It was early in the evening, but quite wonderful. The sashimi platter with three types of fish was so good. I requested a tasting flight of three different types of sake, and they accommodated my preference for dry sake. The "Sara" sake from Saitama prefecture was very delicious. I was watching the Hanshin Tigers vs. Yakult Swallows game, but had to leave early (unfortunately). I wish they had BS1 channel available. Overall, it was a great experience.

Today, after finishing work, I met up with a friend for dinner at a restaurant I selected. I heard they serve Inaniwa udon here, so I was really looking forward to it. I met my friend at Esaka Station and we walked to the restaurant I had researched beforehand. We arrived just before 7:30 pm. The interior of the restaurant had a quiet atmosphere, different from what I had expected from an izakaya. We started with a draft beer (Yebisu) and cheers! We ordered... - Sashimi platter with 5 types including tuna, yellowtail, and seared saury. The seafood was very fresh and delicious, almost like a specialty seafood shop! - Hichinai chicken grilled with rock salt. It reminded me of the delicious Hichinai chicken I had in Akita! - Junmai sake "Yutaka" with a rich yet crisp taste that I love, dry and refreshing! - Squid tempura. Lightly fried and crispy, perfect with alcohol! - Inaniwa udon served cold. The texture was excellent, with a good chewiness and depth of flavor. It was delicious with sesame, green onions, and ginger. Outside the restaurant, there was a sign for Sato Yoyaku Honpo. I didn't know there was such a wonderful restaurant in Esaka! Both my friend and I left the restaurant satisfied. Thank you for the meal.

When I went to the hospital to hear the results of my MRI examination, they said everything was normal. So, I decided to treat myself to a nice lunch. I wanted to try a few different brands of sake, but they were out of stock, so they recommended Tamagawa. It's made in a Kyoto brewery run by a British master brewer. It's a slightly yellowish aged sake that starts off sweet but finishes with a clean, crisp taste that still retains a Japanese sake flavor. For lunch, I had tempura with octopus and okra topping on Inaniwa udon noodles, with a side of temari sushi. It paired perfectly with the sake. The delicious food and the sake that complemented it made for a wonderful dining experience. I highly recommend this restaurant.

The restaurant was located a little unfamiliar northwest of the station at Esaka. I parked at the coin parking before Seven and walked less than 100m. The daily lunch special that day was pork shabu udon. There were 4 tables for 4 people, 2 tables for 2 people, and a counter for about 5 people. I ordered the pork shabu udon for one person and the set meal for one person. The set meal was quite good. The temarizushi was quite good. I should have tried the tendon as well. The cold pork shabu udon arrived as ordered. The thin (Inaniwa style, everyone uses it?) udon was refreshing and delicious. The cold pork was decent. Overall, it was delicious, but I felt like I could make something similar at home with good quality Inaniwa udon. All the 4-person tables were occupied by children, and a family with children arrived later, so it seems like a restaurant loved by families with kids. Next time, I want to add a tempura assortment.

First time at this restaurant. The interior is stylish. As a fan of driftwood, I find the space very welcoming. I ordered today's udon with a set meal for 200 yen, which feels like a great deal. I was surprised to see that the udon noodles were very thin, almost like ramen noodles. I didn't know udon noodles could be thin too. They also had tsukemen on the menu. Is this a ramen shop? The taste was gentle and just as I expected. Perfect for a hangover. The best. That's all.

Visited around 12:30 pm. There are 7 seats at the counter and 5 tables. It doesn't form a line, but there is frequent turnover. Depending on the timing, there may be a line. It's a restaurant that serves Inaniwa udon. There are about 4 types each of hot and cold noodles on the grand menu, in addition to daily specials. On that day, they had warm noodles with beef and grated yam. For side dishes, there is a set with 3 hand-rolled sushi and a small side dish for an additional 200 yen, vegetable tempura for an additional 350 yen, and a tempura assortment for an additional 600 yen. Extra noodles cost an additional 200 yen. I ordered the tsukemen for 700 yen as a set. The price of the noodles is at most 850 yen, so it was quite reasonably priced. The dry noodles are boiled and rinsed with water, and served in about 8 minutes. There is also a small mortar with sesame seeds. The noodles are neatly arranged, which is impressive. The dipping sauce is not too thin or too spicy. It has a traditional flavor with a strong dashi taste. The condiments are green onions and ginger. The refreshing texture of the cold noodles is excellent. The hand-rolled sushi and fish stew in the small side dish of the set make you want to drink alcohol just by themselves. I finished it in no time and even thought about ordering a different menu. They have a wide selection of sake and delicious small dishes, so I would like to visit at night next time.

I had the daily special of bird seseri onsen tamago udon and temari sushi set. It was from an Inaniwa udon shop, so the udon was different from the usual thick and chewy type I often eat. It was thin and smooth, with a really refreshing texture. The light and elegant dashi flavor soaked into my tongue, creating a comforting taste. I enjoyed the crunchy texture of the seseri and watercress, and breaking the onsen tamago over it added a mellow flavor that made it delicious until the end. Just the udon alone might feel a bit lacking, but the cute temari sushi with three pieces and the side dish made it a satisfying meal. It was the kind of place I would want to visit regularly if it were nearby.

