This review is a reprint from a blog. The photos can be found at the following link: Gourmet food tour in Nara and Osaka "Playing Michelin." http://nara-osaka-gourmet.com/blog-entry-1943.html I played Michelin at the Tokai Hanten Daimon Main Store. I had to go to Tokyo as a Nara resident. Since my schedule was packed, I only had one opportunity to eat out for dinner. I couldn't miss this chance! But I had no idea where Hamamatsucho was! So, I asked my local friend for recommendations, and they introduced me to the Tokai Hanten Daimon Main Store - a Chinese restaurant known for its delicious dumplings that are often featured on TV. The restaurant was spacious and had a traditional Chinese interior with round tables that got me excited. It was a bustling place, and I was glad I made a reservation in advance. The surrounding restaurants were quiet, but this place seemed promising. The menu was extensive, with almost every Chinese dish you could think of. According to my friend, the dumplings that ranked second in the nationwide Gyoza election and the Shumai certified by Tokyo Walker were must-tries. Here is what we ordered: - Special Assorted 4 Appetizers: 980 yen (Steamed Chicken, Char Siu, Jellyfish, Century Egg) - Shrimp in Chili Sauce: 890 yen - Sweet and Sour Pork: 890 yen - Pork and Garlic Chive Stir-Fry: 840 yen - Pan-Fried Dumplings (5 pieces): 580 yen - Shumai (4 pieces): 680 yen - Steamed Shrimp Dumplings (4 pieces): 680 yen My thoughts after trying the dishes at Tokai Hanten Daimon Main Store. I wish there was a branch in Nara! To be honest, I was wondering why a Nara resident like me would choose to eat Chinese food in Tokyo when there are so many cutting-edge options here. But it turned out to be the right decision! Thank you!! The dumplings were amazing! The large dumplings were filled with overflowing meat juice and a slightly sweet filling, creating an excellent combination. The large shrimp added a nice touch! The texture was chewy and crispy, creating a slight shock. No wonder the media is making a fuss about it. I understand why they ranked second in the national Gyoza election. What could have been first place? The "Shumai certified by Tokyo Walker" is also a must-order! It had overflowing meat juice, rivaling even the soup in Xiao Long Bao in juiciness. It was just amazing. The other dishes were also delicious, as expected from a restaurant recommended by a foodie friend. Tokai Hanten knows how to make dishes that go well with alcohol. We ordered a la carte, but the cost performance was great. They also offer a variety of all-you-can-drink courses, so it must be very popular for local gatherings. I would love to see Tokai Hanten expand to Nara. That was the Tokai Hanten Daimon Main Store.

I visited around 11:05 am. I was guided to a round table at the back right of the first floor as I was visiting alone. I ordered the Five-Ingredient Soba (single item) for 890 yen. The soy sauce-based soup was filled with shrimp, pork, carrots, wood ear mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and more. It also came with almond jelly. I was able to finish eating before the customers who were coming in one after another took their seats at the round table. Thank you for the meal.

I used it for dinner. It was a course with all-you-can-drink for 5000 yen. I used a coupon and also got mapo tofu. The soup didn't quite suit my taste, but everything else was delicious! (I didn't like the vinegar chicken because the chicken was fried... I'm not good with fried foods...)

I revisited this Chinese restaurant during Sunday lunchtime. It is famous for its dumplings that have been featured in the media. The area is lively, especially on weekends, as it is close to Zozoji Temple. While the dumplings are indeed delicious, I personally found the stir-fried beef with garlic shoots more impressive. This time, I ordered the stir-fried beef and garlic shoot yakisoba. The tender beef and crunchy garlic shoots create a pleasant contrast in texture. The portion of ingredients is generous, and overall satisfaction is high. It is worth noting that when dining alone, you may end up sharing a table at a round table with others.

On Thursday, it was 32 degrees Celsius and cloudy. I arrived at the restaurant at 11:00 AM, but it was still closed. A woman came out from the building next door and opened the restaurant at 11:05 AM. I sat at a round table and ordered the Five-Ingredient Chinese Rice Bowl for 890 yen. After 7 minutes, my tray arrived with almond jelly, pickled vegetables, and seaweed tofu. The Chinese rice bowl was thickened with starch, and it had a lot of vegetables like cabbage and Chinese cabbage. It also had shiitake mushrooms, carrots, onions, 2 shrimp, and a quail egg. The portion of rice was surprisingly large, over 300g, so I left about a quarter of it uneaten.

