I had lunch in Akihabara today. I found a place in Suehirocho that offers a daily lunch special for just one coin, but they didn't have the menu out yet, so I'll have to try it next time. So, I headed towards Ochanomizu and had lunch at a place near my former office. I wanted to order a la carte, but they only serve set meals during lunchtime. So, I ended up getting homemade dumplings and egg fried rice. The restaurant was hot inside because the air conditioning wasn't on. The service was a bit slow for an izakaya-style place focused on quick turnover. It took about 11 minutes for my order to arrive. The tray came with fried rice, dumplings, salad, pickles, steamed dumplings, and dessert. The egg fried rice was simple and lightly seasoned, while the dumplings were garlicky and the soup was too strong to drink on its own. However, when eaten together, they balanced each other out nicely. I also tried a dessert made from agar, which I had never tasted before. I left feeling satisfied and full. Thanks for the meal. Date of visit: August 25, 2022. Rating: 3.25

It's still chilly in early March, and I wanted something to warm me up. I was craving something spicy. So, I ordered the daily special set: Mapo noodles with egg fried rice (900 yen). The Mapo noodles were quite spicy, just what I was looking for. I ate it while sweating. The dumplings on the side had a unique texture, almost like eating marshmallows. I really liked the pickled burdock root that came with it, I would buy it if they sold it. The fried rice was a bit cold when it arrived, so I think it might have been pre-made. I wish they would warm it up in the microwave.

On this day, I wanted to have fried rice, but couldn't decide where to go. When I reached the intersection near Tsumagoi-zaka, I remembered there was a Chinese-style restaurant in the direction of Myojin. The lunch menu displayed "Chicken Karaage Fried Rice for 800 yen." Although I was fine with regular fried rice, I was running out of time, so I decided to enter. Upon entering, there was alcohol disinfection available, and the female staff in the hall wore face shields for complete protection. I was guided to a table in the back, where there were only 3 groups of customers in the restaurant. Perhaps due to COVID-19 measures, there were bamboo blinds between tables. The table menu was the same as the outdoor menu, so I ordered the Chicken Karaage Fried Rice as planned. It arrived after a short wait. I had assumed that the fried rice would come with karaage, but instead, half-cut pieces of chicken karaage were included as ingredients in the fried rice. The lunch set included chicken karaage, salad, soup, and dessert served separately. The fried rice had about three pieces of karaage in it, making it quite filling, but the large size of the karaage made it a bit difficult to eat. The accompanying vegetables were also quite large, around 3-4 cm, which added to the difficulty of eating. Although it was a bit oily, the seasoning was average, neither exceptional nor terrible. For lunch, it might be better to go for a set meal like Chinjao Rosu or noodles with a half portion of egg fried rice.

East and Sake Bar offers daily authentic Chinese cuisine lunch specials. Today's special menu includes curry rice, which caught my attention. I always thought that Chinese cuisine and curry don't really go together, except for Hong Kong, but when a Chinese restaurant that I trust offers curry rice, it's a must-try for lunch. The curry rice that arrived was generously served on a large plate! As a middle-aged man in my eating prime, I couldn't help but feel excited. The plate was filled with rice, salad, and plenty of curry with meat. Additionally, there was pickled vegetables, soup, another salad, and even dessert, including sweet and sour pork. The curry-flavored beef and onion stir-fry, with carrots adding color, was delicious. It was a high-level fusion of curry and beef stir-fry. The portion was filling and satisfying. Thank you for the feast. Now, if only I could go back and sleep, but unfortunately, I have work in the afternoon!

A restaurant in Akihabara offering great value lunches, but in reality it is a super authentic Chinese cuisine restaurant. You can enjoy high-quality dishes similar to those served in upscale Chinese restaurants at a great price. Today, I ordered the Sichuan-style braised beef. The tender and chewy beef comes out one after another from the spicy soup. I enjoy it by putting it on top of rice! The aroma of Sichuan peppercorns and the spiciness of the chili peppers spread out instantly. It goes perfectly with rice. I eat it while sweating. It's nice to boost your appetite on a hot day with such punchy food and eat to your heart's content. It was delicious, spicy! Thank you for the meal!

