "CKD Seven End-of-Year Special!" This time, I tried the Chinese-style Cutlet Bowl. The atmosphere of the restaurant was inviting, and the smell of the food was enticing. I ordered the Cutlet Bowl with a sweet and spicy sauce, which turned out to be a delightful harmony of Chinese dashi broth and chili oil. The bowl was filled with onions, leeks, bell peppers, carrots, wood ear mushrooms, and cabbage. The cutlet was small but satisfying, similar to the size of a cutlet curry. The taste was like a popular Chinese dish with a soy sauce-based sauce and crispy cutlet. Overall, it was a pleasant surprise to discover this delicious Chinese-style Cutlet Bowl, and it reminded me once again that good CKD goes well with good Chinese food! My companion also mentioned that the fried chicken was delicious, so I might try that next time.

Recently, I happened to discover a small Chinese restaurant while wandering around the area between Hankyu's Kamizakigawa and Sangoku. The interior had about 10 seats at the counter and 3 small tables, each for 2 people. It was before lunchtime and there was only one customer already there. I felt thirsty and ordered a bottle of beer. Looking at the menu on the counter, I also ordered yakisoba. It was quickly cooked and served, and although the flavor was a bit strong, it was delicious. While eating, I thought it would be nice to have a drink in a place like this. It was just past noon and the counter quickly filled up with customers, mostly nearby workers who seemed to be regulars chatting with the owner. I learned that they don't operate at night. After finishing my meal, I paid a total of 950 yen, which means the bottle of beer was 450 yen. I don't usually come to this area, but I definitely want to visit this restaurant again.

I ordered the lunch special today, which was a combination of chop suey and fried chicken. It was a generous portion and only cost 600 yen, which is amazing! Next time, I'll try a different menu item.

The dumplings are delicious, especially ones with a good chewy texture. The beer, including Akahoshi, is also good. ^_^

Dumplings are super delicious! The texture is excellent!

It's been about a year and a half since I had the set meal here, and it was full of volume. I had the "Aien set meal." I wonder if the others are like this too? It's great value for money, and the taste is perfect. But it seems like they only open for lunch, which is a shame.

Daily lunch special (mixed vegetables stir-fry, fried chicken)