I came looking forward to the new lunch menu at Short Hope Group's new store for the first time. I decided based on my first impression. The "Soupless Dan Dan Noodles" looked so good! For the side dish in the set meal, you can choose between (fried chicken) or (shumai). The noodles have a firm texture and a pleasant aroma. The mild Dan Dan noodles are not as spicy as they look. I'll try changing the spiciness next time with either bok choy or mustard greens, which look authentically delicious.

At lunchtime, the restaurant was warm and about 30% full. I ordered tantanmen without soup and a set with tantanmen, each with karaage and gyoza. The kitchen and staff were energetic. The food arrived in about 7 minutes - the tantanmen looked spicy! Even the soupless tantanmen seemed to have a lot of sauce. The noodles were thin but had a chewy texture and were delicious. The sauce was strong and flavorful, so if the spiciness is not appropriate, it could be quite hot. The karaage in the set was average, and the gyoza was average as well, with the skin being a bit too sticky. Most of the menu items were spicy, which felt risky for the restaurant's long-term success.

I discovered this restaurant through the daily videos of YouTuber "Everyday My Tokachi Meal" and decided to visit. The parking lot was spacious and the interior of the restaurant, although in an existing building, was nicely renovated. There was no hand sanitizer at the entrance. The menu was simple, with only text on a single sheet. I ordered the medium-spicy tantanmen set (1,200 yen) with a choice of gyoza or karaage as a side dish, and I chose karaage. Many people around me also chose karaage. The bowl of tantanmen that arrived had a generous portion size, with plenty of chopped green onions, ground meat, and nuts, as well as large pieces of bok choy. The noodles were thin, and the soup had a hint of acidity. It gave me the impression of a carefully made tantanmen that you might find in a Chinese restaurant in a hotel. This is a must-visit for Tantamen lovers living in Tokachi. The karaage was juicy and delicious. I finished by adding rice to the remaining bowl after finishing the noodles. The medium-spicy level was not as spicy as I expected, so I recommend the extra spicy for those who like it hot. There was a bottle of delicious-looking vinegar on the table. I look forward to trying the soupless tantanmen next time. Thank you for the meal. I will definitely come back again.

A big shot sake drinker reviewer from Tokyo visited, having bar-hopped to 3 places the previous day (the first place being a surprise, review pending). The next day, they had lunch at the newly opened specialty spicy noodle shop, Chili Pepper. The menu is divided into categories such as spicy noodles, soup-less spicy noodles, mapo noodles, and mapo rice bowl. The kids' set is like soy sauce ramen (meaning it's not spicy but still numbing?). The set meals cost 1200 yen each and come with a choice of gyoza or fried chicken, rice or soup, and pickled vegetables. Initially, they thought there were no individual items on the menu, but later realized there was a 300 yen discount for ordering them separately. They ordered the set meal which turned out to be the right choice as the soup-less spicy noodles come with rice (200 yen if ordered separately) and the gyoza was delicious. They also had a selection of self-serve drinks like water, black oolong tea, rooibos tea, and jasmine tea. There were a few chefs in the kitchen, but since it was the first day and the ramen was all about speed, things were a bit different. The soup-less spicy noodles set meal (medium spicy) with fried chicken choice for 1200 yen was just right in terms of spiciness, with finely chopped green onions, nuts, and minced meat mixed well for a flavorful and slightly numbing experience. The medium-thin noodles were cooked to perfection by Marugen Hoikari Noodle Co., enhancing the overall taste. The leftover toppings tasted great when mixed with rice. The fried chicken was decent, and the non-frozen gyoza was juicy and delicious when dipped in the provided needle ginger and table chili oil. Overall, the reviewer rated the experience 3.5 out of 5 stars. They found that the soup version of the spicy noodles made the toppings sink and lose their appeal. They forgot to try the table vinegar for flavor variation, so that's a goal for next time.

This was my first time trying the Tan Tan Men set meal (medium spicy) with a side of gyoza and mapo tofu, and for dessert I chose almond jelly. The Tan Tan Men had thin straight noodles with a nice touch of nuts, which kept it from being boring, and I finished all the soup. The mapo tofu, ordered on its own, wasn't very spicy but the shredded green onions added a refreshing touch that paired well with the Tan Tan Men. It would have been nice if there was an option to choose the spiciness level for the mapo tofu as well. Both dishes had a subtle numbing sensation from the Sichuan peppercorns which enhanced the flavors without overpowering them. I've tried various Tan Tan Men dishes in Sapporo and Kobe, but this one was a big hit. Next time, I'll ask if they can make the mapo tofu spicier.