Visited on Saturday afternoon, ordered by scanning a QR code with my smartphone. I had the small portion of tantanmen for 1200 yen including tax, which came with soup. The lunch beer was a great deal at 400 yen for a regular draft beer, very affordable. I even had two beers, one being a Hoegaarden White for 500 yen. The food was delicious, both the pork rice bowl and the spicy tantan noodles.

Recently, it has been so hot that it feels like only ethnic food can win. I went to a Taiwanese restaurant for the first time on this day. I was really hungry, so I went for the hearty Lu Rou Fan set for ¥1,200. (They also serve lunch beer, but I managed to resist the temptation...haha) The Lu Rou Fan was substantial with plenty of meat, almost like a braised pork bowl. The addition of a seasoned egg was a nice touch. The sweet and savory flavor with hints of star anise gave it an exotic feel. The side dish, Taiwanese-style tonkatsu maybe? had thin meat with a spicy coating that definitely pairs well with beer. It had been a while since I had Chinese jellyfish, so I enjoyed the crunchiness. The diced pickled mustard greens were also good in texture. The restaurant is located in a newly built building and has a clean and stylish interior like a trendy cafe. I will definitely visit again.

This year, the Bon holiday period followed the calendar schedule for work. Despite being a time when many people take off work, I had to work as usual, including teleworking. However, the workload was light and the commute was easy due to fewer people traveling during this time. On the last day of the Bon holiday, I decided to have lunch at a Taiwanese restaurant located in Kanda Square, which is a landmark in the area. The restaurant is operated by a company called otto, established in December 2008 in Shibuya, Tokyo. They have been expanding their own brand of stores and actively growing their network of shops, even during the pandemic. They currently operate 26 stores in Tokyo, Osaka, and Hyogo prefectures. One of their notable acquisitions was a renowned udon restaurant in 2020, which gained media attention for its successful business succession story. I arrived at the restaurant just before 1 pm and found it quite busy, with most seats occupied. The lunch menu offered a variety of Taiwanese-inspired dishes, and I ordered the Lu Rou Fan set. The food was served promptly in aluminum trays, adding to the Taiwanese-style atmosphere of the restaurant.

I entered the restaurant around 11:45. I had the Lu Rou Fan set meal, which was very delicious with a hint of star anise. My friend who used to live in Taiwan said it tasted close to the authentic flavor. They also offer congee as a single menu item, so it seems like a good option for when you're not feeling very hungry!

It was raining on and off that day, so I decided to try this place nearby for the first time. There used to be a Modern Chinese Cockman here before, and I quite liked it, but it suddenly closed down. I wondered what happened. Inside this new place, it had a similar feel to Modern Chinese Cockman, so I wondered if they were related. The set meals here included a main dish, Taiwanese cutlet, side dish, and pickles, priced at 1200 yen, which seemed a bit high, so I ordered the braised pork rice for 900 yen. Unlike the previous place where two chefs cooked together, here only one chef cooked, and the style seemed more like staff preparing the dishes. The braised pork rice was tasty with a rich flavor, but I felt slightly less satisfied considering the price. There are many restaurants in the Kanda area, so I imagine the competition is tough, but I hope they do well. Thank you for the meal.

I won't explore new places anymore. I want to stick to familiar and cozy restaurants. That's the kind of place "Tai Chū Kō" in Kanda Square made me feel. Recently opened, I was drawn in by the combination of Lu Rou Fan and Tantanmen. You have to place your order by scanning a QR code, which is convenient but makes me worry if it went through properly. I ordered the Tantanmen & Mini Lu Rou Fan set for ¥1200. I saw purple cabbage on the Tantanmen for the first time. Is that common in Taiwan? Where are the bean sprouts? Why not use bok choy? What's with this purple cabbage? It becomes mushy and annoying with the soup and heat. I don't need this. The soup has a nice nutty aroma but feels lacking somehow. The thickness is light and there's no spiciness. It's actually a bit sour and sweet? Maybe that's the Taiwanese touch. The noodles are... what are these? Not bad, but why choose these noodles? They are thin, smooth, and firm like those from Hidakaya. The Lu Rou Fan also has a sweet and sour flavor with star anise, but it's not impressive. The rice is soggy and not tasty. It's a shame. My precious lunchtime was ruined. Despite good service and decor, the lack of culinary skills is disappointing. It's a wasted opportunity for this restaurant.

