I feel like winter is coming soon when I see the poster of "Maru Ei" saying "Hiroshima Donburi has started." The first "Hiroshima Donburi" of the year started at the end of November! The lunch rush is over, but there are still many foreign visitors, and there is a constant line at the shop until the break time. Today, I waited for about 15 minutes, and of course, I ordered the "Hiroshima Donburi." There were many customers, so it took some time to be served, but I will be patient to enjoy the delicious food. Ta-da, here it is! It's clear at a glance that there are plenty of oysters in it! Since it's this time of year, they are still small, but there are definitely more than 10 oysters playing hide-and-seek in the egg topping. The meat is firm and has a strong scent of the sea. Last time, the older sister told me that they are from Okayama! When you sprinkle some sansho pepper on it halfway through, the numbness and aroma change, and it's also delicious! The "Hiroshima Donburi" that signals the arrival of winter... As always, I enjoyed it deliciously. Thank you for the meal.

Around 6 o'clock on a regular evening, I passed by a restaurant and surprisingly there was no line, so I decided to go in. It's a restaurant that is surprisingly famous even among foreigners. The other day, when I was walking in Nihonbashi, a foreign tourist asked me if I knew a place where they could eat nice katsu curry, and I couldn't think of one right away, so I ended up guiding them to this place. They said they already knew about it. I ordered the katsudon (single portion) for 1,100 yen. The tonkatsu, soaked in a sweet Japanese-style broth, had a light coating and the meat was tender, making it easy to finish a single portion. If I had been more hungry, I might have been able to eat a double portion. The miso soup had a unique flavor, possibly using soba broth, and it was delicious. I would like to go back at a time when it's not too busy and try other items on the menu.

I went on a regular night. It was not crowded like during the day, so I was able to get in quickly. There were various foreign languages posted, so it seems popular with people from overseas. There were many menu options that all looked appealing, but I chose the pork cutlet curry. When the dish arrived, I had ordered a small size but it was quite a generous portion (I had mentally prepared myself for the price though). After taking a bite, I found the curry to be flavorful with a strong dashi taste, and the crunchy green onions were delicious. The cutlet was large and crispy, providing a satisfying meal. The curry had a thick consistency and stayed hot for a long time. Despite burning my mouth on the hot curry and freshly fried cutlet, I was happy to have enjoyed such delicious food. You can choose between just the egg yolk or a whole egg, and this time I chose the whole egg. It added a mild flavor, and I easily finished the white part. There are many other tempting menu items, so I would like to try them next time. Pork cutlet curry (small) 1250 yen.

This year's doyo falls on July 30th (Sunday), just one week away. I've been considering unagi dishes, wondering if Chinese eel is really not good. To verify, I went to Maruei. Self-service water. I ordered an unagi bowl with one eel for 2250 yen. Quite reasonable. In the past, there was a man who ordered one whole eel but was denied by his wife and ended up with half an eel. I'm glad I didn't have that kind of life. The unagi bowl arrived, with the eel piled on top of each other in the box. Despite being Chinese, the visual looks appetizing. Since I didn't fillet the eel myself, there was no liver to eat. However, the clear soup was quite delicious. Overall, the eel was easy to cut with chopsticks. Delicious! The rich and sweet sauce is doing a great job. The eel is juicy and delicious. Maybe the secret is in the way they finish it off by grilling it with the last bit of sauce. I added some sansho pepper for a different taste, which was also delicious. Even with Chinese eel, with some cooking ingenuity, it can be quite tasty. And all this for just over 2000 yen. You can get a good dose of EPA from the overflowing bento box, so it's quite satisfying.

The restaurant serves a popular dish called Katsu Curry, with a large portion priced at 1400 yen. There is usually a long line outside the restaurant, with mostly Korean customers. The menu has Korean language options as well. The Katsu is thick and flavorful, while the curry sauce is slightly sweet and rich. The portion size is generous, and towards the end, there is even leftover Katsu. The restaurant is well-organized with friendly staff. Overall, it is a highly satisfying dining experience at this popular spot.

Actually, I arrived 4 minutes before the first visit after relocation. It was raining, but I still managed to be the 8th in line. If it had been sunny, would I have not been able to make it for the first round? When I entered the store, there was a line outside, as shown in the photo when I left. The double katsudon looked great, but I had it before, so this time I went for a simple oyakodon. I actually wanted to have a Hiroshima-style donburi, but it was out of season. I thought the portion size had become smaller than before, but it was just a misunderstanding. The rice portion was about 1.5 times that of a regular restaurant, and the chicken portion was about 2.5 times more (laughs). The cooking was excellent, and honestly, it was tastier than I had expected! With this volume, the oyakodon for 850 yen is a good value for money.

