The remnants of the post town (shukubamachi) can be found in Yakage Town. The streets, filled with history, are lined with many shops.
Manten (until the end of May 2025, Manten Chaya) is one of those shops. The chef, who loves cooking, puts in great effort to please the customers.
I visited Manten, which offers a lunch filled with dedication in Yakage Town.
What is Manten
Manten is located a 3-minute walk from the Sanyo Road Yakage宿 (yado).
The chef, Yumiko Imai, who loves cooking, offers lunch and bento.
Lunch service starts at 12:00 PM, and takeout bento orders are accepted until 10:00 AM on the same day.
The retro atmosphere of the shop
The interior is decorated with retro objects, creating a somewhat nostalgic atmosphere.
Manten's menu
Let me introduce Manten's menu.
At Manten, they are particular about using homemade sauces and dressings.
Each lunch not only features a hearty main dish but also allows you to enjoy plenty of vegetables, which is a delightful aspect.
The popular menu item is "Chicken Nanban"
The most popular item is Chicken Nanban.
The special tartar sauce is a key point of its popularity.
The Chicken Nanban is large in size and very satisfying.
As you take a bite, the sweet and sour flavor of the homemade sauce and tartar sauce spreads in your mouth, making you want to eat more rice.
In addition to Chicken Nanban, I also ordered the recommended Katsu Curry.
The Katsu Curry features a curry sauce that has a strong umami flavor amidst the spiciness.
The tonkatsu is freshly fried, with a crispy coating, and the meat is so tender that it can be cut easily with a spoon.
Curry spices are also provided, allowing you to adjust the spiciness to your liking.
The current menu consists of items that were not available when it first opened in 2018.
At the beginning, there were dishes like miso katsu don and loco moco don, but during the COVID-19 pandemic, they started selling curry for easier takeout.
They have been changing the menu each time, considering customer reactions and requests.
At Manten, you can experience a variety of flavors from the main dish to the side dishes in one lunch.
I interviewed the chef, Ms. Imai, about the motivation behind starting the shop and her thoughts on cooking.
Manten's data
| Name | Manten |
|---|---|
| Address | 2575-6 Yakage, Oda-gun, Okayama Prefecture |
| Contact | 090-6414-2575 |
| Parking | None |
| Business Hours | Lunch: 12:00 PM until sold out Bento: Orders for the same day accepted until 10:00 AM |
| Regular Holidays | Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday Bento available with prior reservation even on regular holidays |
| Payment Methods |
|
| Reservations | Accepted |
| Seating | 15 seats: 5 counter seats, 2 tables for 4, 1 table for 2 |
| Smoking | Completely non-smoking |
| Toilet | Western-style toilet |
| Website | Manten Instagram Account |
