TINTIN@呑んだ暮れ
"Updating Images and Limited Menu"
I almost became a lunch refugee, so I went to the nearest Yoshinoya from the office for lunch! From June 2nd, they introduced a limited-time menu called "Mugi-Toro Gohan."
- Mugi-Toro Gyudon Regular Portion: 580 yen, Large Portion: 680 yen
- Mugi-Toro Unagi (Eel) Don Regular Portion: 880 yen
I tried eel for the first time at Yoshinoya! The Mugi-Toro Unagi Don came with grated yam (tororo), barley rice, eel, okra, and miso soup, all served on a tray. It was a quick service, almost like ordering a regular beef bowl. Eels have become a high-end ingredient due to dwindling juvenile eel catches. So, having them at this price made me wonder a bit. The eel on the tray was small and thin, and it felt like it had been finished in a microwave after being cooked as a retort product. It was fluffy and hot inside, but it had no texture. The sauce was on the strong side and overshadowed the taste of the eel. The barley rice was placed on top of white rice, and the barley flavor was somewhat lacking. The tororo had a slightly coarse texture, unlike the fine tororo used in standing soba shops, which made it more authentic and delicious. The diced okra in the small side dish was tasty. I added tororo to the barley rice and placed the eel on top. The eel sauce's taste was the most dominant. It was a bit too sweet, but the tororo balanced it out nicely. I ate it without much chewing. It was satisfying, but was it worth it? Well, I can say that I ate eel, and personally, I like tororo, so I wouldn't mind a menu like Mugi-Toro Don. Thank you for the meal!
"Do you ever get the urge to eat at a major beef bowl chain, even though you don't usually go there? Which chain do you like the most? I've always been a fan of Yoshinoya, the original. Well, the reason is probably because the first beef bowl I ever ate as a child was from Yoshinoya, so it's the most familiar to me. I don't always eat at other chains, but I prefer Yoshinoya. This day was one of those rare days when I craved beef bowl (laughs). I headed to "Yoshinoya Chuo-Odori Fukae Bridge Store" near my office! Here's what the restaurant is like: The restaurant is a street-level shop with a parking lot along the westbound lane of Chuo Avenue. There is no drive-thru. It's located about halfway between Midoribashi Station and Fukae Bridge Station on the Osaka Municipal Subway Chuo Line. The details of the renovated interior are unknown because the store was closed for renovation until May 13. Yoshinoya: Established in 1899 (Meiji 32), Yoshinoya was born as a small individual shop in the fish market in Nihonbashi at the time. In 1926, when the era changed from Taisho to Showa, it moved to Tsukiji along with the market and set up shop there, which is now the "Tsukiji 1st Store." In 1980, it filed for corporate rehabilitation procedures and, after a few years, came under the Saison Group. Currently, it has about 1,200 stores in Japan and around 670 stores in the United States and various Asian countries, for a total of nearly 1,900 stores. They are also expanding new initiatives, such as "Yoshinomi," where you can enjoy izakaya-style dishes, and "Soba-Dokoro Yoshinoya," where you can enjoy 100% soba noodles. The Return of Pork Bowls [Pork Bowls]: - Pork Bowl Regular Portion: 330 yen, Extra Large Portion: 430 yen, Large Portion: 500 yen, Special Portion: 630 yen - Pork Kimchi Bowl Regular Portion: 430 yen, Extra Large Portion: 530 yen, Large Portion: 600 yen, Special Portion: 730 yen - Pork Negi-Tama Bowl Regular Portion: 430 yen, Extra Large Portion: 530 yen, Large Portion: 600 yen, Special Portion: 730 yen - Pork Half-Cooked Egg Bowl Regular Portion: 400 yen, Extra Large Portion: 500 yen, Large Portion: 570 yen, Special Portion: 700 yen - Pork Cheese Bowl Regular Portion: 430 yen, Extra Large Portion: 530 yen, Large Portion: 600 yen, Special Portion: 730 yen - Pork Plate Regular Portion: 280 yen, Large Portion: 400 yen, Special Portion: 530 yen [Beef Bowls]: - Beef Bowl Regular Portion: 380 yen, Extra Large Portion: 480 yen, Large Portion: 550 yen, Special Portion: 680 yen - Beef Negi-Tama Bowl Regular Portion: 480 yen, Extra Large Portion: 580 yen, Large Portion: 600 yen, Special Portion: 730 yen"
Note: I've provided a simplified Chinese translation of the restaurant review and menu descriptions.