Qī Lǐ Chá Wū - 東温市

This udon restaurant used to be located along the Sakura Sanri It was very popular back then, as I often stopped by on my way back from work in the Nishijo area. I used to go there for udon about once or twice a week, always choosing the Niku Udon. Even though I still pass by it sometimes, I rarely have the chance to go due to conflicting schedules. Today, I purposely made the effort to go there. It was always a trendy spot, and despite it being a weekday morning, there were about 8 customers, showing that it is still thriving. The menu seemed unchanged from before, but today they had Takikomi Gohan, so I decided to skip the onigiri and inari and go for that with my Niku Udon. The meat and burdock root were cooked just as delicious as before, and as time passed, the broth from the Takikomi Gohan melded with the udon broth, creating a tasty sweet and savory flavor with the addition of the high-quality togarashi pepper from the restaurant. The noodles may not be to everyone's liking, as they are handcrafted but don't have the firmness typical of Sanuki udon, instead being of a more regular softness. It's been over 20 years since my first visit, and I enjoyed my meal while reminiscing about various memories. The Niku Udon and Takikomi Gohan together cost 1090 yen.

The noodles are boiled after ordering, so there is a short wait for the food to be served. The udon noodles are hand-cut and have a variety of thicknesses, which is enjoyable. I also liked the seasoning.

I have been going to eat at Saku Sanri since a long time ago. The udon is very delicious, and the summer limited barley young leaf noodle is especially tasty. My grandchildren are always looking forward to summer, and now I have also become a big fan of the noodle. On May 22, I went to eat barley young leaf noodle with my grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Last year, my great-grandchild was only 2 months and 10 days old, so she couldn't eat it, but this time she ate it happily. Due to the corona situation, my grandchildren couldn't come back home, so I asked the restaurant to deliver the noodles to them and they were very grateful. On May 22, I asked the chef to send the barley young leaf noodle to my grandchildren, and they received it on the 24th. They boiled and ate the noodle on the 25th and 26th, which they love so much. If it weren't for the corona spreading, we could have eaten it together in Ehime, but it can't be helped. My grandchildren even sent me photos of the barley young leaf noodle, so I am very grateful to the chef.