On Saturday at 10:55 am, the restaurant was about 70% full. I ordered chilled udon noodles for 360 yen with a large serving for an additional 100 yen, and a mini spicy punch bowl for 400 yen. The food arrived in about 5 minutes. The udon noodles were firm, served with slightly sweet broth, seaweed, and green onions, topped with crispy tempura flakes. The tempura flakes really added a nice touch to the dish. I added some shichimi spice and finished it all. The mini spicy punch bowl had spicy simmered tripe on top of rice, along with Chinese chives, sliced konjac, tripe, and green onions. Despite being called "mini," it was served in a regular rice bowl, so it was quite filling. I noticed a highball drink on the cooling shelf and felt like having it as a drink companion.

Around 11:20 on weekdays, the restaurant was about 30% full. I ordered the pork cutlet curry for 780 yen with a large portion for an extra 100 yen. I also got the A set, which included chilled udon noodles for 270 yen. It took about 10 minutes for the food to be served, as they were frying the cutlets fresh. The cutlets were thinly sliced at 5mm, coated in batter, and fried. They were very hot and crispy. The flavor was mostly from the meat, with little seasoning. The curry had a slight flavor, but lacked the spiciness of curry spices. The chilled udon noodles were delicious with a sweet broth. The tempura flakes had a hint of seaweed flavor, adding a nice touch to the overall taste. By the time I left, the restaurant was about 80% full, showing its continued popularity.

I tried the Yakisoba at Yamada Udon. It was delicious in a different way. It was not crispy but rather moist and tasty. It may be a bit plain on its own, but as part of a set menu at Yamada Udon, it was very satisfying.

On 2022/09/09, I had breakfast at "Yamada Udon Ome Shinmachi Store" in Saitama before going dam sightseeing. It's rare to see Yamada Udon in Kanagawa, so I decided to try it out. I had the Fried Egg Morning Set for 410 yen, which comes with udon, cabbage, and mesclun salad. The udon shop is focusing on soba recently, so I tried the soba instead of udon. The fried egg was not the typical bacon and egg, but a wiener and egg. I also tried the Mini Natto Okra Rice Bowl Set for 380 yen, with an additional fried egg for 180 yen. The dish was slimy and healthy with plenty of okra. The udon that came with it was soft and easy to eat. The restaurant was busy with people having breakfast around 7:30 am on a Saturday. Overall, the breakfast at Yamada Udon was affordable and satisfying.

[Actual weight] Rice 195g, Curry croquette 54g [Service time] 6 minutes 20 seconds [Payment method] Cash [Utensils, etc.] Disposable chopsticks, paper napkins [Crowdedness] 4 groups of customers before, 5 groups after During a busy morning on a holiday, with only one floor staff member who seemed flustered and unable to clear the trays, customers were left waiting. In the midst of this, a battle erupted between a customer demanding more seaweed in their tanuki udon and a staff member refusing to increase the condiments. The customer argued, mentioning that they were able to get extra last week, causing further delays. In the end, the staff member gave in and provided the extra seaweed, but changing policies based on customer demands is not a good practice.

13:35 entered the store. The place was crowded with 9 customers ahead of me (12 behind me), but it quickly cleared up. This was not just due to the time after lunchtime, but also because of the excellent customer service skills of the female staff member in charge of the hall. I observed for a while, and I must say, this woman is seriously amazing at customer service! I impulsively came in without any prior research, but there are a few menu items that caught my eye, so I decided to choose those. Not udon, not fresh soba... "Vegetable Miso Ramen" for 650 yen, "Large size" for 100 yen, "Fried Rice" for 490 yen, and "Mini Cream Croquette" for free with a coupon. Ramen again? Yes, ramen it is! The "Vegetable Miso Ramen + Large size" was true to its name with plenty of vegetables. The large portion of noodles was generously served, and I have to respect Yamada for that. The toppings included vegetables and pork. The vegetables were thinly sliced in a Tanmen style, but they were cut large enough not to be overly crunchy. The miso soup was delicious! It lacked oil but was rich in flavor, with a strong miso taste that was quite good. If I were to ask for something more, it would be garlic on the table. However, the noodles were a bit disappointing, with some clumping and a slightly slimy texture. But considering the taste, quantity, and price, I shouldn't fuss over the slight sliminess. It felt like eating a professionally made, intensely flavored cup of instant ramen from the supermarket. Definitely good in a way! The "Fried Rice" at Yamada, which has a good reputation, was a real treat. It was cooked fresh for each order, and when I tried it, it was clearly a delicious, fluffy type of fried rice. It had crab sticks instead of the usual chopped naruto, which might indicate that they aimed for something like a crab fried rice. It seemed to provide a satisfying experience as a standalone dish rather than just a side menu item. However, the fatal flaw was that it couldn't be ordered in a large size. The "Cream Croquette" didn't have any outstanding surprises, but the sauce added a nice touch that heightened my appetite even more. Despite being small, it had a big presence. Overall, it wasn't exceptionally outstanding, but it was still tasty! Saitama's soul food is no joke. ★ For more details, please check out the blog "Noodle Recommendations" at http://www.mennosusume.net/archives/45069631.html

