maruichi shokudo

I've passed this place many times when I've walked from the Ikeda station back to my home.

On weekdays, I've seen many office people going into this place. Though I have never seen a line out the door, for this place to attract office people it must be good. Why? Because this place is quite a distance away from the station, kind of out of the way.

The shop is tiny only 17 seats. Their sign says that they are Cantonese but they serve Szechuan mabo tofu...hmmm

In fact, their specialty is the mabo tofu.

You could order anything from their menu but you should order the mabo tofu as a donburi (bowl).

Choose your heat. Amakuchi (mild), chu-kara (semi-hot), karai (hot). Satoshi and I chose semi-hot. It comes in a heated stone bowl, bubbling and sizzling. (can you see the steam shooting out?)

The rice is on the bottom, getting koge (burnt), a nice kind of burnt though...the grains of rice get hard and chewy, definitely a good kind of stick to your teeth.

Semi-hot is actually perspiry hot...you don't feel it until after you swallow and it is an addicting kind of heat. I wonder if the lady sitting behind of Satoshi finished her order, she ordered hot...

No matter how long you blow on your food though, I can almost guarantee you will burn your tongue...I did.

For 750 yen (about US$7.50) the mabo tofu comes with a salad and egg drop soup...definitely worth it.

We'll be back.

Maruichi Shokudo
3-11-6 Jonan
Ikeda, Osaka
Phone: 072.750.2212
Lunch: 12:00-14:00, Dinner: 18:00-24:00
Days closed unknown (call ahead)