The restaurant lives up to its name - the gyoza is delicious. The dumpling skin is thick and chewy. I had been curious every time I saw it, so I finally went to Dandadan. The menu is limited, I wish there were more types of gyoza. The energetic staff is great, and I like the atmosphere.

I ordered the mapo tofu lunch. I was satisfied with the authentic spiciness of the unique spices. The speed of service during lunchtime was decent. Tea was self-serve, but there was an empty bottle on my table, so -0.1 point. The restaurant was bustling with many foreign customers.

Ah, I really want to drink! Gyoza and beer are the best, right?! However, for the first order, I got quail eggs and tofu instead! Tofu is quite big, isn't it? I don't eat tofu much, so I'm a bit surprised by the size. Quail eggs are always delicious, I love them. Hmm, it feels a bit lacking though. Gyoza, but not just any gyoza, I chose chicken wing gyoza! Choosing the chicken wing gyoza was the right decision. The skin is crispy and the filling inside is quite tasty! I ate some gyoza, so I'm satisfied for now! It's hard to find a place around here where you can have a quick drink during the day. I'm grateful for finding a place to drink. Thank you for the meal!

It was after 4 PM, but we were still able to order lunch sets. I had the gyoza set with extra rice and changed the soup to Newmen. The Newmen soup was light and quite good. Although the 6 pieces of gyoza with extra rice felt like there wasn't enough main dish, the onsen tamago (hot spring egg) played a good role in complementing the rice. My partner had the char siu and gyoza set.

I arrived at Dandadan Akasaka, a restaurant that serves juicy dumplings, as I was running late for my planned lunch time due to work. I ordered the Char Siu Lunch set for 850 yen with a large serving for an additional 50 yen and 3 extra grilled dumplings for 250 yen. Since I find it difficult to use resin chopsticks, I asked the staff for disposable chopsticks. When I dipped the freshly grilled dumplings in the vinegar soy sauce chili oil sauce, the juicy filling spilled out just as the restaurant's name suggests. I enjoyed the dumplings and char siu on rice, and then created my own Char Siu Egg Bowl by placing the remaining rice, char siu, and a soft-boiled egg on top. I also had chicken soup and pickles as a palate cleanser. It was all delicious!

"Sannuki Udon Tamon-an Akasaka branch" was located at the place. On the left was "Yoshinoya", and on the right was the Taiwanese fast food restaurant "San Shang Qiao Fu" where I had a casual drink before. "Dandan" started with the friendship between the ramen shop employee, Ryo Tanaka, and the customer, Yuji Iishi, and established the company NATTY SWANKY in 2001. Starting with a ramen shop, they expanded to izakayas. The Chofu branch in 2011 was Dandan's first store, and they continued to expand, including franchising. They managed to stay profitable even during the pandemic with various strategies. (Interview articles below) At the entrance, hand sanitizing was required, and the restaurant was spacious with a large kitchen area. Seats were assigned, and payment was accepted in cash or via QR code. During the transition to Phase 5, some staff wore masks while others did not. The staff, all young men, greeted customers, took orders, and processed payments with loud voices, but I was concerned about droplets and only removed my mask when the food arrived. (The man managing the hall did not wear a mask, perhaps due to a sore throat) The "Niku Jyu Gyoza Teishoku" (750 yen) was ordered. The price had increased from 680 yen when the Akasaka branch opened, and 700 yen at the Meguro branch a year and a half ago, but it was still considered affordable compared to other lunch options in the area. The meal arrived in 15 minutes, a bit longer than expected. The gyoza was served with meaty filling, and the staff recommended eating it as is. The gyoza had a meaty flavor, with a slightly sweet whole wheat skin. The pickled cabbage was refreshing, and the soup was a bit salty. Towards the end, the onsen tamago was placed on rice, drizzled with chili oil, and turned into a delicious TKG. Overall, it was a satisfying gyoza set meal. Payment was made with PayPay. Thank you for the meal."

While walking in Akasaka during lunchtime, I was drawn to a new restaurant that I had not seen before, with the words "grilled dumpling set meal" catching my eye. There were only four lunch options, but I had already decided on the grilled dumpling set meal before entering. Dumpling lunches are reasonably priced even in Akasaka. I was so distracted by the cheerful staff that I forgot to take a picture of the dumplings... The main dumplings had a strong flavor, and the staff told me I could eat them without any sauce. I ate them without anything added, and they were delicious with juicy meat inside. The flavor was indeed well-seasoned. Thank you for the meal.

I feel like I have eaten at a restaurant with the same name before. It's unusual that lunchtime starts at 11:45, but maybe that's why when I arrived right after opening, there was only one customer, but by the time I left, it was almost full. I ordered the juicy pork dumplings set. It arrived in less than 10 minutes. The dumplings were not small, and the juicy pork was satisfying as the name suggests. However, the price was slightly high. I wished it was a little cheaper, or the dumplings were more or bigger, or the side dishes were more substantial, or the rice was free for a large portion. I wanted a little more of something, so I felt a bit dissatisfied. But the staff seemed to be enjoying their work, and there was a farewell service after paying, so as long as the staff are paid fairly, my dissatisfaction is minor.

I visited on Saturday at 3 o'clock. This place offers set meals and drinks from noon to night, making it very convenient. Personally, I'm not a fan of the gyoza here, but I still come occasionally because it's convenient. The Akasaka branch is a new store, so it's clean. I'm impressed by the young staff working hard. However, while I appreciate their effort, their loud voices when calling out can make me feel a bit uncomfortable.

Today, I was looking for a place that accepts customers after 10 PM on a Sunday night. I stumbled upon "Niku Jyuko Gyoza no Danda Dan Akasaka" that just opened on Akasaka Street. Since it was a Sunday, I quickly placed my order as the food last order was at 10:30 PM and drink last order was at 11:00 PM. The atmosphere inside the restaurant was lively with the voices of energetic staff echoing throughout. I ordered a draft beer (¥548), a serving of gyoza (¥586), homemade seared chashu (¥548), crispy oil-drizzled chicken (¥768), and a highball (¥526). I started with the beer to quench my thirst. It was delicious. Next, the seared chashu arrived. The searing gave it a fragrant aroma that spread in my mouth. It was incredibly delicious. The gyoza came next. As someone sensitive to hot food, I savored it cautiously. It was delicious. Finally, the crispy oil-drizzled chicken was served. It dawned on me that this might be my first time trying oil-drizzled chicken. With some hesitation, I took a bite. Personally, I think it would have been tastier if the flavor was a bit stronger and sweeter. I had to rush through my meal due to time constraints. I managed to take a photo of the menu. There are other items on the menu, so I would like to visit again when I have more time. (Why is the menu in black and white?)

Dandadan, a new restaurant, has opened on Akasaka Street in Akasaka. They even had a Chindonya performer at the grand opening. I decided to have lunch there and ordered the mapo tofu set meal. Since I was already there, I also added some dumplings to my order. The mapo tofu was sweet and spicy with a thick texture. Although it wasn't very spicy, it upset my stomach for some reason. The dumplings were large and juicy, with meat juices oozing out with each bite.

Dumpling set meal for 748 yen.