When it comes to "town Chinese" and "popular Chinese," these are inexpensive and delicious dishes unique to Japan.
The charm of town Chinese and popular Chinese is popular across generations and genders.
There is a restaurant in Soja City that offers a lineup from familiar town Chinese and popular Chinese to authentic Chinese cuisine.
That is "Chuka kinomi (kinomi, hereafter kinomi)."
Moreover, the store has a casual atmosphere that conveys the warmth of wood.
You can enjoy a meal casually, whether alone or in a group.
Let's delve into the commitment and charm of Chuka kinomi, a notable Chinese restaurant in Soja.
Chuka kinomi is a casual Chinese restaurant located in the city center of Soja
Kinomi is a Chinese restaurant located in Nishi 2-chome, south of the station in the center of Soja City.
It is a restaurant that falls under the genre commonly referred to as popular Chinese or town Chinese, but it also offers a menu of authentic Chinese cuisine such as Shanghai, Sichuan, and Cantonese dishes.
The restaurant is located in a building that was originally a café, so at first glance, it does not look like a Chinese restaurant.
The spacious interior, which feels warm with wood, gives a very stylish impression.
Sunlight streams in through the windows, creating a bright atmosphere inside.
The seating mainly consists of tables.
There are also counter seats available.
The table seats can be made into semi-private rooms, accommodating 6 to 8 people.
There is also a round table that can seat 5 people, commonly seen in Chinese restaurants.
Outside, there is a terrace seat (for 4 people) available.
If the weather is nice, dining outside would be a good option.
Menu introduction
Information as of November 2023. Prices include tax.
At kinomi, the menu differs between lunch and dinner.
During lunch, there is a select lineup of dishes.
Popular lunch menu items include "Sichuan Mapo Tofu Set Meal", "Dandan Noodles", "Gyoza", and "Chinese Rice Bowl", among others.
Additionally, the "Hot and Sour Noodles" is said to have a dedicated fan base.
The "weekly special set meal" has stable popularity.
The details are posted on the blackboard at the entrance and inside the restaurant, so please check them out.
On the other hand, the dinner menu has a very wide lineup with a large number of items.
Here are some examples:
| Genre | Menu (partial) |
|---|---|
| Appetizers | Bang Bang Chicken, Yodare Chicken, Drunken Shrimp |
| Small Dishes | Pickled Mustard Greens, Chinese Pickles, Sichuan Beef Jerky |
| Snacks | Edamame, French Fries, Fried Shrimp |
| Dumplings & Salads | Fried Gyoza, Handmade Boiled Gyoza, Shumai, Spring Rolls |
| Seafood | Shrimp in Chili Sauce, Shrimp with Mayonnaise, Sweet and Spicy Stir-fried Squid |
| Chicken | Fried Chicken, Yurinchi, Chicken with Mayonnaise |
| Vegetables, Eggs | Garlic Stir-fried Greens, Eight Treasure Vegetables, Crab Omelette |
| Pork | Stir-fried Pork with Sweet Bean Sauce, Sweet and Sour Pork, Black Vinegar Pork |
| Beef | Stir-fried Beef with Green Pepper, Beef and Vegetables in Oyster Sauce |
| Tofu, Soup | Sichuan Mapo Tofu, Crab and Tofu in Soy Sauce |
| Noodles | Soy Sauce Ramen, Sesame Dandan Noodles, Hot and Sour Noodles, Noodles with Mixed Sauce |
| Fried Rice, Rice | Fried Rice with Mixed Ingredients, Garlic Fried Rice with Beef, Tenshin Han |
| Fried Noodles | Fried Noodles with Mixed Sauce, Seafood Fried Noodles with Sauce, Shanghai Fried Noodles |
| Desserts | Almond Tofu, Mango Pudding, Sesame Balls |
Popular dinner menu items include the following:
- Yodare Chicken
- Drunken Shrimp
- Mapo Tofu
- Sweet and Sour Pork (Sweet, Black Vinegar)
- Gyoza
- Spring Rolls
- Yurinchi
- Tenshin Han
- Various Fried Noodles
There are also alcoholic beverages and drinks available, making it recommended to enjoy the food while drinking in the evening.
In the evening menu, there is also the "En'ō (Yin-Yang) Medicinal Hot Pot Course".
Reservations are required for two or more people, and must be made at least three days in advance.
Recommended and Popular Menu Items
Here are the recommended menu items from kinomi, as well as those popular among customers.
Sichuan Mapo Tofu Set Meal
The "Sichuan Mapo Tofu Set Meal" (980 yen) is kinomi's signature dish and is very popular among customers.
In addition to the main Sichuan Mapo Tofu, it includes rice, soup, pickles, a mini salad, and dessert.
What surprises you when it is served is the main Sichuan Mapo Tofu.
It is served in a hot clay pot, bubbling and steaming!
This looks very delicious and further stimulates the appetite!
There are many cubes of tofu and minced meat, along with green onions.
You can see that it is generously topped with spices.
The key point is that it uses Sichuan Doubanjiang.
While maintaining the authentic taste of Sichuan, it has been adjusted to be easier for Japanese people to eat.
