I visited Tobu Department Store's underground grocery store because I felt lazy to cook today. Among the various shops, I found dumplings made with Kujo leeks, which I love. I ordered the Kujo leek stick dumplings [4 pieces]. The dumplings were still slightly crispy on the outside and had a nice roasted aroma. The filling was smooth and well-ground pork, with a decent taste of pork and sweetness. However, there were very few Kujo leeks, so their unique sweetness and aroma were not prominent. The cabbage was also very minimal, so it felt more like a meat dumpling. The stick shape made the meat juices escape from the edges, which was not ideal. The seasoning was mild, so adding preferred condiments seemed like a good idea. There was a slight oily and slightly rancid smell that bothered me a bit. Overall, "Keirin" restaurant, thank you for the meal.

When I was shopping for dinner in the basement of Tobu Department Store, I came across a rare single-piece portion of oil-drizzled chicken in the deli section. Usually, the oil-drizzled chicken sold in department store delis is chicken karaage with oil-drizzled chicken sauce on top. So, seeing a single piece of oil-drizzled chicken was unusual and I decided to buy it as I was curious to try it. The chicken didn't have the sauce on it, so I asked the staff to add the sauce when I ordered it. They kindly agreed to provide the sauce separately. I warmed up the karaage and sauce in the microwave for about a minute. The warm karaage released a delicious aroma when heated, and when I cut into it, the juicy meat was mouth-watering. I poured the sauce over the cut karaage and it transformed into a perfect oil-drizzled chicken dish! I enjoyed it while it was still warm. The sauce had just the right balance of tanginess and sweetness, making it very tasty. The chicken was tender, and the mild seasoning allowed the sauce to shine without overpowering the dish. I personally wouldn't have minded a bit more tanginess, but I understand that they may have toned it down to cater to a wider audience. Overall, I thought the quality of this deli item was quite high!

This time it's "Keirin Tobu Ikebukuro Store". Not "led by a cow..." but rather "drawn in by the smell to Keirin". <<A la carte>> *Keirin Shanghai Yakisoba (600 yen) At first glance, the visual may seem rich in flavor, but surprisingly it can be enjoyed lightly. As for the ingredients, it's unclear what makes it Shanghai, but once you hear it, you'll agree. *Sautéed Squid and Maitake Mushrooms in Soy Sauce (454 yen/g) This is the staff's recommended dish. The tender squid and generously cut maitake mushrooms are well coated in soy sauce and oyster sauce. Definitely a "must-have with beer." Delicious! (The showcase in the department store basement is a devil's smile, isn't it?) Looking at the showcase, stopping, pondering, buying whatever catches your eye = equation for overspending. But recently, I've learned to "ask for recommendations," which is the best strategy (laughs). Realizing at the department store basement that "humans do not grow without mistakes"... Thank you for the meal! P.S. Speaking of "realization," back when I was a novice, I went on a one-week training retreat at a temple to eliminate "distractions." However, our group's "worldly desires" were not easily eradicated even with the help of the Buddha for a week (laughs).

I came to Tobu Department Store in Ikebukuro to buy various items for Christmas celebration at home with my family. Since we have all kinds of alcohol at home, I was looking for some snacks to go with it. I wanted to buy some beef from Imahan, but the line was too long, so I gave up. Next, I checked out "Keirin" and found some delicious options. I ended up buying "meatballs (@110 yen each x 4)" and "Chinese-style shrimp and yuba dumplings (@270 each x 2)." The meatballs were large and had a solid meaty texture, but the flavor was quite strong. The shrimp and yuba dumplings were fluffy and tasty, with shrimp, ginkgo nuts, corn, edamame, carrots inside. However, they were also heavily seasoned. My wife even said, "This is the kind of flavor that makes you crave rice!" These dishes would be good as bento side dishes, but a lighter seasoning would have been better for them to be enjoyed as a snack with alcohol. We also bought chicken and sushi, which I will review later. On this day, we toasted with sparkling wine and then moved on to shochu. Cheers!

