This post was written in 2008. Shop details and prices may have changed since then.
Friday evening I had a drinking session with a bunch of middle-aged guys at a Chinese restaurant in Marunouchi with an atmosphere you’d never expect in Marunouchi. ^_^ It’s loud and rowdy, but it’s cheap, the food isn’t bad, and the portions are pretty generous. Exactly the kind of place older salarymen love. I liked it too. There were office parties going on all over the place. Being a Friday night, if we hadn’t booked we’d probably have struggled to find a seat.
The entrance
It’s in the basement of the marine insurance building (Tokio Marine Nichido) behind the Shin-Marunouchi Building.
Karaage
Not bad at all. The ingredients were a bit low quality, but the frying skill is decent, and I was happy with the portion and the price.
Mapo tofu
Not spicy, and slightly sweet. I think it’s tuned to Japanese tastes. I took the photo halfway through eating, so it’s messy.
Stir-fried bean sprouts
Messy again since I shot it mid-meal. Up to this point it’s not much different from any ordinary Chinese place, but…
This Shaoxing wine was really good.
1,890 yen for 600ml. We drank it on the rocks and it tasted great. I’ve had plenty of Shaoxing wine this good before, but this price is honestly unbelievable. Since you drink it on the rocks rather than straight, you get well over ten glasses out of a bottle. Whatever else you think of this place, the Shaoxing wine alone is the best value for money around. For a casual get-together with friends over drinks, I don’t think you’ll find many places that beat it.
We ordered a few more dishes, but they were just so-so.
They’re fine if you eat them before they get cold, but…
The glasses and ice the restaurant provides
We drank plenty, ate until we were full, and it came to under 3,000 yen per person. I don’t think there are many places near Tokyo Station with value this good.