I visited "Menwada Ya" and "Oshokujidokoro Shogun" with my colleague. I initially missed it as it is attached to a pachinko parlor, but quickly made a U-turn. The parking lot was spacious and easy to park due to being attached to the pachinko parlor. It seems like a collaboration between Menwada Ya and Oshokujidokoro Shogun, as you can enjoy both menus. I was torn between Menwada Ya's udon and Shogun's set meal, but then I found the Mackerel Nukazuke set meal! I immediately decided to order it. The Mackerel Nukazuke set meal costs 750 yen. Although I am not from Kitakyushu, I love nukazuke, so I was excited. Warm rice with nukazuke! Just this alone was satisfying. The richly flavored mackerel was irresistible, and the rice was delicious. This nukazuke had no spiciness, making it easy to eat. The Mackerel Nukazuke was a great choice! I enjoyed it very much. Thank you for the meal! I prefer nukazuke made with saury over mackerel, and with mackerel over Pacific saury. I can't wait for autumn, when Pacific saury will be in season.

I finally had the chance to visit the popular udon restaurant "Waday" in Yahata Nishi-ku, which has been renovated into an udon restaurant managed by the same owner. The interior of the restaurant remains the same, but it has been transformed into an udon izakaya serving set meals in the evening. - Kashiwa Udon (600 yen) You can choose between udon or soba. The specialty here is the thick burdock tempura udon, but since I'm not a fan of thick burdock tempura, I opted for this dish instead. There is tempura bits on the table, and seaweed comes in a separate plate, which is a nice touch. It had been a while since I had Waday's udon, and I had forgotten how good it was. The noodles are thick, soft, and fluffy, easily cut with chopsticks, similar to Hakata udon. Personally, I prefer "Makino Udon" which doesn't increase in volume, but for those who like it, this udon would be a favorite. Unlike typical kashiwa udon, this one has large pieces of chicken which provide a substantial and satisfying meal. The broth, which I had heard was light beforehand, was actually well-infused with the sweetness and saltiness of the chicken, making it quite flavorful. If you find it lacking, I recommend trying the meat udon or kashiwa udon. - Yakimeshi (750 yen) There is also a large serving for 880 yen. The fried rice is moist yet fluffy, with a rich flavor that is delicious. At first, I thought it was a bit pricey compared to other dishes, but even with a regular portion, the quantity is generous and comes with miso soup, so it's satisfying. Perhaps because I went during lunch last time, the atmosphere was more like an izakaya with young regular customers who seemed familiar with the staff, rather than the traditional Showa-era diner vibe that was less prominent this time. There are few dining options around, and the restaurant is open until late, with a spacious parking lot within the pachinko parlor premises, making it convenient.

I visited the restaurant after its recent renewal! The menu had changed to mainly udon dishes, but they still had their regular set meals available. I decided to order the yakimeshi (large) which I always liked before. However, the taste seemed different now and honestly, it was just average. Next time, I want to try the horumon teppanyaki or champon. I hope the taste hasn't changed for those dishes!

The pachinko parlor in Mizunami-cho, "21st Century Mizunami Store," has reopened its dining spot 'Shogun,' which was previously on hold on Tabelog. It seems they have collaborated with the popular udon shop 'Men Waday' in Saganishi-ku, Mikamori. I visited 'Men Waday Shogun Store' right away. It was a holiday on Wednesday, and after finishing various errands, I realized it was almost 6 pm. When I visited, there were three groups of customers. I sat at the counter and ordered the 'burdock udon' and 'yakimeshi.' It took about 15 minutes for the order to arrive. The 'yakimeshi' had a moist and lightly seasoned orthodox taste. The 'burdock udon' had the characteristic thick burdock tempura of 'Men Waday.' It had a chewy noodle, light dashi soup, and was delicious. I look forward to the future evolution of 'Shogun' collaborating with popular shops.

I went to Men Wada in Minamimaki Town because it opened. I had a pork cutlet bowl and a mini soba. The pork cutlet bowl seemed to inherit the taste of Wada-ya. The soba was delicious with a light flavor that still retained the taste of the restaurant's predecessor, Shogun. It's quite close to my neighborhood, so I will visit again. :)