It's been a while since I visited Matsuya. This restaurant is located on Suzuran Street in Akabane. The elderly mother is still working hard! It was reassuring to see her. The customer service is as comforting as ever. When I ordered a beef bowl with salad and raw egg set using the machine, the mother said it's lunchtime and gave me change. She also paid attention to providing water. Thank you for the meal!

I visited the Matsuya Akabane branch, a beef bowl and set meal chain restaurant located about a 3-4 minute walk from Akabane Station, on a weekday evening in June 2023 after 7 pm. The small restaurant had about 5 other customers when I arrived. I chose the "Fuji Mountain Tofu Authentic Mapo Tofu Set Meal" for ¥590 using the ticket machine, opting for a large portion of rice. I sat alone at the counter and presented my ticket. After waiting for about 7-8 minutes, the meal was served. The set included mapo tofu with minced meat and chopped green onions, accompanied by rice, miso soup, and fresh vegetables with French dressing. I started by enjoying the sweetness of the cabbage and corn in the fresh vegetables with the dressing. The mapo tofu had a good balance of sweetness and spiciness, with a generous amount of minced meat. The flavor of the Sichuan pepper could have been stronger. The tofu seemed to be of good quality, but the bold flavors of the dish overshadowed its delicate taste. The slightly rich flavor of the mapo tofu paired well with the rice, and the presence of the fresh vegetables was appreciated. Despite having eaten it many times before, I did not get tired of the delicious taste. The miso soup had a charming simplicity that added to Matsuya's appeal. After finishing the set meal centered around the bold mapo tofu, I felt satisfactorily full. The price of ¥590 also added to the value. However, considering the somewhat unhealthy nature of the dish, I felt I could do without eating it for a while.

On this day, I finished work in half a day and decided to get off at Akabane on my way home. I went to Matsuya Akabane store. This is not a self-service store. When it comes to Matsuya in Akabane, I always end up coming to this store. There was a sign in front of the store saying "Lunch starting from 500 yen". I bought a ticket for the original curry with raw vegetables at the ticket machine and sat at the counter. I watched the cooking process while waiting for the food. After a while, the original curry with raw vegetables and miso soup arrived. I remembered that Matsuya serves miso soup with curry. It's been a while since I had the original curry, I wonder if it tasted like this before? Both the curry and vegetables were delicious. Thank you for the meal. <Infection prevention list> Disinfectant: ✔️ Ventilation: ✔️ Social distancing: ✔️ Partition, seat spacing Staff wearing masks: ✔️ Temperature check upon entry: None

After work, I got off at Akabane station and went to Matsuya Akabane store. Recently, Matsuya has been increasing its self-service stores, but this store offers full service. It's nice to be able to see the cooking process from the counter. I had the beef bowl. Matsuya's meat is thin and the seasoning is strong. It came with miso soup for 380 yen. I think they are doing a good job. Thank you for the meal. <Infection prevention list> Hand sanitizer: ✔️ Ventilation: ✔️ Social distancing: ✔️ Partitions, seat spacing Staff masks: ✔️ Temperature check at entrance: None

After work, I got off at Akabane and decided to stop by a Matsuya full-service restaurant in the Lalagarden shopping street. They had a poster for a "Parent and Child Bowl" which seemed to be a store exclusive, so I bought a meal ticket and sat at the counter seat where I could see the cooking process. They placed the ingredients on a plastic tray, poured the egg over it, and then microwaved it. Matsuya's parent and child bowl is microwaved, unlike Yoshinoya which cooks it on a stove. The dish arrived in a bowl, different from gyudon. I added pickled ginger for color and then enjoyed it. Personally, I thought the flavor was a bit strong. I prefer Yoshinoya's taste. Thank you for the meal. In terms of COVID-19 prevention, they had hand sanitizer, ventilation, social distancing, partitions between seats, employees wearing masks, but no temperature checks upon entry.

Puppong Curry for 690 yen. Rice can be upgraded to a large size for free. The curry has a coconut milk and crab flavor, with scrambled eggs, crab meat, and asparagus as ingredients. It's not very spicy but has a rich and mellow taste. It comes with rice, Fukujinzuke (pickles), and miso soup. This is Matsuya's version of a popular dish from around the world. I was curious about it for a while, so I decided to try it when I saw it at the store. I don't like coconut milk, but even with that aside, it was quite delicious. It's not as good as eating at a regular restaurant, but it was satisfying to be able to try it at a reasonable price. It's a good idea to be able to try unfamiliar menu items at a relatively low cost, just like with Shumercurry.

Pork bowl set for 350 yen. The pork is lean and has a thick texture. It's been a while since I last had it, but it's not like the beef bowl, there's an extra taste like gochujang that I don't like. Miso soup, fried tofu, and seaweed on the side. The miso soup has a more flavorful broth compared to before. The richness comes from the oil in the fried tofu, which is a nice touch, but I guess it's just evolution. I arrived around 6:40 pm on a weekday, and about 30% of the seats were taken. It's been over 10 years since I last had this, and it seems like the taste has changed. I personally preferred the old taste, but maybe it's just the changing times. The price is still great value for money, which I appreciate.

