ご飯侍
Shinfuku Saikan, Suita Branch @ Taishibashi-Imaichi / Tsukemen & Fried Rice (Large)
On a Friday weekend, as usual, I had the day off from work so I decided to go out for some food adventures. I had a craving for fried rice that day, so I headed towards Umeda. But before that, I realized that I hadn't had a haircut in a while, so I stopped by Minamimorimachi for a haircut. Feeling refreshed, I continued on to my destination, Umeda. When I arrived at the restaurant I wanted to visit, there was a sign that said "Fried rice sold out"... Oh no, what a mistake. I could have gotten the haircut later. If I hadn't gotten the haircut, maybe I would have made it in time (but that's just hindsight). I could have settled for their fried chicken, but my mouth was set on fried rice. So, I hopped back on the train and headed to Taishibashi-Imaichi. Yes! Shinfuku Saikan, haha. Unlike the last time, I visited during lunchtime and the place was packed. After waiting outside for a while, I finally got a seat. The inside of the restaurant was cool and comfortable thanks to the air conditioning. Now, today I've already decided on ordering the fried rice, but I was torn between getting ramen or trying the tsukemen that caught my eye last time. After much deliberation, I decided to go with the tsukemen today. When asked if I wanted it cold or hot, I chose cold. And I also ordered the fried rice in a large size. After a short wait, the fried rice was served first. Looking at the portion, a large size is equivalent to about two scoops. Then, the tsukemen was served with a bit of a time difference. At first, I thought the regular size was quite generous, but there was ice under the noodles (haha). Ah, that's why it looked like a lot! So, in terms of quantity, it wasn't actually that much. First, I checked the dipping sauce. The base soup seemed the same as before, but this one had a sweeter flavor compared to ramen. It had a strong soy sauce base with a hint of sweetness and acidity, and it seemed to have fish powder in it, combining the umami of meat and seafood flavors. I could feel the slightly gritty texture of the fish powder, but it didn't leave a negative impression. However, I was a bit taken aback by this sweetness as I had imagined a similar flavor to the ramen. The fried shallots also did a great job. The noodles were thin and firm. They were rinsed with cold water, giving them a good chew, but they were a bit on the firmer side. It had a slight al dente feel, like pasta, with a bit of a bite. Personally, I prefer them a bit softer. As for the fried rice, there's nothing more to say! It's consistently delicious. The fried rice at Shinfuku Saikan satisfied my craving and filled my stomach. The fried rice at the Suita branch is indeed tastier than the main branch in Kyoto. I will definitely be back.