[Visit on October 9, 2016] Location: This shop is located in the Tobu department store basement directly connected to Ikebukuro Station. I visited around 8 pm on a Sunday. It was moderately crowded as it was the middle day of a 3-day weekend. I was looking for something to accompany my drinks. Tobu has a large number of shops just like Seibu. After browsing around, I found some delicious-looking Shanghai-style pan-fried buns. I chose a pack of 6 for 598 yen. The size of each bun was quite large and heavy. I bought them for a late-night snack, so I heated them up that night. The instructions for heating were provided. It seems adding a bit of water to the buns before heating is recommended. When eaten hot, the buns didn't release as much juice as expected, and the skin was thick, providing a satisfying chewiness. The surface was crispy due to the frying. Personally, I prefer regular pan-fried buns as these were a bit too dense for my liking. Thank you for the meal.

I'm torn between "regular use" or "non-regular use" (lol), but I think it's regular use. I bought dishes like "shrimp chili," "fried chicken," "spring rolls," and "yakisoba bento" for two or even three or four people, all for just over 2,000 yen. The authentic Chinese food at this restaurant, at this taste, and at this price. It's good. No, it's too good. It's like a price war with discounts at the end of the day at Tobu Department Store in Ikebukuro, with each store saying, "All items are 30% off!" or just with signs saying, "500 yen off all items," everyone is trying their best. It's not just Tobu Department Store in Ikebukuro, but this kind of scene can be seen in any department store basement or supermarket. Bento boxes from department stores are even cheaper than convenience store bento boxes, making them somewhat pitiful. But as a consumer, I'm delighted. The shrimp chili from Guilin is big and delicious. The spring rolls are also good. If you like the basic flavor of Chinese cuisine, anything you buy there will taste great. Thank you for the meal. I've been a little careless before, but even on a normal day at the end of the day, it's amazing, and it gets even more intense on the day before the regular holiday. Today, Tobu Department Store in Ikebukuro is closed. I thought I should check the regular holidays from now on. Am I turning into a housewife? (By Kyonatsu Shuusora, 2/18/2015) xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [Previous review] (9/20/2013) The basement of Tobu Department Store B2. When it comes to Chinese food in this basement, I think "Hochu-rou," "Szechuan Restaurant," and this "Guilin" are the top three Chinese restaurants. Among them, I think Guilin has the most variety and the most fulfilling Chinese bento boxes. "Beef and Green Pepper Fried Rice Bento" (\650/excluding tax) - a bento box with Chinjao Rosu as the main dish. "Pork Ginger Fried Rice Bento" (\650/excluding tax) - a bento box with pork ginger as the main dish. "Chicken Chili Chinese Combo" (\700/excluding tax) - a bento box with fried chicken and shrimp chili as the main dishes. "Shanghai Pan-Fried Dumplings" (\474/excluding tax, 6 pieces) - pan-fried dumplings that are steamed and then lightly fried on the bottom. When reheated in a frying pan, they become even more delicious. They have a slightly chewy texture and are full of meat juice. A very juicy dish. In addition to the main dish, the bento box also includes fried shumai, fried chicken, and 1-2 other items. The fried rice here has a unique oil aroma that I like. In addition, there are Chinese-style vinegar dishes, pickles, etc. The taste is overall elegant, and everything is delicious, with subtle flavors that are meant to be enjoyed even when they cool down. This is not just takeout bento or side dishes; it can be considered authentic Chinese cuisine. The portions are normal, but since it's Chinese food, there are a lot of oily dishes (not overwhelming), so you'll feel full. By the way, in this Chinese section of the basement, in addition to the stores mentioned above, there are also "Pao Pao" and "Hao Jiaozi," which specialize in dim sum, as well as "Sakiyoken," famous for their shumai. I sometimes crave Sakiyoken's shumai because it's a taste I've been familiar with since I was a child. But other than that, personally, if I choose dim sum, I go to "Hochu-rou," if I choose a rice bowl dish, I go to "Szechuan Restaurant," and if I choose a Chinese bento box, I go to "Guilin." That's the pattern I feel. (※Photos will be posted later.)

