500(チンクエチェント)
On a holiday evening, I selected this Chinese restaurant that I had been checking out. It was quite crowded at this time, and without a reservation, I thought it might be impossible to walk in. However, when I asked, I was lucky that a seat at the counter was opening up as the current customer was leaving, and since there was no reservation for that seat, I could wait for it to be cleaned and then be seated. I was fortunate enough to be able to enter the restaurant.
Despite being a Chinese izakaya, the clientele was mostly young people, and I was the only middle-aged man dining alone, which made me feel a bit out of place. Nevertheless, I didn't mind and proceeded to take photos of the interior and menu while considering my first order.
First, the server came to take our drink order, but the beer I wanted was already sold out. After a moment of contemplation, I decided to go with the sour cocktails, which this restaurant is known for on social media. I started with the most popular "Lemon Sour" and ordered three dishes, including the restaurant's specialty.
The first dish that arrived was the "Appetizer" which was served with a "Fresh Lemon Sour." It was the "Chinese Cucumber," which was listed on the menu. It was a slightly spicy and easy-to-eat dish with a clear cucumber texture, perfect as a starter for the alcohol.
Next came the restaurant's specialty, the "Spicy Egg." It was topped with a sauce and garlic chips on a half-cooked egg. Personally, I prefer the egg yolk to be a bit runnier, but the semi-cooked texture was decent, and the flavorful sauce complemented the egg well.
I also ordered the "Daikon Mochi," a dish I always end up ordering whenever it's available. This version had a chewy texture and was seasoned with ketchup.
The "Grilled Xiao Long Bao" was another popular item at this restaurant. While steamed xiao long bao is good, the grilled version offers a different experience with its crispy exterior and texture.
Unfortunately, it was slightly burnt and lacked meat juice, but it was still enjoyable. I switched my drink to another sour and ordered additional dishes, including the "Hormone Stir-Fry," which had a sweet and savory soy sauce-based seasoning and a decent portion.
I also ordered the "Chinese-style Fried Eggplant," a simple dish of deep-fried eggplant topped with plenty of condiments in a Chinese-style sauce.
To satisfy my craving for meat, I ordered the "Harami Steak." It was served in small portions with a sauce on top, and while it had a good flavor and texture, it leaned more towards a "yakiniku" (Japanese BBQ) taste rather than a Chinese one.
For the finale, I had to have some carbs, so I ordered the "Chinese-style Tamakake Rice." It was a bowl of rice topped with meat miso, whole egg, and condiments. After mixing it all together, I found the meat miso flavor to be a bit lacking, but it was still a satisfying dish.
Lastly, I had the "Melon Cream Soda Sour" for dessert, finishing it off after enjoying the cherry on top and the vanilla ice cream. Since there were no particularly expensive items, consuming all this food and drink cost me just 6000 yen with change.