I visited "Hatenden Ueno Branch," located about a 5-minute walk from Okachimachi Station. I ordered the following dishes: - Sweet and Spicy Shrimp and Clam Salad: At first, it seemed sweet, but then the spiciness of chili pepper and Sichuan pepper hit me! Each bite makes you want more of its addictive deliciousness. The shrimp and clams were delicious! - Stir-fried Pea Sprouts: A comforting dish that everyone would enjoy! - Mao Zedong-style Braised Pork: Plenty of garlic and chili pepper! The pork was tender and delicious. - Special Garlic Oysters: Lots of minced garlic! It was so flavorful that it made me breathe fire. The oysters were large and amazing! Truly authentic Chinese cuisine with a variety of unique dishes. About 80% of the customers were Chinese and they all seemed to be enjoying the authentic Chinese food. There were many female customers. I would like to challenge dishes like coagulated duck blood or chicken feet someday! And of course, the stinky tofu should not be forgotten. (laughs) It was delicious, thank you for the meal.

Visited a newly opened restaurant in Ueno Okachimachi called "Hakoten", which is known for their sweet and spicy shrimp, clam and snail hot pot, and lamb skewers. This place is part of a chain that opened a second location in Ikebukuro last year, and is located on the third floor of a building with a panda mahjong statue on the first floor. The interior has a chic retro China style with exposed concrete walls, and the staff wear T-shirts with different mahjong tiles on their backs. Orders are placed using a QR code scan on a smartphone. Their recommended dish, "Tian Ma Fei Ge", is a clam dish cooked in a sweet and spicy soup with a numbing Sichuan pepper flavor. It arrived in a huge iron plate that was intimidating at first, but with a Qingdao beer in hand, I managed to finish it all. For dessert, I ordered the "Lu Si Ya Jiao Bao", a hot pot with snails and duck feet that is a must-have with white rice. The snails are a bit small and tricky to eat, but the seasoning goes well with rice, and I couldn't resist getting a second helping of rice.

The snail noodles are delicious, very tasty. The grilled skewers are also delicious~

The variety at this authentic Chinese restaurant is amazing! They have both spicy and sweet options.