Wakamatsu-ku, Kitakyushu City, Nakagawa-cho. I found this okonomiyaki restaurant while wandering around Wakamatsu before. At that time, it was closed. This time it had reopened, so I decided to visit. The menu includes okonomiyaki, yakisoba, yakiudon, negiyaki, tempura, and fried rice. There are various options such as vegetables, eggs, pork, pork and eggs, and mix. They also offer yakisoba set meal, yakiudon set meal, vegetable stir-fry set meal, and chicken cutlet set meal. This time, I ordered the yakisoba set meal (600 yen). It came with rice, miso soup, salad, fried egg, and a small side dish. The yakisoba was classic, with cabbage, bean sprouts, and pork. The sauce was on the lighter side, personally, I prefer it a bit stronger. There were spicy sauce, regular sauce, and mayonnaise on the table for flavor variations. The rice was cooked perfectly to my liking, and it paired well with the yakisoba. The miso soup was light with wakame seaweed and cabbage, and the sweetness of the cabbage was nice. The salad had crunchy vegetables with French dressing, which was a nice change from the usual sesame dressing. The fried egg was cooked just right, and the side dish included cold tofu and simmered daikon radish and fish cake. The daikon radish was thinly sliced and had a great texture, and the flavor was rich and delicious. I visited on a weekday afternoon, and the restaurant was full with everyone ordering set meals. You can also order for takeout from outside. It's a beloved restaurant by the locals. Thank you for the meal.

Visited in the evening. Okonomiyaki, tempura restaurant "Goto". The interior of the restaurant has a traditional feel, with counter seats and raised tatami seating. The male owner lacks a bit of welcoming atmosphere. The menu includes okonomiyaki, negiyaki, tempura, yakisoba, and yaki-meshi. What I had was the following: Tempura Mix Soba (640 yen) I chose this menu to confirm what "tempura" is. I only know of "Daruma-do" in Kokura Kita-ku as the birthplace of yakisoba. When I looked it up online, it seems that this dish is an original creation of Daruma-do. Served on a round flat plate, the dish consists of a fried egg on top (slightly broken), wheat flour dough, yakisoba, and wheat flour dough. The sauce is already spread from the beginning, with nori toppings. Mayonnaise and additional sauce are optional. The top layer is called "tempura", resembling the moon seen from the window. Is it a form of respect towards Daruma-do? The ingredients include pork, shrimp, and squid. It's quite filling. The seasoning is a bit mild. However, the yakisoba noodles are a bit too soft, perhaps due to the addition of bean sprouts or steaming with wheat flour dough. It's a bit disappointing. The simple dough part was delicious. It's chewy with a hint of sweetness. The service is simple. The prices are reasonable, making it a good everyday dining spot. Thank you for the meal.

Tempura Udon for 560 yen. I visited during lunchtime. The exterior signboard had a color combination of yellow and black, which I personally like and is also the image color of the place. When I entered, there were no other customers. Surprisingly, the interior was well organized and clean. When I ordered Tempura Udon, the lady at the restaurant asked me, "Soba? Udon?" which surprised me because I was imagining something like a Daruma doll for Tempura Udon. In the end, I chose the classic Udon. The man cooked it carefully and slowly. The Tempura Udon arrived. When I opened the lid, I was surprised! It looked like okonomiyaki. But when I tasted it, the ratio of okonomiyaki part to udon part was like 3:7 in terms of weight. The udon was quite chewy and I liked the taste of the sauce. The okonomiyaki part had a good mix of pork, vegetables, and was overall quite heavy. The Hige (beard) part in Juso is unrelated. Thinking of it as a yakisoba, it was my favorite among those I've tried in Kitakyushu. Well, I haven't tried many though. Don't catch a cold!