Many visitors come with the impression that eating out in Tokyo is expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. Why not go to “Hanamaru Udon”, a Japanese-style fast food restaurant? This cafeteria-style restaurant offers Udon, white noodles made from wheat flour, eaten chilled or hot with soy-flavored sauce or in fish-based broth. Enjoy Udon as follows:
1. Take a tray.
2. Take a plate and pick up your choice of tempura (from 105yen). Udon is tasty with tempura on top!
3. Pick up your choice of Onigiri (rice ball), Inari-zushi (sweetened fried bean-curd stuffed with rice) and side dishes like salad or tofu.
4. Order Udon from the staff behind the counter. Tell them which kind you wnat (pictures are above the counter or near a register) and the amount (shou [S], chu [M], dai [L]) of Udon, and hot or cold depending on the menu. The price of a medium is shown on the menu, while a small is 105 yen cheaper and a large is 105 yen more.
5. Pay at the register
6. At the other counter, put sesame seeds, grated ginger, chunky bits of tempura batter on top of Udon as much as you want, and get some water or tea. (free of charge)
7. When you have finished eating, return your tray to the specified place.
My choice is a small cold “Bukkake” (special soy sauce Udon with radish and lemon, 294yen) topped with sesame seeds and grated ginger, and two tempura, Kakiage (mixed seafood and vegetable tempura, 105yen) and Satsumaimo-ten (sweet potato tempura, 105yen).
Another choice is small hot “Kake” (basic Udon, 105yen) topped with sesame seeds, grated ginger, and two tempura, Geso-ten (squid tempura, 137yen) and Chikuwa-ten (fish-sausage tempura, 105yen)
SHOP DATA : http://www.hanamaruudon.com/company_outline/company3.html
Located throughout Japan
Shibuya: New shibuya building B1F, 28-2 Udagawa-cho Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Harajuku: Harajuku 77 building B1F, 1-16-6 Jingumae Shubuya-ku, Tokyo
Shinjuku: 1-16-1 Kabuki-cho Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo