I woke up early on my day off to go for a health check-up, renew my license, and visit the hospital. I had a stomach endoscopy, so I haven't eaten anything for 14 hours since last night... Oh, by the way, I've been to the main branch of Kabato Seimenjo twice on my cross bike, but I still haven't been to Mandengan (a local restaurant in Kagawa dialect). I thought about it on my way back from the hospital, so I stopped by. Luckily, there was no line as it was just after opening on a weekday, but it was still full when I entered. I ended up waiting for only 10 minutes, so it wasn't too bad. I ordered the default Sanuki cold noodles with squid tempura, fish cake tempura, and half-boiled egg tempura. The noodles were not only firm but also surprisingly smooth. I was impressed by how slippery they were. It was my first time trying squid tempura, and it was soft and delicious. It helped me forget about today's fatigue. The broth wasn't too salty, so I could drink it all. The service was great, and I left feeling very satisfied. By the time I left, there were already more than 10 people waiting in line. Well, that's just how it is during normal business hours here. However, I still think of this place as a temporary store for Kabato Seimenjo when the main branch is closed for winter. After all, nothing can compare to that bowl you finally get after cycling for an hour with friends and waiting outside for another hour. Ah, I feel like going to Kabato Seimenjo again when they reopen next month, but the winds are so strong on Route 275 and Route 337...

Curry udon with one kashiwa tempura for 1000 yen. Soft-boiled egg tempura for 120 yen. The curry is on the spicier side and slightly sweet, but very delicious with the sweetness of the vegetables. The kashiwa tempura is marinated perfectly and absolutely delicious. I would even take it home just as a snack. The variety of tempura options is extensive and all of them are tasty. There are water, tissues, toothpicks, shichimi (Japanese spice mixture), dashi soy sauce, and rock salt on the table. The service is also excellent. It can be tough to wait in line outside depending on the weather, but today was sunny so it was okay.

A day with no specific plans. I didn't even plan to come here for lunch, that's how well-prepared I was. I parked at a nearby coin parking lot and arrived before the opening. There were a few customers ahead of me, so I should be able to get in on the first round. Despite the clear weather, it was freezing cold in Sapporo in winter. I waited, shaking my body to keep warm. A few minutes before opening, a lively shout came from inside the store, and they opened. People streamed into the store, ordering in the order they lined up. I ordered the parent and child (chicken and half-boiled egg tempura) atsukake in a large size. I also added the mysterious menu item, thick grilled egg tempura, written on the whiteboard outside. After a short wait, the food was served in order. It was warm, which was nice since it was so cold outside. I immediately slurped the udon noodles and...wow! It's the udon from that place, tears of joy. That place is the udon shop I consider the best in Hokkaido, Kabato Seimenjo in Tobetsu Town, Ishikari. Kabato Seimenjo usually closes in winter and reopens in spring, a rare udon shop in Hokkaido that closes for the winter season. I found out on their Instagram that they were open in Sapporo during winter. I felt a slight shock that I hadn't noticed until then. Oh, I can have that udon even in winter! The udon is fluffy and soft, yet firm and stretchy, with a unique texture that I haven't experienced at other udon shops. Kabato Seimenjo also offers grilled sweet potato tempura and the thick grilled egg tempura that I ordered. The thick grilled egg tempura was exactly as I imagined, a thick, crispy-coated grilled egg. It surprisingly filled me up, along with the large serving of udon. Oh, I never expected to enjoy the taste of Kabato Seimenjo in winter! I'm so happy. I felt so hot after finishing my meal. When I stepped outside, I was met with a brisk chill that balanced out the heat from my body. I returned to my car without putting on my coat. There was a long line outside. It wasn't as bad as Kabato, and it wasn't too far, so maybe this place is easier to eat at. Oh, it's just so delicious.

