If you go to Oita, you must try these 6 traditional, long-established and trending new dishes!

"Yoichi" is a famous restaurant that originated the local dish "Ryukyu-don" that has been passed down for generations.

"Ryukyu-don" is one of Oita's specialty dishes. Yoichi is a long-established restaurant that is said to have originated it. It was originally in business for over 40 years as "Nidaime Yoichi" in a shopping arcade about a 3-minute walk from Oita Station, but moved in October 2020. Now, the third-generation chef is carrying on the taste of the long-established restaurant.

There are only eight counter seats inside the restaurant. Local shochu and sake are lined up around the restaurant, so you can consult with the chef to choose a drink that will go well with your meal.

First, we try Oita's famous sake, "Chiebijin Junmai Ginjo (1 go, 700 yen including tax)." It has a good balance of subtle acidity and bitterness, and a clean aftertaste. "Takaki-ya Tokubetsu Junmai (1 go, 650 yen including tax)" has a sharp taste that quickly washes away the oil from fried foods.

The dish that goes with it is Oita's specialty "Toriten (500 yen including tax)". The crispy chicken tempura with a light batter can be enjoyed not only with the meat but also with the skin. It is usually eaten with ponzu and mustard, but here we have it with a refreshing Tosa vinegar.

Next, the chef will prepare the horse mackerel for the Ryukyu donburi! You can enjoy watching the process right in front of you, which is a unique experience you can only get from sitting at the counter.

"Ryukyu" means marinated fish. Horse mackerel is marinated in a sweet sauce made with mirin, soy sauce, and sake. The large bowl is covered with vinegared rice and seaweed.

The finished dish is the Ryukyu Donburi (1,600 yen including tax). The fresh horse mackerel goes perfectly with the sweet sauce and the sourness of the vinegared rice. It is topped with spring onions, shiso leaves, and plenty of white sesame seeds.

With just one bite, the vinegared rice and sweet sauce bring out the umami of the horse mackerel, making it a simple yet delicious dish that you won't be able to stop eating! The condiments such as spring onions, shiso leaves, and white sesame seeds give it a different flavor with every bite.

"Tokujo Taimei (400 yen including tax)" has a unique, punchy flavor and deep umami taste, with a rich aftertaste that is irresistible.

"Aji Sushi (700 yen including tax)" is made with fatty horse mackerel marinated in kelp. It is a fragrant dish that matches the thick and plump horse mackerel with vinegared rice.

Enjoy a relaxing evening at the counter, savoring Oita's shochu and local sake along with Oita's specialty dishes.

Yoichi

The chewy homemade cold noodles and light Chinese noodles are both popular! "Reimen Kei"

"Reimen Kei" is located a 10-minute walk from Oita Station. The owner, who trained at a famous Beppu reimen restaurant, opened this new store in September 2022. A large, pure white lantern is the landmark.

Upon entering the store, you'll find a stylish cafe-like atmosphere with only counter seats. It's easy for women and people travelling alone to enter, and the cheerful proprietress will welcome you and make you feel at ease.

First, buy a meal ticket from the ticket machine at the entrance. There are three types of noodles on the menu: cold noodles, hot noodles, and Chinese noodles. Each has a completely different taste, so it's hard to decide which one to choose.

First, we will have the most popular dish, "Beppu Cold Noodles Regular (830 yen including tax)". Look at this beautiful presentation...! The homemade noodles are topped with homemade domestic beef char siu, cabbage kimchi, soft-boiled egg, green onions and white sesame seeds.

The golden soup made with domestic beef and kelp has a smooth texture and a mellow taste. The flavor of the homemade cabbage kimchi gradually dissolves into the soup, creating a deliciously spicy soup. The char siu pork is soft, and the more you chew it, the more you can taste the deliciousness of the beef.

The owner kneads the homemade noodles by hand every day until they reach their perfect consistency, making them 2.2mm thick. They have a firm texture and are chewy! The buckwheat flour flavor that wafts through your nose is irresistible.

The "Chinese Char Siu Noodles Regular (940 yen including tax)" is also popular among women. It is topped with five large, tender pieces of roasted pork, plenty of bean sprouts and green onions, and a soft-boiled egg, making for a very impressive appearance.

The roasted pork slices are made from domestic pork and are served with a sweet sauce, giving them a soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture and delicious fat. They also go perfectly with the salty soup.

The soup is made from a whole domestic chicken, condensing its rich flavor and leaving a clean aftertaste that's so delicious you'll want to drink it all up.

The thin, straight noodles were easy to eat, and when eaten with other ingredients such as pork slices and bean sprouts, the variety of flavours made for a very satisfying bowl of ramen.

Warm noodles are also popular on cold days, so be sure to try different types!

Reimen Kei