Today, I went to the Sakai Honten, a Chinese restaurant in Shinkyogoku, Kyoto. The summer heat has started to ease a bit, so my friends and I decided to try their cold noodles. The restaurant had a rating of 3.52 on Tabelog and was listed in the top 100 restaurants of 2021. Despite the rain, there was a constant line outside the restaurant, which got me really excited. While the cold noodles are popular, they also offer a variety of dishes like shrimp chili and Chinjao rosu. I was torn between ordering the cold noodles or dishes like stamina gyudon and omurice. In the end, I ordered the cold noodles and stamina gyudon, while my friend ordered the cold noodles and yakimeshi. The food arrived incredibly fast, almost like it was prepared in a time warp. The cold noodles and stamina gyudon were amazing. The cold noodles had a sesame-flavored soup with chilled yellow noodles that soaked up the soup well. The coolness and refreshing taste of cucumber made my mouth feel like the Antarctic. The stamina gyudon needed no explanation - the sweet and savory sauce coated the meat and onions perfectly. The yakimeshi my friend had was also delicious. We waited for about 30 minutes during lunchtime, but the turnover rate was decent. I didn't count the number of tables because I was too engrossed in the food, but there seemed to be a good amount. I look forward to returning for the omurice next time. Thank you for the meal!

I was determined to try it out when I visited Kyoto next time because it has been extensively featured in local gourmet specials. The location is not the best, but it's an old-fashioned Chinese restaurant that has been rooted in the town for a long time. The serene scenery with traditional Japanese sweets and tofu shops has a nostalgic feel. Since this is the only nearest station, I had no choice but to walk from Kitaoji Station. Was it a reckless decision? Perhaps the local people might have taken a bus which might have been closer? By the time I noticed a bus stop along the way, it was already too late, sweating like a waterfall, having passed the halfway point. Despite it being an hour before the midday break, the restaurant was already full inside, with three people waiting outside. It operates on a reservation system, and I was called in after the three people who came before me due to a mistake in the waiting list. I was seated at a counter facing the wall. It's more relaxing dining alone, but not being able to observe the interior can be seen as suspicious behavior. The wall displayed a menu on strips of paper and numerous autographed color papers from famous visitors. There were many local families, couples, and elderly men in work clothes having a late lunch, giving the impression that it was mostly locals. If there were any tourists, they probably didn't walk from the station. I tried to quench my thirst with a rare highball in the scorching heat and thought of ordering spring rolls, but since I had delicious dumplings the night before, I didn't feel like it. I wasn't sure about the portion size of stir-fried dishes, so I ordered the cold noodles, known as "hiyashi chuka" in the Kanto region. Some may recognize this from TV. In this Chinese restaurant, there are two types of cold noodles: one with roasted pork and the other with ham. Although the prices vary slightly, the roasted pork seems like a better deal. I imagined that ham would go well with the noodles, but I went with the roasted pork. The noodles were unexpectedly thick for cold noodles, but I liked them. There was no acidity or soy sauce, just a unique broth that already had mustard dissolved in it, topped with cucumber and shredded seaweed. The dish was simple with only a small portion, similar to a side of fried rice, lacking in volume for my personal preference. I understand why it's considered soul food by the locals. As someone who tried it once, I felt that it tasted like regular cold noodles, and I apologize for not being able to appreciate it more.

The soup is delicious with a well-balanced mix of mayonnaise or hot mustard from the start! I think the base is chicken bone soy sauce. It's combined with vinegar, but the sharp acidity is not there, it has a mellow taste. The noodles soaked in it have a delicious chewy texture. The toppings are chashu and cucumber. You can also choose ham. It was a cold noodle dish that is quite addictive.

I arrived at the parking lot at 4:40 p.m. aiming for the Sunday evening opening. I was the first one there. Shortly after, five groups lined up before the opening. I ordered the roasted pork cold noodles and omurice, which cost 1,690 yen. The cold noodles had a chewy texture with a flavorful sauce that blended perfectly, making me smile with satisfaction. The portion was small, so it wouldn't be enough for dinner by itself. The omurice was also a small portion, about 0.7 servings, but eating it together with the cold noodles was no problem for me. The ketchup had a perfect balance of sweetness, not too overpowering, and didn't taste commercial. The ketchup rice alone was delicious. I left at 5:30 p.m. and the restaurant was almost full. There were no more customers waiting in line. The staff made a good impression. I rarely eat cold noodles or omurice when dining out, but now I'm thinking of trying them occasionally in the future.