After playing golf at a nearby golf course, I stopped by here on the way back because I was feeling a bit hungry. I noticed that Yamada Udon has changed its name to "Yamada Udon Shokudo." I think their main store is in Saitama, so there are only stores in the western suburbs of Tokyo. But recently, I had some business in Saitama and visited golf courses in the western part of Tokyo, so I had the opportunity to visit. I sat at the counter and ordered the "Cold Noodles with Tempura" (300 yen including tax). I also ordered a curry croquette using a free ticket I received the other day. The cold noodles were served in a few minutes. The cold noodles here have a pretty rich soy sauce flavor, which is quite strong compared to warm noodles. The toppings were seaweed and a small amount of tempura crumbs. The tempura crumbs add depth to the broth by soaking them all in the soup. It's just like eating it that way... Well, it's just a normal tempura udon, with warm noodles priced at 280 yen and cold noodles priced at 300 yen. It's quite cheap, isn't it? I think the cost performance is pretty good. I left the restaurant satisfied with my appetite satisfied on this day as well. I've been coming to this chain restaurant quite often lately, and I always find the staff, who are all middle-aged women, very friendly and pleasant. I would like to visit again if I have the chance. Thank you for the meal.

I was wondering what to have for dinner when I saw Yamada Udon in front of me. I realized I had never tried it before, so I decided to give it a go. I ordered a half-sized udon mini bowl. Chain restaurants these days really have a high level of quality - it's great to find affordable and delicious places. It was nice to try out a place like this once in a while.

13:40 Arrived at the restaurant. There were 7 customers before me and 4 customers after me. This area is a highly competitive area with many chain restaurants nearby. Even though the price ranges may vary, there are other udon restaurants in the vicinity, so competition for customers is inevitable. Today, I happened to be nearby for another reason, so I decided to try the famous "Punch Teishoku" from Yamada Udon after many years. The menu included the "Limited/Toku Mori Punch Teishoku" for 890 yen, "Ramen Set" for 300 yen, "Extra Noodles" for 100 yen, and "Curry Croquette" for free with a coupon. I was surprised to see that they now have a spicy version of the Punch, which was not available back when I used to visit this place many years ago. The "Toku Mori Punch Teishoku" includes a comparison of 200g of regular Punch, 200g of red Punch, and 300g of rice. It's not a large serving, but rather a "Toku Mori" serving, which caught my attention. The Punch, a specialty of Yamada Udon, is a simmered pork offal dish that has been delicious for about 40 years. The pork offal is cut into large pieces, giving it a soft and tender texture. With the addition of bamboo shoots, konjac, and green onions, the dish has a variety of textures and flavors. The seasoning is just right, making it an ideal dish that pairs well with rice and sake. The red Punch has a sweet and garlicky spiciness, which complements the rice perfectly. I ended up finishing the 200g of red Punch before I could finish the 300g of rice, so if you plan to enjoy both the red and regular Punch with rice, you might need 300g of rice for each. The traditional soy sauce ramen can be ordered as a standalone item for 450 yen. If you order it as a set with a rice dish, it costs an additional 300 yen (without miso soup). Toppings include chashu, seaweed, bamboo shoots, green onions, and narutomaki. Personally, I could do without the thin seaweed and would prefer half a boiled egg instead. The soup is a light, Japanese-style soy sauce broth with a hint of seafood umami from kombu. The noodles are soft and similar to udon noodles. While the price point of 300 yen or 450 yen makes it a good deal, when compared to other budget ramen shops based on taste alone, it may fall short. It felt like the kind of ramen you would find in a food court from the past. It seems that Yamada Udon now offers a variety of teishoku dishes, so I would like to visit again if I have the chance. For more details, please visit the blog "Men no Susume" at http://www.mennosusume.net/archives/40070152.html

★Punch Set After seeing Yamada Udon being introduced on a TV program called "Himitsu no Kenmin Show," I decided to go eat there for the first time in about 20 or maybe 30 years! I ordered the Punch Set, which was ranked 2nd in the program. The Punch Set included simmered motsu (offal), rice, miso soup, and tororo (grated yam) as a side dish. The motsu was delicious as always, and the rice went perfectly with it. I also tried the curry croquette that I received as a free coupon, and it was tasty too. The morning staff members were very friendly and provided excellent service. Overall, it was a great dining experience. ★Mini Curry Rice Breakfast Set The Mini Curry Rice Breakfast Set comes with a mini curry rice and a choice of half portion udon or soba. I chose the udon and added a mini hamburger using a free coupon. The curry rice was flavorful and not too spicy. The udon had a slightly sweet broth with thick noodles, seaweed, and tempura flakes, which brought back nostalgic flavors. The udon was not as soft as I remembered from the past, but it was still enjoyable. It was a satisfying meal. ★Sunny-Side-Up Egg Set The Sunny-Side-Up Egg Set includes rice, a choice of half portion udon or soba. I chose the tanuki udon and added a curry croquette using a coupon. It's amazing that you can enjoy a meal of rice and udon for such a reasonable price. The food was tasty, the portion size was decent, and the service was excellent. Mountain Yamada Udon never fails to impress! ★Sugaya Natto Breakfast Set The Sugaya Natto Breakfast Set features Sugaya Foods' special natto from Ome City, served with rice, a raw egg, and a choice of half portion udon or soba. I opted for the udon as usual. Mixing the raw egg and natto over rice was a delightful experience, and the udon had its usual consistent taste. It was a delicious meal.

