After finishing my errands in Kyoto, I was wandering around Kyoto Station and happened to come across "Houroku" restaurant. It was quite crowded, but I decided to wait in line because I really wanted to try it. I bought some for my family as well. It was definitely delicious, and my family loved it too.

551 is famous for its pork buns, but their other dishes are also delicious. This small counter-only restaurant serves a seafood fried noodles dish that I enjoy eating with plenty of hot mustard. The set menu's Tianjin rice comes with a generous amount of sauce and two small shrimp on top. The price increase is unavoidable.

Visited during the evening of Golden Week. The line for pork buns was too long due to the U-turn rush, so I decided to get a bento box being sold nearby. I was planning to have dinner on the Shinkansen, so I bought the bento here instead. After ordering a fried chicken bento and a deluxe bento, the staff surprised me by offering to add pork buns to my order. I didn't know they had a system for skipping the line like this. I was full from the bento alone, so I saved the pork buns for breakfast the next day. Next time, I'll get a set of bento and pork buns.

On a mid-March Saturday, I came to Kansai for a weekend trip. I took a limousine bus from Itami Airport straight to Kyoto Station. **Shop** 55 51 Horai Kyoto Isetan Store **Today's Menu** Mini Fried Rice Set 470 yen A set with mini fried rice and one dim sum of your choice. I chose the pork bun without hesitation. When I took a bite, the overflowing filling from the fluffy skin was delightful. Ah, this is it. I feel like I'm back in Osaka. Despite being from Sendai. Although it's called a fried rice set, it's a bit funny how the staff call it "Yakimeshi one~".

In the basement of Kyoto Isetan, there is a restaurant called 551. They offer takeout and counter seating for dining in. The seafood yakisoba for dining in is full of ingredients and comes with a soup that tastes like eggs. Whether you choose the fried rice or Tianjin rice set, you will be highly satisfied.

During a business trip to Nara, I passed through Kyoto and decided to stop for lunch. I visited a place in the basement of Isetan where they sell meat buns and dumplings, with an eat-in area next to it. I ordered shrimp dumplings, regular dumplings, and a mini Tianjin rice bowl. The total came to 1060 yen, and I paid in advance. However, they asked me to pay again at the counter. The dumplings were delicious as always, but the Tianjin rice was just average. It's a good place to buy souvenirs as it wasn't as crowded as Penglai at Kyoto Station.

There is a takeout store at Hachijo-guchi where I was planning to stop by, but I was surprised to find out that there is an eat-in option at Isetan, so I went there right away! At Isetan, they offer takeout, bento boxes, and eat-in options! It's a rare treat to be able to order a little bit at a time for one person. And the happiness of being able to eat freshly made food is priceless! I won't go into detail about the taste since everyone already knows, but personally, I found the gyoza to be very garlicky and made me crave beer! The sweet and sour pork is flavorful, so I recommend ordering it with rice! Next time I come to Kyoto, I'll try the shrimp chili!

Today, on my way back from work in Shijo, I wanted to get a souvenir for my partner, so I went to Isetan next to Kyoto Station. I was pondering what to get when I noticed that 551 Horai was not very crowded, so I decided to get some takeout. I ended up buying some for my partner and myself, and enjoyed them with a chu-hi on the platform of Kyoto Station. They were delicious! The chewy texture of the bun with a slightly thick red bean paste was so tasty. And the best part is that even if you buy four, it's still under 1000 yen, which is unbelievable. And you can't forget the mustard - the sharpness that cuts through your nose combined with the sweetness of the pork bun is addictive. This is a must-buy souvenir from Kansai that surpasses Osaka - 551 Horai's pork buns. When I opened the individual takeaway box, it was like a treasure chest of pork buns. It was a feast!

There seem to be 3 stores in Kyoto Station, but I used this one because it offers eat-in options and also sells bento boxes. It is located on the 2nd floor underground of Isetan, in a hidden place, but the turnover is fast. You can see the chef vigorously shaking the wok over the counter (lol). The menu is extensive, but it seems that ordering just a small dish is not enough, as they also give you something extra. Dim sum is okay by itself though (the next table ordered one shumai, one gyoza, and one pork bun each for two people). I wanted to try the Penglai Tianjin rice, and it was delicious. The sauce for the meatballs was not too strong, but gentle. It was nice that there were 2 shrimp in it! The shumai was cooked perfectly, with plenty of juicy meat. Thank you for the meal. Of course, you can also pay for souvenirs together at the counter, so if you want to buy souvenirs without waiting in line, you should eat in.

