Two years ago, when I visited Kagawa, I was turned away from this restaurant because I didn't know it was closed on Wednesdays.Finally, I returned for a second chance after two years...I believe that preferences for udon vary greatly depending on one's family background and region. Recently, well-known chains like Hanamaru Udon and Marugame Seimen have become popular nationwide, but not long ago, it felt more common to eat at local udon shops. What I want to convey is that my roots are in the udon served with a dark broth typical of the Kanto region. Therefore, I was shocked by the white broth and udon served with dipping sauce.Udon preferences can be quite specific! What kind of udon is considered delicious in each category? I strongly felt that it’s best to do some research beforehand about the types of udon I like before hopping around udon shops in Kagawa, especially after trying Suzaki Shokuryohin Ten. (For those who love meat udon, tempura udon, udon with dipping sauce, iriko broth, or kamaage udon... etc.)Here are my observations and impressions:I visited on a weekday. The restaurant opens at 9 AM, and I arrived at 8:35 AM, being the 9th in line. First, I secured a number ticket in front of the shop. We lined up 10 minutes before opening. A gentleman managing the line shared various stories with us. Soon, a staff member came to take our orders. According to the gentleman, the parking lot can hold about 120 cars, and it gets full quickly. He mentioned that the longest wait he had seen was when someone arrived at 11 AM and didn’t finish eating until 2 PM during a busy holiday period. Although the turnover is quick, I could feel cars continuously arriving from 9 AM.The ordering process is simple: you choose between hot or cold, and large or small. They serve the udon in a bowl, and you can season it to your liking with condiments available on the counter—green onions, MSG, ginger, dipping sauce, soft-boiled eggs, and regular eggs. Then, you can grab tempura or other toppings at the register before paying. I opted for a simple cold small udon with a soft-boiled egg on top.As for the taste, I added plenty of green onions, just the right amount of ginger, a couple of shakes of MSG, and about 1.5 servings of soy sauce (you can add more later at the table). This udon with dipping sauce is among the best I've had. Personally, I would have preferred a bit more chewiness (I tend to lean towards firmer textures), but waiting 30 minutes for the food and finishing it in 5 minutes speaks volumes about its deliciousness.The most impressive part was the price.In this day and age, with such a crowd, it was only JPY 450... the cost performance is outstanding.I was moved by the effort of this establishment to offer such quality at this price.I truly felt that this place is one of the best for experiencing the deliciousness of udon directly.
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