The dumplings are incredibly delicious. They are just amazingly good. The pan-fried dumplings are thick and clearly on a different level compared to other restaurants. It's a bit disappointing that the stir-fried water spinach is always sold out. I hope to try it someday. Enjoy the dumplings with beer or highball. The highball served here is a bit strong, so be careful. The shrimp chili, xiaolongbao, and fried rice were also delicious.

We strolled around Hamamatsucho Station and casually visited with two people. The gyoza was recommended on the menu, possibly because it had been featured on TV before. The filling was sweet with a strong flavor of chives. We also ordered the seafood ankake fried rice, which had finely chopped ingredients resembling those at Akasaka Palace. However, the fried rice was too salty. It would have been delicious if they had used less salt. Overall, everything was cheap and tasty, but it felt like a local Chinese restaurant that we would visit only if it was nearby.

I felt like having dim sum after a long time, so I had a dim sum gathering (lol) at Tokai Hanten, where a panda parent and child stuffed animal are placed at the entrance. I started with a highball. I chose two of the three major signature dishes here. Although I was curious about the gyoza, which was featured in a popular TV show, I went for the black wagyu beef gyoza. It was my first time trying gyoza made with wagyu beef, and it was really good. I also ordered the shrimp shumai from the three major signature dishes. In addition, we ordered xiaolongbao and daikon mochi. Dim sum is really great, isn't it? Since we both like spicy food, we also ordered Sichuan mapo tofu. As it was a Chinese restaurant, we also enjoyed Qingdao beer and Shaoxing wine. Finally, we had sesame dumplings, which I love. I love the chewy texture of the dough and the fragrant sesame flavor. We also had almond tofu at the end, which was a delicious, creamy type of almond tofu that made me happy. Dim sum dishes usually come in sets of four, so I think it's best to have around four people to try a variety of dishes. I'd like to gather with about four people next time. The restaurant was bustling with office workers after work. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * ★ Appetizer Assortment (for 2 people 960 yen) ★ Black Wagyu Beef Gyoza (4 pieces 690 yen) ★ Shoronpo (4 pieces 690 yen) ★ Shrimp Shumai (4 pieces 690 yen) ★ Daikon Mochi (2 pieces 480 yen) ★ Sichuan Mapo Tofu (980 yen) ★ Sesame Dumplings (2 pieces 480 yen) ★ Almond Tofu ★ Draft Beer (600 yen) ★ Highball (550 yen) ★ Qingdao Beer (600 yen) ★ Jasmine Highball (490 yen) ★ Shaoxing Wine (950 yen per serving) ★ Kurokirishima Shochu (on the rocks 550 yen) * Prices include tax * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

First visit. Friday afternoon at 1pm. Was seated at a shared table without waiting. Couldn't decide between liver and leek stir-fry or five-ingredient yakisoba, but decided on the latter after seeing it on some social media. The lunch set came with half-fried rice for 980 yen. The noodles were fried just right with a slight char, and were mixed with a variety of ingredients like cabbage, Chinese cabbage, shrimp, squid, pork, quail egg, wood ear mushrooms, and bamboo shoots, all cooked in a Chinese soy sauce-based sauce. It was delicious. The fried rice was average. Both dishes had a slightly strong taste of artificial seasoning. I wonder if I was the only one who found the gentleman at the shared table's five-ingredient ramen more delicious. The almond jelly was a pre-made product. It was a satisfying meal. Thank you.

I received the Wei course for 4,800 yen. It includes all-you-can-drink and I think it's a great deal for the price. We used it for a company drinking party and it was a fun and delicious experience. The dumplings, stir-fried pork and bok choy, and fried rice were especially tasty!

A Chinese restaurant located a 1-minute walk from Daimon Station. I visited for lunch on a weekday. The Foodlog rating at the time of the visit was 3.46 (May 2023). This Chinese restaurant has been featured on TV for its dumplings. I ordered the Pork Fried Rice (850 yen) and a set of 3 dumplings (390 yen). It was mentioned that the dumplings would take about 10 minutes. ----- [Pork Fried Rice (850 yen)] Served about 14 minutes after ordering. Let's dig in. The fried rice is moist, with thinly sliced pork, egg, green peas, and a simple yet well-seasoned taste. It's not too greasy, so it doesn't feel heavy. The portion is quite generous, filling you up nicely. Comes with egg drop soup, pickled vegetables, and almond jelly. The almond jelly is a type that is set with agar. [Set of 3 Dumplings (390 yen)] Served about 18 minutes after ordering. It might be better to have some extra time during lunch. The dumplings are large with plenty of filling. In addition to minced meat and vegetables, there are also shrimp, adding a firm texture and seafood flavor. The skin is crispy on the outside and chewy on the edges. These dumplings have a unique taste and are delicious. ----- There are many Chinese restaurants in the area, but it's clear why this one has stood the test of time. Thank you for the meal.

