400 yen bowls of rice, lines of people waiting in line, ramen at a Michelin-starred Japanese restaurant… “Honmono no ubiquitous excellent meshi” (genuine excellent food), which was drummed up in an actual food survey.

With the evolution of SNS and Google Maps, food trends are changing at a dizzying pace. Many readers may be wondering whether the hottest restaurants are really good or not. Friday’s survey of restaurants and eateries in the year 2022 led us to the following five restaurants, selected for their owner’s particular tastes and tastes.

Drunken Raiken @ Yokohama

It has been a long time since the “street Chinese” boom arrived. A reasonable, well-seasoned snack or main dish, along with a glass of bottled beer or a sour, is a great way to enjoy “Machi Zhonghua.

The Chinese restaurant Drunken Raiken, located about a 7-minute walk from Yokohama’s Handobashi Station, always has a long line of customers waiting in line at lunchtime. Their specialty is “drunken rai-don” (400 yen), which was born out of bribery.

The bowl is lined with ingredients such as chashu pork, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, and green onions, which are cooked in a special pot for two hours. Yes, these are ramen toppings. A fried egg sits in the center. These are mixed with special soy sauce sauce and karashi (mustard) before eating. One cannot help but be amazed at the deliciousness and the price of 400 yen.

Miyaho @ Otsuka

The current trend in ramen is the so-called “G-kei Ramen” inspired by “Ramen Jiro. However, the “quantity and taste” of ramen that will hit your taste buds and stomach is a matter of taste preference. If you want to enjoy a light but rich and umami taste (……), I would recommend ramen with shellfish extract.

A restaurant that serves a “special cup” of ramen with shellfish broth is located in Otsuka, which is also famous as a “sacred place” for sake. It is called “Miyaho. It is a famous Japanese restaurant listed in the Michelin Guide.

The “Hamaguri no Ushio soba” (1,000 yen) is available here. The soup is made using Japanese cuisine techniques, and is completed by layering the flavor of large clams and offshore shijimi clams in a Japanese-style broth of dried bonito flakes and kelp. The fine, crispy, whole wheat noodles, which are specially ordered from a noodle mill, catch the elegant, clear aroma of the soup.

The mitsuba leaves and chrysanthemum flowers add a Japanese touch to the soup. Drizzle the optional ginger or hana-sansho oil on top of the mitsuba or chrysanthemum flowers to add the essence of condiments. The lineup also includes “Tantan-mix soba” and “Japanese-style hot and sour noodles. Ramen can also be enjoyed in the evening (reservations required), so why not finish off a night of sake?

Szechuan home-style cuisine – Chinjyun @ Koiwa

Saunas, once a gentleman’s pastime, are now a big hit with young men and women. They are said to be pursuing a “totoi” (a state of being in harmony with nature) in which they repeatedly go through a cycle of sweating, taking a water bath, and then taking an outdoor air bath to achieve a sense of exaltation. Gourmet food that makes you sweat is spicy food. From Japanese to Italian cuisine, there is an abundance of spicy dishes from East to West, but Chinese food is at the top of the list.

Tucked away in a residential area of downtown Koiwa is “Szechuan Home Cuisine Zenzen. This famous Sichuan cuisine restaurant is so popular that it is difficult to make reservations.

The specialty is the “Bean Curd with Bean Paste” (880 yen), which is made with chili peppers and huajiaoyang (Chinese pepper) imported from the local market. The flavor of minced meat is intertwined with the smooth tofu, and the homemade raayu (Chinese chili oil) and huajiaoyu (Chinese pepper oil) give the dish a spicy and deep aroma. The pepper powder sprinkled at the end of the dish gives it a pleasant numbing sensation that covers the tongue.

If you are in pursuit of spiciness, the summer-only Sha Jersey Chicken (1,595 yen) is a must-try. This original dish is an adaptation of the Sichuan “Yodaregori” chicken, in which boiled chicken is topped with green chili peppers and drizzled with hot oil infused with the aroma of huajiaoyang (Chinese red pepper). The refreshing spiciness of this dish is sure to leave a lasting impression.

Bunkado @ Tateishi

Tateishi in Katsushika-ku is one of the sacred places of “Senbero” where you can get pleasantly drunk for 1000 yen. The town is currently undergoing redevelopment, so it is worth a visit before the area is transformed.

The owner, Hiroshi Nishimura, who was born and raised in Tateishi, runs Bunkado, a “Ni” shaped counter izakaya that opened in 2018 with a nostalgic atmosphere, including sliding doors with decorative glass inlay.

The menu features mainly junmai sake and natural wines, as well as excellent snacks with a twist, such as Thai-style fermented sausages (420 yen) and yogurt-dressed asazuke (440 yen). Seats face each other, so conversation naturally sparks among customers. This popular restaurant attracts both young and old alike.

HI, HOW ARE YOU @ Hiyoshi

Curry is a timelessly loved menu item. Recently, more and more restaurants are offering unique curries with plenty of spices, but in Hiyoshi on the Toyoko Line, which is crowded with students, there is a curry store with a truly hard-core flavor. The name of the restaurant is “Hi, How Are You.

The owner, Yuichi Hagiya, creates original curries that incorporate elements from India, Thailand, Pakistan, and other countries, as well as the flavors of restaurants he respects. Each curry is made with a combination of a large amount of spices, and the body becomes warm from the moment you eat it. The restaurant is popular with customers, who inevitably line up from opening to closing time.

The popular Pakistani curry is made from chicken stewed without water, and the aroma of black pepper and cumin bursts from the meat. The Keema Curry has a multi-layered spiciness and aroma, with the addition of chili, black pepper and hana-pepper. At first, you may be surprised at how powerful it is, but the more you go back, the more addictive it becomes.

The “hidden menu item” here is the “Curry Udon” (1,100 yen). The beef curry, with its penetrating spiciness, deep sweetness, and sourness, is used as the base, and Japanese broth and milk are added to give it both a sharpness and mildness. The chewy Sanuki-style noodles are a perfect match, and the chopsticks just won’t stop.

(Prices are current at the time of the interview. Prices are subject to change due to soaring raw material prices, etc.)