Seafood yakisoba for 980 yen. Shrimp dumplings for 4 pieces for 320 yen. These were the two dishes I wanted to try after my last visit. The shrimp dumplings had a yellow skin with pink shrimp, which looked nice but tasted average. Presentation is important in cooking, but taste is the most crucial. The seafood yakisoba had a sweet sauce that was delicious. The noodles were not too soft, with some chewiness. I probably prefer fried noodles. The scallops and shrimp were tender and tasty, especially the large shrimp. The vegetables complemented the sauce well. However, at 980 yen, it felt a bit pricey. The portion size was good, but not worth the high price. I couldn't use electronic money, so I won't consider it as an option. Next time, I'll try it at the main store.

On January 28th (Saturday), I had to work unexpectedly, so my day went from home to Uehommachi to Kameoka and back home. On my way back, I had dinner at "551 Horai Kyoto Isetan Store" for the first time. - Seafood Yakisoba Set: 1,280 yen - Grilled Gyoza: 250 yen * All prices include tax * I wanted to have some alcohol, but they only offered lemon water or regular water. The yakisoba was delicious! It was a bit oily but hot and perfectly seasoned. The main ingredients were shrimp: 2, scallops: 2, and squid: 2. The portion is always the same, never more or less. This time, both shrimp were smaller than usual, which made me wonder if the portion sizes are smaller in Kyoto. However, when I saw the "Seafood Fried Noodles" served to the lady next to me, it had two huge shrimp. I couldn't help but stare in awe. Maybe one big and one small shrimp in a portion? The taste of the seafood yakisoba was the same as the one in Uehommachi, but the way the noodles were cooked seemed slightly different. I prefer the Uehommachi style. The mini fried rice was also slightly different here, with a bit more oil and a crispy texture. I prefer the Uehommachi version, but this one had a larger portion. The soup was egg drop soup, unlike the seaweed soup in Uehommachi. I prefer the Uehommachi soup. I also tried the grilled gyoza for the first time at this restaurant. It was tasty with a strong garlic flavor, but I felt it didn't quite match the seafood flavor of the yakisoba. Overall, I left feeling full and satisfied. Thank you for the meal!

Penglai-san is famous for its meat buns... in fact, I can't think of any other menu items off the top of my head (sorry). Whenever I go to Osaka, I almost always buy from there. However, I have never dined in, always opting for takeout. This time, in Kyoto, I decided to dine in at the store located inside a department store basement. Seafood yakisoba ¥980 (tax included) is their most popular dish. I ordered it as a single item, but there is also a set option. From the counter seats, you can see the kitchen through glass, allowing you to watch the cooking process while you wait. It took about 10 minutes from ordering for the dish to arrive, which is a bit longer than usual for Chinese cuisine. The dish was filled with plenty of vegetables such as shrimp, squid, Chinese cabbage, carrots, komatsuna, and enoki mushrooms, all wrapped in a savory sauce, with slightly burnt noodles at the bottom. The flavor is simple with a mild saltiness. Most importantly, it was piping hot and perfect for warming up a cold body. While there is always a long line for takeout meat buns, there is usually plenty of seating available for dining in.

Since I came all the way to Kansai, I had to go to 551 as expected! This time, I decided to eat in! By the way, the take-out line was really long... Pork bun 290 yen, Shumai 220 yen, Gyoza 250 yen, Rice 180 yen. ・Pork bun The skin is thick but chewy. This is the essence of 551. The filling has the sweetness of onions and meat, as well as a meaty texture, making it delicious! It's packed full, so you'll be completely satisfied with the portion! ・Shumai It looked so delicious, I had to order it! This shumai really brings out the flavor of the meat. It's on par with other Chinese restaurants, it was high quality shumai. I seriously want to get take-out and eat it at home... ・Gyoza These gyoza have a thin skin. The juicy meat inside is full of flavor and meat juices. There's plenty of cabbage, so it's recommended for those who like gyoza with lots of vegetables! You'll want to mix it with rice, so of course, order rice as well! Recommended for people who: ✅Like pork buns ✅Like dim sum *Be sure to check the store information on the website or SNS before visiting. *Menu items are subject to change.