For lunch on this day, I had "Sichuan Dan Dan noodles and half fried rice" at a restaurant called "Toho Sakaba" that I found a little way from Kanda Myojin. Salad and dessert were included. And they even gave me a piece of fried chicken later, haha. As the name suggests, the Sichuan Dan Dan noodles were authentic. The noodles were thick Chinese noodles, which were really good. On top of the noodles, there were bean sprouts, greens, minced meat, and pickled mustard greens stir-fried together. The Sichuan pepper flavor was not very strong, but it had a nice aroma, and there was hardly any numbing sensation. Maybe because it had sesame paste, the spiciness was also mild. I sweated a lot though, haha. The soup was delicious with a tangy flavor. The Sichuan Dan Dan noodles and half fried rice were so tasty~~~

Sichuan Dan Dan noodles set for 850 yen. Comes with salad, 1 piece of fried chicken, half fried rice, and almond jelly. The Dan Dan noodles had a good amount of sesame paste and a nice kick from the Sichuan pepper. The noodles were medium straight. However, it was quite spicy... Not just a slight spiciness, but a moderate level of heat. I wished it was milder. I adjusted the flavor with some salt on the table since it was a bit bland. The fried rice was delicious and satisfying in portion. There was a generous amount of noodles in the dish. I might go back again.

I visited around 11:30 am on a regular day. Today, I decided to try the lunch menu mainly. Chinese lunch menus often feature popular dishes in Japan like mapo tofu, stir-fried pork with green peppers, and sweet and sour pork. However, sometimes there are strong local dishes mixed in. It seems like a lot of effort to make these during a busy lunchtime, but it's impressive to see them on the menu. This restaurant is known for its popular 500 yen one-coin lunch, but at the end of the lunch menu, there's a bold "Sichuan-style spicy simmered beef for 1080 yen." This is probably a dish called "shuizhu niurou." It's interesting how they named it to convey the taste. It took about 20 minutes for the dish to arrive, served in a hot clay pot with a strong Sichuan flavor. The beef! Chili peppers! Sichuan peppercorns! Chili oil! Garlic! It's hot and deliciously spicy! The surprising part was the texture. I expected it to be watery since it's a simmered dish, but the crispy chili peppers, chewy meat, and fragrant Sichuan peppercorns added a nice touch. The texture of the chili peppers was impressive. Be sure to try it while it's hot. The portion size was good, with plenty of meat and cabbage in flavorful spicy soup. It's spicy, but not overwhelming, suitable for Japanese taste buds. After finishing the soup, the rich almond tofu dessert was a sweet ending. It was a delicious meal recommended on the lunch menu. I would love to eat it again. Thank you for the meal.

Visited around 11:30 on a weekday at the end of the year. I heard that they will switch to holiday lunch menu during the year-end and New Year period. The dish I was looking for today was not on the holiday menu, so I decided to try the Twice-Cooked Pork. I remembered a reviewer who I often refer to praising the use of doubanjiang, so I wanted to try it. It seems like the Twice-Cooked Pork has recently been removed from the weekday menu. They might still make it if you ask, though. By the way, I recently bought doubanjiang for the first time. I had only tasted it in dishes before. It was delicious. It tastes like red miso-flavored natto, slightly dried with a delicious powder on the surface. It's a nugget of umami, so it's good to eat it as it is, or sprinkle it on rice for a delicious Chinese-style lazy meal. It somehow has a Chinese cuisine flavor because it ferments with Chinese bacteria. I'm looking forward to how they used doubanjiang in the Twice-Cooked Pork. It's still quiet and empty at this time. I waited leisurely in the store scented with incense, and in about 10 minutes, the dish was served. I'll dig in right away. Oh, it's hot! The cabbage, onions, garlic sprouts, and vegetables are all perfectly cooked, soft yet crunchy and shiny. The pork is not thinly sliced but slightly thick like char siu. It holds its shape very well, with a good bite and delicious taste. The hot miso sauce at the bottom has a spicy garlic flavor. This garlic flavor ties everything together deliciously. And I found the doubanjiang! The bean grains hiding in the cabbage. When you crush them, the familiar umami mixes irresistibly with the hot cabbage. The overall balance is exquisite. The cooking temperature, the distribution of cabbage, onions, and meat, the strength of the garlic, the balance of miso flavor and spiciness. It's all harmoniously integrated. I felt that I love freshly cooked hot meals, and I was engrossed in eating as I would regret it if it got cold. I still want to try dishes I haven't eaten yet, so please post photos even if you don't write a review. Thank you for the meal.