I think you can enjoy a Mapo Tofu that is quite close to the authentic flavor!
When you eat it, it is, of course, piping hot.
And the sharp spiciness, along with the numbing and flavor of Sichuan pepper, spreads.
The deliciousness makes the rice go down easily, combining the umami of the minced meat and the mild flavor of the tofu.
It was an authentic Mapo Tofu with a solid presence of numbing (ma) and spiciness (la).
Note that it is served in a clay pot only during lunch.
In the evening, it is available as a single item (980 yen) and served on a plate, but the portion is larger.
Dan Dan Noodles
The "Dan Dan Noodles" (890 yen) is also one of the popular menu items.
The mound of radish sprouts in the center is impressive.
Under the radish sprouts, there is minced meat.
Other ingredients include bean sprouts and chopped white onions.
The soup has a somewhat whitish impression compared to the typical Dan Dan Noodles.
Our Dan Dan Noodles have a lot of sesame paste added!
Also, the spiciness is moderate.
The soup has a soy sauce flavor made from chicken bones and pork bones.
This is the basic soup common to all noodles at kinomi.
When you take a sip of the soup, the mild flavor of sesame spreads in your mouth.
You can feel the sweet and spicy taste with a moderate kick, along with the flavor of minced meat, and the crunchy texture of radish sprouts, bean sprouts, and white onions adds an accent.
The thin straight noodles pair well with the soup.
This is a flavor that makes you want rice.
Note that rice can be ordered as a separate item.
Hot and Sour Noodles
The "Hot and Sour Noodles" (980 yen) has a fixed fan base.
"San" means sourness, and "la" means spiciness, characterizing the noodles with a literally "sour and spicy" flavor.
Red chili oil is drizzled over the brown soup.
The ingredients are finely chopped and very diverse.
The ingredients include beaten egg, shiitake mushrooms, bamboo shoots, tofu, and pork belly.
With plenty of ingredients, it is likely to be very satisfying.
Our Sanratanmen has a strong flavor of pepper and vinegar!
The spiciness mainly comes from the pepper, with only a light use of chili oil.
It's an addictive taste!
When you eat it, the soup is quite thick and very hot.
Then, a strong sourness and a sharp pepper flavor come through.
The noodles are thin and straight, similar to tantanmen.
The thick soup and finely chopped ingredients cling to the noodles, creating a mouthwatering flavor.
I felt it was an irresistible taste for those who love it.
The Sanratanmen at kinomi features a thick, hot soup, strong sourness, and pepper flavor, along with plenty of ingredients, making it an addictive bowl.
Chuka Don
The Chuka Don (880 yen) is one of the staples of town Chinese cuisine and has stable popularity at kinomi.
It is characterized by a brown sauce with plenty of ingredients.
The types of ingredients are as follows.
- Shrimp
- Squid
- Bamboo shoots
- Young corn
- Carrot
- Wood ear mushrooms
- Shimeji mushrooms
- Choy sum
- Chinese cabbage
- Pork belly
The sauce is thick.
It has a soy sauce flavor with a hint of sweetness.
Additionally, the pepper is appropriately seasoned, giving it a slightly spicy flavor that is addictive.
It pairs perfectly with rice, and I found myself eating it quickly.
Tenshin Han
The Tenshin Han (890 yen) is a menu item available only at night.
In Okayama Prefecture, Tenshin Han is often flavored with soy sauce or salt, but at kinomi, it features a sweet and sour sauce typical of the Kanto region.
It also uses plenty of eggs, with the outside being fluffy and the inside being creamy.
A key point is that there is crab meat inside the egg.
When you eat it, the thick, fluffy, and creamy texture of the egg combines with the thickness, sweetness, and sourness of the sweet and sour sauce.
It pairs very well with rice, and I quickly finished it.
I had never eaten a sweet and sour Tenshin Han before, but I found it very delicious.
In a casual atmosphere, Chuka kinomi offers a variety of Chinese cuisine and popular Chinese dishes.
I interviewed the representative, Matsumori Daisuke.
Data of Chuka kinomi
| Name | Chuka kinomi |
|---|---|
| Address | 2-9-1, Ekiminami, Soja City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 0866-31-5603 |
| Parking | Available |
| Business Hours | 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM, 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM |
| Regular Holidays | Tuesday, Wednesday, irregular holidays ※ Refer to the calendar posted on Instagram |
| Payment Methods |
|
| Reservation | Available |
| Seating | Total 27-29 seats ・Counter: 4 seats ・2-person tables: 4 tables ・4-person table (terrace): 1 table ・5-person table: 1 table ・6-8 person table (semi-private): 1 table |
| Smoking | Completely non-smoking |
| Toilet | Western-style toilet |
| Childcare | ・Stroller access available ・Child-friendly utensils available |
| Barrier-free | Ramp Accessible for wheelchairs (toilet not accessible) |
| Website | Official Instagram of Chuka kinomi |
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The dinner menu often features weekly special set meals.
If you find a dish you enjoy during the week, I would be happy if you could come back to try it for dinner!