Seibu Shinjuku Line Musashiseki Station, a local Chinese restaurant, Koyoro. I felt like having some dumplings, so I visited. The menu is extensive, and the set menus are also great. Set B1 (1,300 yen including tax) includes ramen, half fried rice, 3 dumplings, and salad. It's a great set where you can enjoy the three specialties of the local Chinese restaurant all at once. The half fried rice seems to be almost a full portion for one person, right? (laughs) The Showa-style soy sauce ramen comes with a large slice of pork, chewy noodles, and a simple and strong soy sauce flavor. I like this kind of taste! The simple fried rice with a pork flavor is also delicious. The large dumplings are also great! Zasai (450 yen including tax) turned out to be surprisingly voluminous. Akaboshi (600 yen including tax) was also unexpectedly large, but I managed to finish it all.

The Waseda baseball team and Seibu Lions players seem to frequent this slightly intimidating but cozy neighborhood Chinese restaurant. The miso ramen is famous for offering a variety of Chinese dishes, but I tried the abura soba and it was delicious. I would like to come back again.

Visited a nearby Chinese restaurant in June 2023 for lunch to replenish on eggs, specifically for omurice. There were 7 customers ahead of me. I ordered omurice at the counter in front of the kitchen. While fried rice and yakisoba were being served to the neighboring tables, my omurice arrived in about 15 minutes. It came with salad and wakame soup. It was a big portion. The ketchup was generously spread, which made me happy. The egg was slightly thin and sweet. The rice had a strong black pepper flavor, similar to fried rice in color and seasoning. The ketchup was sweet with a hint of acidity. It had finely chopped onions and a good amount of pork, providing a satisfying texture. The wakame soup was refreshing, making it easy to enjoy the omurice. The salad with daikon was also refreshing, preparing me for the omurice. I finished it while it was still hot. I will have to consult with my stomach before heading to the second place. Thick egg, rice with a strong black pepper flavor, sweet ketchup with acidity, ingredients include pork and onions. Omurice cost 1100 yen. Thank you for the meal.

Local gathering spot for residents, a Chinese restaurant in town. Visited at 6pm on a weekday. Started with a large bottle of beer, dumplings, and oil-splashed chicken. The staff seemed unfriendly. Maybe that's just how kids are these days. Unpleasant service from taking orders to serving beer and dishes. Even if the food tastes good, it's not enough. *No paper cigarettes allowed, but electronic cigarettes are okay according to the restaurant.

At this point, there were still many restaurants around the station that I hadn't tried yet, so it became a habit for me to peek in on my way back from work. On this particular evening, I decided to have an early dinner at this restaurant. Despite the early hour, the place was quite busy, especially at the large table for solo diners where I was seated. Looking at the menu, I noticed that the prices were a bit on the higher side, with options for individual dishes or sets. Following my recent theme, I chose the liver and leek stir-fry (listed as "liver and leek" on the menu, probably in order of portion size). Although I usually avoid offal for health reasons, I couldn't resist trying this dish priced close to 1,000 yen. The liver had been prepared with some kind of seasoning, giving it a unique texture and flavor. The crunchy, hot vegetables were a nice contrast. The seasoning was also something I couldn't quite put my finger on. While the portion size wasn't as large as the generous servings at other restaurants, the miso soup that came with it was exceptional, making it a satisfying meal. The rice was also delicious! It seemed like this restaurant was quite popular, and despite the slightly higher prices, I found a place worth visiting for dinner instead of just for lunch.

I used to frequent this place when I lived nearby. It's a cozy town Chinese restaurant with a lot of regular customers. It's always packed for lunch on weekdays and weekends. Even in the evenings, it seems quite busy. I have the impression that the Waseda University baseball team often visits. In the past, they used to have a great display of signed goods. On this day, I had some business nearby so I decided to stop by around 12 pm on a weekday. The restaurant was almost full, but luckily I was seated at a large table in the back to share with another solo diner. They have partitions set up for COVID-19 precautions. I ordered the Salad Cold Noodles, part of their cold noodle series available this season. It's a cold noodle dish topped with a punchy salad. The dressing has a kick from doubanjiang and garlic. The salad on top is like a Korean chogogi salad. The base of the cold noodles is a light sesame sauce. The diced roasted pork has a hint of star anise, which may not be to everyone's liking (but I enjoy it). It's a refreshing dish for a hot day, perfect for those who like a bit of stamina. Their other side dish set meals are also delicious and filling, great for a hearty lunch. Unfortunately, there are two downsides to this place that you should be prepared for before visiting. 1. The waitstaff are usually working alone, so when it gets busy, things can get a bit chaotic, and you may not be able to choose your preferred seat. They also tend to favor regular customers. 2. The tap water here is not very tasty, probably just regular tap water. It's a shame. However, the chef's skills are definitely good, and the delicious food and generous portions make me want to come back. If they could improve on these downsides, it would surely become a super popular spot. The price is around 1,000 yen, but on Thursdays, noodle dishes are 100 yen off!