Popular Udon restaurant-style soba♪ "Kabato Seimenjo", a popular Sanuki Udon restaurant in Tobetsu-cho, right next to Sapporo. Since its opening in 2011, it has been a very popular spot. However, during the winter when Tobetsu is covered in snow, it is difficult to go there to eat. Therefore, during the winter months, the Tobetsu store closes and operates as "Mandegan Gaiden" in Sapporo from December to April. "Mandegan Gaiden" opened in 2013, so for about 10 years now, they have been operating in Tobetsu during the summer and in Sapporo during the winter. The shop is located in Kita-ku, Sapporo, at Kita 15 Nishi 5. If you drive along Hokudai Street, you will always see a line of people, so many people may already be familiar with it. There is no parking lot, so if you are coming by car, please use a coin parking lot. "Mandegan Gaiden", the winter-only udon restaurant. This season's grand opening started on November 30th last year (2022). However...surprisingly, the shop was open in the summer (??). I happened to confirm that the shop was open when I visited the neighboring "Ramen Seiyu" last August. There was a sign saying "Open - Butadon Butasoba" posted. (Why is "Mandegan Gaiden" open?) A few days later, I went to check again. By the way, there was no curtain or sign indicating that they were open. However, I could feel people inside, so I opened the door and entered. Inside, a lively young lady was managing the busy shop, which was full of customers. The shop has a long counter seat and two small tables for two people. It seemed to take some time, but that was okay, I was willing to wait. There was probably only Butadon and Butasoba on the menu since there was no menu. I missed the timing to ask because everyone around seemed to be regular customers, mostly Hokudai students, and the young lady seemed busy. It was like a "which one?" question, so I casually pretended to be used to it and answered, "Soba, please." It was mentioned that a large serving was free. Why are they open in the summer? Why do they serve Butadon and Soba even though they are an udon restaurant?? Without fully understanding, I waited. Flames rose vigorously from the kitchen, where the pork was being grilled right in front of me. I could hear the sound of draining water, and soon the dish was served. It was Butasoba with a large amount of pork, green onions, onsen tamago, and chopped seaweed on top of the soba. The bowl for the noodles was a black Manoyudon bowl. Oh, it looked delicious! Well then, let's eat♪ First, the meat was delicious! The thickly cut pork, coated with potato starch and grilled, was tender and incredibly juicy. The soba was cold and had a strong texture. It seemed to be the type of soba that you need to chew thoroughly. The aroma of sesame oil stimulated my appetite. The balance of green onions, seaweed, and onsen tamago was really good. It was a hearty portion. I ate it all quickly. This deliciousness, this volume, it must surely satisfy the stomachs of Hokudai students. While thinking such things, I finished eating and drinking. Delicious! (*´︶`*)! It's a hearty soba dish, but it goes down smoothly even in the hot summer. It seems that until the end of October, they will be serving Butadon at "Mandegan Gaiden", and from the end of November, they will be serving Sanuki Udon. I would like to try the Butadon next time. However, since it's already winter, I will go eat udon♪ I wonder what to do about the line because it's cold (^^;; It wasn't just Sanuki Udon, Mandegan Gaiden was delicious. Thank you for the meal♪ (Visited on August 29, 2022) (Posted on January 15, 2023)

I had never really thought about udon before, but a friend recommended it to me so I decided to try it out. I arrived at 1:30 and there was a 10-person wait. The staff had a unique character and I ordered the bukkake cold udon with half-cooked egg and quail egg. The tempura was quite generous in portion. The udon and broth had a nice balance. If I have the chance, I would like to try the zaru udon if it's on the menu.

I happened to come across it while passing by and discovered that it was open this year as well! I had originally planned to have curry, but I quickly changed my plans and decided to visit this place instead. It seems like they opened about a week ago, around November 25th. Even though it was past 2 o'clock, there were still customers coming in. The noodles were just as great as when I had them in Tobetsu - chewy and delicious! I topped my noodles with half-boiled egg and quail tempura. The egg was creamy, and the quail was juicy and hot. I enjoyed every bite of it. I wonder how many times I can visit this place this winter. Thank you for the delicious meal!

This is one of the few restaurants in Sapporo where you can eat authentic Sanuki udon. Sapporo is known for its high-quality ramen and soba, but strangely there are very few good udon places. However, the Sanuki udon here is exceptional. There is always a line, but it is definitely worth the wait. I want many Sapporo residents who may not know what truly delicious Sanuki udon tastes like to try it at least once.

