I'm sorry to start with this topic in the food area, but at the beginning of June, I had my annual colonoscopy. It's been about 7 years since I had a polyp removed in 2016 and have been dealing with ulcerative colitis. Some inflammation was found, so I decided to take it easy with soft and gentle foods for a while. For lunch, I chose a place near my workplace that serves "Iyo Udon" because I felt like it would be soothing. From June 8th onwards, I have been having Iyo Udon for lunch on weekdays. Plain udon seemed a bit lonely, so I opted for meat udon instead. Occasionally, I add chicken tempura to it. Today is July 7th, which is like the Tanabata festival in mainland Japan, and of course, I had meat udon again. I have been completely captivated by the delicious meat udon from Iyo. It's not too strong or too light in flavor, just perfect. The broth is not too overpowering, just enough to soak the udon and meat. I absolutely love it! They usually serve it with green onions, but I don't like them because I don't enjoy getting a piece stuck in my teeth after finishing the meal. Even though both are meat udon, the one from Marugame has stir-fried beef on top, while the one from Iyo has simmered beef, similar to a gyudon restaurant style. I prefer the latter. With my medication helping me feel better, I'm considering trying Coco Ichibanya or ramen or katsudon, but I just can't seem to break away from the delicious Iyo meat udon. I'm still hooked on it.

This is a chain of Sanuki udon restaurants located along National Route 36 in Tomakomai City. I have visited their stores in Sapporo and Obihiro a few times before, but this was my first visit to this particular branch. The parking lot is spacious and easy to use, so I stopped by for dinner on my way back from a business trip to Muroran. You first tell the staff what type and amount of udon you want, then choose your own toppings before paying, similar to the style of Marugame Seimen. There are also limited-time menu items available, but I prefer simple cold udon, so I ordered the "bukkake (extra large) for 500 yen" with "toriten (150 yen)" and "ikaten (130 yen)" as toppings. The Sanuki udon, known for its strong chewy texture, is very delicious. I found the broth to be a bit strong, but it complements the robustness of the udon well. The extra large size was quite filling, even without the tempura toppings. The price of 500 yen for this volume feels like a great deal. Personally, I don't see any significant differences compared to Marugame Seimen, so I recommend it to those who love Sanuki udon.

During my first visit to Tomakomai in October 2021, I decided to try out "Iyo Seimen" udon noodles. I usually love the "Sanuki-style" udon noodles at Marugame Seimen, which are easily accessible. After the first "Hanamaru" store landed in Sapporo, it quickly retreated, and then came Marugame Seimen, which helped spread the udon culture in Hokkaido. However, there was also a rival in our Higashi Ward called "Iyo Seimen," which I had planned to visit but eventually closed down before I could. In Sapporo, there is now only one store located on Ishiyama Street. In Hokkaido, there are a total of six stores, with two each in Sapporo, Kushiro, Tomakomai, Kitami, and Obihiro. Marugame Seimen definitely has more stores than Iyo Seimen. So, since I was in Tomakomai, I decided to have my first experience at Iyo Seimen. I ordered the basic "kake" udon for 300 yen. Compared to Marugame Seimen, which is 320 yen, Iyo Seimen is 20 yen cheaper. However, since it was already past lunchtime and the restaurant was not crowded, the udon noodles were not in their best condition. Honestly, the noodles lacked firmness. The broth was sweeter and lacked sharpness compared to Marugame Seimen. Also, although there were self-service toppings like tempura flakes, there was hardly any green onion, so I had to ask for a refill (they stopped self-service green onions starting November). Despite being familiar with Marugame Seimen, the liveliness and deliciousness were not quite there at Iyo Seimen. Perhaps Sapporo is dominated by Marugame Seimen, so it might be challenging for Iyo Seimen to compete as a rival.

July 20, 2021 (Tue) I went to Iyo Seimen for the first time, even though it's not local. I also tried Okame Seimen for the first time this year, so I think I understand the system now. I ordered bukkake udon and tempura. The udon had a nice texture and was delicious. The tempura with half-cooked egg was also tasty. The place is spacious and has a nice atmosphere. I used to just not like going there, but now I quite like it. Thank you for the bukkake udon. (^_^)

I found this restaurant while rushing to the post office, and decided to have dinner there. I ordered the seared bacon butter kamatama udon (regular, 490 yen) and vegetable tempura (140 yen). The seared bacon butter kamatama udon would be ready in 7 minutes. I paid in cash. The udon arrived as promised. It was delicious. Thank you for the meal.