Katsudon (two-tiered) for 1,250 yen. Despite the price, the katsu wasn't thin as expected. The bowl was flat with a decent amount of rice. The second half felt like a battle. There was a small amount of onion, and the miso soup was slightly overcooked. It got a bit boring, but I was satisfied and full. I went on a Saturday at 11:45 and had to wait for an hour. There were a lot of Koreans, which was unusual.

The other day, I finally went to "Maruei," a restaurant I had known about for many years. I had heard that their Katsudon with two pieces of pork cutlet was delicious, so I ordered that. The portion was larger than I expected, and I struggled to finish the Katsudon, but it was so tasty that it was worth it. In particular, the broth was just right, with a refreshing taste. As I have been eating less as I get older, I can't eat multiple Katsudon anymore, but I managed to finish it this time. I had to wait a bit during lunchtime, but the wait to get inside was relatively smooth. "Maruei" has many other menu options besides Katsudon, so I would like to try a different dish next time. I wonder what I should eat next. Thank you for providing delicious food and excellent service!

Hiroshima donburi for ¥1300. It seems like it was ¥1100 last year, they raised the price, huh... During spring break, I arrived at 11:30 am on a weekday and there was a huge line! About 10 groups were already waiting, mostly Korean tourists. When I asked one of the staff who came out, they said the wait time would be about 1 hour... But I heard that the winter limited Hiroshima donburi would end in March, so I decided to tough it out and wait in line (；；) lol I waited for about 1.5 hours in the cold, windy weather. The Hiroshima donburi I had after waiting was so delicious!!! It had 8 large oysters, eggs, and the flavor of the broth all combined to make it really tasty... I'm glad I waited in the cold to eat it, it was really worth it lol The atmosphere of the family-run restaurant, where they interacted with customers while running the place, was really nice ‪(◜ᴗ◝ )‬ On my way out, they said it was the last month for the Hiroshima donburi, so they were glad I came to eat it. They were really nice people ‪(◜ᴗ◝ )‬

Head to Maruei in Ebisu-cho for EPA intake. As of 11:30 am, there was already a line forming, with over half of the line consisting of Korean tourists. Water is self-serve. The popular choice seems to be the eel dish, and I ordered the eel on rice set. Priced at 2250 yen, it is likely made with Chinese eel. However, the visual presentation is appetizing. There is no liver included, indicating that the eel is not prepared on-site. The eel set is packed generously on a bed of rice, looking very appealing. It does not have the common issue of the skin sticking to the flesh, and can be easily cut with chopsticks like high-end eel dishes. It is delicious and I couldn't stop eating. Before I knew it, I had finished the whole meal. Both this restaurant and other delicious spots like Takamato Soba and Tonkatsu Daiki always have lines of Korean tourists. Their gourmet information network must be amazing.

The restaurant is located a 2-3 minute walk west from Exit 1B of Osaka Metro Ebisucho Station. There was a line in front of the shop, so we waited. Inside, there are 4 counter seats, 1 table for 2, and 2 tables for 4. We ordered the two-tiered Katsudon and sliced soba. After a short wait, the sliced soba and Katsudon arrived. The two-tiered Katsudon had rice topped with pre-cut egg and two pieces of pork cutlet, with onions and green onions in between. It came with miso soup and pickled cabbage. The crispy pork cutlet on top of the rice was satisfying, and the meal went down smoothly. The miso soup and pickled cabbage helped balance out the rich flavors. The sliced soba had sliced tempura, fish cake, and green onions as toppings. The thin noodles soaked up the flavorful broth well. The tempura in the soba was delicious. Adding shichimi or ichimi spice can give it an extra kick. The generous Katsudon and warm, flavorful soba made for a great meal. I look forward to visiting again for soba, udon, or another bowl dish. Thank you for the meal.