Chinatown-style deli shop commonly found in the basement food section of department stores. The formal name is YOKOHAMA KEIRIN to distinguish it from other shops with "Keirin" in their name, but it is simply called Keirin without the Yokohama abbreviation. On this day, I was looking for deli food for dinner at the Tobu department store in Ikebukuro, but nothing caught my eye, so I randomly chose this shop's product. Vegetable yakisoba ¥432 Steamed noodles, cabbage, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, chicken broth, soy sauce, oyster sauce, pork, carrots, leeks, green onions, etc. It looks similar to store-bought sauce yakisoba, but you can tell it's flavored with oyster sauce when you eat it. It's simple and easy to eat. When it comes to Chinese yakisoba, the classic is ankake, but I'm not a big fan of it. I transferred it to a plate and reheated it at home, but it didn't get soggy from the moisture and had an oily feel. The noodles didn't stick together and stayed chewy, more than I had imagined.

RF-1 is a unique restaurant that offers a slightly different experience. I think the value for money is better than RF-1, but ultimately, it's just average. The taste and prices fall somewhere between RF-1 and a convenience store, which I believe is the defining feature of this restaurant. In the evening, there is always a line when the discounts start, so it caught my attention. The discounted prices are not much different from those at a convenience store. Also, while other stores offer 10% or ¥100 off, this one seems to be quick to offer a 20% discount. The fried chicken is well-seasoned and doesn't need soy sauce. The fried rice is not as fluffy as I would like, but it has more ingredients than a convenience store and is a good deal. The deli section seems larger at Tobu than Seibu. There are also more stores at Tobu, so I end up buying there more often. On August 2, the classification became distorted due to the increase in the number of reviews, so I made some adjustments. For example, if more restaurants with a rating of 3.5 are added, the ones with a rating of 3.8 may decrease by 1, those with a rating of 3.7 may decrease by 2, and so on. This may seem unusual, but it feels unsettling when restaurants with a rating of 21 or 19 are grouped together. Therefore, not adjusting the rankings feels uncomfortable and unsatisfactory. Depending on the situation, a restaurant that was lowered may return to its original rating or even drop further. By separating the top and bottom restaurants, the ratings become more honest and reflective of the true opinions. I adjusted the ranking of restaurants outside the range of 3.0-3.2 to be within 3.0-3.1. If more restaurants fall within the 3.2-3.4 range, I will adjust the ranking of restaurants outside that range accordingly. Ultimately, dividing restaurants into two categories, A and B, seems to better reflect my true feelings. Moving on to 3.2.

This time, I used it for dinner. I was unsure of what to order, but this time I purchased the Crab Fried Rice Bento. Order details: Crab Fried Rice Bento 918 yen. The Crab Fried Rice Bento includes egg fried rice with crab meat, stir-fried vegetables, shrimp chili sauce, black vinegar sweet and sour pork, fried chicken, glass noodles, and assorted pickles. The egg fried rice had a nice texture. The black vinegar sweet and sour pork had a strong and delicious flavor. The restaurant is clean and well-displayed in Tobu Department Store Ikebukuro, with staff providing polite service.

In the deli on the basement floor of Tobu, you can really taste the flavors of Yokohama. I bought shrimp fried rice and grilled dumplings on sale near closing time and took them home. The fried rice was fluffy even though it was in a pack, and the shrimp was firm. It was very delicious.

My parents bought steamed chicken, cucumber, and jellyfish salad. It seems like they ordered it and the restaurant packed it in a microwave-safe bag. But when we opened it, it was mostly cucumber. The supermarket's deli version is better.

I think I've purchased it before, but I forgot the taste!! But it seems to be popular!!