昭和のTheオムライス。 : Choja

Today, I was in the mood for something other than ramen.
So, I decided to visit Choja, where I had been curious about their Omurice, around 12:50 PM.
The parking lot was empty, so I was able to enter smoothly.
There were two customers ahead of me.
I took a seat at a four-person table in the back.
As soon as the staff brought me water, I placed my order.
Looking at the menu, I noticed that the price had increased by 50 JPY since my last visit.
It seems like every restaurant is facing challenges these days.
About 10 minutes later, my dish arrived.
I wondered what it would be like inside.
When I scooped it with my spoon, I found chunks of chicken mixed in with the ketchup rice.
Here goes!
The flavor was so nostalgic.
It’s simple, but I really like this kind of taste.
There was quite a generous portion of rice.
The egg wasn’t fluffy, but that added to the old-school diner vibe.
I was satisfied.
It was delicious. Thank you for the meal!

Fried Rice Set (Mini Fried Rice + Ramen)

During my previous visit, I had the chashu ramen, and I was reminded of the classic flavors reminiscent of old-school Chinese noodles, which I really enjoyed. I was curious about the fried rice, so I was determined to try the popular Fried Rice Set, often ordered by other patrons.

On Saturday at 12:30 PM, I was willing to give up if the parking lot was full, but luckily, there were two spots available.

Upon entering the restaurant, I noticed two customers already eating.

I quickly placed my order, and within about 10 minutes, my meal arrived. The fried rice looked yellow and came garnished with pickled ginger.

The ramen had simple noodles.

Ah, the broth... After I took a sip, the flavor of seafood dashi filled my mouth. It was light yet exactly to my taste.
The noodles were medium-thin and had a firm texture, perfectly cooked with the timer indicating just right.

The chashu made from chicken thigh had a nice chew and a strong umami flavor.

Surprisingly, the fried rice was quite fluffy. The ingredients were simple: eggs, chashu, green onions, diced kamaboko, and possibly some finely chopped menma.
The taste reminded me of the fried rice from a diner I used to enjoy in my childhood.
Both dishes were double hits for my preferences.

As I continued to eat, the place started to fill up.

From what I overheard, other customers were ordering Fried Rice Sets, Katsudon Sets, Katsudon, Yakiniku Rice, Ramen, Champon, and some were getting large portions of fried rice.

I later realized that for an additional JPY 50, you can change the set ramen to miso flavor.

The large fried rice order had green peas sprinkled on top, unlike my mini portion, and it came with soup.

All the customers seemed like regulars who have been coming to Choja for a long time.

It was delicious. It was a great meal!

As it started getting colder, I craved something warm and comforting, so I decided to visit Choja.

Right after the server brought me my water, I immediately ordered "Champon Men." I noticed that the gentleman at the table diagonally opposite had ordered a fried rice set. Hmm, I felt tempted to try that too, but decided to save it for next time.

Within 10 minutes, my dish arrived.

Since it's a sauced dish, it was, of course, piping hot. I approached it carefully.

The broth had a mild saltiness. The vegetables were tender and easy to eat. The balance of the broth, beaten egg, the sauce, vegetables, ham, pork, and noodles created a uniquely delicious Champon Men.

This is a ramen I find myself craving every now and then.

It was delicious. Thank you for the meal.

I arrived around 11:20 AM on Sunday, and the parking lot was full. I almost gave up, but I drove around to kill some time. When I came back, there was space available! ^_^

Today, I randomly craved shoyu ramen. I was in the mood for a classic Chinese-style noodle dish, so I ordered the chashu ramen for my first time at Choja.

Their champon is highly recommended, but since the customers were ordering a variety of dishes, I had a feeling everything must be delicious here. The set meals also caught my interest.

About 10 minutes later, my ramen arrived, and the broth was generously served.
I could see five pieces of chashu, which appeared to be from the thigh part.

I started with the broth. Let’s see… Oh, it has a subtle flavor that perfectly aligns with my current taste. I could drink this all day.
It’s a comforting taste.

The noodles were cooked al dente and complemented the broth perfectly. The chashu was surprisingly tender, even though it was thigh meat.

I realized if I drank all the broth, it would be too much, so I enjoyed it in moderation.

It was delicious. It was a great meal!

Just before noon, I nervously approached the restaurant. There was only one car parked outside. Alright, let's go in! (^.^)

Last time, I had the yakisoba, which was quite modest, but I find myself reminiscing about how delicious it was.

At Choja, it seems like everything might be tasty...

Looking around, customers were ordering standard ramen, chashu ramen, a fried rice set, miso ramen, curry ramen, and katsudon set. There was quite a variety of orders.
I remember there used to be a meat tsukemen on the menu, but it's gone now... I really wanted to try that.

I noticed there were quite a few delivery calls coming in as well.

After about 10 minutes, my bowl arrived.
Here it is! With a nice thickness to the broth, it's piping hot. I need to be careful eating this...

The soup is salt-based, rich in flavor from the dashi. The aroma of sesame oil stimulates the appetite.
While it's not overwhelmingly strong, the flavor is gentle and nice.

The ingredients include pork, menma (bamboo shoots), bean sprouts, cabbage, carrots, green peppers, roast ham, a beaten egg, and green onions as toppings. Everything is cooked to the point where you don’t need to chew hard.

The thin noodles have a great bite to them. The cooking is just right. They mix well with the thick broth, creating a delightful experience.

There was a family with children ordering udon, but I learned that they don’t serve udon or soba during the summer.

Next time, I might try a different menu item!

It was delicious. It was a great meal!

I often find the parking lot full and end up giving up and going somewhere else, but today I decided to take the chance and walked in. Since I love Chanko noodles, I knew I couldn't manage them today, so I aimed for either fried rice or yakisoba.

As I entered the restaurant, I noticed that there were no cars parked outside, so I was wondering if the customers were locals. There were already two tables occupied by families.

I was leaning towards yakisoba, so I ordered that.

It was almost 12 PM, and right after I ordered, a wave of customers came rushing in. The phone for delivery orders was ringing too… but they were turning down new orders due to the crowd.

Many people were ordering curry ramen or the fried rice set.

I tried to take a picture of the menu, but, like last time, I struggled to get a good shot. Maybe my angle was off? For those curious, please check out the previous reviews on Tabelog for Asahikomau. Just a heads up, most items have increased in price by about JPY 50.

Then my yakisoba arrived. It didn’t look flashy at all; in fact, it seemed quite modest. JPY 900 might be a bit pricey for this.

First bite—hmm, how should I describe it? It has more of a sauce flavor to it, but the sauce is faint, with a hint of Japanese taste. It's a mysterious flavor that you could eat endlessly. The noodles are chewy, and the ingredients are simple. It's quietly delicious, a distinct yakisoba that Choja offers.

I would have been happier if the price was a bit lower.

It was delicious. It was a great meal.

I always order the same dish.
I’m used to it, but I wonder what other customers think. I absolutely love it. However, on busy days...
When I want to go, the parking is usually full.
But the other day, I managed to find a spot.

I was curious about what the champon ramen was like, so I ordered it. It has a flavor and thickness that I really enjoy, and now I'm hooked. The seasoning is gentle and soothing.
Just be careful, as it's very hot and can burn your mouth if you're not cautious.
I often find myself wanting to add vinegar and chili oil to turn it into hot and sour soup noodles, but unfortunately, there's no vinegar or chili oil on the table, so I have to refrain.

It was delicious. Thank you for the meal!