During lunchtime at Nipponbashi Maruei in Naniwa-ku, we parked our car at a nearby coin parking lot and found a long line forming in front of the restaurant. Since going back to the car seemed troublesome, we decided to wait in line. It took us over 30 minutes to finally get inside on a weekday lunchtime. The restaurant has a small interior with 4 counter seats and tables that can accommodate up to 10 people. There were three elderly staff members and a young man who seemed to be the leader, possibly the owner's son or grandson. He skillfully directed the elderly staff members to efficiently manage the small space. We ordered the Hiroshima rice bowl for 1300 yen, which came with pickles and miso soup. The rice bowl, topped with plump oysters cooked in egg, had a gentle dashi flavor with hints of the sea. Although it was a bit light in flavor, adding some sansho pepper gave it a nice kick and increased our appetite. The oysters were quite large, with 8 pieces in total. My companion opted for the weekday special, the Udon set meal with a choice of rice. The rice came with 3 pieces of inari sushi for 700 yen, while white rice was priced at 650 yen. The side dish was a simmered dish of daikon and chicken, and the sweet inari sushi was delicious with a tasty broth. My companion also enjoyed the udon. It was a satisfying meal. Thank you for the delicious food!

Located a bit off the beaten path from the popular Otaku Road in Nipponbashi, Osaka, is a hidden gem called "Nipponbashi Maruei". I had never even heard of this place before. I decided to visit around 1:30 pm on a weekend, thinking it would be less crowded at that time, but there was still a line of about 10 people. Luckily, I managed to get in before they stopped accepting customers. It took about an hour to get inside, around 2:30 pm. The restaurant seemed to attract a lot of foreign customers. I ordered the "Katsu Curry Don" with a double layer of pork cutlets. When the dish finally arrived, I was amazed by the generous portion size. The curry had a rich and flavorful broth with a nice blend of spices. It was delicious. When I combined it with the crispy and large pork cutlets, it became an incredibly tasty Katsu Curry Don. It seems like this flavor is popular among foreign customers as well!

I may not have a small appetite, but I don't particularly love large portions. However, after seeing the Katsu Curry Don at "Nihonbashi Maruei" online, I decided to visit the restaurant that same day. The place was packed with inbound tourists lining up, so I wondered how long I would have to wait. I ended up waiting for about 60 minutes, which was expected given the small size of the restaurant and the large portion sizes that took time to finish. While waiting in line, they provided menus so you could order in advance. Once inside, the food was served quite quickly. I ordered the "Katsu Curry Don (Large)" for 1400 yen, which was quite a generous portion. The katsu had a decent thickness and the fat was sweet and delicious. The curry sauce was hot and thick, almost like the soup in curry udon. It had a rich flavor with a strong dashi taste. If you eat it quickly, you're guaranteed to burn your mouth, but it's worth it. The layers of the sauce were deep, making it a challenge to reach the rice. Adding a raw egg halfway through and mixing it in made the dish even more delicious. The size of the katsu and the curry bowl was impressive, and being a soba and udon restaurant, it was no surprise that the dish was delicious. I recommend coming to this place early in the day.

I arrived at Emisucho Station! I decided to try the popular katsudon at a restaurant that serves udon and soba. Unfortunately, the two-tiered katsudon that I was looking forward to was not available, which was disappointing. However, I still enjoyed a delicious bowl of food and left satisfied. The restaurant has a traditional Japanese exterior and a clean interior with counter and table seating. When I visited, there was a line outside! I ordered the katsudon (single tier) for ¥1100. When it was brought to me, the runny egg and the packed katsu looked amazing! The freshly fried katsu had a crispy texture and the flavor of the pork melted in my mouth with each bite. The katsu had both crispy and tender parts, with the tender parts soaked in a sweet dashi broth. The combination of the dashi and the katsu's flavor, along with the runny egg, created a delicious and addictive katsudon. The crunchy texture of the onions and green onions, as well as the sweetness of the vegetables, added a nice touch to the dish. The katsu was thick and tender, making it easy to eat. I definitely want to try the two-tiered katsudon next time. It was a very delicious katsudon that is easy to eat and addictive, so I think many people will come back for more. Please try it once! ⭐️

It's a huge tonkatsu‼️ BIG Tonkatsu‼️ Curry rice with rich dashi flavor and extra large tonkatsu curry (large size) for 1,400 yen. It's even bigger than the image in the picture, about 1.5 times bigger. The tonkatsu is so big that it feels like wearing straw sandals. The curry has a thick consistency with katsu curry and is always hot and spicy. The spiciness is just right with a hint of unique spices. Although you can't see it in the picture, there is plenty of rice. Once you've made some progress, try changing the taste with a raw egg. When you feel like having tonkatsu curry, or rather, when you feel like having extra tonkatsu and turning a six-pack into an eight-pack, order this and enjoy it to the fullest‼️ Photography is not allowed inside the restaurant, so please be aware. No need for words for tonkatsu curry, because it's undoubtedly delicious. Bringing happiness to you. Bon appétit('□' )ま

☆ Nihonbashi Maruei ☆ Osaka Gourmet ☆ A popular soba restaurant in Nihonbashi, but the most popular items are these two: - Double Katsudon ¥1250 A katsudon with two pieces of pork cutlet on top. It comes with a decent amount of rice and is very filling. - Large Katsu Curry Don ¥1400 A katsu curry with a raw egg on top! This curry has a strong broth flavor similar to curry udon, which complements the pork cutlet perfectly. - Zaru Soba (Two servings) ¥800 Soba is a must-have with the katsudon as the main dish! We shared the two servings between two people. - Even on rainy days, there may be a line around 12 o'clock. It might be best to go before 2 o'clock. Enjoy!