My wife and I visited the restaurant for the first time at 12:10, and it was not crowded. We ordered two seasonal hot pot udon noodles. They brought the food to our table. I ordered eel tempura and salmon rice ball, while my wife added mushroom tempura. The broth is light, so I poured it over the noodles... It's delicious! They told us we don't need to separate the trash at the return counter. It's nice to be able to eat without waiting in line. Hot pot udon noodles 790 yen, eel tempura 140 yen, mushroom tempura 140 yen, salmon rice ball 130 yen. Thank you for the meal! (^^)v

It's been a while since I last came here. Even though it's in the same city, I don't often come to this area, haha. I had the "Niku Tama Bukkake Udon (regular) with Ikaten" today. Marugame Seimen is, of course, a given, but the udon itself is different, you know. The texture is completely different. It's not about which one is better, though. The broth is rich, and the texture of the meat is also good.

When passing through Tomakomai for work, I visited this udon restaurant. I have used Marugame Seimen many times before, but this place was new to me. I ordered the classic zaru udon. I slurped the noodles with plenty of green onions and tenkasu sprinkled on top. The noodles were a bit softer than I prefer, but the balance with the broth was not bad. It is conveniently located along the national highway, so I would like to visit again if I have the chance.

I love katsu udon, but there aren't many places that serve it, so when I find one, I order it right away! It's often found in izakayas, but having udon at the end of a meal at an izakaya can be heavy... Katsu udon for 490 yen and the limited-time Negi Shio Buta Udon for 590 yen. The Negi Shio Buta Udon with black pepper was delicious! The combination of negi, salt, and pork is a classic. The katsu udon was also delicious! By the way, on Tuesdays, there's a Ladies' Day with a 50 yen discount. Even udon restaurants have Ladies' Day... It's a satisfying meal that fills you up quickly! Thank you for the meal!

I tried the "Osaka specialty katsu udon" at Iyo Seimen San and it was quite delicious. The katsu udon was a new experience for me and I was intrigued by the idea of a udon shop from Kagawa serving Osaka's specialty. The broth was tasty, the udon was chewy, and the inari sushi was simple but flavorful. The portion size was larger than usual, so one piece of inari sushi was enough. Overall, it was a delicious meal.

Bukkake 330, Squid 130, Otoro 80 = 540

In August 2018, I revisited a restaurant and tried their curry udon noodles. To be honest, I'm not a huge fan of udon noodles compared to other types like soba or ramen. However, I do enjoy curry udon as I believe it pairs better with curry than soba or ramen. The curry udon at this particular restaurant, Iyo Seimen, was decent in taste but lacked a sufficient amount of curry. I prefer my curry dishes to have a generous amount of curry sauce, so I found this portion to be lacking. I have tried curry udon at three major udon chain restaurants - Marugame, Hanamaru, and Iyo Seimen, and in terms of curry udon, Marugame has a clear advantage.

In January 2018, I visited a chain of udon restaurants called "Iyo Seimen," operated by the Osaka-based beauty and hair care company, Hannan Beauty Co., Ltd. They have around 30 stores nationwide, with only 1 store in Sapporo and 4 stores in the eastern part of Hokkaido. I was intrigued by their menu item called "katsu udon," which is a type of udon topped with dried bonito flakes. I visited their Tomakomai store and tried the katsu udon along with inari sushi and toriten (chicken tempura). The katsu udon was served with dried bonito flakes on top of the noodles, which needed some time to soften in the broth before eating. The inari sushi was decent but a bit oily, while the toriten was average. The menu at Iyo Seimen is not extensive, but they offer typical udon chain dishes. They also have seasonal items like "kamatama pork kimchi udon" and "nabe yaki udon." Overall, it was a satisfactory experience, and I recommend trying their katsu udon if you visit.