The lunch at "Taiwan + Chinese Bar Taichung Kanda" was delicious! Located inside Kanda Square, the restaurant was not too crowded, so I was able to be seated quickly even as a solo diner. I tried the Lu Rou Fan for the first time, ordering the mixed plate. The dish was truly delicious! The flavor of the Lu Rou Fan was fresh and amazing. I definitely want to visit this restaurant again. Looking forward to my next visit!

I decided to visit Taichu Kō at Kanda Square, a newly opened Taiwanese Chinese restaurant near my office that I had been wanting to try but couldn't due to it being always crowded. The restaurant is located on the 1st floor of Kanda Square, very close to Shin-Ochanomizu Station, Awajicho Station, and Ogawamachi Station. It has a Chinese-style interior and offers both counter and table seating. Orders are placed online through a QR code. When I visited around noon, the place was not too crowded yet, but it started filling up gradually as I finished my meal. The staff seemed to be mostly female. I ordered the small size of the Tan Tan Men (soupless). The dish arrived in about 5 minutes. I actually wanted to try the regular Tan Tan Men and the Giro Gohan, but I accidentally selected the soupless version. I tried the soupless first, which had minced meat, bok choy, walnuts, and was not too spicy, making it suitable for those who don't like spicy food. However, the noodles were quite clumped together, making it a bit difficult to eat. The Giro Gohan, made with chicken thigh meat, coriander, soy sauce, and other condiments, was light and easy to eat, although it might be too much for those who dislike coriander. Next time, I would like to try the regular Tan Tan Men and Lu Rou Fan set, or maybe the Mapo Tofu. I paid with PayPay, by the way.

First visit 202307 (No.4658) 1. Purpose of visit: To gather information for sushi in the Kanda area and to select a restaurant for lunch on the day of the visit. 2. Shop information: - Genre on Tabelog: Chinese cuisine - Opened on July 1, 2023 - A Taiwanese cafeteria & Chinese bar operated by "Kabushiki Kaisha Otto" established in 2008 - Business hours: 11:00-23:00 - Closed on days as per the facility - Seating capacity: 65 seats 3. Crowded conditions on the day and atmosphere of the shop: - Visited around 12:25 on the weekend with 4-5 customers already seated and 2 customers arriving later - High ceiling and a cozy atmosphere 4. Customer service: - Service was according to the manual 5. Ordered items: - Dan dan noodles set (with cold dishes, Taiwanese cutlet, pickles) for 1,200 yen - The order was served in about 8-9 minutes on a tray resembling a school lunch tray - The main dish, Dan dan noodles, had a unique visual with shredded purple cabbage on top, and the taste was a bit unique, perhaps in a Taiwanese style - The Taiwanese cutlet in the set was warm and had a taste similar to pork, which was enjoyable Thank you for the meal.

I tried the set menu with Lu Rou Fan (minced pork rice) and Dan Dan noodles at the newly opened Taiwanese Chinese bar in Kanda Square. The Dan Dan noodles were Taiwanese-style and had a delicious taste different from Sichuan-style. The Lu Rou Fan was also very tasty, so overall, I was very satisfied with the lunch.

When I went to the supermarket in Kanda Square near my workplace, I found a shop with congratulatory flowers for its opening. According to the sign on the storefront, the shop used to be a Chinese restaurant but has reopened as a different shop since yesterday, July 1st. Despite it being a Sunday, the shop opened at 11 am, so I decided to have lunch there. More in the photo...

The taste is average. The price is understandable because the tenant building is clean, but it might be tough competition with the cheaper and delicious Chinese restaurants nearby. Even though it's a newly opened restaurant, the staff seemed inexperienced and lacked enthusiasm. The modern atmosphere is nice, so it seems suitable for a casual date or outing.