On a rainy Sunday afternoon, despite the growing line of people waiting, I was able to get in after about 15 minutes. I had the chikuta udon with warm broth, broccoli tempura topping, and the broth was sweet and rich. The udon noodles were soft but still had a good chewiness to them. The lively call when the tempura was ready was also amusing. Thank you for the meal!

On Sunday, I visited this place at 1:15 pm in search of delicious udon for lunch, and there was a line of 12 people outside the restaurant, showing its great popularity. As this place is managed by the same owners as the popular "Kabato Seimenjo" in Tobetsu, it's no wonder it's so popular. Since I had time, I decided to patiently wait in line. When I reached the end of the line, menus were handed out from the front. Now, what should I eat? The menu offers single udon dishes, tempura, tempura set meals, and a variety of options including kettle-cooked dishes. I definitely wanted to have tempura as well, so I was torn. Eventually, I passed the menu to the people behind me as I still couldn't decide what to eat. After about 40 minutes, I was finally seated inside the restaurant. The inside of the restaurant was playing FM radio and had a counter with 5 seats and two 2-person tables. My glasses even fogged up from the steam of the udon being cooked. Since I was dining alone, I ordered the popular menu item "Oyako" (Kashiwa tempura, half-boiled egg tempura) for 890 yen in a cold soup. After waiting for about 10 minutes, my order arrived. It was a generous portion! The bowl was filled with a light-colored broth, and the thick udon noodles had a great presence. The tempura was served separately, which was nice! The crispy coating was a bit oily but had a satisfying crunch, and the juicy chicken thigh inside was lightly seasoned, making it easy to enjoy. Eating the tempura with the cold broth was a perfect match! The half-boiled egg tempura had a perfect runny yolk. The udon was deliciously chewy, and the tempura was filling. I left the restaurant completely satisfied. This is definitely worth waiting in line for. Thank you for the delicious meal!

I arrived around 11:30 am on Saturday to avoid the crowds, but there were already three people waiting outside. As we waited, more and more people arrived, and by the time we were let in, there were about 10 people in line. We were able to sit at the counter right away. I had the parent-child set and my husband had the Sanuki set. The broth tasted just like the one from Kaba to Seimenjo, which was comforting. The food was really delicious. However, the set came with four pieces of kashiwa tempura and a half-cooked egg, so I ended up feeling quite full. For those with a small appetite, it might be better to order dishes separately! We are planning to visit Kaba to Seimenjo in the summer!

I always wanted to go but couldn't due to long lines, lack of time, or bad weather. Finally, I was able to line up and go! I was the 8th person in line. It was not moving at all, and it started snowing, but I persevered! There was a sign at the entrance advertising Potatoes and Fish Cake for 200 yen, I had to try it! I couldn't decide between having it with sauce or without, it was a tough choice! And after reading reviews, I also wanted to try the Chicken Tempura. Finally, I was guided inside the restaurant, and the warmth made me feel relieved. I saw a menu inside and discovered Mushroom Tempura! I had to order it too! I ended up ordering the Warm Chicken Tempura with Potatoes and Fish Cake, totaling 1100 yen. The famous chewy udon was delicious. The broth was rich, with a sprinkle of sesame seeds. I love udon, and this type was also great! I also love the juicy flavor of the Chicken Tempura. The only downside was that the mushrooms were slightly soggy. I was very hungry, so I enjoyed it all! It's tough to wait in line, but being able to enjoy the thickness of the fish cake was worth it. It was really delicious. Maybe next time, I'll try the one in Tobetsu? Thank you for the meal!