Visited around 7:00 a.m. on July 14, 2021 (Wednesday). The shop is located a 3-4 minute walk from JR Akabane Station East Exit, in a shopping street with an arcade. At 7:00 a.m. in front of Akabane Station, besides popular gyudon chain stores like Matsuya, Yoshinoya, and Sukiya, only two branches of the super famous coffee shop "Tomoro Yu" were open. At 9:00 a.m., individually owned coffee shops open, but since I start work at 8:30 a.m., they are not suitable for morning use. On the left side of the entrance is a long and narrow kitchen, with a counter seating area in a J-shape with about 18 seats. A vending machine for food tickets is installed in the corner on the left side of the entrance, where you can purchase food tickets in advance. There is a staircase at the back that leads to the second floor, but it seems that there are no seats for customers on the second floor. The second floor is used for restrooms and an office. Hand sanitizer is installed on the right side of the entrance. There is a small step at the entrance, so be careful. At the time of my review, the shop had 6 reviews and an average rating of "3.01". There were two customers before me and two customers after me. The shop was run by a female staff member. I visited for breakfast three times in a month. Due to the spread of the new coronavirus, alcohol drinks are prohibited in restaurants in Tokyo. Also, dining inside the restaurant is only allowed until 8:00 p.m., so you cannot have dinner after work. Therefore, I have no choice but to visit various shops for breakfast. The "Standard Morning Set for 360 yen (tax included)" includes rice, miso soup, mini pickles, seaweed, and a raw egg. You can choose one side dish to accompany this set. Unlike Kansai-style shops like "Nakau" or "Sukiya," this chain restaurant originated in Tokyo, so they provide regular seaweed instead of seasoned seaweed. The pickles at Matsuya change from Chinese cabbage pickles in winter to cabbage pickles in summer. When I visited in June, it was still Chinese cabbage pickles, but on July 14th, it had changed to cabbage pickles. Besides cabbage, it also includes cucumber and daikon radish. The morning set comes with a choice of one side dish. You can choose from premium beef side dish, cold tofu, natto, grated yam, or mini curry. I chose "cold tofu" on this day. It is topped with chopped green onions, bonito flakes, and grated ginger. I quickly ate the egg over rice and headed to work. The "Grilled Salmon Set for 490 yen (tax included)" includes rice, miso soup, grilled salmon, mini pickles, and seaweed. You can choose one side dish to accompany this set. I chose the "premium beef side dish." At one point, Matsuya's grilled salmon was briefly heated in the microwave and lightly grilled on a hot plate, but about two years ago, the cooking process returned to simply heating it in the microwave before serving. The premium beef side dish is prepared by taking out the beef from the tupperware, marinating it in sauce, and then serving it. The same goes for ordering beef rice. The "Sausage and Egg Set for 420 yen (tax included)" includes rice, miso soup, sausage and egg, and mini pickles. You can choose one side dish to accompany this set, and I chose the "premium beef side dish." The sausage and egg set includes one sausage and a sunny-side-up egg. In the affiliated "Matsunoya" shop, the egg is two sunny-side-up eggs, and it is also 30 yen cheaper. The price has increased by 20 yen in the past 2-3 years. It's nice that a small amount of raw vegetables is included. Overall, I think it's a well-made breakfast set, but I wish the miso soup could be a bit better. The dashi flavor is just not there (laughs). In the kitchen, there was a large white box, which is an automatic rice measuring device. Set a bowl, press a button, and the right amount of rice will come out automatically. It's fun to watch. The total bill for this day was 360 yen. Thank you for the meal.

I went to Akabane. When I passed by the Matsuya in Lalagarden, I saw a banner advertising "Beef and Flavored Egg Pork Belly Bowl" so I decided to go in. In addition to the pork belly, it had beef, flavored egg, and green onions on top. It's nice that you can watch the cooking process from the counter. It was delicious. Thank you for the meal. <Infection prevention list> Hand sanitizer: ✔️ Ventilation: ✔️ Social distancing: ✔️ Partition, seat spacing: ✔️ Staff wearing masks: ✔️ Temperature check upon entry: none

Butter Chicken Curry 680 yen, limited time offer, free upgrade to large rice. The curry has large chunks of chicken thigh meat, giving it a substantial volume. However, the flavors don't blend well as the curry seems to be mixed in just before serving. There is a slight smell of chicken fat. The curry is dominated by butter, lacking in spice flavor and aroma. It is rich but lacks depth in taste. Even adding shichimi spice blend doesn't make it satisfying. It tastes similar to canned curry. Matsuya's curry this summer is not impressive. The curry gyudon is more satisfying.