I was exploring new lunch options in the area and decided to try a place with a sign advertising their menu. I ordered the sweet and sour pork lunch for 680 yen, which seemed like a good deal. It came with rice, soup, pickles, and one piece of fried chicken. The flavors were pretty standard. I wonder if they used some kind of seasoning in the fried chicken? The only disappointing thing was the meat they used, which I suspect (just my personal guess) was thinly sliced frozen meat that was cooked as is, resulting in flat, sparse slices of meat. The seasoning was not bad, but the meat was a bit disappointing. The atmosphere of the restaurant was nice, with a traditional Chinese vibe, and there were other customers inside, so maybe I just got unlucky with my order.

If you say it properly in Chinese, it would be "回锅肉会饭". The kanji for "donburi" is a Japanese-made kanji, so it doesn't exist in China. The use of fermented black beans is still wonderful as always. Thank you for the delicious meal~

This is the perfect place for those who love spicy food. The seasoning is not adjusted for Japanese taste, so the spicy dishes are really spicy. I recommend the fried rice and mapo tofu. The restaurant is located near Suehirocho, but it is also within walking distance from Akihabara and Ochanomizu.

After receiving a Goshuin at Kanda Myojin, I was looking for a place to have a drink and stumbled upon a restaurant with a striking sign. I stopped by and had three highballs with Chinese cuisine.

When I went to Akihabara for some errands, I passed by this restaurant with a handwritten sign advertising a one-coin lunch menu. From the name of the restaurant, I thought it was an izakaya (Japanese pub) at first (lol), but it turned out to be a Chinese restaurant. I was a bit intrigued, so I decided to give it a try. When I entered the restaurant, I was surprised to see that it was about 80% full even though it was past 1 p.m. I told the female staff that I was dining alone, and they seated me at a table meant for four people, where I had to share with someone else. They handed me the lunch menu, and I looked through it. I thought it was mostly noodle dishes, but I chose the mapo tofu set. After a short wait, it arrived on a square tray. In the center was the mapo tofu, accompanied by rice, soup, salad, and chicken karaage. I started with the mapo tofu, which had a hint of fermented bean flavor and was not too saucy, giving it an authentic Chinese taste. The portion of rice was small, but the menu mentioned that you could get a free large serving. The salad and chicken karaage were also included, making it a decent deal for the price. Overall, it was a satisfying lunch experience.

Lunch in Akihabara for 500 yen. Second stop. Today, let's go for Chinese food. This place is conveniently close to my office. I'm sticking to my goal of having a 500 yen lunch. Looking back at my past posts, I realize I've been eating a lot of eggplants. Today, I was drawn in by the sign for the stir-fried pork. Despite the announcement that it would take some time to cook, I stayed true to my original plan. This was no pre-made sauce, but a genuine dish with whole fermented black beans. Sweet, savory, and with a hint of bitterness in the background. Delicious stir-fried pork. The cost of the meat may be reaching its limit, but it was a satisfying lunch. The potential of this place goes beyond what can be measured by 500 yen. Thank you for the meal!