Chinchinken Ueno

The area around Ameyoko shopping street, located under the elevated railway tracks between JR Ueno Station and Okachimachi Station one stop south of the station, is known for its many tasteful restaurants. Although the area around Ueno Station has been modernized, there are still some stores in this corner that retain the “melancholy” atmosphere of Ueno, which once existed as a gateway to the Tohoku and Joetsu regions, and continue to do their best to keep their businesses open.

Among the stores in the Ameyoko area, I went to Chinchinken, a store that has recently been featured on YouTube and other media, around 9:00 p.m. one weekend night. I have passed by the restaurant several times before, but it has a very Southeast Asian and deep atmosphere, and I feel like I could drink a beer just from that…

A family-run machi-chuka restaurant that has been in business in Ueno Ameyoko since 1948…Chinchinken is a restaurant like…

Chinchinken, introduced here, is a long-established machi-chuka restaurant that has been in business for over 70 years near the Ueno Ameyoko shopping arcade. According to online information, the restaurant was founded in 1948, but its exact history is unknown. However, the restaurant’s installation says that it has been in business for more than 70 years, so if we count backward from the present, it stands to reason that it was founded in 1948. In any case, there seems to be no doubt that the restaurant has been operating in Ueno for a long time.

There is some information that Chinchinken was originally a candy shop, but its career as a Chinese restaurant started with a food stall in front of Ueno Station. Later, he would set up an actual restaurant in the current location, but at first it was a cramped store with only 1/3 the size of the current store. Later, as the surrounding stores closed their doors, they expanded into the vacant space next door to their current location. Despite being three times the size of the old store, it still has a total of 24 seats (according to the restaurant’s food log information), including table seats arranged in the aisle outside the store.

The second generation of the family is now in charge of the restaurant, with the proprietress and the third generation working hard as a family business. The young third generation is already in the store, and it looks like they will continue to operate for many years to come. For those who love deep spots, this is the perfect place to go. Just passing by the store is sure to bring a warm feeling to your heart…

I didn’t get to try the most popular fried rice… but I did try another popular menu item at Chinchinken in Ueno: tanmen.

This time I ordered tanmen (850 yen including tax), which is one of the most popular dishes on the menu. I really wanted to order the fried rice, the most popular item on the menu, but it was sold out just as the customer in front of me arrived… But actually, I was lucky just to be able to have this tanmen, because the restaurant was sold out about 3 sets of customers behind me that day….

Anyway, after about 10 minutes of waiting for my order, here is the tanmen that was brought to me…

The volume itself is not so large, but the heaping pile of stir-fried vegetables protruding from the surface of the soup reminds me of Jiro’s ramen. One bowl of tanmen may provide you with all the vegetables you need for a day… but that’s a bit of an exaggeration.

Now, let’s start with the soup… The pork and momiji (chicken leg) based broth has the perfect amount of salt, which I personally like, and the flavor exuded from the vegetables is added to it, creating a rich and nourishing soup. I like the blend of vegetable extracts as well as the animal flavor components. It’s a great way to finish off a day of drinking, and to end the day with a big dose of flavor.

On the other hand, the noodles for this dish are traditional Chinese noodles with a slight wave to them. They are slightly soft and firm. They soak up the soup well, so they are delicious on their own, but the contrast between them and the crunchy texture of the vegetables is also nice. The sesame oil on the noodles and vegetables is a stimulating aroma that makes it hard to stop eating.

I forgot about the food report and easily finished the tanmen in a few minutes. I can see why there is a long line of people waiting until late at night for this dish. It is simple, but packed with a variety of flavors, and yet it does not feel heavy and leaves you with a refreshing aftertaste. With this tanmen, even if you are full after a night of drinking, you can have another bowl of tanmen. If I lived in Ueno, I would probably go here every day… if I could eat this for only 850 yen.

The extra item this time was the gyoza (priced at 500 yen including tax), which I ordered after switching from fried rice to gyoza because they were out of fried rice. The price of gyoza is quite expensive for a machu-ka restaurant. For a moment, they reminded me of the gyoza at Okei in Iidabashi, but when I saw what they actually served, I was convinced. But when I saw the actual gyoza, I was convinced. Each plate contains 5 gyoza, but each gyoza is quite large and solidly made.

When I broke one of them open with chopsticks, this is what the bean paste inside looked like. It is packed with a thick bean paste made mainly of drained cabbage, mixed with pork, green onions, and garlic. In terms of volume, one of these may be equivalent to 1.5 to 2 commercially available gyoza. The skin is quite thick and chewy after baking, and the aroma of garlic and pork juices waft from the cross section… It is a very satisfying gyoza, and one plate of it may be enough for three medium servings.

Examples of other menu items at Chinchinken (prices include tax)

• Shio Ramen 700 yen
• Miso ramen 900 yen
• Chashu ramen 950 yen
• Fry noodles (yakisoba) 800 yen
• Fried rice (fried rice) 800 yen
• Rice with stir-fried meat and vegetables 900 yen
• Fried rice with lebanilla 900 yen

Famous as a “Senbero” restaurant…Access to Chinchinken is a 3-minute walk from the nearest station, Ueno Station on the JR Yamanote Line.3分

Chinchinken is also famous as a so-called “Senbero” restaurant. A bottle of beer with snacks costs just about 1,000 yen. The atmosphere under the elevated railway tracks and the bustling atmosphere of Ameyoko are perfect for a little drink… When you want to drink like an old guy, Chinchinken is highly recommended in the Ueno area. Whether you are alone or with friends, I am sure you will have a great time here.

Here are the details of the restaurant. Check here for restaurant data…

It is also a 5-minute walk from the neighboring Okachimachi Station on the JR Yamanote Line.

P.S. P.S. If you are looking for good Chinese food in Tokyo, please stop by this article…