◆Exploring Ramen in Tokyo⚫︎Bankai Ken (Asamamachi, Fuchu City) Ramen: 650 yen◾︎Food Beast Maro

Holiday. I visited at the opening time of 11 o'clock. I was in the mood for Chinese food in town. I chose this place that I had been curious about for a while. I sat at the counter seat. I was surprised when I saw the menu! The history of the restaurant was written, and I learned how old the history is. There are also photos. If you are interested, please refer to the photos. I ordered the spare rib ramen and mapo fried rice. The husband and wife team were working together, and their teamwork was perfect. After about 10 minutes, both dishes were served together. The visual was amazing. I started with the spare rib ramen. The pork fried until crispy was moist and tender, and the crispy coating was delicious. The soup becomes thick and rich as it soaks in, which is also good! The ramen itself is a classic, old-fashioned ramen. The mapo fried rice was first of all, very hearty! It is soy sauce-based, but it also has sweetness like sweet bean sauce, and it has a punch with spiciness coming later! Before I knew it, I was sweating. The fried rice also had a strong flavor that I really liked! When combined with mapo tofu, it was a bit salty and intense. My stomach was full and satisfied. I want to try other menu items, so I will go again.

The shop is located in a slightly difficult location, about a 30-minute walk from Tama Station or Fuchu Station. It is near the intersection of Koganei Kaido and Asama Street, so it is preferable to access by car, although there is no parking available at the shop. The interior of the shop is spacious and clean, with a variety of exciting menu options. In addition to table seating, there is also a comfortable counter seat. The shop is completely non-smoking, but there is an ashtray (empty can) provided outside. Payment can be made with electronic money or QR code. On September 6, 2022, around 12:00 PM, I visited alone and ordered the B set (900 yen including tax). The ramen was quite salty, and I couldn't finish all the soup. The main dish, pork cutlet, was mostly fatty and had a distinctive taste, which may not suit everyone's preference. The portion size was small, with the small ramen disappearing after just a few bites. The cost performance is not great, as the set of fried rice and small ramen for 1000 yen is considered expensive for the quantity and taste. The pork cutlet ramen, which was featured on TV, seems to have its own unique characteristics. It might be better to try the set meals instead (even the vegetable stir-fry set costs 910 yen). Despite being far from the station and lacking parking, it seems that local residents are the main customers. As a salaryman, the high prices and small portions do not make me inclined to revisit the shop.

The food is delicious and filling. You might not be able to finish it if you go on an empty stomach. The atmosphere and service of the restaurant are like a nostalgic Showa-era diner, which I really liked. The only downside is that it's far from the station, so accessibility is a challenge. However, this adds to the charm of being a local favorite Chinese restaurant. I ordered the "Paiko Tan Tan Men" (or something like that), and the thick soup was a unique touch. I can't stress enough how generous the portions are. I heard their fried rice is also a popular dish, so I definitely want to go back and try it!

Fried rice set for 950 yen. Visited on a weekday at 12:30 with 2 people. There were 3 groups of customers before us. Our order arrived in about 15 minutes. The fried rice had basic ingredients like egg, green onions, and char siu, and it was delicious. The half ramen had a seafood-based broth with medium curly noodles, a classic dish in the city's Chinese cuisine. It seems to be a family-run business since the Taisho era, reflecting the essence of city Chinese restaurants. The menu has so many options that it's hard to choose! I've been craving fried rice lately, so this was perfect. I'd like to try a different dish next time!