There are many delicious restaurants in Esaka. I had the chicken and egg udon set meal here, and it was delicious. The price was reasonable at 1000 yen. I used to think that I didn't like thin udon, but when it's in a sauce like this, it's tasty. The atmosphere of the restaurant was also nice.

I wonder what it is. They have a good selection of Japanese sake. The fish is fresh and delicious. The food is refined, almost at a semi-kaiseki level rather than just an izakaya. However, the reception over the phone for reservations is unfriendly and made me hesitant. (Irritable?) Furthermore, the staff had a stern expression from the moment I entered. I have frequented this restaurant multiple times for its good taste, but I always noticed the unpleasant atmosphere. I don't expect to be pampered or treated specially just because I'm a customer, but... it's a shame despite the good taste. I've expressed my dissatisfaction, but I don't expect any improvement, so I won't be revisiting.

I went on a business trip to Osaka for one night starting on Monday. Before heading to the head office for a meeting, I decided to have lunch with colleagues from Hokkaido and Hiroshima. As the one in charge of organizing meals, I chose this place called "Kinji." When I joined the company in April, I didn't notice it at all, but recently I found out that it was a highly rated restaurant on Tabelog and I wanted to go there. However, we arrived at different times, after 11:30... Luckily, there were almost empty seats and the three of us were able to enter the restaurant. Today's lunch was "Shrimp and Root Vegetable Tempura Udon" (tax included 800 yen) with the option to add hand-rolled sushi for an additional 200 yen. Everyone chose the set meal, but I went for the cold udon. Others chose hot udon and we waited for the dishes to be served. The cold menu had a separate broth for dipping. There seemed to be no wasabi or ginger condiments. The cold menu was well drained, so the broth didn't get diluted. I was surprised that the tempura of root vegetables was delicious. I never knew that lotus root could be so tasty when cooked. The udon had thin noodles that were not typical of udon, but I have been into dried Inaniwa udon for about half a year and it might be my favorite udon now. The hand-rolled sushi was also delicious, and it had been 25 years since I last had smoked herring... The last time I went to Akita was 25 years ago... I heard that they serve sake at night, so I'll look forward to it on my next business trip. After 12:00, the restaurant suddenly became crowded with customers.

Sashimi 3-piece assortment for 1320 yen Deep-fried thick tofu with plenty of green onions for 495 yen Homemade Satsuma-age (fried fish cake) for 605 yen Kitsune-oroshi bukkake udon (cold) for 990 yen I had a light drink before finishing with udon. The sashimi was fresh with a nice thickness, and it was quite filling for one person! The udon was Inaniwa udon, which is rare in Osaka. The warm kitsune with a slightly sweet broth and the cold fine noodles had a firm texture and a pleasant mouthfeel. Thank you for the meal.

On October 1, 2022, during the day, I visited a restaurant called Kinji. It is a udon and sake restaurant that serves udon as the main dish for lunch, along with set meals and tempura. In the evening, they offer appetizers that go well with sake, as well as fish dishes, and finish off with udon. One of their popular dishes is the warm Udon with Ume and Oboro Kombu, priced at 800 yen, with an additional set meal for 200 yen. The udon they serve is Inaniwa udon, originating from Yuzawa City in Akita Prefecture. It is extremely thin, soft, and smooth. The broth is rich, with a strong sourness from the Ume plum and a sweetness from the grated kelp, creating a flavorful combination. It is topped with plenty of green onions. The set meal includes hand-pressed sushi, a small side dish, and pickles. The hand-pressed sushi is made with sea bream and tuna, with small bite-sized rice balls that are tangy and full of flavor. The small side dish consists of small fish deep-fried and pickled with onions and carrots in vinegar, while the pickles are cucumber pickled in rice bran. It seems that the small side dish may vary depending on the person. Overall, it was a delicious meal.

On this day, after moving in, I had various arrangements to make and decided to have lunch at this well-reputed restaurant nearby. The weather was still hot, so I ordered cold Inaniwa udon and temari sushi. The udon, which is the specialty of the restaurant, was smooth on the surface with a good chewy texture, perfect for a cold dish. I have had udon from the birthplace of udon due to a job transfer, so I was glad to find a good udon restaurant in my new area. The temari sushi was also elegant and the quality of the toppings was decent. However, all the staff seemed gloomy and tense, which made the atmosphere not very pleasant.

I always told my client that I only eat frozen Inaniwa udon, and they said they would treat me to real Inaniwa udon like in a certain gourmet showdown manga. So I went along with them to this restaurant located near Esaka Station. The interior of the restaurant had counter seats and tables in the back. About half of the seats were occupied by customers. It seemed like it turned into an izakaya at night, with sake lined up in the fridge. I ordered the Ume Wakame Oroshi for 750 yen. The noodles were quite thin and looked delicious with a shiny appearance. I poured the broth over the noodles, taking a bit of seaweed and grated radish to bring out the good upbringing. I didn't mix it up at all. This was actually quite delicious. I could have paid an extra 200 yen for a large portion and it would have been worth it. It's a bit disappointing that the noodles didn't have much firmness, but overall, it was still good.

