Last night, I went to Shanghai. Just kidding! But Ikebukuro felt like a little China with Chinese shops bustling as the Spring Festival approached. This story takes place at "Daishu Village". This time, our group consisted of a person from Shanghai, a person from Tohoku, and a Japanese person (me). The person from Shanghai was running late, so the person from Tohoku and I discussed various things while waiting. When we arrived, there was only one other group of customers, but by around 7 pm, the restaurant was packed. I was really thirsty, so I started with a glass of draft beer while my friend had hot tea. The dishes were served slowly. We started with Five Spice Chicken and Four Delightful Roast Gluten. The chicken was light and had a Japanese flavor, while the roast gluten was stir-fried in oil and had a rich taste. Both were delicious. When the late member arrived, we raised our glasses again. I, of course, had a second glass of beer. Since we were all the same age, we understood each other well and had a lively conversation. In between, we kept eating the dishes. We had Oil Noodles with Minced Pork and Oil-braised Bamboo Shoots. Stuffed gluten with minced pork and Makomodake are Shanghai classics. The Shanghai member ordered Pan-fried Belt Fish and Braised Pork Kidneys. The belt fish had a fluffy, soft texture that melted in the mouth. The pig kidneys, which I hadn't had in a while, had a texture between heart and liver that was addictive. For dessert, we had Watercress Wonton Soup and Sweet Fermented Rice Balls. Watercress-filled wontons are also a staple in Shanghai. The sweet fermented rice balls had a sweet and sour taste, perfect for the upcoming Spring Festival. Ah, I'm so full now.

I came to Ikebukuro and felt like eating some Chinese food, so I headed to "Dautsun" at the West Exit. The name is written in kanji as "大沪邨" which I can never read (laughs). It's a great Shanghai cuisine restaurant where I enjoyed delicious food with a large group before. I was planning to invite someone again, but time passed by. However, as always, there is a mysterious door that seems like a secret society or a suspicious members-only club. If you don't know, you can't open it. Even if you know, you hesitate for a moment. Inside is just normal though. Everyone except me speaks Chinese, creating an unfamiliar atmosphere. However, the Shanghai dialect sounds light and beautiful, which is strange. At least Japanese can be understood properly. I wanted to try everything, but being alone has its limits. After much contemplation, I ordered some wonton soup, pickles, and another dish of pork-wrapped tofu with sauce. Delicious! Both the soup and the sauce show the careful attention to the broth. It would have been better to order half of the wonton soup and another dish, but my stomach had reached its limit. I couldn't help but gaze at the salt-boiled chicken on the neighboring table, but I had to give up due to being full. I definitely want to come here with at least one more person!

First, I tried the pressed tofu. Then, I had a rare fish dish for Chinese cuisine! The slightly rich seasoning was good. I enjoyed crispy fried crab, followed by plenty of highballs. The owner's personality was also great. For those who want to enjoy authentic Chinese cuisine, be sure to visit.

Second visit. On a weekday evening. Almost had the place to ourselves and had a great time. It was so comfortable that I ended up drinking too much Shaoxing wine. I might try karaoke next time...lol (It said karaoke is 200 yen.) Thank you for the meal. ☺︎

- Three yellow chicken (1,500 yen): Steamed Nagoya Cochin chicken with sauce. Delicious. - Sweet and sour spare ribs (880 yen): Spare ribs in a sweet and salty sauce. Delicious, but the portion is a bit small. - Crab meat tofu (1,280 yen): Tofu dish with a hint of Shanghai crab. Not much crab flavor. - Steamed wontons (880 yen): Deep-fried wontons. Okay. - Celery and pressed tofu (980 yen): Stir-fried celery and pressed tofu. Decently tasty. - Salted boiled duck: Boiled duck. Quite delicious. - Fried rice cake (600 yen): Fried version of rice balls. Average taste. - Fried stinky tofu (680 yen): Familiar stinky tofu. Edible but not something I would choose to eat.