I chose to dine in because they said takeout would take about 20 minutes. There were about 10 seats at the counter, but the turnover was fast, maybe because they didn't serve alcohol. We had to pay in advance. We ordered fried rice, seafood yakisoba, and meat buns, and the meat buns came out soon. After finishing them, the other dishes arrived shortly after. It was delicious.

I love 551's pork buns so much that I order them online. When I arrived in Kyoto, my first meal was at this eat-in place where I had freshly steamed pork buns. There was a long line for takeout, showing how popular it is. The small counter-only space has a wide menu selection. I ordered the pork buns, of course, and also tried the Tianjin rice. I heard that the sauce in Kansai is different from my hometown of Kagoshima, so I was curious. The pork buns arrived quickly and were juicy with a sweet and fluffy skin. Just what I was waiting for! The Tianjin rice had a slightly sweet and light flavor, not as sour as the local version. It was easy to finish without getting tired of it. The portion size was a bit small, so it's nice to be able to try other menu items as well. Thank you for the delicious meal.

"551 Horai Kyoto Isetan Store" is located on the basement 2nd floor of JR Kyoto Isetan, right next to Kyoto Station. This popular spot offers takeout options for their delicious pork buns and shumai, but also has a dining area where you can enjoy your meal. "Horai" first opened in Namba, Osaka in 1945 and has been beloved by people in Kansai ever since. Known as the "Horai of the West" to complement the famous "Sakai Honya Koen" in the East. I heard that this location in Kyoto Isetan offers an eat-in option, so I decided to stop by for lunch. The lunch set I ordered was the Seafood Noodle Set, which came with a mini fried rice. JR Kyoto Isetan is right next to Kyoto Station, so many people line up to buy "551 Horai" pork buns as souvenirs. I sometimes buy their pork buns as souvenirs when I visit Kansai, and they are always delicious. Interestingly, "551 Horai" only has locations in Kansai and not in Tokyo. This is because they want to ensure that customers can enjoy the same high-quality pork buns, which are made in one factory and only distributed within a 150-minute radius. The pork buns from "551 Horai" are truly delicious! Thank you for the meal.

For me, 551 is ice candy, but for the general public, it's pork buns. If you're getting takeout, I recommend the shrimp shumai. I went to this place in the basement of Isetan at Kyoto Station, which only has counter seating, but you can also eat there. I decided to dine in after a long time and watched them fry the fried rice, which really whet my appetite. I ordered the set with sweet and sour pork and Tianjin rice. The plump shrimp and fluffy egg coated in sauce were amazing. Although I found the sauce too thick, the sweet and sour pork with blanched crispy vegetables and fried meat coated in sauce was delicious.

JR Isetan's basement 551 Horai Takeout is also popular, but the eat-in option available from opening is also popular. You can enjoy famous pork buns and Chinese cuisine starting from the morning! Seafood Yakisoba Set 1250 yen Seafood Yakisoba comes with Tianjin rice, fried rice, and soup, a satisfying set. Shrimp Shumai 300 yen Shrimp shumai, which can only be taken out in 12 or 20 pieces, can be enjoyed in the eat-in option starting from 4 pieces, so it's great to get full at a reasonable price. 551 Horai is a friend of the common people!

I visited seeking snacks to enjoy on the Shinkansen. I usually only buy pork buns, but this time I tried something different. It was good. They manage to recreate the taste of Showa-era Chinese cuisine on a large scale, which is a strong point. The shrimp shumai was particularly satisfying. The sweet and sour dumplings are very reasonably priced at 10 for 350 yen. The sweet and thick filling with plenty of onions in the meatballs offers a nostalgic flavor.

Shumai from Isetan is worth waiting in line for. I don't mind waiting in the rain and wind because I can feel excited. Shumai is my favorite, I buy it for a late-night snack, and it's so filling. I take it back to my hotel, dip it in mustard, and enjoy it. The sweet meat flavor goes well with the spicy mustard, it's really delicious, and the portion is huge. Eating six by myself is quite heavy. So, this is enough for dinner today. Oh, my stomach feels so full... I should sleep well tonight.