"Ebi Chahan only! Chinese-style Fried Rice Blog" - Restaurant Information for Bankaiken (Higashi Fuchu / Ebi Chahan) - Operating Hours (please confirm): [Lunch] 11:00-14:30 [Dinner] 17:00-20:30 - Regular Holiday (please confirm): Thursdays, 2nd and 3rd Wednesdays - Phone Number: 042-361-3285 - Address: 2-4-19 Asama-cho, Fuchu-shi, Tokyo - Access: Take bus routes Musashi 71 or Musashi 73 from Musashi-Koganei Station or Fuchu Station. Get off at Asama-cho bus stop, it's right across the traffic lights. Today, I tried the Ebi Chahan in Higashi Fuchu. Bankaiken is a well-known restaurant listed in the town Chinese food guide. It has been featured on TV as well. Although it's a bit far from Higashi Fuchu Station, I finally made my way there. The restaurant is run by a family of three, with a clean and pleasant interior. The menu states that it was established in 1955, but the town Chinese food guide mentions 1924, so there seems to be some discrepancy. The place is decorated with works of the third generation Rakugo storyteller, Shoraku Hayashi. I started with the Pork Rib Tantanmen, which had a unique thick soup, followed by the Ebi Chahan. The fried rice had a nice crispy texture and was flavorful. The chopped shrimp added a delicious touch to the dish. Overall, it was a satisfying meal. The total bill came to 1,890 yen. Thank you for the delicious Ebi Chahan!

Fried rice with five ingredients for 900 yen, Hao Yun New Lo set meal for 1060 yen. Visited the restaurant on a holiday at 12:30 with 2 people. The restaurant was full, but we ordered and our food arrived in about 15 minutes. The fried rice had plenty of shrimp and other ingredients, truly a five-ingredient fried rice. The beef stir-fry that my companion ordered looked delicious with plenty of beef and rice, very filling. It was my first visit and I wasn't sure what to order, but it seemed like most people were ordering dishes with stir-fry or mapo tofu. The stir-fry and mapo tofu dishes seem to be their specialties. The fried rice could have been a bit more crispy to be perfect. The restaurant has been family-owned since the Taisho era, reflecting the essence of a typical Chinese restaurant in town. The kitchen was handling dine-in, take-out, and delivery orders all at once and seemed a bit chaotic (laughs). I didn't have much appetite this time, so next time I'll try ordering a set meal or a mapo tofu dish!

I visited the restaurant after seeing it featured on the evening news. Although they were highlighting the pork noodles on the news, I was more interested in the fried rice. I noticed that they offered a set with a full-size fried rice and a small ramen, which was perfect for me as I prefer having a full-size fried rice with a small ramen. I also ordered some pan-fried dumplings. The total came to 1350 yen for the fried rice, small ramen, and dumplings. The dumplings were cooked first, and I could hear the sound of the fried rice being cooked in the wok. Everything arrived on a tray, and you could tell that they put effort into preparing the food. I started with the ramen, which had a classic soy sauce flavor and perfectly cooked noodles. The fried rice was also delicious, with a moist texture and a good, standard Chinese flavor. The dumplings were average in taste. Overall, I think it's a good Chinese restaurant with tasty food. Thank you for the meal.

Today, after washing my car for the first time in a while, I decided to head out for lunch in my car. I drove north on Shin-Koganei Street and made a left turn at the Asama-cho 2-chome intersection. My destination was "Bankairouken" which was just ahead. I arrived at around 1 pm and the restaurant was not too crowded. Looking at the menu, they offered 7 types of fried rice, including a Hong Kong-style rice bowl. I decided to go with the basic fried rice for 650 yen. It didn't take long for my order to arrive. The portion was average, with simple ingredients. The texture was moist and the aftertaste was gentle and flavorful. The seasoning was just right, exactly the type I like. Overall, it was a delicious fried rice with no complaints. I am curious about trying their other fried rice dishes as well as the Hong Kong-style rice bowl. Although the access to this restaurant is a bit inconvenient, as it requires taking a bus from the station, I envy the locals who can easily visit this place for their regular meals.