When it gets hot, the symptoms worsen, especially for this designated rare disease by the government. In December, the hospitals and various commercial facilities are heated even more, causing discomfort due to the high temperatures. Unfortunately, there is no medication that suits me yet. Likes and comments may be delayed, so thank you for your understanding. In February 2020, "Kabato Seimenjo" is a Sanuki udon restaurant located in Kabato-cho, Ishikari-gun, where it closes during the winter due to heavy snow. Therefore, from mid-December to early April, it operates in Sapporo. The name of the store in Sapporo is "Mandegan Gaiden". The word "Mandegan" in the name means "all" in Kagawa dialect, sticking to the Sanuki style. I visited with my usual companion directly from the hospital for lunch on a weekday. The restaurant is located in the Kita ward of Sapporo, along Tarukawa street in Nishi 5-chome. The interior is compact with two counter seats and two tables for two people. There were 6 customers behind us, mostly women. We ordered the "Sanuki Set" with cold noodles as we had decided in advance. The udon noodles were quite chewy and had a good texture, typical of Sanuki udon. The cold soup was lightly flavored with a strong dashi taste. The set included a variety of tempura items which were hot and crispy. The tempura was served with rock salt on the side, complementing the flavors well. I personally love cold noodles, so I enjoyed the cold udon dish. The tempura was delicious and generous in portion. Overall, it was a satisfying meal.

Udon restaurant located along Tarukawa Street in Kitadai-mae area. A popular udon shop in Tobetsu is open for a limited time during the winter season. I had been curious as I often saw a line forming in front of the shop, so I decided to visit for lunch. It was a very cold day, and there was already a line forming before noon. It took about 40 minutes from the end of the line to be seated inside. The small shop has a few counter seats and tables. Although there were many staff members, the turnover seemed slow as they took orders after seating. The set menu seemed popular, so I ordered the "Ikadama (cold) for 880 yen". As the name suggests, it is udon topped with squid tempura and half-cooked egg tempura. It was ready in about 10 minutes. The udon noodles were thick with a good texture, not as chewy as Sanuki udon but still easy to eat. The tempura was crispy and freshly fried, and the squid was very tender and delicious. I personally prefer udon with more chewiness like Sanuki udon, but this dish was satisfying and reasonably priced, making it a good choice for udon lovers.

During the New Year's holiday, I discovered that Mandegan Gaiden was open, and I was planning to visit on the last day of my holiday. However, Nocchimu invited me to a different restaurant that also piqued my interest. I told Nocchimu about my strong desire to eat udon at Mandegan Gaiden, and she decided to join me. Mandegan Gaiden is a popular udon restaurant in Tobetsu, known for its long lines. However, during the winter season, they have a limited-time branch in 18-jo that also attracts crowds. On this day, despite the bad weather and it being the last day of the long weekend, there was no line when we arrived around 11:30. We sat at the counter and checked the menu. I ordered the most popular dish, Sanuki cold udon with toppings. I chose the bukkake style, where the toppings are served separately. The udon was topped with plenty of tempura, making it look very hearty. The noodles were a bit thick, but lacked a bit of firmness. The broth was flavorful and slightly sweet, but not enough to make you want to drink it all. The tempura included a whole tempura chikuwa, a half-cooked tamago tempura with a runny yolk, and plenty of squid tempura. The chikuwa tempura was soft and tasty, the tamago tempura had a perfect runny texture, and the squid tempura was tender and delicious. Although the udon wasn't exactly to my taste, I still found it tasty, and I really enjoyed the tempura. If I have the chance, I would like to visit again. Thank you for the meal.

I was thinking of going to Agepan, but I heard that their business had started, so I definitely wanted to go too!! So I decided to go along with them haha. When we were about to leave, suddenly a blizzard hit Σ(ﾟДﾟ) and understandably, there weren't many people lining up because of the bad weather... It was cold, but I still wanted to have the udon here in its cold state and the chicken tempura was delicious, so I ordered the same as last time haha. I forgot to ask for the separate plate for the parent and child tempura...! OTL (I like to enjoy crispy tempura) I got a plate and quickly transferred it haha. The chicken tempura is still delicious with juicy and peppery chicken meat. I wish the egg tempura had a bit more coating (゜-゜) As for the udon, it has a chewy texture even when cold... (´-`）.｡oO I was wondering about it because they didn't mention it being chewy last time, but I felt a bit unsatisfied because I had been eating udon with a stronger chewiness. I do want to eat the chicken tempura again, but I don't think I'll revisit it just to wait in line... On the contrary, maybe I prefer warm udon instead! If I have the chance, I might try the warm udon next time... I was able to go this time thanks to my brother's information (I didn't know anything about this restaurant), so I'm glad I could eat without waiting in line! Thank you, wu-ta-san!! (((orz

