Hojo

Add mini fried rice to your tantanmen, or let the noodles take centre stage. At Hojo, there are options to suit either mood. Visitors describe the tantanmen as gently spiced, with fine, straight noodles that are easy to enjoy. Some also mention its light, soy-forward flavour. Rather than a bowl for those seeking pronounced heat, it may appeal when you’re in the mood for sesame flavour. Diners who ordered the set with mini fried rice also had good things to say about the rice. On another visit, one diner found that the fried rice’s mild seasoning let the crab flavour come through. If noodles alone might not quite satisfy, the set offers the pleasure of adding a rice dish.

Cold tantanmen is another option. Diners describe fine noodles with a light vinegar-and-soy-based flavour; others say the acidity is pronounced, making the dish a good choice on a hot day. It offers a different take on noodles from the hot version.

If you’re here for fried rice, the menu includes the standard version as well as options named for their ingredients, including crab, shrimp, minced meat and shibazuke pickles. One diner who paired beef and green pepper stir-fry with fried rice noted that the rice included shiso. You might choose a standalone dish to have with rice, or make fried rice the focus of your meal. Beyond noodles and fried rice, the menu also lists mapo tofu, shrimp in chilli sauce, and pork and cabbage stir-fried with miso. Diners differ in how spicy they find the mapo tofu: some note the tingle of Sichuan pepper, while others find it mild. The pork and cabbage with miso, meanwhile, has been described as sweetly seasoned. These are options to consider when you feel like a main dish other than noodles.

The restaurant is described as having a retro-style interior and being suitable for dining alone. Start with the gently spiced tantanmen and mini fried rice; next time, try cold noodles or fried rice with different ingredients. This Chinese restaurant offers ways to vary your order with your appetite.