Please follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tokyo_messi Located about a 15-minute walk from Kitaoji Station, "Chuka no Sakai" is a renowned Kyoto-style Chinese restaurant. Their signature dish is the "hiyashi chuka," a dish that has a history dating back to 1953. Over the years, the dish has evolved, and now it features only three ingredients: pork, cucumber, and seaweed, showcasing its simplicity. While it may look like any other cold noodles dish, the flavor that has been loved for years sets it apart. The glossy thick noodles and the sauce that clings to them are truly a work of art. The secret sauce, with its perfect balance of acidity, sweetness, oiliness, and mustard punch, makes you want to savor every last drop. Next up is the "omurice," a dish that remains on the menu as a remnant of the restaurant's origins as a Western-style eatery. Similar to the hiyashi chuka, the omurice is very simple, with only onions and chicken breast as toppings. The ketchup-flavored rice, cooked in a Chinese wok, is coated in oil and ketchup, making each grain stand out. The balanced acidity of the ketchup is addictive, and while not extravagant, this dish is so irresistible that you'll find it hard to stop eating. Around 6 p.m., many locals were already waiting in front of the restaurant. For those with limited time, it's recommended to wait in line before the restaurant opens.

Good evening. I am a salaryman in Minato-ku. I heard that the cold noodles here are exquisite, so I visited during the Bon holiday. The location in Kitaoji turned out to be quite far from the city area, about a 10-minute walk from the nearest subway station. I arrived at the restaurant all sweaty. I waited in line for about 30 minutes before entering. For the cold noodles, you can choose between ham or roast pork, and regular or large portions. The roast pork version is generously topped with cucumbers and chopped seaweed. The noodles are thick and have a chewy, mochi-like texture. The soup, or rather the sauce, is a thin, milky orange color, with a unique taste combining sweetness, acidity, slight spiciness, and richness. It was a cold noodle dish unlike any other I have tried before.

I've been here a few times, but today I resisted ordering the usual large portion of cold noodles and instead ordered an omelette rice. I don't usually eat cold noodles at other places, but here it's a must-try. The cold noodles here are my favorite, even though Misohashi is also good. Oh, it's really delicious. This was my first time ordering the omelette rice, and the taste of ketchup was so nostalgic and delicious! Thank you for the meal!

Shin-Omiya Chuka no Sakai Main Store Address: 92 Shin-Omiya Shopping Street, Kamigamo, Kitan-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture Phone: 075-492-5004 Budget: Lunch 1000-2000 yen Tabelog Score: 3.52 Nagata Family Score: 3.4 Taste: 3.4 Portion size: 3.4 Service: 3.5 Atmosphere: 3.5 Cost performance: 3.4 Located about a 5-minute walk from Shitoroda-cho on Kyoto City Bus, we arrived before noon and had to wait about 15 minutes as there were 4 groups ahead of us. We ordered the most popular dishes - Yakiniku Cold Noodles, Mapo Tofu Donburi, and Gyoza. When it comes to cold noodles in Kyoto, Chuka no Sakai is the most famous. Takeout is also available. Thank you for the meal. #Chuka no Sakai #Chinese #Chinese lunch #Chinese cuisine #Kyoto lunch #Want to connect with Chinese cuisine lovers #Kyoto gourmet #Kyoto town Chinese #Tabelog #Town Chinese #Kitajou gourmet #Kitajou lunch #Want to connect with gourmet lovers #Want to connect with gourmet lovers #Gourmetstagram #Gourmet girls #Kyoto sightseeing #Kansai gourmet #japanesefood #japan #japanfood #food #japanese #kyoto #kyotojapan #kyotofood #kyotolunch #chinese #chinesefood #Nagata-san's dining out log

We went as a pair. We ordered chilled Chinese noodles (with ham), beef bowl, mixed vegetables, dumplings, and spring rolls - five dishes in total. It felt like a bit too much, but we were quite hungry and ended up finishing everything quickly. It's a delicious local Chinese restaurant that is perfect for summer.

I never had the chance to eat chilled Chinese noodles until I became an adult because I disliked them at my parents' house. I was indecisive about ordering a different menu up until the last minute, but I didn't want to regret it, so I went with the signature chilled Chinese noodles here. And wow, it was so delicious!! It was so good that I could have ordered another bowl if I hadn't ordered any side dishes. It seems like they also offer delivery service over the phone, so I definitely plan to order from them.