Lunch on May 30, 2023 (Tuesday). Work in the afternoon at Shiodome. I got off at Hamamatsucho Station on the Yamanote Line and tried this popular Chinese restaurant near Daimon Station for lunch. There were many autographs of famous people inside and outside the restaurant. There was also a commemorative photo of Naomi Osaka's family visiting. I shared a table with other customers at a round table. There was a signboard in front of the entrance that said "Volume-packed lunch (950 yen)", so I ordered the No. 1 Three-Pork Liver and Garlic Chives Stir-Fry Set Lunch (950 yen) and, based on an article I found online that said the dumplings were delicious, I also ordered the Pan-Fried Dumplings Set (3 pieces) (390 yen). I was told that the dumplings would take about 10 minutes. First, I tried the liver and garlic chives stir-fry. It had a strong soy sauce flavor and was quite saucy. The vegetables were crunchy and the liver was tender. It was pretty tasty. Next, I tried the dumplings. The flavor was light, and I was surprised to find shrimp inside. It was firm and added a lot of deliciousness. The chopstick wrapper had a fortune inside. I've always boasted that the fortune cookies in LA or SF's Chinatown are better than the ones in Shinjuku. When I opened it, it said "Half luck" and had this written: "The one who chases two hares won't catch even one." I didn't mean to do that though. The total bill was 1340 yen.

The interior of the restaurant "It's been around for a long time" was not as impressive as expected. I ordered the set menu of Jajangmyeon and small fried rice. The fried rice had a peculiar spice flavor that I couldn't quite place. The Jajangmyeon was also lacking in flavor and consistency. The chopstick wrapper came with a fortune slip, which was a nice touch. Mine said "Great Luck" (I wonder if they all say that). The total cost was 980 yen including tax.

Today's dinner was Chinese cuisine! I chose this restaurant because the reviews for their dumplings were high online and many celebrities go there (lol). They had two types of dumplings, pan-fried and black wagyu beef dumplings, and the black wagyu beef dumplings were insanely delicious! The pan-fried dumplings also had shrimp inside, so they had a slightly different taste from regular dumplings! It felt a bit like seafood dumplings! It's located a 5-minute walk from Hamamatsucho Station, so if you have the chance, I highly recommend it!

We used to go to Yokohama Chinatown every year with our family to eat Chinese food. However, we stopped going there completely after the outbreak of the coronavirus. During that time, we found a restaurant near Daimon Station that exceeded our expectations. We were impressed by the delicious fried rice, dumplings, yakisoba, shrimp chili, and other dishes we ordered. The fact that they are open until late at night was also very convenient. I learned that there are many delicious Chinese restaurants around Hamamatsucho, including this one. I felt like eating there again after a long time, so we decided to visit. We went on a Wednesday at 8:25 pm and were able to enter immediately. We were guided to a table in the back of the first floor. There were two groups of customers, both enjoying themselves. There was a buzzer on the table, but it was not working at all. I remember it wasn't working last time either, so I think I had to directly call a staff member. This time, we ordered the following: - Pork Fried Rice 950 yen - Grilled Dumplings (3 pieces) 390 yen Total: 1,340 yen After we ordered, a group of reserved customers came to the table next to us. They were new employees and seemed to be having a great time. After that, more groups and solo customers kept coming in. The fried rice arrived in about 5 minutes. I hesitated between shrimp fried rice and pork fried rice, but I chose the pork fried rice, which is popular in the fried rice category as the second most popular. It was moist and not too salty, and I couldn't stop eating it. The pork inside was flavorful and delicious. I finished it before the dumplings arrived. The dumplings arrived 10 minutes later. This time, I ordered a single serving of 3 dumplings. The filling included crunchy small shrimp, adding a nice texture. The part with a crispy sear was crunchy. It was delicious, even though it had been a while since I last ate them. However, this time, I thought I would like to share various dishes with family or friends and eat them in small portions. It's definitely more delicious to eat while having fun with everyone. I realized that the atmosphere is also important. Thank you for the meal.

With my wife wanting to eat Chinese food in the city, we chose this place just a 1-minute walk from Hamamatsucho Station. The all-you-can-drink order buffet for ¥5,500- was a great choice! We started with steamed chicken, roast pork appetizers, shrimp chili, and grilled dumplings, which automatically landed on our table. We then ordered dishes such as black vinegar sweet and sour pork, shark fin soup, black wagyu beef dumplings, braised pork belly, mapo eggplant, stir-fried pork with pickled vegetables, pork fried rice, shrimp tanmen noodles, black honey ice cream, sesame dumplings, and drank a lot of sake. Everything was freshly made and hot, delicious, with generous portions and well-balanced flavors. The only mistake was going as a party of two, as the portions were quite large and could have ordered more with 3-4 people. The staff was very polite, kind, and hardworking. The quality of the food for the price of ¥5,500- was impressive, comparable to high-end Chinese restaurants.

