After the renewal reopening of my favorite restaurant, the menu is now in a prefix format where you can choose what you want to eat. I visited again right away, and it was excellent once again. I want to keep this place as one of my favorites, as it still hasn't been well-known and has a moderate difficulty level for reservations. #KirinKen #IkeshiroOhashi #ModernChinese #MapoTofu #RenewalReopening #ChineseCuisine

Visited on November 16 (Saturday). Enjoyed an omakase course with 10 dishes, starting with appetizers! As expected from a renowned restaurant, we savored each dish leisurely and deliciously. I've never tasted spring rolls like this before! Is this really daikon cakes? Each carefully prepared dish brought us joy and surprise. It's not a casual dining spot for everyday use, but I highly recommend it for those occasions when you want to have a calm meal or enjoy guaranteed delicious cuisine! Thank you very much.

The course consisted of 10 dishes for 8,580 yen, and even though the portions were small, I ended up feeling quite full. We enjoyed drinks like orange wine, huangjiu (yellow wine), and highballs. For five people, the total was just over 60,000 yen. It’s a highly sought-after restaurant, but I found it easy to make reservations, which is a big plus. Everything was delicious, and I definitely plan to visit again.

This is a great Chinese restaurant located in Ikejiri-Ohashi. It has a counter and private rooms at the back. The course meals are all very elaborate and visually impressive. I enjoyed a variety of dishes that cover everything from seafood to meat. Before they cut the crispy chicken, they showed it to us, which really raised our excitement. It definitely makes you crave white rice! I wished I had ordered more from the beginning. It was a wonderful place where we could also enjoy authentic Chinese tea.

There seems to be a relatively new Chinese restaurant near Ikejiri-Ohashi Station✨. The weekend lunch course was delicious and included mouth-watering chicken, shumai, sweet and sour pork, shark fin soup, fried rice, and tapioca coconut milk! We ate in a private room, and everything was great‼️٩(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)۶

The mapo tofu here is definitely the best! For some reason, I ended up ordering a course that doesn't include mapo tofu, so I decided to add it without hesitation! The fried rice is delicious too... this is my favorite Chinese restaurant. #KirinKen #IkebukuroGourmet #ChineseFood #DeliciousMapoTofu #NumberOneMapoTofu

It was great to have the place exclusively to ourselves, and the attentive service was very much appreciated. For instance, they asked what I wanted to eat and arranged it freely. The staff's thoughtfulness was outstanding. However, the price was high, so I suppose that's to be expected.

This is one of my favorite Chinese dishes. The chef prepares the dishes in a way that highlights the natural shape of the ingredients, making each portion look delicious and feel satisfying. Sharing time at the counter with the chef is also a blissful experience.

It was so delicious that I couldn’t help but eat a lot of it— that’s how good it was! The taste was incredible, but the quality of the ingredients was also excellent, and the presentation was beautifully picturesque. I couldn't resist taking photos! The cost performance is great too; I wish it would become more popular.

This place has been closed for a few years. I'm not sure if it has been remodeled since my last visit, but the taste is still as delicious as ever! The cost performance is great, and you can order a la carte. There are counter seats and round tables, so it's easy to choose depending on the situation. I will definitely visit again!