The season for eating crabs has arrived! So, I headed to Ikebukuro, which has turned into a little China with authentic Chinese restaurants gathering, to try the Shanghai crabs that are in season. I visited the restaurant at 6:00 pm on Labor Thanksgiving Day. It was a bit difficult to find the entrance, but once I opened the door and entered the restaurant, I was guided to a table where I had made a reservation. It seems to be a popular restaurant as it was full of customers, including Chinese people, so reservations are essential. I ordered a highball to quench my dry throat and looked through the menu... and the Shanghai crabs that I had reserved arrived promptly. [Shanghai Crab (Drunk Crab)] It's luxurious to have Shanghai crabs marinated in Shaoxing wine as an appetizer. The female Shanghai crab marinated in Shaoxing wine and white wine has a delightful sticky texture of the roe. There is a risk involved, but it's delicious. The alcohol calls for more alcohol, so my highball evaporated in an instant, and I switched to Shaoxing wine. [Fried Pork Meatballs with Gluten] A dish where pork meatballs are wrapped in gluten. The contrast between the tightly packed filling and the fluffy texture of the gluten is enjoyable. The gluten absorbs the sauce, making this dish a perfect match for alcohol as well. [Shanghai Crab (Steamed Crab)] I also reserved the steamed crab. Maybe it's because they are an elderly couple, but crabs really make conversation stop, don't they? This female crab, different from the drunk crab, has a concentrated umami flavor that sparkles in your mouth. It's small, but I also eat the legs by cutting them with scissors. [Fried Wontons in Oil] A Shanghai-style fried wonton. Wontons filled with shepherd's purse and meat, wrapped in homemade skin and fried to a crispy and light texture, making it easy to eat as many as you want. [Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs] Chinese-style spare ribs. Despite its dark color, the taste is mild, with a sweet and sour black vinegar sauce that makes the ribs tender and melt-in-your-mouth. [Stir-fried Chinese Spinach] Stir-fried Chinese spinach with garlic. The pink liquid is from the vegetables. It has a crunchy texture like water spinach, with a simple seasoning and a comforting assist from the garlic. [Salted Pork and Vegetable Rice] The last dish. I actually wanted to eat noodles, but my wife's request led us to choose this. It's not fried rice as I thought, but a dish similar to cooked rice. It seems to be a popular item as it was ordered at most tables. The rice with Jinhua ham and pickled vegetables is coated with just the right amount of oil, so it's satisfying on its own as a finishing touch. It's quite filling, so there's a lot to eat. There were still more dishes I wanted to try, but I was full, so I'll stop here this time. The karaoke was quite interesting. Maybe I'll try karaoke next time... although I don't really have the tough heart for it, haha.

After a long time, I had authentic Shanghai cuisine. The taste was so impressive! The restaurant's atmosphere and service were also great. We ordered a lot of dishes for six people, and they were served quickly and freshly made. I really liked it. I will definitely come back. Thank you very much.

Working alone for too long, and not good at cooking. The fried dumplings and vegetable rice lack salt. The fried pork is too salty. Normally, it should be enjoyed with salt and pepper. The fried shrimp is not fresh, not firm, and rather mushy. The sauce for the stuffed tofu pouches lacks sweetness.

Shanghai cuisine restaurants are unique, so you may feel like visiting occasionally. The authentic Shanghai dishes here satisfy my Chinese stomach! The smell of stinky tofu wafting from the door is a unique touch. The owner is friendly, and you can feel like you're in Shanghai. I recommend this place for enjoying proper Shanghai cuisine.

Old Shanghai Authentic Chinese Cuisine Daikokucho is located in a bustling area on the north side of the west exit of Ikebukuro Station, where the atmosphere feels like Chinatown. It was my first visit with five of my girlfriends! It's hard to get a reservation at upscale Chinese restaurants and they tend to be expensive, so we were looking for a more affordable option and found this place during our search. We enjoyed dishes such as steamed scallops with garlic sauce, flavorful soy sauce marinated grilled dumplings, and drunken crab (crab cooked in alcohol) & steamed crab. We had a great time trying various dishes, but eating crab can be quite messy. Our hands ended up hurting in different places and the smell is hard to get rid of, but the food was delicious. I would love to come back again next winter. RedCard Madame ☜☻︎

Despite being Chinese cuisine, it's not greasy at all! You can eat as much as you want! The reserved crab meat, meat, and Kuwai dango (boiled for 3 and a half hours!) are large but fluffy! The meat wrapped in wheat gluten is tender on the outside and juicy on the inside, absolutely delicious. The flavors are rich and all the dishes are delicious. Plus, the Shaoxing wine is only 300 yen per glass, so affordable! This is a Chinese restaurant that you'll want to visit again and again.

When I went to the restaurant, I wanted to taste the food again, so I watched YouTube and found Daikotsu-san's video which looked very delicious, so I visited the restaurant. The Nagoya Cochin was very delicious and I devoured it. The Wan Tan noodles had a good volume and were also very tasty. The pork wrapped in wheat gluten was also excellent. The Wan Tan Yaki was also delicious. The pork with sansho pepper salt was my favorite. Thank you very much.