I came after a long time. The restaurant is not full, but it's still popular among guys as usual ( ᐛ) Today for lunch, I had Aburasoba and fried rice at Chin Chin Tei, so I'm not really hungry yet... Also, I'm feeling a bit shocked, so my desire for alcohol is stronger than my appetite... I'll just have one big bottle and head home since there is an increase in COVID-19 cases and I can't stay long. Cheers! (｡☌ᴗ☌｡) Thank you for the meal.

The seasoning is strong and easy to eat! Adding chili oil makes it spicier and even more delicious. Adding egg makes it milder.

21/09 Weekday solo lunch first visit. Right near the highly televised Yaoya Honten, a bit dark from the outside, so I checked the "open" sign and entered. If you're alone, sit over there with a splash guard for safety. Suddenly, almost full! The menu offers a variety of lunch sets, and my unfamiliar aging eyes were confused, but I ordered the "Wonton noodles" for 800 yen. I could hear the other customers' orders, and they seemed to accommodate all sorts of specific requests, like being able to have the Wonton noodles with salt. It seemed like a family-run business, but not many places can handle such detailed requests. The noodles arrived. The soup seemed to have a hint of star anise in the distance, but as I ate, the medium-thin, almost straight noodles mixed with my favorite light meat filling in the slippery Wontons, creating a deliciously confusing blend. The chashu had a substantial thickness but was tender. I enjoyed changing up the Wonton flavor, but there was no chili oil provided. Probably they would bring it if you asked. Overall, it's a hearty meal. Thank you! After posting, I found out they were serving drinks during the state of emergency, so I decided to revise the draft. I mostly eat out for lunch, so I have limited criteria to judge whether a place is serving or not. Of course, if there's a lone daytime drinker, it's obvious, but if not, there's a possibility that a place providing drinks may not necessarily be a "good place" in my reviews. Considering that a place that serves drinks may also value its customers, I decided to refrain from giving an overall rating and re-uploading the review. It's not praiseworthy to point out mistakes, but it's also strange to label everything as bad based on that alone. If there are any issues, I assume the administration will contact me, and in that case, I will "delete" the review. That's all.

I forgot to take a photo. Maybe it's popular among young people because there's a lot of it? The taste is so-so.

If there is a place that is more delicious than here in terms of tantanmen, or a place that is equally delicious, please let me know.

Dan dan noodles are delicious. The sesame flavor is strong and tasty.

During the rainy season, hot noodle soups can become a bit tiresome. That's why when my coworkers took me to Koyoro near Musashiseki Station on the Seibu Shinjuku Line, I was pleasantly surprised. They served a cold version of tantanmen, with no soup, topped with miso, bok choy, and other ingredients that covered the noodles completely. I enjoyed the different flavors and textures of the toppings. This restaurant is known for their miso ramen and fried rice, which I will have to try during the colder months.

Around 7 pm in the afternoon, when I went to the restaurant, it was full inside. Luckily, a box-type table became available after a short wait, and we were seated promptly. There was also a large table and counter-style seats lined up, but the number of seats was not that many. - Ordered Menu - 1. Pork and Eggplant Black Pepper Stir-Fry 980 yen I saw the dish on the food review website and wanted to try it. It arrived at the table about 10 minutes after we ordered. Contrary to my expectation of pork belly, it was thickly sliced pork with a substantial volume. It was seasoned with plenty of black pepper and chili oil, and mixed with eggplant and leeks. It was a large serving, equivalent to 1.5-2 portions. 2. Pan-Fried Dumplings 550 yen (1 serving) At 550 yen, I expected the dumplings to be large, but they arrived with each dumpling facing a different direction, not looking very appealing. The size was also average. I felt that the pan-fried dumplings were particularly overpriced. The individual menu items were a bit expensive, mostly around 1000 yen, but the set menus had a wide variety. For example, you could choose ramen with fried rice, with the option to change to miso ramen for an additional fee. Some sets also came with dumplings and a mini salad. Noodle dishes are 100 yen off on Thursdays.