I visited for the first time for a year-end party and farewell party. It was a course with all-you-can-drink, and every dish was delicious. The rumors were true about the gyoza, I was satisfied. For my first drink, I had beer followed by warm Shaoxing wine, which was easy to drink and didn't make me too drunk (lol), and I enjoyed it. I think it was a 2-hour time limit, but maybe because there were no other customers, before I knew it, it was almost 3 hours. In the end, they even took a commemorative photo with us, and I felt it was a very good restaurant. I will visit privately next time!

I tried this restaurant for the first time after hearing good reviews. I ordered dumplings, Chinese-style stir-fried tomatoes and eggs, and yakisoba with five ingredients. The dumplings were indeed delicious, with plenty of filling and a firm texture. The taste was also good. The tomato and egg dish is a classic for me. The ketchup was rich and the flavors soaked in nicely, making it simply delicious. The yakisoba was lightly seasoned and slightly sweet, with a Shanghai-style flavor perhaps? I got a bit bored of it halfway through. Overall, it's not bad. I would definitely consider coming back to this restaurant.

I always thought this place was a must-visit for its Szechuan noodles, but the most popular dish turned out to be the five-ingredient yakisoba... I've always avoided yakisoba because I don't like it when it's too firm, but I realized it wasn't firm and finally decided to order it! It was so delicious... It had so much flavorful five-ingredient sauce on top, and the noodles were chewy and tasty. This is definitely something that will make you gain weight... If I could get a body that doesn't gain weight, I would want to come here every day. And when I also tried the famous jumbo dumplings, my stomach felt like it was going to burst! The dumplings were also really delicious. I can't decide what to choose...

(Visited in early January 2023) I went for lunch on a weekday. I have work around the Daimon area every year at this time. On this day, I decided to visit a Chinese restaurant near Daimon Station. It was around 11:00 am, and there were already about 3 groups of customers. Despite the early hour, there were also a fair number of customers coming in later. As a solo diner, I was assigned to a round table. To prevent the spread of COVID-19, a sign indicating a luggage storage area was placed on the table next to mine, ensuring a safe distance between diners. I ordered the dan dan noodles and fried rice set for 950 yen. The food was served in just over 5 minutes, consisting of the noodles, a small plate of fried rice, and almond jelly for dessert. The dan dan noodles had a brown-colored soup without the usual red oil. It contained bean sprouts, komatsuna (Japanese mustard spinach), and coarsely ground meat miso. There were also a few slices of menma (fermented bamboo shoots), which was a nice touch. The soup had a rich flavor but was quite mild overall, lacking a strong punch. Personally, I found it a bit underwhelming. The noodles were medium-thin and slightly soft with decent elasticity. However, the wheat aroma was lacking, and the noodles didn't quite complement the soup well. The seasoning of the meat miso was also on the light side. As for the fried rice, the seasoning was also quite mild. It contained egg, char siu (barbecued pork), and green peas, with a subtle hint of star anise flavor, perhaps from the char siu. It wasn't piping hot, so it didn't have that inviting appeal. I only ate half of it before giving up. For dessert, I had almond jelly, which was sweet with tapioca pearls in it, and it had the most pronounced flavor out of everything I tried. Overall, it was a lunch without any standout qualities. The bill didn't come, so I brought my belongings to the register to pay. I used PayPay for a cashless transaction, which was convenient.

I visited for lunch on a regular day. When I entered the restaurant alone at 11:40, I was seated at a shared table on the first floor, where there were two round tables for 10 people each, but only one was occupied by up to 5 people. The seating arrangement allowed for some distance between diners. In addition to the round tables, there were four tables for 4 people each on the first floor. The restaurant was filled with signed posters, indicating that it was a popular spot for celebrities and famous people. I ordered the A set, which included "Gomoku Soba" and a small portion of fried rice. The Gomoku Soba was filled with vegetables like Chinese cabbage, komatsuna, wood ear mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and carrots, along with pork and shrimp, all lightly coated in a slight thickened sauce. The soy sauce-based soup was lightly seasoned, allowing the flavors of the vegetables to shine. The fried rice was fluffy and also lightly seasoned. I realized later that this restaurant is famous for its dumplings, which I regret not ordering. Overall, it was a satisfying meal.