A gourmet friend recently recommended a Chinese restaurant called "Kirin-ken," mentioning that the spring rolls were particularly good, so I was excited to visit. I had some concerns about the mixed reviews on Tabelog, which felt a bit suspicious, but in the end, it was a great choice. The modern atmosphere makes it suitable for any occasion, and the dishes showcase the chef's creativity while remaining true to solid Chinese flavors. The restaurant is a new establishment that opened after relocating, but it kept the same name. Previously, it had high ratings. Location-wise, it's within a 5-minute walk from Ikejiri-Ohashi and you can even walk from Shibuya if you're up for it; it takes just over 10 minutes. The restaurant is small, with only four counter seats and a private room. We chose to sit at the counter to enjoy the live cooking experience. We opted for an 8580 yen course, which allowed us to select two dim sums, two seasonal dishes, one main dish, and one finale dish. The first four appetizers included a tofu and chrysanthemum salad, jellyfish, liver, and pork heart. While all were delicious, I particularly loved the tofu salad for its unique texture, complemented by the bitterness of the chrysanthemum, offering a flavor unlike any other. The signature Hong Kong shumai was meaty yet had a wonderfully bouncy texture. It was incredibly tasty, balancing sweetness without being too rich. It's different from my favorite "Kei" shumai, featuring a chewiness that meat lovers will enjoy. As for the spring rolls filled with Shanghai crab and shark fin served with XO sauce, I had high hopes, but unfortunately, they were a bit greasy. However, the well-prepared combination of those two ingredients paired with the gentle flavor of XO sauce was delightful. The regular dish of eggplant and makomotake was coated to a crispy perfection, reminiscent of Sichuan-style sweet potato. The unique texture was delicious, with the flavors enhanced by seasoned minced meat. The famous mala tofu was homemade and smooth, differing from traditional mapo, with the chef being specialized in Cantonese cuisine but capable of preparing Sichuan dishes as well. It had a creamy texture that brilliantly held up against the strong sauce, bursting with the rich taste of soybeans, and the fragrant notes of doubanjiang were fantastic. We received two bowls of rice, and it was an excellent pairing with the mala tofu. The soup, creamy and white, wasn't just from the chicken broth but also from the rice, offering a gentle flavor with the natural sweetness of the rice. The Hong Kong XO sauce yakisoba was enjoyable, although I was still feeling under the weather, so I mostly let my companion have it. The crispiness of the bean sprouts created a nice textural rhythm. Personally, I prefer thin noodles for Shanghai yakisoba. For dessert, the mango almond pudding, with grapefruit and mango chunks, was refreshing and juicy. The soft texture and just-right sweetness made it delightful. With a price in the 8000 yen range (the spring rolls are an additional 800 yen), the course was quite satisfying. Those who seek authentic traditional flavors might not find it suitable, but I appreciate the chef's unique creations and personal touch in the dishes. Thank you for the meal!

Ji Lin Xuan has suddenly returned, and it’s as delicious as ever with its modern Chinese cuisine. Since there’s only one chef, the courses are the main focus, but a la carte options are also available! The wine selection is reasonably priced, allowing you to enjoy modern Chinese dishes while sipping on wine. Of course, there’s also Shaoxing wine available!

I visited with a friend. I've been here several times before the renovation, but this place is on a different level. My friend has lived in Shanghai for a long time due to her father's work, and she couldn't stop praising the food! She kept saying how delicious it was! The lunch spot has changed its name to "Kirin-dou" and serves dishes like dan dan noodles, so I definitely want to try lunch here next time.

Finally! After waiting for the grand reopening, I was able to visit again after a long time. Each dish was prepared with care, and I was very satisfied. Additionally, I enjoyed chatting with the master, which added to the experience beyond just the food. If it’s your first time, I recommend the six-course menu as it offers a good portion. (You can always order more if you're still hungry.)

I realized that the restaurant was quite difficult for ordering à la carte as soon as I opened the menu. There were many items without prices listed. This made it hard to order à la carte, and I wondered if they were trying to lead customers to opt for the course menu, but they insisted that wasn’t the case. When I asked them to clarify, they said that very few customers ask for prices for à la carte items, but they would explain if I wished. However, partway through their explanation, they simply said, "It's various," and gave up. Eventually, I acquiesced and went with the prix-fixe option. Overall, the food was quite good, but I couldn't help but compare it to the previous restaurant, Tofu. For example, the spicy tofu dish that was priced at ¥1,200 per person for two people was unique, but it simply couldn't compete with Tofu's mapo tofu. They also served tea, stating it was "complimentary," which caught me off guard, but I chose not to point it out. Then they asked if I wanted to add a dessert—which was included in the meal—if I had room in my stomach. I felt compelled to protest at that point. The hojicha mousse (or pudding?) had a muddled flavor, and I regretted my choice. Unfortunately, I had to deduct points primarily due to the quality of service during a meal that was otherwise disappointing.

I had a course meal and every dish was thoughtfully prepared and delicious, with beautiful presentation that left me fully satisfied. Overall, the flavors were quite bold. The spicy mapo tofu, with a strong hint of Sichuan pepper, was particularly memorable. I heard that the interior was recently renovated, and it was bright and very clean. The background music, featuring stylish Western songs that were not typical for a Chinese restaurant, played at just the right volume, making both my stomach and my mood feel comfortable.

I visited for lunch on a weekday. I had the mapo tofu lunch with a soft-boiled egg topping. The tofu was creamy and delicious. I enjoyed it while sweating a little from the heat. Thank you for the meal! ☺︎