This restaurant is all in Chinese, so I don't really understand, but I'm somehow hooked. This visit must be close to 10 times now. Despite only visiting this place, I have only met about 5 or 6 Japanese people. Surrounded by tens of times more Chinese people during the meal. "XXXX" and "Lamb skewers 2 types" - as shown in the photo. I have forgotten the official names and prices of the dishes. The main dish was a seafood hot pot with shrimp, squid, and others. What was interesting was the fish paste and mochi-like item that added a nice accent, giving it a satisfying texture. The chili peppers were somewhat spicy, even in small amounts. The solid fuel was used to simmer at the table, but the soup was not too watery, so it needed to be stirred moderately to avoid burning. I really liked the taste, but I accidentally lost my notes and photos, so I'm not sure anymore. The lamb skewers were quite cheap, with raw meat at 90 yen (excluding tax). The lamb ribs were around 120 yen (same). I think they are cheap compared to other places. The taste is also good, although sometimes it feels a bit oily. Thank you for the meal. I promise to do a revenge review next time. (By: Kyonatsu Shuusora, 2021.2.3) (2 reviews/3.05)

There is a Chinese restaurant with a top-class chef! Unfortunately, there are not many photos, but I highly recommend trying the white cabbage and glass noodle dish and sweet and sour pork. The glass noodle photo is only in the corner. You can also enjoy authentic Chinese dishes like crispy potatoes. The portions are generous, so it's perfect for a group. The staff are Chinese but speak excellent Japanese, so there are no communication issues.

This is a new building of an old Chinese restaurant. I have never been to the main building, but I happened to pass by and decided to have lunch here. Orders are placed using a touch panel, with Chinese characters displayed. It seems that most of the customers are Chinese. The seasoning is similar to authentic Chinese cuisine, but it wasn't really to my liking. It seems like a good place for people who enjoy authentic Chinese cuisine.

I went to this restaurant to experience authentic Chinese cuisine. It was quite different from the typical Chinese food that Japanese people imagine, with a lineup of dishes commonly seen overseas. Some of the dishes even included sausage made with blood and insects! Overall, the flavors didn't suit my taste, so I ended up drinking a lot of alcohol. It was interesting that the alcohol content varied randomly. The prices were cheap, so it was a good experience.

I have been there before, so I used it for a company drinking party. I made a reservation but they didn't confirm it. Since it was early, they guided us to a private room at the back. The appetizers were a bit too small - just wood ear mushrooms and dried tofu. The taste was okay, not great. The prices have gone up compared to before.

Today, I just have to head back home on the Shinkansen. Let's have a lunch with a few drinks in the afternoon. I'm in the mood for Chinese food, so I head to Ikebukuro North Exit. It's been a while since I came here, but it hasn't changed much around this area. I decide to go to Shikikou, a place I visited a few years ago. I realize later that the information I researched was for the main store, but I ended up at the new building. Each place offers a variety of weekly lunch specials, and what's even better is that the main store and the new building have different options, so there are plenty of choices for the weekly lunch specials, which is great! - Szechuan-style Braised Pork (Water Cooked Pork Slices) Set Meal 980 yen - Tianjin Dumplings 980 yen - Tsingtao Beer 550 yen The Szechuan-style Braised Pork has a numbing sensation from the Sichuan pepper and spiciness from the chili. It's spicy, but delicious! The flavor is addictive. It comes with plenty of vegetables like enoki mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms, bean sprouts, cabbage, and greens. The portion is generous and seems like it can be shared among three people. The two side dishes were a bit strange to me, I couldn't quite figure out the taste. Both didn't suit my palate. The soup was very light, I couldn't tell what kind of broth it was. I mostly left it untouched as the soup from the main dish was delicious. The rice was too soft for my liking. The Tianjin Dumplings were interesting with thick and chewy skin. The filling had some empty spaces, and it was mostly meaty and simple. The skin was quite dominant, so maybe it's more suited for boiled dumplings. They were also quite large! The Tsingtao Beer was very refreshing, I found it enjoyable. The glass was full of bubbles. One person can only handle four dumplings. I took the remaining six to go. Chinese food in North Ikebukuro is quite challenging, in both good and bad ways. You shouldn't approach it casually. It was a peculiar lunch experience. Thank you for the meal.

