Gyoza no Oshoo

Posted on May 1, 2007 by Adam R.

I got off a train at Asakusa-Bashi station and walking down the steps there it is Gyoza no Oshoo, nothing great to look at and cram packed with salarymen. One thing I have learnt is when it comes to good food, Salarymen are a good indicator of good quality value for money food. The staff greets us as we enter and explains they are full house and offers for us to sit and wait. The smell emanating from the kitchen tells me to sit down and wait as it is going to be worth it.

About four minutes later and a table is free so we get seated, waitresses are cruising past with dishes that are making my mouth water just from the smell. We are asked if we want to order and I tell the waitress the two of us are starving and for her to order for us and get us two yama beers. Two-hundred and twenty yen down and we both have a giant ice cold beer in front of us to counter our hunger. Allot of the salarymen have quite a few empty beers racked up on their tables and the place is filled with overly loud conversations and drinking challenges between workmates.

Our first dish arrives which is two plates of Gyouza (Pork and chive dumplings) offering us six each, before they are finished a mountain of Yakimeshi (fried rice) is delivered in a bowl by the waitress. My recommendation for Gyouza sauce is a mix of soy sauce, a drop of sesame oil and a drop of La oil which is similar to chilli oil. A quarter of the way through the fried rice and a mystery dish is delivered by the waitress, on asking her what it is she replies Mabo Don. Mabo Don is Pork mince and tofu with Tobanjan sauce on top of a bowl of rice with Tobanjan sauce being a spicy Chinese sauce.

On the serious side of full I am looking for the waitress when she appears with a plate Fried Chicken (Tori no Karaage), I plead with her that is enough and ask for the bill.

Getting all that for 1850 yen is a joke, considering we got a large beer each as well. A few plates of golden crispy Gyoza are enough

to satsify by themselves or you can choose from an extensive menu. Asking the waitress to order for us was a very wise decision as we were totally satisfied.

Gyoza no Oshoo is number two on my favourite chain store list and you can find your local one on their website: http://www.ohsho.co.jp/flash.html