This homely little restaurant, tucked down a side street near Nogizaka Station, has an eclectic décor of mint-green walls, hanging ink paintings and Chinese knick-knacks on the shelves. It’s consistently busy with locals who come to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and the entertainment of watching the chef prepare his signature gyoza in the small open kitchen.
The menu is short: it offers two types of gyoza (both ¥770 for six pieces) as well as popular Chinese-inspired sides like grilled aubergine with Chinese miso sauce, green chilli and cucumber with fresh coriander, and cold noodles with cod roe and scallop sauce. The dumplings are dainty little parcels, handmade daily by the owner-chef. The yakigyoza (fried gyoza) are filled with a tasty mixture of pork, nira and hakusai while the suigyoza (boiled gyoza) are, uniquely, filled with minced lamb and spices. All gyoza are made to a 10g:20g of wrapper-to-filling ratio, which the chef believes to be the optimum balance.
Wash your meal down with a jasmine-hai, a combination of jasmine tea and shochu: the light, floral and slightly bitter beverage complements the bold flavours of the Chinese dishes.