Ikebukuro's authentic Chinese restaurant "Shikikou Ikebukuro Shinkan". Located in the Ikebukuro Nishi-guchi area, just a 2-3 minute walk from the West Exit (North). About 10 meters to the right is the "Shikikou Ikebukuro Honten". I had a good experience at the main branch, so I decided to visit the new branch. The lunch menu consists of 12 different items that change depending on the day of the week. The lunch menu at the main branch also changes depending on the day of the week, but the contents are completely different. The restaurant has about 9 tables, and compared to the main branch, the decor is plain and simple. Like many authentic Chinese restaurants, you order using a tablet on the table, but the lunch menu has no photos and only Chinese characters, showing its authenticity. The "White Fish Sanra Stew (Suan Cai Yu)" costs 1080 yen. It took about 15 minutes for the dish to be served. The large plate contains white fish stewed in a yellow curry-like soup with high-quality ingredients such as white fish, pickled mustard greens, chili peppers, garlic, and Sichuan peppercorns. Although it is called "Sanra Stew," "Suan Cai Yu" is actually a Sichuan dish known as "Fish with Pickled Mustard Greens". The white fish is tender and without a strong taste. Even when eaten alone, the fish has a tangy and numbing sensation from the sourness and Sichuan peppercorns, making it delicious. The plentiful pickled mustard greens have a unique fermented flavor. When eaten together with the white fish and soup, it has a spicy kick and richness that goes well with the rice. Both the pickled mustard greens and the white fish are plentiful, providing a satisfying meal. Despite the price, there is no sense of cheapness, and the dish is very well-prepared. Compared to the spare ribs I had at the main branch, I prefer this dish. Authentic Chinese restaurants in Ikebukuro's West Exit area are delicious and interesting.

China Northeastern cuisine chain with 2 stores in Ikebukuro, 1 in Ueno, totaling 3 stores. The store (3.12) is located in "Ikebukuro Kita-guchi Shinkan" on the basement floor of a mixed-use building right near the main store (3.44). The staff and customers are all Chinese residents in Japan, symbolizing the Chinatown-like atmosphere of Ikebukuro. It may feel like an unfamiliar space for Japanese people, but if you love "lamb skewers", then it's definitely worth a visit. The Malt draft beer, medium (550 yen), appetizer (cucumber salad and dried tofu), lamb skewer (1 piece 170 yen), lamb tendon skewer (1 piece 230 yen), lamb chops skewer (1 piece 350 yen), chicken leg skewer (1 piece 198 yen), garlic oysters (1 piece 440 yen), century egg with pickled ginger (680 yen), lamb kalbi teppanyaki (1,498 yen), herbal beef tail soup (1 serving 1,598 yen), salt and pepper fried eggplant (1,080 yen), crispy milk fried dish (1,280 yen). The ratings for the dishes tried are as follows, with individual scores in brackets, and prices are tax-inclusive: Lamb skewer (1 piece 170 yen) [3.7], lamb tendon skewer (1 piece 230 yen) [4.0], lamb chops skewer (1 piece 350 yen) [3.9], chicken leg skewer (1 piece 198 yen) [3.1], garlic oysters (1 piece 440 yen) [3.3], century egg with pickled ginger (680 yen) [3.2], lamb kalbi teppanyaki (1,498 yen) [3.4], herbal beef tail soup (1 serving 1,598 yen) [3.5], salt and pepper fried eggplant (1,080 yen) [3.4], crispy milk fried dish (1,280 yen) [3.0].

I have been to this restaurant a few times, where people from the Tohoku region of Japan and those who love Tohoku cuisine gather, so I don't often encounter Japanese people. It's a strange otherworldly space. I have been to the Shin-Okubo branch a few times, and although there are also exotic menu items, the restaurant is not very clean, so I always felt uneasy. However, the Ikebukuro branch has a cleaner appearance and offers more normal menu items, making it easier to evaluate than the Shin-Okubo branch. I forgot to take a photo, but in addition to the lamb charcoal fried rice and vegetable and spare rib stew, I also had the university potato with Chinese yam. The lamb charcoal fried rice is a popular menu item and is delicious. It's quite large, so even with three people eating, we had some leftovers that we took home in a doggy bag. The young Chinese male students at the next table were also taking leftovers, so I think it's definitely a large portion. I think this is an item you should order when you come here. The stew had a unique bread-like texture that I had never experienced before. The university potato with Chinese yam had a caramelized part that was too hard to peel off, making it difficult to eat, which was disappointing. However, when I took it home as a doggy bag and had it the next day, it was delicious.