A popular Chinese restaurant located in a residential area about a 2-minute walk from Musashiseki Station. Despite the restaurant being quite crowded every time I visit, the reviews on Tabelog are not particularly high. Therefore, I decided to use it as a second venue for our meetup this time. After finishing the first meetup, the four of us arrived at the restaurant at 6 pm as planned. We toasted with our favorite drinks but decided to order food slowly because we had eaten too much at the first venue. We started with three dishes: Negi Bukkake Gyoza (650 yen), Fragrant Gyoza (650 yen), and Sweet and Sour Pork (900 yen). The Negi Bukkake Gyoza is a special dish where a large amount of leeks is placed on top of handmade gyoza, adding more volume to the dish. The Fragrant Gyoza is topped with fried chili peppers and garlic-infused chili oil, along with green onions. Following the advice, I tried eating it with just vinegar, and it was indeed delicious. The Sweet and Sour Pork, which I eat the most at this restaurant, contains thick slices of pork and generously cut vegetables, making it a satisfying dish on its own. We then ordered the additional dish of Pork Belly and Eggplant Black Pepper Stir-Fry (950 yen), another favorite of mine. The eggplant is soaked in sauce and oil, while the pork belly is seasoned with spicy black pepper, creating a flavorful combination. Although we were already full, I highly recommend trying the Miso Ramen (800 yen) at this restaurant, so we added butter (50 yen) as a topping for a final dish. The soup, rich in garlic flavor, was well-received, and although I couldn't eat much, we managed to finish it together. Due to our full stomachs, we couldn't taste many other menu items, but the bill came out to be less than 2000 yen per person, which was quite reasonable. Apart from what we had today, I also recommend dishes like Red Tan Tan Men (900 yen), Abura Soba (850 yen), Salt Butter Ramen (750 yen), Chinese Umani Set Meal (850 yen), and Eggplant and Green Pepper Miso Stir-Fry Set Meal (850 yen). If you're interested, I highly recommend visiting this restaurant.

Second stop of the Musashiseki off-meeting. The organizer, determined to fill us up, carefully researched and brought us to this restaurant based on his own stomach. On Saturday evening, the place was packed with families as the main customers. It's a popular spot with a constant flow of customers coming in. Even though we had already eaten quite a bit at the first place, we decided to start with three dishes to get a feel for the place after toasting with our drinks – Fragrant Gyoza (650 yen), Leek-topped Gyoza (650 yen), and Sweet and Sour Pork (900 yen). The gyoza seemed to have homemade skin, with a nice crisp sear on the outside. The Leek-topped Gyoza was generously covered with white and green leeks, to be enjoyed with a soy sauce and chili oil sauce. The filling had a balanced, light flavor. The Fragrant Gyoza had plenty of garlic-infused chili oil and small leeks on top, to be enjoyed with vinegar only. The vinegar mellowed the spiciness of the chili oil, enhancing the flavor of the filling. Both were great with beer. The Sweet and Sour Pork was a bit lighter in color and slightly sweet. The meat, likely a thick-cut chashu, was fried and then stir-fried, resulting in tender meat and crisp vegetables. Personally, I prefer a bit more black vinegar or pepper for a kick, but the mild flavor would appeal to a wide audience. Next, the organizer recommended the Pork Belly and Eggplant Black Pepper Stir-Fry (950 yen). Though it's called pork belly, it seemed to use thick chashu slices. The oyster sauce and black pepper infused well into the eggplant, making it a delicious dish that would go well with rice or drinks. For the finale, we added butter (50 yen) to the Miso Ramen (800 yen). Loaded with vegetables and corn, this rich dish warmed us up. Satisfied and full, we left the restaurant rubbing our bellies, just as the organizer had intended. Thanks to the organizer for setting this up. After this meeting, I felt like trying more dishes, so I visited the restaurant twice more. Having already tried the gyoza, I opted for Spring Rolls (450 yen) and beer on the second visit. The crispy skin and hot filling made for a tasty snack. Another dish was the Mapo Tofu (700 yen). The silky tofu dish had a slight numbing sensation from the Sichuan peppercorns, with minimal spiciness. It might not be spicy enough for some, but it's a decent Mapo Tofu for a family-friendly Chinese restaurant. On the third visit, I tried the Fried Rice (800 yen) – a simple yet flavorful dish with chashu, egg, and leeks. It had a good balance of flavor and texture, making it a satisfying option. The restaurant is adorned with signed jerseys of baseball players like Fukui from the Hiroshima Carp and Oishi from the Seibu Lions. The TV inside played videos of Hiroshima baseball games, indicating the owner's likely passion for baseball.

MUSASHISEKI Off-Meeting 2nd Party here. Musashiseki Station South Exit. A Chinese restaurant in the area where there are many residential areas a little away from the station. It seems to be run by people from the continent. This time's order. For drinks, I had Shaoxing wine on the rocks. For food, we started with two plates of dumplings. The aromatic dumplings for 650 yen and the leek-covered dumplings for 650 yen. Both had a strong presence in the skin and were delicious. The aromatic dumplings were grilled dumplings with aromatic seasoning and green onions on top. The grilling was firm, and the spiciness was good. I really liked it! The leek-covered dumplings were also grilled dumplings with plenty of leeks on top. The sweet and sour pork for 900 yen had a standard taste. There was nothing special about it, but it wasn't bad. The pork belly and eggplant black pepper stir-fry for 950 yen. This was my recommendation for this time! It had a Chinese flavor with a spicy kick from the black pepper. Even though I was full, I wanted rice~~ It was that delicious. (But I resisted!) It perfectly satisfied my taste. For the finishing touch, I had miso butter ramen for 800 yen + 50 yen for butter, which was miso butter ramen. It's nice that you can even have ramen as the finishing touch here at a Chinese restaurant off-meeting, right? ^ ^ Thank you for the feast! Thank you to the organizer for taking care of everything. Thanks to you, I had a delicious and enjoyable time. I am grateful.