Matsuya Akabane store is the furthest Matsuya Foods store from the station in the Akabane area. It is located in the arcade street of Lalagarden. They had a limited menu item called "Pork Kakuni Don" here, but it was sold out when I went to eat. I ended up buying a ticket for "Butter Chicken Curry with Chunky Chicken" and sat at the counter seat. In front of the counter, they grilled and cut the chicken on a hot plate, then put it in a tapper to warm up the Butter Chicken Curry. This curry was made differently from other curries. It came with rice, fresh vegetables, curry, and miso soup. The Butter Chicken Curry was delicious. Thank you for the meal. <COVID-19 Measures> Hand sanitizer: Available Store ventilation: Yes Social distancing: Yes Partition between seats: Yes Staff wearing masks: Yes Temperature check upon entry: No P.S. The "Pork Kakuni Don" was newly released as "Beef and Flavored Egg Pork Kakuni Don" starting from 10:00 am on August 11, 2020. It is now a menu item that is not limited to this store.

Shukumeri rice with extra-large serving for 730 yen. A limited-time menu starting today, advertised as Georgian cuisine. It is a cream stew with garlic and cheese, containing chicken thigh and sweet potato. The taste is not surprising, but it is quite delicious. It might go well with bread instead of rice. The satisfaction level is lower than eating two bowls of gyudon. It could be a good reference for making it at home and the difficulty level is not high.

"Startup Beef Curry"

It's conveniently located near the station♪ I went with my friends☆ I had the demi-glace hamburger(^^) It was better than the umatomayo I had the other day♪

I went with friends. Ate gyudon. It was delicious.

I go there occasionally in the middle of the night or early morning because they are open all year round.

I stopped by Matsuya Akabane branch after drinking with my senior at the station and craving a snack on my way home. I ordered the Beef Curry with Half-Cooked Egg and changed the side dish to Pork Miso Soup. I personally think Matsuya is the most delicious fast food chain, especially because of their spicy and sweet curry. I love the Beef Curry with its added beef. That day, I was quite drunk, so both the curry and the miso soup settled well in my stomach. I devoured the Beef Curry in one go. Thank you, Matsuya, for the delicious meal.

Eating Out Edition - Matsuya / Akabane Beef Set Meal This story is from a little while ago, but on August 12th (Saturday) for lunch, I went to this restaurant. It's the Matsuya Akabane branch. The results from my regular health check-up came back, and to my surprise, the bad cholesterol level that I was worried about had somehow dropped to just within the normal range. So, I decided to treat myself to Matsuya's beef set meal after a long time. First, I checked the menu. It seemed like they hadn't raised the prices, which was a relief, so I ordered the beef set meal (590 yen) as planned. Soon, the fresh vegetables arrived. I waited for the meat to come out. The meat, rice, and miso soup were served. The meat was the usual style with grated radish and chopped green onions on the side. I poured ponzu sauce over the grated radish, sprinkled plenty of shichimi togarashi, and got ready to eat. Of course, for the beef set meal, it has to be ponzu sauce and shichimi. Let's dig in. Yum yum yum♪ Oh, delicious! The fat from the pork belly is irresistible. The miso soup was the usual Matsuya miso soup. I enjoyed the ingredients and tried to leave as much broth as possible. Green onions with ponzu sauce. This combination works really well. When I had about half of the rice left, a mini beef bowl arrived. You must never waste the meat juices left on the plate from the beef set meal. I quickly finished the mini beef bowl, gulping it down, and completed my meal. Phew, I'm full. With this taste and portion size at this price, the cost performance is definitely good. Miyaken left the restaurant feeling very satisfied. The end. Total number of meals eaten out from January 2011 to this day: 875 meals, average price: 468 yen per meal including tax.

As of March 28, 2015, there are 6 gyudon (beef bowl) restaurants around Akabane Station: Matsuya Akabane Nishiguchi, Matsuya Akabane Higashiguchi, Matsuya Akabane, Nakau Akabane Nishiguchi, Yoshinoya Akabane Higashiguchi, and Sukiya Akabane Minamiguchi. Matsuya used to have a store in LaLa Garden, but it closed down, and Matsuya 1st Street has been replaced by Katsunoya. These 6 restaurants seem to have strategically placed their stores based on the flow of people. Matsuya has 3 stores, each strategically placed in different locations. Sukiya, a part of the Zensho Group, is located in the south, away from the other stores. Nakau, also part of the same group, is located in the north. Yoshinoya, with its strong brand power, is strategically placed. However, Tokyo Chikara Meshi closed down after just one year. This makes you think about the various aspects of running a gyudon restaurant. On this day, I had the premium gyudon with pickles and half-cooked egg, along with a beer before the first train from Akabane. This completes my tour of all 6 gyudon restaurants in Akabane, including the two that have closed down. It's just the ramblings of an old man!