I had some errands to run in Ikebukuro during lunchtime on a weekday, so I decided to go to Shikikou Honkan for a delicious meal. However, I couldn't find a lunch menu that suited my taste, so I headed to the Shinkan building. The menu at the entrance caught my eye, particularly the Ma La Xiao Ban Ji (spicy stir-fried chicken), so I went to the restaurant in the basement. I was quickly seated and ordering was a breeze. I was expecting a stir-fry dish with spicy chicken, but what I got was more like a stewed meat dish. The chicken with bones was cut into pieces and stir-fried with bean sprouts and glass noodles, all in a red liquid filled with Sichuan peppercorns and sliced chili peppers. The bone-in chicken made it a bit challenging to eat, but the flavor was really good. I sometimes have Chinese lunches near Ikebukuro Station, but this felt like a nice change with a more authentic Chinese taste. I look forward to trying out other dishes on their menu next time.

Sunday. I thought the weather would get better, but it continues to be gloomy. Crossing Meiji Street and passing through a tunnel with a tacky marble pattern in cyan, magenta, and yellow, I encounter girls standing around trying to lure men's desires with a fee of 1,500 yen, but they seem lackluster. If you have the motivation, you need to stand tall like Yuki Uchida in her prime. As I approach the movie theater, I realize the screening time is only 1.5 hours today, instead of the usual 2 hours. Feeling rushed, I reluctantly decide to give in and try the Chinese restaurant I've been avoiding. The lunch menu is nowhere to be found, and the language barrier with the staff adds to the confusion. I end up following a girl who leads me to a different building where they serve lunch. The experience feels like being forced into a Formula car after lining up for a casual go-kart ride. I order the "crab meat fried rice" and try to navigate the overwhelming menu. The atmosphere is unfamiliar, and the sight of exotic dishes makes me uneasy. The soup is egg drop with a hint of fresh tomato acidity. The side dishes look unappetizing, and I decide to skip one of them. If there's anything worth the overpriced meal, it would be the crab. Although not particularly juicy, it adds some value to the dish. As I eat the fried rice, I can't help but think of the rhythm and flavor at a different restaurant I frequent. Despite the unappealing setting, the presence of a young female student at the neighboring table adds an unexpected charm to the evening. The usually unfriendly owner even offers us extra plates, perhaps sensing the special occasion. Though I can't eat anymore, the gesture is appreciated. Tonight, it's just me and the college student, with whom I've had awkward encounters but always managed to reconcile. The night ends with a sense of camaraderie, despite the unassuming surroundings.

At Ikebukuro Kita-guchi, one of the things you can expect from Chinese cuisine is a Chinese taste and atmosphere. Shikikou Shinkan is one of the restaurants that meets those expectations. The restaurant is located underground. As you go down the stairs and stop to figure out which way to go, someone will gesture you over to the back on the left. Even with a mask on and speaking quietly, communication is easy. I ordered the "Fried Pork and Eggplant in Soy Sauce (Meat Duan Grilled Eggplant)" from the Friday lunch menu. The portion of the main dish was sufficient, with plenty of meat. The eggplant was hot and juicy. There were more green peppers than shown in the photos, which is good for presentation but not my personal preference. Sliced garlic was also included, adding a nice flavor without being too overpowering. I've been eating a lot of spicy Chinese food recently, so I chose a non-spicy dish this time, but I'd like to try a spicy dish next time.

I entered the restaurant around 4:00 PM. It was still early for dinner, so there were plenty of empty seats. I have been here a few times before, so I ordered my usual dishes. I ordered Dalian iron plate fish x2 (¥340), lamb skewers x2 (¥340), Sichuan hot pot (¥1814), large rice x2 (¥648), and grilled eel head pieces x2 (¥324). I like spicy food, which is why I chose this restaurant, but if you are not a fan of spicy food, you might want to be cautious as most of the dishes here are spicy. The atmosphere is very authentic, with mostly Chinese staff and customers. It feels like being in China. The food is delicious, but it may not be suited for Japanese taste. I would highly recommend it for those who want to try authentic Chinese cuisine. Thank you for the meal.

Thanks to the new building, this restaurant is clean and nice. The authentic Chinese cuisine is delicious. The prices are reasonable and I highly recommend it.

The shrimp chili had too much batter, which was disappointing. I won't be ordering it again.