Before the relocation, I used to visit this place often, but since it moved in 2018, the lines have gotten even longer, especially with the pandemic. I finally visited after a long time. The menu mainly consists of soba and udon, along with a variety of rice bowl dishes. I am torn between the winter limited-time "Hiroshima-style" dishes made with oysters and the usual choice of a two-layered katsu-don or a katsu curry-don with a huge tonkatsu on top. This time, I ordered the often sold-out katsu curry-don (large). They offered a raw egg on the side, which you can choose to mix the yolk only or include the egg white for a smoother texture. The crispy tonkatsu with a satisfying crunch. The curry is the classic "THE soba restaurant's curry," with a flavorful broth, plenty of onions, green onions, and thinly sliced meat. It pairs well with rice, but is also delicious with soba or udon. The owner seemed lively as he stood in the shop, and it was nice to visit again after a long time. This is a cozy, long-established soba shop where I would love to come back for their specialty dishes.

I went on a bike tour to Oku and Tennoji Zoo, and decided to visit this restaurant. I was originally looking for eel, but found this place on Eat Log that serves a popular two-tiered pork cutlet bowl. Despite being a high-calorie devilish dish, I decided to try it after biking about 20 kilometers round trip and walking around the zoo. When I arrived around 11:30, there were about 5-6 people waiting. I ordered the two-tiered pork cutlet bowl for 1250 yen, while my companion ordered the parent and child bowl. The food arrived promptly, and it looked delicious and unhealthy at the same time. However, upon tasting it, I found that I actually preferred the single-tiered cutlet over the double-tiered one. The double-tiered version seemed to have too much cutlet, which made it hard to fully enjoy the combination of egg and cutlet. Also, the egg seemed to be cooked through, so I couldn't enjoy the half-cooked texture. I regretted not choosing the single-tiered option, which I believe would have been tastier. Nonetheless, the restaurant also offers enticing udon and rice bowl options. I might try the tempura and egg bowl next time. One thing I would like to request from the restaurant is to improve the seating arrangement. I was seated at the counter on the far right, which also serves as the cashier area. Due to the limited space, it was necessary, but I wish they could have placed some sort of partition to prevent customers from talking loudly right next to others who are eating. It's not only unhygienic but also affects the dining experience. Overall, thank you for the meal.

My grandson wanted to eat a two-tiered pork cutlet bowl, so we waited in line at Maruei where there were 4 groups ahead of us. To make matters worse, it started raining ☂️. After waiting for about 30 minutes, we finally got seated. I was indecisive and ended up ordering curry soba. My older grandson got the two-tiered pork cutlet bowl, while the younger one chose a single serving of cold udon. While waiting at the counter, we saw they had inari sushi, and when I asked the younger grandson if he wanted it, he said yes. The two-tiered pork cutlet bowl had a huge portion, which surprised us. The curry soba was spicy, which I enjoyed, and the udon had a delicious broth. The cold udon had a slightly sweet dipping sauce. The nearby restaurant, P○E, had raised their prices and had fewer customers. The taste was comparable to Maruei. Even the younger grandson finished his meal. Everyone ate well and left satisfied.

I was in the mood to eat a hearty tonkatsu after a long time. I decided to visit this restaurant from the list I had bookmarked. I arrived a little after 1:30 pm to avoid the lunch rush. There were a few customers already, but I was able to get a table without waiting. I already knew what I wanted to eat - the Two-Tiered Katsu Don (1,250 yen). As the name suggests, it is a luxurious katsu don with two layers of tonkatsu. The dish was ready shortly after ordering. The tonkatsu was tender and well soaked in the broth. The broth was not as strong in flavor as I expected, which was surprising. The seasoning was lighter than I thought. As I finished the first tier, the second one appeared. It felt like I was just eating tonkatsu endlessly. The dish was quite filling, but I managed to finish it. The staff here was very polite and made me feel comfortable. Thank you for the meal!