Melt-in-your-mouth softness…The new booming taste of “Shisan Udon” from Kyushu to Tokyo “Marugame Seimen” is no threat.
What is the "addictive taste not found in Tokyo" that this reporter experienced?
About 170 people lined up on the day of opening.
The texture is unfamiliar to those of us in Tokyo, but it seems addictive. The noodles are so soft that they seem to melt in your mouth, but they are firm at the core. The slightly thick, sweet broth is also an unforgettable taste.
The reporter had the “Meat and Burdock Tempura Udon” (770 yen), a mainstay product of “Shisan Udon” (headquartered in Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture; hereafter “Shisan”). The first time “Shisan” made its way from Kyushu to Tokyo was in February of this year (at its Ryogoku branch). On the day of the opening, the shop was so successful that there was a line of about 170 people waiting in line. The first opportunity for Kyushu’s soul food “Shisan,” which has been in business for nearly 50 years, to expand into the Kanto region came in October of last year.
Takashi Matsuzaki, an economics journalist with extensive knowledge of the food industry, said, “The first time we opened a restaurant in the Kanto region was in October of last year.
The major restaurant company, “Sukairaku Holdings,” acquired it under its umbrella. In the food industry, there is a difference in taste preferences between East and West, so much so that it is difficult for a chain restaurant from Western Japan to make inroads into the Kanto region. Shis-san would not have been possible without the backing of Suhailaku.
Last December, “Shisan” opened its first Kanto store in Yachiyo City, Chiba Prefecture. The restaurant’s sales are said to be about 2 million yen per day. While the daily sales of a family restaurant are said to be around 400,000 yen, this is an astounding figure. Mr. Matsuzaki continues.
If we assume a per-customer price of 800 yen, we would have about 2,500 customers a day. The main seating is in boxes that can accommodate four to six people. Conventional udon chain restaurants give the impression of being close to a stand-up restaurant, but in the suburban area of Yachiyo, we believe that our success in attracting family customers who want to enjoy a leisurely meal has contributed to our good business performance.
Until now, the two leading udon chains were “Marugame Seimen” (approximately 840 stores nationwide) and “Hanamaru Udon” (approximately 410 stores). Even with its entry into the Kanto region, does “Shisan,” with approximately 75 stores, have a chance to win?