After finishing my errands in Fuchu, I found myself struggling to find a place to have lunch as all the restaurants and cafes were full due to it being a Sunday afternoon. However, I happened to come across a restaurant with some available seating. I parked my car nearby and entered the restaurant, which had a counter, table seating, and a large fish tank in the back. I ordered the Mabo Tofu Fried Rice from the lunch menu. Others in my group ordered the Pork Bowl Set, Small Ramen, Sichuan Dan Dan Noodles, and Shrimp Chili Fried Rice. The portions were quite large, so I decided to switch my order to the more affordable Mabo Tofu Don. The food came out quickly, and even the Mabo Tofu Don was filling. The Sichuan Dan Dan Noodles were not as spicy as expected, but they were able to make it spicier upon request. The kitchen was run by two efficient ladies, and I was able to pay using PayPay. As we left the restaurant, the staff who had just returned from a delivery greeted us warmly. Overall, it was a cozy family-run restaurant with a welcoming atmosphere.

Located between Fuchu on the Keio Line and Koganei on the JR Line, this restaurant can only be reached by bus or on foot. There is no parking available, yet the restaurant is always bustling with customers. Today, I visited in Fuchu, Tokyo. I ordered the Gyoza set for 750 yen at Manraiken. The restaurant was packed during lunchtime, perhaps with locals. The lunch menu offers a variety of set meals, and I went with the classic Gyoza and Ramen set. The Gyoza set arrived perfectly cooked. The slightly small Gyoza were delicious, especially when paired with white rice. The crispy skin was irresistible. Next, the Ramen arrived, with a light soy sauce flavor and a hint of sweetness. The sweetness lingered on the palate. Although I had a half serving as part of the set, I definitely want to try a full bowl next time. The tender Chashu was excellent. All of this for 750 yen is a great deal. Despite its inconvenient location, people gather for delicious food. This was my experience at Manraiken, a local Chinese restaurant.

I have been visiting a local restaurant that was established in 1970, about once or twice a month. Their fried rice and pork noodles are delicious, but in recent years, I have been hooked on their "Gomoku Ankake" (Chinese fried rice with thick sauce). When you pour the thick sauce over the hot fried rice, it makes a sizzling sound and steam rises, making it even more appetizing. The sauce contains squid, scallops, wood ear mushrooms, and other mushrooms, making it very tasty. It's hard to find a place where you can enjoy authentic Chinese fried rice for only 900 yen. They also offer free Rooibos tea besides water. The only downside is that there is no parking lot, so you have to park at the nearby Inageya supermarket and walk to the restaurant.

I ordered a beer and fried rice set. It had a traditional flavor and was delicious.

The old-fashioned ramen. It was a nostalgic taste!

〈Inside the restaurant〉The place was surprisingly spacious and clean, which was my first impression. I had imagined a typical eel bed-like, counter-oriented, greasy interior based on the exterior, but there were enough table seats and the space was similar to a small café. It felt clean and comfortable, with no resistance to resting your elbows on the tables. 〈Food〉I ordered fried rice and pan-fried dumplings. The fried rice was simple, with eggs, green onions, a hint of pickled vegetables, and char siu. It had a fluffy texture rather than being dry, leaving a gentle impression with a sweetness from the eggs and green onions. It had the expected saltiness of fried rice, but it was a pleasant surprise compared to the punchy frozen fried rice I've been used to lately. The pan-fried dumplings also had a home-cooked taste, with a strong sear, and a distinct flavor of minced meat and garlic. Personally, I'm not a fan of the fatty, juicy dumplings that are common these days, so I appreciated the simple taste of the skin and meat in these dumplings. It was not a set menu, so ordering two items exceeded 1,000 yen, which may be slightly more expensive compared to chain restaurant fried rice and dumpling sets. However, it was well within my budget, and I was quite satisfied with the experience. They also accept electronic payments, which is convenient. 〈Overall impression〉There may be a bias towards Japanese family-owned businesses, but this Chinese restaurant had a gentle, not overly strong flavor. Their specialty seems to be the spare rib tantan noodles, so the taste may vary for that dish. This area seems to have very few dining options aside from a few chain restaurants, making this place a good choice for everyday dining.

Now, let's talk about the fried rice set.