I walked from Kitajuni Station to a popular cafe, but unfortunately it was full. I walked north in a hurry and found "Mandegan Gaiden" with no line, which was lucky. I quickly entered the shop and luckily found a vacant seat at the counter. The atmosphere inside was warm and humid, with the familiar owner and staff from the famous udon shop "Kabato Seimenjo" in Tobetsu town, which operates only during the winter closure period. I ordered "bukkake cold udon @550, shrimp tempura @150 (tax included)" and it was served in 8 minutes. The udon had a firm texture and smooth taste, always delicious. The tempura was also good and cheap, especially the shrimp tempura for 150 yen. After finishing my meal, there were about 20 people waiting outside the shop. It was a lucky moment to find a brief opening. I would love to stop by anytime if there's a vacant seat. Will I be able to come back again this season? Thank you for the meal.

Bukkake Udon (warm) for 550 yen, and Nasu Tempura for 200 yen. This restaurant is always crowded on weekends, but luckily there was no line outside this time so I decided to give it a try. The inside was full of customers. There were many menu options, but since it was cold, I chose the warm bukkake udon. The udon was very chewy and soft, with a delicious texture that blended well with the broth. I usually eat Sanuki udon, but I was pleasantly surprised by how tasty this chewy udon was. I also ordered the Nasu tempura, which was quite good. It paired perfectly with the tempura dipping sauce. The cost performance is good, and it's understandable why there's always a line.

One day, I passed by a restaurant and saw a line of about 10 people, so I figured out it was an udon shop and decided to visit another day. The opening time was 11:00, but when I arrived around 11:20, it was already full and I had to wait for the first customers to finish their meal. I ordered udon without knowing anything about the menu, choosing a udon with squid tempura and egg tempura, topped with fish cake tempura. The shop was busy with the chef boiling udon and making noodles, while the hostess and a young staff member were managing the place. There were 6 seats at the counter and 2 tables for 2, so I watched them work hard while waiting for my udon. When the udon was finally served to the customers who ordered before me, I was surprised by the portion size. It looked big! The squid tempura was almost half a squid, and the fish cake tempura was delicious. The half-cooked egg had a runny yolk, which I ended up putting in the broth and drinking it all. The udon was Sanuki udon with thick, chewy noodles that tasted delicious. It's a place where you can enjoy cheap and delicious udon and tempura. It seems to be a shop that is only open during the winter season, but I didn't ask how long they will be open, so I would like to visit again if they are still open. Thank you for the meal.

Popular udon restaurant near Hokkaido University where you must be prepared to wait in line. I visited in early April just before they closed for the summer break. The noodle factory in Tobetsu, a snowy town, opens in Sapporo during the winter season. The place is very popular and only serves lunch, so it took me a few tries to finally get in. I tried the recommended number one dish, the Parent and Child Cold Bukkake Udon (chicken tempura and half-boiled egg tempura) for 880 yen. The Sanuki-style udon was smooth and chewy with a nice wheat flavor. The chicken tempura was larger than it looked in the pictures, with three fist-sized pieces that were juicy and sweet. The half-boiled egg tempura was also delicious. The broth in the bukkake udon was a bit sweet for my taste, but adding some chili pepper from the table helped balance the flavors. It was delicious. I might consider going to Tobetsu in the summer, or maybe wait for the winter opening. I will definitely go back to eat there again. Thank you for the meal.

On the last day in Sapporo, you definitely have to come here. At the end of March, there was a long line of students, reluctant to leave. I waited for an hour. I always have the Sanuki cold udon. The surface is a bit soft, but the smoothness of Sanuki and the chewy noodles are great. The owner is also very kind and I love the udon here. Thank you very much.