I am steadily working on conquering the 33rd Yamada Udon store, the 1043rd store in Tokyo that I have visited. I am also doing some comparison with other chains. Personally, I have been on a winning streak with Yamada. I visited the store on a Friday around 8 pm. There were about 15 people inside, with a constant flow of orders coming in at the kitchen. It seems like I visited during one of their busy hours. Despite having a Yoshinoya next door and an Osaka Ohsho across the intersection, this store is doing well with a good number of customers. The menu changes daily. I am currently comparing Katsudon dishes. I feel like the sauce Katsudon, when made with scrambled eggs, might have some issues with the taste. I think a regular Katsudon is tastier. I will try that next time. However, I do prefer the noodles here compared to other chain stores. This visit marks my first win at Yamada.

This time, I would like to introduce "Yamada Udon Shokudo" located in Aome Shinmachi on the Ome Kaido. Previously, it was a chain under the name "Yamada Udon" based in Saitama Prefecture, but in July 2018, it was rebranded as "Yamada Udon Shokudo" targeting families. The male ratio in the restaurant is still high. I visited on a weekday and had the daily set menu. The daily set menu varies in price depending on the day, ranging from 690 yen to 790 yen. The daily menu for December 2019 was as follows: Monday: Chicken Katsu Don Set @720 yen Tuesday: Pork Miso Yakiniku Don (Chichibu Style) Set @690 yen Wednesday: Menchi Katsu and Aji Fry Set (with rice) @750 yen Thursday: Ebi Fry Don Set @690 yen Friday: Simmered Sauce Katsu Don Set @790 yen I visited on Wednesday and ordered the Menchi Katsu and Aji Fry Set @750 yen. The set included Menchi Katsu and Aji Fry served on a plate with shredded cabbage. The Menchi Katsu was delicious, reminiscent of the flavor from a traditional butcher shop. The Aji Fry seemed to be made from frozen ingredients. This set was definitely enough for two people. It also came with a choice of soba or udon, with an option to upgrade to ramen for an additional 100 yen. The target audience for this set menu is clearly male customers. Overall, it was a satisfying meal for 750 yen.

Today I was in the mood for rice rather than udon, so I decided to try the hearty katsudon (tax included 640 yen). They offer free extra rice, so I opted for that (an additional 50g of rice). I could see them frying the cutlets! They sprinkled some onions, poured in the commercial sauce, and topped it off with freshly fried cutlets and a scrambled egg. The presentation was great (see photo). The cutlets were quite large, four pieces in total (see photo). I found them a bit difficult to eat due to their size. The taste was just average, like a typical chain restaurant (laughs). The sauce was nothing special. This is Yamada-san for you. I wonder why they have been able to expand as a chain. The katsudon was not cheap, and the rice seemed outdated. I couldn't really tell the difference between the regular and extra rice portions. I'm not sure what this feeling is... (see photo). Saitama Food Fight! Thanks for the meal.

Yamada-san offers a great breakfast set meal deal. The place now has a cafeteria attached and changed its name. In September 2019, there were 4 customers before and 6 after me. The restaurant opens at 6 am, and I had the mini curry rice bowl breakfast set with soba for only 300 yen including tax. The menu is available from 6 am to 10 am. You can choose between udon or soba, and hot or cold. The curry had a rich flavor, and the soba had a good amount of seaweed. I wish they had some tempura bits in the soup for the soba lovers. They also offer shichimi spice for an extra kick. This place has become known as a popular spot for Saitama locals. It's a convenient place for those who drive a lot and struggle to find standing soba places. Oh, and I just realized it's actually in Tokyo, not Saitama. Overall, it was a delicious meal. Thank you for the feast!

In about 30 minutes, Heisei will come to an end... Goodbye Heisei, welcome Reiwa... Today, I went to Ome City to pick up a dog unexpectedly... It took about 60 minutes on the highway from Isesaki Interchange to a mountain udon restaurant along Ome Kaido for lunch, the last meal of Heisei. This is the second place we visited. I had the punch set with warm udon, while Kemuchan had the ginger pork set with zaru soba and extra rice. Kemuchan prefers cabbage shredded with sauce, but was disappointed when French dressing was served instead. The warm udon was nice, with punch (pork offal stew) and menma. The dog is doing well and didn't get car sick!

It's been a while since I last went, but the taste is still as good as ever. Overall, it seems like the prices have gone up? I thought the curry set was around 570 yen, but it was actually 600 yen.

The delicious taste that seeps into a tired body was amazing.

Sometimes you just crave it - Punch.