Introducing Chinese Cuisine Hirota

Hello, this is Aikero, a writer for [Sarukuma].

Today I’m introducing a fantastic spot in Kamitakahashi, Nishi Ward, Kumamoto City:
[Chinese Cuisine Hirota].This restaurant was previously known as Ryunoko, but the long-time head chef took over and reopened it under the new name Chinese Cuisine Hirota.

You might be wondering, “Is Chinese food really suitable for dining with kids?” Don’t worry — by the end of this article, I’m hoping you’ll be saying, “I want to go!” (Maybe I’m setting the bar a little too high for myself? (^^;))The restaurant is located along the Tsuboi River, near [Sanwa Junior High School].
Parking includes 6 spots in front of the restaurant,
plus 2 additional spots under the signboard.
There’s a parking guide at the entrance — make sure to check that you’ve got the right number (^^)/A heads up: there are two small steps — one in front of the entrance and another at the door.
Strollers can enter, but please be careful (^^)/
There were medaka (Japanese killifish) and goldfish swimming outside! ♪
Since it’s right next to the parking lot, watch out for cars while taking a peek (^^)
I made a reservation this time, and when I mentioned I’d be bringing a stroller, the staff kindly cleared the back seat by removing a chair to make space for it!

I’d also dropped in once before without a reservation, and luckily a seat near the entrance was open for the stroller. However,
since this is a popular spot that often fills up, I highly recommend making a reservation if you want to be sure of getting a seat (^○^)
On the day of my visit, customers kept streaming in right after opening.

By the way, the tea served is oolong tea.
Here’s the lunch menu.

Lunch A — ¥950 … 1 main dish, salad, rice, soup, pickles, sherbet or coffee
Lunch B — ¥1,450 … 2 main dishes (everything else same as above)

Lunch C — ¥1,000 … noodles, rice, pickles, sherbet or coffee
Lunch D — ¥1,500 … noodles + 1 main dish of your choice
Noodles only — ¥850
★ Free rice refills

Chinese food usually feels a bit pricey to me (or is it just me?), but here you can get 2 main dishes plus salad, soup, pickles,
and all-you-can-eat rice for under ¥1,500…!!
The new noodle lunch — Spicy Negi Tanmen — comes in 3 spice levels (mild, medium, hot).Even Karashi Renkon (Kumamoto’s famous mustard-stuffed lotus root) gets a Chinese-style twist here!
Here’s the drink menu.
Sorry the photo is super reflective and hard to read!

For enjoying Chinese food at home, the Chinese hors d’oeuvre platter (serves 5–6) is ¥10,800 (tax included).
Same-day orders are welcome, but ordering the day before is smoother ♪
Here’s the takeout menu and the course menu.
Takeout has a container fee of ¥30 (tax included).
They also provide sharing plates and kids’ cutlery! ♪

Recommended Menu Items at Chinese Cuisine Hirota

This time we ordered two Lunch D sets, which let you choose noodles plus a main dish!

The photo shows Taipien — a noodle dish that anyone from Kumamoto knows by heart.
We even had it for school lunches when I was a kid, and only as an adult have I really come to appreciate how good it is (#^.^#) haha

It came in an impressively large bowl.
“I know this! I had it at school lunch! It’s Maroni (glass noodles)!!” said my daughter, laughing…
Apparently her friend told her it was called “Maroni” (￣▽￣)

The broth was light yet incredibly delicious!This one’s the Tori Paitan Chuka Soba (creamy chicken ramen).
I follow Hirota on Instagram, and every time this dish appeared in their stories, I wanted to try it ( ●＾o＾●)

I’d always felt slightly hesitant about ordering ramen at a Chinese restaurant (again, just me?), but if you love rich, creamy broths, you’ll be hooked!
It also comes with two thick, melt-in-your-mouth slices of chashu pork!For our first main, we picked Mapo Tofu!
The fragrant Sichuan pepper and slightly spicy, silky tofu pair perfectly with rice — you’ll find yourself coming back for seconds.
This Mapo Tofu also includes eggplant, which feels like a bonus! ♪For our second main, we went with Yurinchi (deep-fried chicken with sweet-vinegar sauce)! ♪
I ordered it thinking my daughter (who loves karaage) would enjoy it, but she only ate the tomato (￣▽￣;)
The Yurinchi comes pre-sliced, so it’s easy to eat ♪

With Lunch B and Lunch D, you can pick 2 dishes — one for the adults, one for the kids — and rice refills are free, so
I personally think this is a really family-friendly spot ( ●＾o＾●)
And at this price, it’s such a steal!
For dessert, we chose the sherbet.
This subtly yuzu-flavored sherbet is something else.

It cleanses your palate beautifully after the rich chicken paitan ramen, mapo tofu, and yurinchi!!
If you’re skeptical, please give it a try (^○^)

Thanks so much for reading to the end! ♪
So, are you tempted to visit yet? (fingers crossed!)

This is a Chinese lunch I’d recommend to anyone — with kids or without!
The rhythmic clang of the wok from the kitchen only adds to your anticipation ( ●＾o＾●)
Definitely give it a try ♪

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Frequently Asked Questions

※ Information was accurate at the time of reporting. Prices and opening hours are subject to change. Please confirm before visiting.