Address: Nishigata Building 3F, 1-37-15 Nishi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo Arrival Date: Wednesday Number of People in Line: Reservation Only Wait Time: 0 minutes Ordered Items: - Four Delights Grilled Tofu: 480 yen - Old Shanghai Sauce Duck: 1,200 yen (tax included) - Oil-Braised Arrowhead: 1,180 yen - Marinated Fresh Seafood: 2,200 yen (tax included) - Stir-Fried Shrimp with High Heat: 880 yen (tax included) - Eight Treasure Spicy Sauce: 1,200 yen (tax included)

Dautsun (Da Wu Village) @ Next to Rosa Kaikan (Nishi-Ikebukuro 1-chome) I have heard the famous name of this place for a long time. I once went to the front of the restaurant, but the loud karaoke music from inside scared me off (laughs). Seeing delicious photos on a friend's tweet, I couldn't resist and decided to visit. First, cheers with a beer! The grilled fish is so good, with a sweet flavor that is characteristic of Shanghai cuisine. The aroma is also nice. Switching to Shaoxing wine, I enjoyed dishes like steamed egg with clams, stir-fried chives with liver, and vinegar pork. For those who have only had Japanese-style Chinese food, this may seem different, but it is authentic Shanghai cuisine and very delicious. Stir-fried pea shoots here are different from the Japanese style, using young shoots with a strong bean flavor. It's so tasty that it's hard to resist ordering more rice. The stir-fried eel with shepherd's purse is what I came here for. In the past, you could buy live eels easily, but now it's hard to find. This dish is best with the first-class white pepper from Causeway Bay Yau Lee Fermented Bean Curd King. The aroma is amazing. Green onion oil noodles are my favorite and a popular dish among Shanghai locals. This version has burnt green onions on top, adding a wonderful flavor. Unfortunately, there is no photo of the preserved vegetable rice. It is a delicious dish of vegetables and salted meat cooked together. The menu here is fantastic! I should have come sooner. The owner mentioned they can also make Eight Treasure Duck, so it's definitely a place for a banquet!

Oil-fried gluten pork bun (780), squid and pickled mustard greens stir-fry (980), fried stinky tofu (680), Shanghai-style steamed chicken with bones (1500), stir-fried shrimp with white wine (1500), I tried the stinky tofu - a rare dish in Japan! At least I only know of this place that serves it (*^^*) As the name suggests, it has a unique and strong smell! When you take a bite of the crispy surface, it's juicy and the inside is moist and chewy. The distinctive aroma combined with the taste creates an addictive flavor. It may not be for everyone, but for those who like it, it's irresistible. - Squid and pickled mustard greens stir-fry: The squid is perfectly tender and soft, and the combination with the pickled mustard greens is excellent. It's just squid and pickled mustard greens stir-fried, but it's surprisingly delicious and mysterious. The taste is so good that you can't help but reach for more. - Steamed chicken with bones: Made with Nagoya Cochin chicken. It's relatively light, but not dry, and has a moist and chewy texture. - Pork bun: I was curious and decided to try it, and it was a great choice! The pork wrapped in oil-fried gluten is packed with flavor, and the meat juice overflows when you bite into it. The sauce on top is smooth and creamy. The taste is not as strong as it looks. This is so delicious! - Stir-fried shrimp: I couldn't decide between shrimp mayo or shrimp chili, so I left it up to them to make it suitable for white wine. The shrimp is plump and shiny. The sauce is amazing! It goes really well with white wine. The sauce is deep and mellow with a rich flavor. The shrimp taste stands out even more. I requested some sugar to go with the white wine, and they offered something different instead of sugar. It was dried plums! I love dried plums, and this unexpected combination was surprisingly good. It enhanced the flavor and added a natural sweetness. I learned something good! From now on, I'll have dried plums with white wine too! By the way, when you get off at the relevant floor in the building, you might think there's no restaurant there because of the suspicious drawings, but there's a door handle there. Yes, that's the entrance. The interior of the restaurant is 95% locals. But there was also a man who spoke Japanese, so you don't have to worry about being ripped off. The staff and customers are very friendly, and I had a really enjoyable time learning about the different dishes on the menu. There were other dishes that caught my eye, so I'll definitely be back! (*^^*)