I visited around 12:30 and sat at the counter. The tea was good. I ordered the cold tsukemen in large size. It was beautifully presented, with noodles as thin as somen. The sesame added a nice aroma. The noodles had a good texture and were delicious. Despite being a large size, the portion seemed small at first, but it was actually a satisfying amount.

Inaniwa udon itself is a combination of the best parts of udon and somen, and it's something I crave occasionally. The lunch menu here is even more thoughtful with daily specials, delicious temari sushi, and small side dishes. This time, I had the kinmedai shabu-shabu udon with temari sushi for only 1000 yen! It's a hidden gem that I want to keep to myself, but also want to share with others. I'm convinced that the dinner menu is just as good, so I'll definitely be back to try it out.

I visited a restaurant that caught my eye while driving in Esaka. I had a late lunch there, and the atmosphere inside was like an izakaya. The place seems to be more geared towards nighttime. I ordered the pork shabu-shabu with crispy Inaniwa udon. It was my first time trying Inaniwa udon, and it was delicious with its firm and thin noodles that were smooth and tasty!! I would like to try going there at night too!!

A cozy and calm atmosphere, where you can enjoy delicious dishes and a wide selection of Japanese sake at a reasonable price, is the izakaya restaurant "Kanji". Located about a 5-minute walk from Exit 5 of Osaka Metro Esaka Station, the restaurant is situated in a quiet area away from the hustle and bustle. The interior, with a focus on wooden elements, features table seating and a wide counter space in front of the kitchen, creating a comfortable space that feels like a hidden gem for adults to enjoy a date, girls' night out, or for women to stop by alone in a stylish atmosphere. This time, we ordered a la carte dishes at the counter. ☆ Assorted sashimi (5 kinds) 1480 yen - Yellowtail, Bonito, Botan shrimp, Golden eye snapper, Sushi ☆ Uni pudding 700 yen ☆ Three kinds of delicacies 600 yen - Tai sake lees, Firefly squid, Cartilage plum dressing ☆ Mackerel sandwich 800 yen ☆ Hichin chicken salt-grilled 1280 yen ☆ Potato salad with Iburi Gakko 550 yen ☆ Grilled golden eye snapper collar with salt 780 yen ☆ Assorted tempura 800 yen ☆ Cold udon noodles 700 yen ☆ Hot udon noodles 800 yen ★ Sapporo Black Label 500 yen ★ Sake wine barrel tasting 1200 yen - Kirei Fermier, Tsuki no wa Edelwein, Daikura Fermier ★ Sake tasting 1000 yen - Takaraken Junmai Hiroshima Hachitan Kin, Abe Junmai Ginjo Genshu, Koi Kawa Junmai Sake We focus on fresh seafood and seasonal vegetables, offering various cooking methods such as "sashimi," "grilled dishes," "simmered dishes," and "tempura" using seasonal ingredients. The carefully crafted dishes that mix seasonal flavors are wonderful from start to finish, with ingredients and tableware that evoke the season, especially the outstanding presentation that surprises with its appearance, soothes with its aroma, and delights with its taste, leaving a lasting impression. The selection of sake, carefully chosen by the restaurant owner from all over the country, reveals a significant dedication to quality, offering a lineup that sake lovers will find irresistible. The "Sake Tasting" where you can choose three favorite sake from the menu is a great deal that allows you to enjoy various types of sake! And don't miss out on the essential udon noodles at the end of the drinking session, especially the recommended luxurious Inaniwa udon. Not only is it delicious, but you can also enjoy the visually beautiful and luxurious Inaniwa udon. We had a very pleasant and blissful time thanks to the kind smiles and attentive service of the Tigers fan owner and staff, the refined interior, and the wonderful quality of the surrounding customers engaging in conversations, creating a comfortable and sophisticated atmosphere. Thank you for the wonderful meal! (^O^)／

I finally mustered up the courage to try the udon shop I had been curious about. I ordered the daily special udon, which was served with an an sauce and Inaniwa udon. The freshly boiled udon was piping hot and incredibly delicious! The combination of the an sauce and egg with the udon was perfect! I look forward to trying their cold udon next time!

Amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the looming second wave, I finally had a girls' night out that had been planned for a while. I arrived early but that's just how us girls are! We chatted non-stop, enjoyed lots of food and drinks, and had a brief moment of stress relief. Regardless of age, gender, or work and home responsibilities, it's important for people who work hard every day to have a place to relax and unwind. With delicious food and drinks as our companions, we had a fun time together. I hope that these everyday activities can return soon, as I now realize the importance of things that were once taken for granted. It was a delicious meal! Thank you so much.