Iyo-chan is still only 16 years old~♪ No, no, not "Iyo," but the long-lost "Iyo" (laughs). Usually, I go to the nearby Marugame, but this time I came all the way to Iyo, which is quite far. I happened to have some business in this area. I considered going to Kaicho Steak, but ended up choosing Iyo-chan (^^;; I ordered the "Toritama Udon (regular) 410 yen + Ebiten 150 yen + Ikaten 110 yen." My wife ordered the "Nabeyaki Udon 690 yen + Ikaten 110 yen + Kabocha Ten 110 yen." When we decided on our orders, we went to the tempura and inari sushi corner before paying, just like at Marugame. When it came time to pay, the staff member looked at the two trays and said, "890 yen!" I said, "Huh? It's together!" but the staff member insisted, "Yes, 890 yen!" If the staff member was so sure, then fine (^^;; I thought, but then my wife said, "Oh, please include this!" The "Nabeyaki Udon" couldn't be made right away when we ordered, so a note was placed on the tray. The staff member had overlooked that note. What's up with that confident payment method? Double-check, please. There are customers like that, you know (^^;; Now, for the tasting! I said, "Taking a photo of the Toritama... Now adding the green onions!" My wife said, "The car will smell like green onions again (>o<)." I said, "Well, what can you do, I like green onions (laughs)." "The Toritama flavor is rich and delicious as always," my wife said, "The Nabeyaki is also good." - The Ebiten: If this were a supermarket, I'd wait until evening for the half-price deal (laughs). - The Ikaten: It looks like squid, but it's a bit too soft. - The Kabocha Ten: This one was apparently very tasty. I wanted extra green onions, but my wife stopped me (laughs). It's quite filling, so it's good for someone with a big appetite. I'd like to try eating Marugame and Iyo side by side and compare them (^^).

I went to Tomakomai for a nearby event. I parked my car and walked around to find a place to eat, but I only came across familiar places like Yoshinoya. I kept walking and found a sushi restaurant, but it was closed for the day. Then I found a soba restaurant with a noticeable closed sign. As I continued, I only found more closed restaurants, making me wonder if it's tough to survive in the food industry around here. Just when I thought there were no options left, I stumbled upon this udon restaurant. It's a chain restaurant, but I had never been there before, so I decided to give it a try. It was a self-service system where you order at the entrance and pay at the counter. I ordered a large kake udon for 390 yen. You can also add toppings like tempura, but I opted not to. After paying, I added green onions, tempura flakes, and dashi broth by myself. It was interesting to see a machine where you can add dashi broth by pressing a button. The udon was satisfying with its thick and chewy noodles. The system may be a bit confusing at first, but once you get used to it, it's easy to enjoy your meal. They have counter seats, tables, and even raised seating areas, making it suitable for all ages and groups. When leaving, I exited through the door labeled "出口." Overall, it was a different experience from Marugame Seimen, but still enjoyable.

I wanted to eat lunch quickly, so I chose udon noodles! I think it's faster than a hamburger. I had the Cold Shabu Salad Udon for 490 yen, along with Chicken Tempura for 130 yen and Egg Tempura for 110 yen. There were three types of salad udon available - sesame, plum, and salt. I usually go for sesame or salt, but this time I chose plum. It turned out to be quite sour, maybe because of the plum sauce. But the combination of the sour plum sauce and the runny egg tempura yolk was delicious! Thank you for the meal!

It is always a topic of discussion, the relationship between "Marugame Seimen" and "Iyo Seimen" because they look so similar. "Marugame Seimen" is a chain restaurant known for its udon noodles and also offers soy sauce ramen and yakisoba. The company is based in Kobe, not in Kagawa where Marugame City is famous for udon. On the other hand, "Iyo Seimen" is linked to a beauty salon company called "Hannan Ribeauty" and is the management company of the cheap barber shop "Purage". The company is based in Osaka, not in Ehime where Iyo is located. Surprisingly, there have been no plagiarism lawsuits so far. Moving on to the food review, I tried the "Torotama Udon (regular)" with toppings of shrimp tempura and fish cake tempura. The broth had a distinct and clear flavor that was not too salty or sweet. It had a subtle complexity without being overwhelming. The noodles had a good texture, and the tempura toppings were crispy and delicious. I would like to try comparing the same menu items from Marugame and Iyo side by side. Unfortunately, my taste memory is not good enough for such a comparison. It would be interesting to taste and compare the differences in flavors and noodles between the two restaurants.