I love crab roe tofu. I have tried it at several restaurants in Tokyo, but the one I had at a Shanghai restaurant in Shenzhen (a modern city in Guangdong Province, not the authentic birthplace) was the most delicious. The restaurant in Shenzhen may cater to people from various regions of China who have gathered there. When I asked the staff, they just claimed that their dish was the real deal. So, I decided to go on another investigation with my Shanghai friend at Shanghai restaurants in Tokyo. The conclusion is... I don't know! Some say Shanghai cuisine used to be delicious but has declined in taste, or that homemade dishes are better, and they talk about unrelated topics. Well, I haven't tried anyone else's crab roe tofu from Shenzhen, so I can't compare. So, we tried various dishes. We also ordered glutinous rice cakes, which I had for the first time with a Shanghai flair. The slightly dim lighting and interior design have a Chinese feel. The tablecloth with a vinyl lattice pattern on the surface is particularly Chinese-like.

If you want to eat authentic Shanghai cuisine, this is the place to go! The owner may seem a bit strict but she is a nice Chinese lady. The small space can only seat 40 people, but the lively atmosphere was great (although it's a bit disappointing that smoking is allowed). The food is delicious, especially the pickled mustard greens and pork dish (second photo). I will definitely come back here when I crave Shanghai cuisine again!

[Overall Impression] Located about a 2-minute walk from the west exit of Ikebukuro Station, this Shanghai cuisine restaurant is situated on the 3rd floor of a mixed-use building. Despite the inclusion of the character "ウ" in katakana in the name, it is actually pronounced as "だうつん" (Dautsun), with "沪" meaning Shanghai. The restaurant aims to offer the traditional flavors of Shanghai for customers to enjoy in Japan. The dishes are quite flavorful and generous in portion size. While I dined alone this time, I believe it would be even more enjoyable and cost-effective to visit with a group of around 4 people. [Impressions of the Restaurant] As you head towards the bustling neon lights of the entertainment district from Ikebukuro Station's west exit, you'll notice that the pavement has been well-maintained, but the buildings appear quite old. This area has always been home to many Chinese restaurants run by people of Chinese descent, and recently, their numbers have increased. Dautsun is one of the relatively newer establishments, operating in a location on the 3rd floor of a mixed-use building that may not seem ideal for a restaurant. Upon riding the elevator to the 3rd floor, you'll find a dimly lit floor with a somewhat suspicious monochrome drawing (possibly of Shanghai) on the door of the restaurant. The interior is surprisingly spacious, with seating for around 40 guests. There are two men in the back kitchen, with one also serving as the waiter. Interestingly, there is a karaoke machine in the corner, which may indicate the possibility of private karaoke sessions for events. The menu offers a wide variety of stir-fried dishes, appetizers, rice dishes, and noodles, all with Chinese characters accompanied by Japanese explanations. In addition to classic dishes like Shanghai crab and steamed chicken, there are also options featuring ingredients like pork intestines, duck, and eel, making the menu quite enjoyable to peruse. Since the portions seem generous, I decided to focus on a rice dish as the main meal and order an additional dish as a side to accompany my drink. [Food Review] I ordered the following dishes: - Three Yellow Chicken (¥1,500): Highly recommended and prominently featured at the beginning of the menu with a photo. Made with bone-in Nagoya Cochin chicken, this dish stands out for its visually appealing yellow hue. The skin and meat are moist and slightly rare, but cooked through. Both the tender skin and chicken meat are rich in flavor, and the soy-based sauce is incredibly delicious. Definitely a must-try dish, though deboning the chicken may require some effort, the flavorful meat around the bones is worth it. - Stone Pot Vegetable Rice with Jinhua Ham (¥980): Served in a pot-like dish, this dish was indeed a generous serving. It resembles fried rice, with a strong salty flavor from the ham and oil. The rice is more moist than fluffy, and the Jinhua ham acts more as a seasoning than a main ingredient, providing a strong salty umami flavor with a hint of uniqueness. Despite being quite different from the typical fried rice found in Japanese-style Chinese restaurants, this dish is surprisingly delicious. [Final Thoughts] When I asked the staff about the cuisine, they mentioned that they aim to faithfully recreate the traditional flavors of old Shanghai. While I'm not entirely sure how it differs from modern Shanghai cuisine, I politely acknowledged their efforts. The bill for today's meal came to a total of ¥3,380. Thank you for the wonderful meal.

I was able to eat the Shanghai cuisine I wanted to eat!

The taste is a bit strong. It's delicious, but the appetizer is tastier than the main dish. I was a bit worried because the tables in the restaurant were sticky.

This is authentic Shanghai cuisine. It's truly nostalgic for those who have been to China.