In the morning, visited the Yang Guifei statue at the Sennyu-ji Temple and then went to Sakai Honten. This was one of the destinations I was looking forward to on this trip to Kyoto. I saw a TV show featuring Takuzo Kakuno, who appeared in "The World of the Married," with Kyoto-based actor Yoshimasa Kondo as a guest, dining together in a friendly manner, and I really wanted to visit this restaurant. Despite the intense heat, there were many customers waiting outside the restaurant. After about a 20-minute wait, we were seated at a large table for two. It seems that sharing tables is the norm here. My partner had the chilled ham noodles, and I had the large portion of char siu chilled noodles. We shared an omelette rice dish. Takuzo Kakuno praised this combination as exquisite. Indeed, it was truly satisfying. The dipping sauce for the chilled noodles had a unique, tangy mustard flavor I had never tasted before. Eating this while enjoying the classic omelette rice was the perfect match. Thank you for the delicious meal. (^○^)( ◠‿◠ )

It was my first visit in about 10 years! As it was a long weekend, I visited around 2 p.m. and waited for about 10 minutes before entering! I ordered the Cold Noodles with Char Siu Set for ¥1,160 and changed the rice to fried rice (+¥150)! The cold noodles had thick noodles that were smooth and delicious, and the sauce with mustard was very tasty. The fried rice was also delicious and fluffy. For men, the portion may be small, so upgrading to a large portion of cold noodles costs an additional ¥500, which may not be the best value, but it was delicious. Last time I visited, a private memory was seeing an actor there. There is also a parking lot, which is convenient, and it seemed that many local people made reservations and took out food. I would like to try takeout next time!

It's a simple naengmyeon. I like the ham naengmyeon. Cucumber, ham, nori, thick and firm noodles. The sauce is unique, thick and sweet-sour, very delicious. Unfortunately, there's less cucumber than before! (◎_◎;) I haven't tried other dishes here besides the naengmyeon. I wanted to have dumplings too, but it was a weird lunch hour, so I just had the naengmyeon and got the dumplings to go for the next day's lunch *\(^o^)/* Lately, I haven't felt like cooking much, so I've been getting takeout a lot. But now I'm cooking properly *\(^o^)/*

In Kyoto, there is a famous spicy cold noodles dish that often gets featured in the media. It was very popular with long lines during the weekend. The "yakibuta hiyamen" (840 yen) is a cold noodle dish with a Kyoto twist of mixing it with spicy sauce, giving it a light spicy kick within the acidity, perfect for summer. The portion is quite small, so if you want to have a satisfying meal, it's recommended to order another dish as well. Their omurice is also said to be famous. Enjoy a quick bite here and then head to the next place!

The chilled Chinese noodles are a must! Nothing else is needed! Well, other dishes are also good, but the chilled Chinese noodles are so delicious that there's a big difference in taste, haha. The noodles in the chilled Chinese noodles are chewy and have a great texture that perfectly matches the secret sauce. The seaweed goes really well with it too. They also offer takeout, and I bought some to take home. It's perfect as a souvenir.

The current popular restaurant is Sakai Honten, specializing in Chinese cuisine. The cold noodles (with char siu) are delicious, and the spicy sauce mixed with mayonnaise is the secret to its popularity. The chewy texture of the noodles is excellent. The recommended dishes like the meat bowl, fried rice, Chinese-style fried rice, and dumplings were all delicious. However, the real star here is the cold noodles! Takeout orders are selling fast, and the restaurant is always full with customers waiting. It's a great place with a high turnover rate. Definitely worth a visit! Thank you for the meal.

[Date] June 25, 2023 (Sunday) 7:22 PM [Tabelog Rating] 3.53 [Waiting Time] Almost full (2 minutes) [Service] Excellent [Likelihood to revisit] Yes [Payment Method] Electronic payment [Turnover] Yes When I visited, I was told that the cold noodles were almost sold out, with only 2 servings left, which made me a bit anxious haha. It seems like they can run out of items. The cold noodles with ham included: [Noodles] Medium straight noodles [Toppings] Thinly sliced ham, cucumber, chopped seaweed [Sauce] Homemade sauce [Serving Time] 13 minutes A mild homemade sauce with a good balance of sourness, spiciness, and sweetness. The mustard kick was nice haha. The noodles were yellow and slightly firm, but perhaps they weren't drained properly? The sauce didn't coat the noodles well. It was good but felt a bit lacking in persistence. The spring rolls: [Serving Time] 7 minutes Served with mustard soy sauce. The spring rolls were wrapped in egg skin, crispy and with a fluffy egg flavor. The slightly sweet filling was delicious. Personally, I felt the cost-performance ratio was not great.✼••┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈••✼ Cold noodles with ham: 800 yen Cold noodles with char siu (no seaweed): 840 yen Spring rolls: 1,200 yen